Date: November 25, 2024 Mon

Time: 9:12 pm

australia

Results for australia

8290 total results found

1893 non-duplicate results found.

Author: New South Wales. Parliament. Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman Title: Report on an Inquiry Into Early Intervention Systems in the NSW Police Force, Together with Study Tour Report, Transcript of Proceedings and Minutes of Meetings. Summary: This report provides a discussion on Early Intervention Systems for the NSW Police Force. Details: Sydney: Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and the Police Integrity Commission, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Early Intervention Systems Shelf Number: 116194

Author: Queensland Police Service Title: Review of the Queensland Police Service Taser Trial. Summary: This review describes the Queensland Police Tasers Trial and provides an overview of issues related to the use of tasers. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Police Service and the Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Use of Force Shelf Number: 116479

Author: Offler, Naomi Title: A Review of the Literature on Social, Non-Technical Deterrents for Vandalism in the Rail Industry Summary: This report discusses short and long term strategies for addressing vandalism and graffiti on rail property in Australia. Details: Brisbane: CRC for Rail Innovation, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Deterrence Shelf Number: 116516

Author: Fleming, Jenny Title: Rules of engagement: Policing anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence in and around licensed premises Summary: This report provides an overview of the ways in which Australian police services are adapting their systems and developing strategies to prevent and manage alcohol-related violence in and around licensed premises. It is not an exhaustive study of police activity but a first step in identifying the strategies adopted, the boundaries within which police operate and the 'limits to the possible.' Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2008. 49p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime Shelf Number: 113266

Author: Bryant, Colleen Title: Risk Factors in Indigenous Violent Victimisation Summary: This study examines victimization rates for specific types of violence using demographic, psychological, sociological, and cultural factors within the indigenous population. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2008 Source: AIC Technical and Background Paper 30 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 113254

Author: Stewart, Felicity Title: Provocation in Sentencing: Research Report. 2nd Edition Summary: This paper is intended as an examination of some of the sentencing policy issues and principles raised by the abolition of the partial defence of provocation in light of Victoria Law Reform Commission Homicide Report. Details: Melbourne: State of Victoria, Sentencing Advisory Council, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Homicide Shelf Number: 117350

Author: Howard, Jo Title: It All Starts At Home: Male Adolescent Violence to Mothers: A Research Report Summary: This research paper examines male adolescents' abuse and violence to their sole parent mothers. It gathers qualitative data from ten women, from a range of cultural backgrounds to gain a comprehensive understanding of their experiences of the abuse and violence from their sons. Details: St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia: Inner South Community Health Service, 2008 Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Adolescent Males Shelf Number: 115206

Author: McIlwain, Gillian Title: Sustaining a Reduction of Alcohol-Related Harms in the Licensed Environment: A Practical Experiment to Generate New Evidence Summary: Aggression and violence in and around drinking establishments remains a significant problem in most parts of the world, especially as the night-time economy expands. This report is aimed at achieving two objectives - the development of a comprehensive prevention model capable of reducing alcohol related violence and aggression, and a scientifically defensible research design to test the model in a variety of licensed environments in Australia and New Zealand. Details: Brisbane, Australia: Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, Griffith University, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime Shelf Number: 117324

Author: Leonard, William Title: Coming Forward: the Underreporting of Heterosexist Violence and Same Sex Partner Abuse in Victoria Summary: This report analyzes the responses to an online survey of 390 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and transgender (GLBT) Victorians. The survey asked them about their experiences of heterosexist violence and same sex partner abuse. Details: Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University, 2008 Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Bias Crime Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 113256

Author: Perry, Virginia Title: Evaluation of the Mothering at a Distance Program Summary: The Mothering at a Distance (MAAD) Program is a 10-session parenting program, which has been conducted at a number of New South Wales Department of Corrective Services correctional centers for female inmates. The aims of this study is to assess the development, implementation, effectiveness, and sustainability of the MAAD program. Details: Sydney: New South Wales, Department of Corrective Services, 2009. 100p. Source: http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Evaluation-of-the-Mothering-at-a-Distance_Program.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Children of Prisoners Shelf Number: 116651

Author: Bradford, Deborah Title: An Evaluation of the NSW Court Liaison Services Summary: This report focuses on the court diversion services provided in New South Wales for the purpose of assessing and diverting mentally unwell individuals from the criminal justice system into treatment. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 115819

Author: National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children Title: The Cost of Violence Against Women and Their Children Summary: Violence against women and their children carries a very large economic cost to society. This report projects the costs of domestic violence in Australia to 2021, with the aim of providing decision-makers with a sense of the scale of this problem and its impact on society. Details: Canberra: National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 116529

Author: Shanahan, Marian Title: Estimating the Cost-Savings of Reduced Crime While in Methadone Treatment Summary: The aim of this study was to assess if there was evidence of cost-savings due to crimes averted while individuals were engaged in methadone maintenance as a treatment for heroin use. Two sets of analyses are presented in this paper, and they were produced over a four year period for a population-based sample of New South Wales methadone clients. The first analysis is descriptive and presents the total number of treatment days and crimes committed on and off methadone, and the costs of treatment, gaol and crimes for the sample over the four year study period. The second analysis reports the results of the use of a regression analysis to explore whether methadone treatment impacts upon the costs of crime and gaol. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2007. 41p. Source: NDARC Technical Report No. 264: accessed May 8, 2018 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/estimating-cost-savings-reduced-crime-while-methadone-treatment Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 116657

Author: Wong, Katrina Title: Bail Me Out: NSW Young Offenders and Bail Summary: There is a significant gap in policy development with respect to the provision of appropriate assistance to young people on bail. There is no policy or residential service model funded by the Australian Government that supports young people's adherence to their bail conditions in a community setting. There is also significant inconsistency between the evidence base for diverting young people from the justice system and the practices of policing and monitoring this group of young people. The findings from this study identified significant areas of concern that warrant further research on which policy and practice in the juvenile justice system, could be based. Details: Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia: Youth Justice Coalition, 2009 Source: http://www.yjconline.net/BailMeOut.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 116658

Author: McCausland, Ruth Title: Factors Affecting Crime Rates in Indigenous Communities in NSW: A Pilot Study in Wilcannia and Menindee Summary: This pilot study set out to look at two towns with significant Aboriginal communities that are comparable in terms of geography, population, and context, but with higher or lower crime rates. The aim of the study was to identify common themes and factors that may be considered to have an impact on crime rates being higher in Wilcannia and lower in Menindee. Given that the focus was on understanding the political, social, cultural and economic dynamics contributing to crime rate, interviews were conducted with a range of community and organizational representatives and others working in relevant criminal justice and service delivery roles as a way to better understand the dynamics and experiences of the community as a whole. Details: Sydney: Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology Sydney, 2009. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2018 at: https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/FinalCommunityReportBLNov10.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Peoples Shelf Number: 117101

Author: Success Works Title: Review of the Integrated Response to Family Violence: Final Report Summary: Success Works was commissioned by the Department of Justice to review Safe At Home, the Tasmanian Government's integrated whole-of-Government response to family violence. This report constitutes the final report from this review. The purpose of this review has been to examine: the achievements or otherwise of Safe At Home to date, including the strengths of the approaches used by Safe At Home; whether the available resources are being appropriately aligned to achieve the objectives of the response to family violence; whether the current programs and activities provided under Safe At Home are delivering the intended results; whether there are any gaps in services or inefficiencies in the current system; how effective is the current state-wide, regional and local governance structure in the delivery and coordination of services and in addressing ongoing service delivery issues and improvements; opportunities for the further integration and better coordination of Safe At Home and other services; and relationships which should be developed between Safe At Home and other service providers to assist in the development of the response. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmania Department of Justice, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 117369

Author: Queensland Ombudsman Title: Justice on the Inside: A Review of Queensland Corrective Services' Management of Breaches of Discipline by Prisoners Summary: The principal objectives of the investigation discussed in this report were to: determine the extent to which officers are complying with the breach practices and procedures, and relevant legislation; determine the adequacy of these practices and procedures; identify and recommend improvements to practices and procedures; and if appropriate, recommend amendment to legislation to enhance the disciplinary system. Details: Brisbane: 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections Officers Shelf Number: 117388

Author: Victoria. Auditor-General Title: Preparedness to Respond to Terrorism Incidents: Essential Services and Critical Infrastructure Summary: The objective of this audit was to examine the state's preparedness to respond to terrorism incidents, relating to essential services and critical infrastructure. This audit examined the governance agreements established to assist operators of essential services and owners/operators of critical infrastructure to respond to terrorism incidents. The activities of selected Victorian government agencies with roles and responsibilites were examined, including how they consulted and interacted with owners/operators of critical infrastructure and operators of declared essential serivces. The audit also considere funding for counter-terrorism initiatives including for preventing, responding to and recovering from terrorist attacks. The activities of Victoria Police and seven Victorian government departments were examined. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice Policy Shelf Number: 114814

Author: Kraemer, Sharan Title: HoPE (Health of Prisoner Evaluation) Pilot Study of Prisoner Physical Health and Psychological Wellbeing Summary: This pilot study, examining prisoner health in two Western Australian (WA) Prisons; Casuarina and Bandyup, aims to create a way for standardized program of health checks to be introduced into WA prisons and ultimately across the board for all Australian prisons. The HoPE (Health of Prisoner Evaluation) Project was developed by the authors in response to a report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which found no consistent state or national review of prisoners' health even though they are known to be a high-risk group. A mental and physical health questionnaire was used to interview both indigenous and non-Indigenous male and female prisoners from urban areas. This aimed to produce an accurate profile of people within the present prison system. Details: Joondalup, Western Australia: School of Law & Justice, Edith Cowan University, 2009 Source: Australian Policy Online Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Health Care Shelf Number: 114352

Author: Zhou, Hui Title: 'One Victim of Trafficking Is One Too Many': Counting the Human Cost of Trafficking, Cases of Trafficking in Australia Summary: Project Respect spent 6 weeks researching and documenting cases of human trafficking in Australia. This report refers to approximately 300 cases cases of victims of trafficking documented during this time. Some of the cases documented are based on cases Project Respect had already gathered in 5 years working with women in the sex industry. Other cases were obtained from other sources for the specific purpose of this documentation project. Project Respect circulated a letter and survey form widely in Australia seeking information for this documentation project. Details: Victoria, Australia: Project Respect, Inc., 2004 Source: Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 116670

Author: Hudson, Nina Title: Wakefield Youth Alcohol Diversion Pilot Program: Final Evaluation Report Summary: This report presents findings of the evaluation of the Wakefield Youth Alcohol Diversion Pilot Program (YARN). YARN is a youth alcohol diversion and community education program to be piloted in regional South Australia from 1 February 2006 to January 2008. The evaluation of YARN was divided into two main components. A process component sought to monitor the process of project implementation, operation and coordination. An outcomes component sought to establish whether YARN 'works'. This report has a primary focus on the outcomes and impact of YARN and a secondary focus on process issues. Details: Adelaide: South Australian Department of Justice, Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2007. 299p. Source: Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 116305

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Illicit Drug Markets in Queensland: A Strategic Assessment Summary: This strategic intelligence assessment presents a market-based analysis of the risk posed by illicit drug markets in Queensland, with a particular focus on organised criminal involvement in those markets. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2010. 92p. Source: Crime Bulletin Series; No. 12 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Trafficking Shelf Number: 117699

Author: Ferrante, Anna Title: Assessing the impact of 'available street time' and mortality on estimates of recidivism Summary: This methodological study assesses the impact of available street time and mortality on the estimation of recidivism. Using survival analysis techniques to derive estimates of reoffending, the study compares adjusted and unadjusted rates and assesses how these rates vary for different offender populations and over different follow-up periods. In contrast to some previous studies, it finds that adjusting for time spent in custody and mortality makes little difference to the two-year recidivism rates of large offender populations. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010, 14p. Source: Internet Source Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Recidivism, Offenders, Public Policy Shelf Number: 117627

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Review of Use of Force by and against Victorian Police Summary: This report presents the outcome of a review of the effectiveness of the policies, data collection, reporting, training and monitoring of the use of force by and against Victoria police members. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2009. 77p. Source: Parliamentary paper; session 2006-2009, no. 165 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Use of Force Shelf Number: 117606

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Offers of Gifts and Benefits to Victoria Police Employees Summary: This report discusses the ethical issues for police who accept gratuities. It highlights the need for an effective policy and practice framework to guide police in how to repond to offers of gifts or benefits and recommends guidelines for such a framework. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2009. 21p. Source: Internet Resource; Parliamantary paper; session 2006-2009, no. 199 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Ethics Shelf Number: 117618

Author: New South Wales Sentencing Council Title: Sentencing for Alcohol-Related Violence Summary: This report by the NSW Sentencing Council examines the current principles and practices governing sentencing for offenses committed while an offender is intoxicated, as well as those for alcohol-related violence. Details: Sydney: NSW Sentencing Council, 2009. 158p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime Shelf Number: 117375

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Early Intervention Systems for Police Agencies Summary: This research paper examines the use of early intervention systems as a tool for improving police performance and reducing police misconduct. The paper defines early intervention systems and discusses their uses, components, effectiveness and limitations. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2009(?). 20p. Source: OPI Research Paper No. 1 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Misconduct Shelf Number: 117384

Author: Baldry, Eileen Title: Aborginal Women with Dependent Children Leaving Prison Project: Needs Analysis Report Summary: This project investigates the transitional and post release needs of Aborginal women with dependent children who are exiting prison in Western Sydney, Australia. It aims to understand their needs; appropriate services available and servive gaps in the area, in order to recommend a service model and evaluation framework addressing these needs. In the longer term it is meant to inform a supported housing pilot project for this group of women and their children. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales; NSW Department of Community Services; Homelessness NSW, 2008. 114p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 113490

Author: Davies, Megan Title: Court Outcomes for Firearm Offences in Australia Summary: This research examines how effective firearm penalties are in preventing firearm-related offenses. While not an evaluation of the effectiveness of penalties per se, the report examines data from New South Wales, Victoria, south Australia, Western Australia and the Australian Customs Service, to provide an overview of the type of firearm offenses commonly brought before the courts, the outcomes from these proceedings, and the severity of sentences handed down. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2008. 67p. Source: Internet Resource; Technical and Background Paper Series; no. 31 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms and Crime Shelf Number: 113069

Author: Cummings, RIck Title: Operation Burglary Countdown: Evaluation Study Final Report Summary: From the report: "The report describes the operation of Operation Burglary Countdown in the first two pilot locations, Bentley and Morely, over the time period of November 2003 to October 2004. The pilots are based on a partnership approach and specifically seeks to make use of the rational choice theory of Cornish and Clarke (1986)." Details: Burswood, Western Australia: Estill & Associates, 2005. 53p. Source: Internet Resource; Prepared for the Office of Crime Prevention Government of Western Australia Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Burglary Shelf Number: 104849

Author: Williams, Joanne Title: Violent and antisocial behaviours among young adolescents in Australian communities: An analysis of risk and protective factors Summary: The paper presents an analysis of factors associated with violent and antisocial behaviors among young Australians aged 10-14 years. The focus is on identifying factors that either increase or reduce the likelihood of young people engaging in violent and antisocial behaviors. Details: West Perth, AUS: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2009 48p. Source: Internet source Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior, Risk Assessment, Juvenile Off Shelf Number: 117376

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Risk Mitigation in High-Risk Environments: Street Sex Workers Summary: This discussion paper examines one facet of the 'Areas of Operational Emphasis' of the Office of Police Integrity for the period 30 June 2008 until 1 July 2009. The focus of this project was the identification of systemic policing risks associated with policing illegal aspects of the sex industry. It concluded with the recommendation for the development of standards, in concert with Victoria Police, to guide police officers officially interacting with street sex workers. The paper draws from case studies where deficits in appropriate and rigorous management, work practices, and ethical decision-making have contributed to police corruption, risk to organizational reputation and to human rights violations between police officers and sex workers. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2008. 44p. Source: Internet Resource; OPI Discussion Paper no. 1 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Ethics Shelf Number: 117580

Author: Goodman-Delahunty, Jane Title: Improving Jury Understanding and Use of Expert DNA Evidence Summary: The use of DNA evidence in Australian courts has increased exponentially in the last two decades. DNA technology is well-validated and no longer the subject of defense challenges. Juror difficulties in understanding and applying the scientific and statistical information conveyed by forensic experts about a DNA match have been documented in qualitative and quantitative studies. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 68p. Source: Technical and Background Paper no. 37; Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: DNA Typing Shelf Number: 118096

Author: Cross, Donna Title: Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study Summary: The safety of members of the school community is essential to enhance the academic, social development and well being of young people. In line with the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child, the National Safe Schools Framework (NSSF) is regarded as a highly innovative, collaborative effort on behalf of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments to foster the development and implementation of a series of whole-of-school initiatives to produce an integrated national policy for the prevention and early intervention of bullying and other aggressive and violent behaviours. Yet despite the impact of the NSSF in terms of reducing direct, face-to-face 'overt' bullying, such as hitting, punching, kicking and teasing, evidence suggests that a less direct form of 'covert' bullying is becoming more prevalent and insidious, fuelled in part by the growth of new forms of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). From this perspective, the Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study (ACBPS), commissioned by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), represents a significant first step to understand and tackle this phenomenon. The ACBPS investigated young people's experiences with covert bullying including: the nature and types of covert bullying behaviours used by young people, how often and where these behaviours occur, and risk and protective factors that may inhibit or encourage covert bullying behaviour. This report aims to shed new light on covert bullying among school-age children, with the ultimate goal of identifying feasible, effective and sustainable policy and practice to address this phenomenon. While the general concepts and theories underlying covert bullying are not new, research into how to address covert bullying is still in its infancy. This is due in part to the erroneous perception that while covert bullying is unpleasant it is generally considered to be a less harmful form of behaviour. Emerging research indicates, however, that covert bullying has the potential to result in more severe psychological, social, and mental health problems than overt bullying, and is not only more difficult for schools and parents to detect, but also has the capacity to inflict social isolation on a much broader scale than overt bullying. Furthermore, the recent digital media revolution of the last decade has provided an additional platform and encouraged a communication culture within which covert bullying can operate among young people. An companion report -- Covert bullying: A review of national and international research -- states that the safety of all school members is an essential prerequisite to promote effective schools that enhance the academic, emotional, social development and well being of young people. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child reinforces the importance of protecting children's quality of life and their rights to be educated in a safe environment, free from all forms of violence, victimisation, harassment and neglect. In line with this basic right, the Australian community has become increasingly aware of the prevalence, seriousness and negative impacts of school bullying - a form of aggression considered to affect the greatest number of students. Research in Australia has indicated that approximately ten percent of school students reported being bullied most days or even every day at school, with almost one half reporting they were bullied at least once during the past term at school. These rates of bullying between students are among the highest in the world. Details: Perth: Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, 2009. 414p. Source: Internet Resource: Initial report: https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/australian_covert_bullying_prevalence_study_executive_summary.pdf - Companion report: https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/australian_covert_bullying_prevalence_study_chapter_2.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Bullying Shelf Number: 117124

Author: Blagg, Harry Title: Models of Best Practice: Aboriginal Community Patrols in Western Australia Summary: This discussion paper explores best practice issues in relation to Aboriginal Community Patrols in Western Australia in the context of crime prevention and community safety. Aboriginal Community Patrols have become an accepted feature of localized responses to crime and anti-social behavior in many Aboriginal communities across the state, and this paper addresses a range of issues connected with the role of the patrols in crime prevention. Details: Perth: Crime Research Centre, University of Western Austraia, 2007. 60p. Source: Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 118085

Author: ACT Council of Social Service Title: Circles of Support: Towards Indigenous Justice: Prevention, Diversion & Rehabilitation Summary: Although the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has the lowest rate of imprisonment of any Australian jurisdiction, and one of the lowest rates of Indigenous imprisonment. Indigenous people are still significantly over-represented in our justice system. This report attempts to engage with the reasons for this over-representation, to identify existing mainstream and Indigenous crime prevention and diversion initiatives in the ACT, to highlight gaps in service provision and areas of unmet need and make recommendations for change. Details: Canberra: ACT Council of Social Service, 2008, 100p. Source: Internet Source Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Populations, Diversion, Crime Preventio Shelf Number: 113073

Author: Snowball, Lucy Title: Juvenile Diversion and Indigenous Offenders: A Study Examining Juvenile Offenders in Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales Summary: This study addresses the concern that Indigenous juvenile offenders were not receiving the benefits of diversionary schemes. Previous research had suggested that Indigenous offenders are diverted at a significatnly lower rate than non-Indigenous offenders. This research, however, had not compared rates of diversion after adjusting for offender characteristics and other factors that can be taken into account when making the decision to divert. This study assesses how much of the difference in rates of diversion between Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders remained after these factors had been taken into account. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Council, 2008. 24p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 117754

Author: Victoria. Ombudsman. Title: Conditions for persons in custody. Summary: This report addresses concerns about the conditions in which people are held in both police cells and prisons in Victoria, Australia. The report shows that despite the former Ombudsman investigating conditions and overcrowding in police cells in 2002, there is still cause for serious concerns. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2006. 117p. Source: Session 2003-2006. P.P. no. 215 Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Detention of Persons (Australia) Shelf Number: 118084

Author: Wrapson, W. Title: Evaluation of the Eyes on the Street Program: Final Report Summary: Eyes on the Street (EOTS) is a managed and centrally co-ordinated intelligence gathering initiative involving local government and other workers. Participants are provided with training to report suspicious and criminal activity together with regular feedback on report submissions. This report contains the findings and recommendations arising out of an evaluation of the EOTS program. Details: Perth: Crime Research Centre, University of Western Australia, 2008. 79p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Participation (Australia) Shelf Number: 118086

Author: People, Julie Title: Characteristics of Complaints About Misconduct by Off Duty NSW Police Officers Summary: This study provides information about the characteristics of complaints regarding misconduct that occurs when police officers are off duty. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Police Integrity Commission, 2010. 24p. Source: PResearch and Issues Paper No. 04 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior (Australia) Shelf Number: 117870

Author: Bryant, Colleen Title: Pornography Awareness: A Process of Engagement with Northern Territory Indigenous Communities Summary: In 2007, concerns about the exposure of Indigenous children to pornography and links between the use of pornography and sexual abuse of children led to the developing of a media classification awareness and education campaign for Indigenous communities. This led to a series of consultations, particularly with Indigenous men, across the Northern Territory. These consultations provided input into the messages to be delivered through the campaign, the appropriate target audiences, critical success factors, risks and sensitivities, and the development of a communications strategy. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2009. 74p. Source: Technical and Background Paper Series no. 34 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 117614

Author: Taylor, P. Title: The Cost of Child Abuse in Australia Summary: In this report, the costs to the Australian economy and society of the abuse of children and young people aged 0 to 17 years are assessed, with five main types of child abuse covered -- physical, emotional and psychological, sexual abuse, neglect and witness of (or knowledge of) family violence. Details: Melbourne: Australian Childhood Foundation and Child Abuse Prevention Research Australia, 2008. 176p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 113245

Author: Torok, Michelle Title: Comparative Rates of Violent Crime Amongst Methamphetamine and Opioid Users: Victimisation and Offending Summary: Background There have been marked changes in methamphetamine use over the past decade as more potent forms of the drug have become increasingly available, particularly crystalline methamphetamine. A major concern of stronger potency methamphetamine is the increased potential for harm, such as psychotic symptoms and violent behaviour. Little is currently known about what effects methamphetamine use has on violent behaviour. The current research was undertaken to improve our understanding of the association between methamphetamine use and violent victimisation and offending. Comprehensive measures including prevalence, type of offence, circumstances surrounding victimisation and offending, and the predictors of violent behaviour were used to achieve a more complex understanding of the issues surrounding methamphetamine use and violence. Methodology A sample of 400 regular methamphetamine and heroin users from the greater Sydney region were interviewed face-to-face regarding their lifetime and most recent experiences of violent victimisation and offending. Participants in the study were recruited through advertisements placed in needle and syringe programs (NSPs), therapeutic communities, street press publications, and word of mouth. To be eligible for inclusion in the survey, respondents had to be at least 18 years of age, have a satisfactory understanding of English, and have used either methamphetamine or illicit opiates at least weekly over the past 12 months. The sample was categorised into three key groups based on whether they used methamphetamine or heroin most regularly: primary methamphetamine users (PM), primary heroin users (PH), and combined primary methamphetamine and heroin users (PMH). Only physical violence was measured in this study, which included assault, armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault. Key findings Violent victimisation The lifetime risk of violent victimisation was nearly universal. Across the whole sample, 95% had ever been a victim of violence, and nearly half (46%) had experienced victimisation in the past 12 months. The overwhelming majority had been victimised on multiple occasions across a lifetime measure. Methamphetamine use was not a significant risk factor for violent victimisation. The results indicate that the major predictors of violent victimisation among illicit drug users were severity of alcohol use, a predisposition towards antisocial behaviour (i.e. a childhood history of Conduct Disorder), and drug dealing. The data indicates that being involved in illicit drug markets substantially increases the risk of victimisation and that, at some point, those who remain in these environments have a high risk of being assaulted Almost two-thirds of those who had been victimised were also under the influence of a substance at the time they were last victimised. The substances that were most commonly used prior to the most recent victimisation episode were alcohol (25%), psychostimulants (24%), and illicit opioids (24%). Nearly one-quarter of the respondents had used multiple substances prior to most recently being victimised. Violent offending The prevalence of violent offending was also high, with 82% having ever committed a violent crime, and approximately two in five having violently offended in the past 12 months. There were no group differences in the risk of lifetime offending. In the past 12 months, however, the PM group was more likely to have committed a violent crime than the PH group (51% v 35%). Nearly three-quarters (74%) of the sample had ever committed more than one violent crime. Methamphetamine use significantly increased the risk of violent offending in the past 12 months, particularly more frequent methamphetamine use. The increased risk of violent offending associated with methamphetamine use was consistent across a number of indicators, including being at greater risk for being arrested for assault and weapon offences in the preceding 12 months, and methamphetamine users being at greater risk of committing violent crime within the past month. Apart from methamphetamine use, other factors that were found to increase the risk of committing violence were heavier alcohol use, Conduct Disorder, selling drugs, and being younger. Risk perceptions of violence The majority of the sample perceived that it would be 'unlikely' or 'very unlikely' that they would be either a victim of violence (78%) or violent offender (87%) in the following 12 months, despite the high prevalence of violent victimisation and offending experienced in the previous 12 months. The majority of respondents had also witnessed high levels of victimisation and offending, and this also appears to have no impact on their own perceived risk of being exposed to violence in the future. Among those who had recently (i.e. in the last 12 months) been a victim of violence, or physically assaulted someone, the perceived risk of future victimisation and offending was higher than those who had not recently been exposed to violence. Key points: Summary of violent crime among illicit drug users - Violent victimisation was almost universal, with 95% of the sample having ever been victimised, and 46% having been a victim of violence in the past 12 months. - Violent offending was also highly prevalent, with 82% of respondents having committed a violent crime across their lifetime, and 41% having done so in the past 12 months. - Methamphetamine use did not increase the lifetime, or past 12 month, risk of violent victimisation. - Heavier methamphetamine use was associated with a significantly higher risk of violent offending in the past 12 months. - The main form of methamphetamine used did not affect risk of violent victimisation or offending. - The perceived risk of being a victim or offender of a violent crime in the following 12 months was very low, despite the high rates of victimisation, and of committing violent crime, in the past 12 months. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2008. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph no. 32: Accessed April 17, 2018 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph32.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 117106

Author: Nicholas, Roger Title: An Environmental Scan on Alcohol and Other Drug Issues Facing Law Enforcement in Australia 2010. Summary: Environmental scanning, as with any form of predicting the future, is not a purely scientific endeavor. It involves drawing together data from a large range of sources, ranging from refereed journals to the opinions of experts in a given field, in order to try and better understand current and future trends. This document contains the key findings of an environmental scan on alcohol and other drug issues facing law enforcement in Australia. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2008. 219o, Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 118167

Author: Daly, Kathleen Title: Defendants in the Circle: Nowra Circle Court, the Presence and Impact of Elders, and Re-Offending Summary: This report presents a qualitative study of how Indigenous offenders view the court process and the role of Indigenous Elders, with reference to the Nowra Circle Court in New South Wales, established in 2002. Details: Brisbane: School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, 2009. 128p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 118163

Author: Fish, Ellen Title: Bad Mothers and Invisible Fathers: Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence Summary: This discussion paper reviews research on mothering and fathering in the context of domestic violence. The paper draws on recent research from the United Kingdom, North America and Australia to illuminate how domestic violence affects women's abilities to mother a couple's children and how mothering in such situations can trap women in gendered violence. Details: Collingwood, VIC: Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre, 2009. 50p. Source: Discussion Paper No. 7 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Wives Shelf Number: 116307

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Report on Investigation into Operation Clarendon Summary: This report deals with issues that were the subject of an investigation into matters relating to the activities of Victoria Police members and a citizen, Mr. Kerry Milte. The inquiry examined allegations of unlawful activities between current members of the Victoria Police and Mr. Kerry Milte, who was acting as a police informant. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2008. 23p. Source: Parliamentary Paper; Session 2006-2008, no. 79 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Informants Shelf Number: 117612

Author: Healey, Lucy Title: Researching the Gaps: The Needs of Women Who Have Experienced Long-Term Domestic Violence Summary: This report investigates the long term needs of Australian women who have experienced family violence for a considerable period of time, including during childhood. The research identified a major gap in policy in the service system. Further, it found that some women and their children are at high risk of experiencing continuing consequences of family violence and require long term support. Details: Collingwood, Vic.: Good Shepherd Youth and Familiy Service, 2009. 139p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Wives (Services for, Victoria) Shelf Number: 118230

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: The Victorian Armed Offenders Squad - A Case Study Summary: This study looks at factors that could explain how or why some individuals come to betray their oath as police officers. The report examines the role of loyalty and culture in shaping an individual's perception of what is right and wrong. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2008. 39p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption (Victoria, Australia ) Shelf Number: 117581

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: A Fair and Effective Victoria Police Discipline System Summary: Recent reviews of police discipline systems in interstate and overseas jurisdictions have been unanimous in recommending radical changes, generally agreeing that it should be aligned with systems applicable in other employment areas. This review examines the Victoria Police discipline system. It found it to be archaic, punitive, bureaucratic and slow. In addition, it found that the system fails to support the integrity of police members, undermined their well-being, impeded their professional development and hindered the effective management of Victoria Police. The report identifies fundamental changes necessary to reform the system. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2007. 225p. Source: Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Shelf Number: 117855

Author: Dunn, Matthew Title: Attitudes Toward, Knowledge Of, Prevalence of Illicit Substance Use Among Elite Athletes in Australia: First Results Summary: This report presents the findings from a study investigating attitudes toward, knowledge of, and prevalence of illicit drug use among a sample of elite Australian athletes. It reports quantitative data from surveys of elite Australian athletes, and qualitative data from a sample of key experts, defined as those who through the nature of their work come into contact with elite athletes. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2009. 66p. Source: Technical Report No. 305 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Athletes Shelf Number: 117394

Author: Palk, Gavan Roger Mark Title: The Nature and Extent of POlicing Alcohol Related Crime and Reducing Violence In and Around Late Night Entertainment Areas Summary: This misuse of alcohol is well documented in Australia and has been associated with disorders and harms that often require police attention. A significant proportion of harmful drinking occurs in and around licensed premises. This research investigates the occurrence and resource impact of alcohol-related incidents on operational policing across a large geographical area. In addition, it examines the characteristics and temporal/spatial dynamics of police attended alcohol incidents in the context of place based theories of crime. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, 2008. 301p. Source: Internet Resource; Doctoral Thesis Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime and Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 117791

Author: Quadara, Antonio Title: Sex Workers and Sexual Assault in Australia: Prevalence, Risk and Safety Summary: This paper provides a review of contemporary research on the sexual assault of sex workers in Australia. It focuses predominantly on the safety of sex workers in their work contexts. It aims to understand both what increases their vulnerability to sexual assault and what maximizes their ability to negotiate safe encounters, disclose sexual assault and access support services. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2008. 38p. Source: Issues No. 8 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Prostitutes Shelf Number: 118304

Author: Hunt, Lise Title: Females Who Sexually Abuse in Organisations Working with Children: Characteristics, International and Australian Prevalence Rates: Implications for Child Protection Summary: Media coverage in recent years has highlighted the number of females in a position of authority who have sexually abused children and young people in their care. This research was undertaken to determine how much child sexual abuse is perpetrated by women in children's organizations. Key findings of the research included that 6% of all Australian reported cases of sexual abuse of children were perpetrated by females and up to 30% of female perpetrated child sexual abuse occurs in an organizational setting: primarily whilst babysitting. Details: Melbourne: Child Wise, 2006. 50p. Source: Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Maltreatment Shelf Number: 118322

Author: Hanley, Nancy Title: Speaking for Themselves: Voices of Young People Involved in Commercial Sexual Activity Summary: This report gives voice to the experiences and views of thirty young people involved in commercial sexual activity in Melbourne, providing a platform from which to talk about themselves, their experiences, their fears and their hopes for the future. The report outlines the needs of these young people who are caught in a web of sex work, drugs, homelessness and violence. Details: South Melbourne: Child Wise, 2004. 106p. Source: Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Prostitutes (Australia) Shelf Number: 118306

Author: Martyn, Elizabeth Title: Youth for Sale: ECAT Australia's National Inquiry into the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Young People in Australia Summary: This research was conducted in order to gain insight into the nature and extent of young peoples' involvement in commercial sexual activity within Australia. Data collected for the report was aimed at determining if commercial sexual exploitation was increasing or decreasing, and to provide an understanding of the forces and circumstances which predispose young people to engage in prostitution. Details: South Melbourne: ECPAT Australia, 1998. 81p. Source: Year: 1998 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Prostitution Shelf Number: 118308

Author: McDowell, Don Title: Wildlife Crime Policy and the Law: An Australian Study Summary: This is an assessment of the illegal trade in wildlife in Australia, encompassing all its attendant issues. The assessment in meant as a document that educates and provokes discussion about how the whole business of protecting native fauna and flora can be made better. Details: Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1997. 188p. Source: Year: 1997 Country: Australia Keywords: Poaching Shelf Number: 118172

Author: KPMG Title: Review of Information Governance within Victoria Police: Final Report Summary: This review was conducted in response to continued breaches of security in respect of law enforcement data and, in particular allegations of damaging data breaches from the Victoria Police State Surveillance Unit. It examines the Victoria Police information governance structures, policies and processes and assesses whether, and if so to what extent, they contributed to Victoria Police's difficulties in managing and securing sensitive law enforcement data. Details: Melbourne: Commissioner for Law Enforcement Data Security, 2009. 52p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Data Security Shelf Number: 118317

Author: Jarrett, Stephanie Title: Violence: An Inseparable Part of Traditional ABoriginal Culture Summary: This paper asserts that one must understand the traditional Aboriginal culture in Australia in order to address the issue of violence in Aboriginal society today. Details: Melbourne: Bennelong Society, 2009. 57p. Source: Occasional Paper: June 2009 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals (Australia) Shelf Number: 115778

Author: PriceWaterhouseCoopers Title: Illegal Tobacco Trade: Costing Australia Millions. Strategies to Curb the Supply and Use of Illegal Tobacco Products Summary: Latest intelligence shows that the illegal tobacco market remains a serious problem in australia, with an estimated 1.8 million kilograms of illegal tobacco in circulation in 2007. In addition to identifying the scope of the illegal tobacco market in Australia, this report provides meaningful options for regulatory intervention to prevent illegal tobacco trade. Details: Sydney: PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2007. 55p. Source: Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Chop Chop Cigarettes Shelf Number: 118333

Author: Giles, Margaret Title: Investment in Human Capital During Incarceration and Employment Prospects of Prisoners Summary: Using the 2003 Survey of Prisoners in Western Australia, this paper examines the decision of prisoners to invest in education/training during their prison term and the potential labor market outcomes of this investment. The results suggest that prisoners use education/training to improve their skills in preparation for release from prison. Details: Bonn: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labor), 2009. 34p. Source: Discussion papers; 4582 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Education (Australia) Shelf Number: 117314

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Drugs and cRime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry into Strategies to Prevent High Volume Offending and Recidivism by Young People: Final Report Summary: The Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee of Parliament is to inquire into and report upon justice and crime strategies in high volume crimes such as theft and property-related offences, which often involve young people; with the Committee to provide recommendations on: (a) causal factors that may influence patterns of high volume crime, with particular emphasis on repeat offences committed by young people; and (b) strategies that may be effective in addressing the underlying causal factors or recidivist patterns of offending. Statement of Principles underlying the Recommendations The following principles are based on the deliberations of the Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee and the evidence it has received. These principles underlie and support the recommendations that follow.1 1. Young people make an important contribution to the well-being of the community. Only a small minority of young people get involved in criminal or antisocial behaviour at the expense of the wider community. 2. Most young people deal successfully and responsibly with the challenges of adolescence and the transition to adult life without experiencing serious or lasting difficulties. Conversely, a small minority of young people due to a variety of factors are at risk of engaging in criminal or antisocial conduct. These factors must be understood and addressed in an effort to tackle the range and complexity of problems faced by the minority at risk. 3. There is no one cause or single factor contributing to juvenile offending. Criminal and antisocial behaviour by young people, as with adults, is a complex phenomenon that is attributable to a range of intersecting and overlapping factors. 4. Strategies developed to address youth offending and its causes should be grounded in a rights based framework that places the needs of the child as paramount. At the same time these strategies should address the need for young people to respect others within the community. 5. Policy and program interventions to address youth offending must be based on best evidence. An essential part of any policy development is the ability to rely and draw upon comprehensive and up-to-date data. 6. Strategies and program interventions are not of themselves enough. It is essential that any project developed to address youth offending and antisocial behaviour be subject to ongoing monitoring and evaluation. 7. Prevention and early intervention programs and approaches that address the needs of all young people are an essential component of any strategy to prevent or reduce youth offending. 8. Incarceration for young people should only be used as a last resort. For most young people alternative strategies such as diversionary programs have proven to be more successful. 9. Engaging young people in education, training, constructive leisure activities and/or meaningful employment empowers young people and assists in preventing youth offending. 10. There is a need for an 'all of community' approach by which the responsibility for preventing youth offending is shared by all levels of government, the private sector, parents, carers and the community at large. As part of such an approach a coordinated and appropriately funded strategy to reduce youth offending is essential. 11. A range of interventions, methods and approaches is necessary to address youth offending - a 'one size fits all' response is insufficient to tackle the complexities of the problem. Targeted approaches will need to be tailored to different groups of young people at risk in addition to more generalist methods that apply equally to all young people in the community. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2009. 375p. Source: Parliamentary Paper; no. 218, Session 2006-2009. Accessed May 8, 2018 at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/dcpc/high_volume_crime/DCPC-Report_HighVolumeCrime_2009-07-22.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Interventions Shelf Number: 116652

Author: Kellow, Aynsley Title: Enhancing the Implementation and Management of Drug Diversion Strategies in Australian Law Enforcement Agencies: The Cases of South Australia Police, Tasmania Police and Victoria Police During the Period 2000-2005 Summary: Drawing on researchers in the fields of policy studies, administrative law, criminology, police studies, public sector management, and police practitioners, this report identifies evidence-based good practice in implementing and managing illicit drug diversion strategies in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2008. 165p. Source: Monograph Series No. 31 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Prevention Shelf Number: 115383

Author: O'Brien, Wendy Title: Problem Sexual Behaviour in Children: A Review of the Literature Summary: This literature review presents an analysis of publicly available information on the problem of sexual behavior among Australian children, and outlines social and economic conditions that are likely to increase the prevalence of this problem. Problem sexual behavior refers to aggressive or coercive sexual activity between children and occurs amongst children from varied economic and social backgrounds. Details: Canberra: Australian Crime Commission, 2010. 56p. Source: Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 117723

Author: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Organised Property Crime Markets in Queensland: A Strategic Assessment Summary: The purpose of this strategic assessment is to describe the nature and extent of organized property crime markets in Queensland. Organized property crime is defined as a criminal conspiracy involving repeated theft and subsequent receiving of high-value property by a number of people in a criminal network. The property crime market refers to the acquisition and subsequent disposal of stolen property. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2009. 47p. Source: Crime Bulletin Series, No. 9 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Organized Crime Shelf Number: 116370

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Policing Substance Abuse in Indigenous Communities: Report from a Workshop held in Mildura, Victoria, 5-6 August 2008. Summary: This report documents the findings of a conference designed to disseminate findings from tne National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund to an audience involved in implementing and managing the policing response to substance abuse in Indigenous communities. The objectives of the workshop included: establishing the key issues for police in relation to substance abuse in Indigenous communities; identifying differences in policing illicit drug use in Indigenous communities compared with other communities; and identifying where police may be able to improve their response to these issues. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2009. 29p. Source: Research in Practice; Report no. 03 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: -Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 115743

Author: Queensland. Department on Transport and Main Roads Title: Drink Driving in Queensland: A Discussion Paper Summary: The objectives of this discussion paper are to advise the public about the introduction of alcohol ignition interlocks and to seek comment from the Queensland community on potential new programs or improvement to existing policies and programs that could be introduced to address this road safety problem. The enhancements in this paper have been identified through an examination of: the benefits/limitations of existing programs and policies currently use in Queensland; crash and offense data; recent academic research into drink driving; and the various approaches adopted in other Australian and international jurisdictions. Details: Brisbane: Department on Transport and Main Roads, 2010. 68p. Source: Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Ignition Interlocks Shelf Number: 118374

Author: Queensland. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Law, Justice and Safety Committee Title: Inquiry into Alcohol-Related Violence - Final Report Summary: Alcohol-related violence is a broad and complex issue that countries around the world are having to tackle. This report looks at Australia's drinking culture and notices a growing culture of drinking to harmful levels. Currently, alcohol related violence is on the rise. This report identifies that at a state level more can be done to provide adequate transport, better enforcement of liquor laws, and support to the community and the industry, particularly in areas concentrated with licensed venues. Details: Brisbane: Law, Justice and Safety Committee, 2010. 85p., app. Source: Report No. 74 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime and Disorder Shelf Number: 118370

Author: Victim Support Agency (Victoria, Australia) Title: A Victim's Voice: Victim Impact Statements in Victoria. Findings of an Evaluation into the Effectiveness of Victim Impact Statements in Victoria Summary: The primary rationale for introducing Victims Impact Statement (VIS) legislation in Victoria was to give victims the opportunity to have input or a voice in the sentencing process. At a broader level, this opportunity aims to be therapeutic for victims and to promote increased satisfaction by victims with the criminal justice system. This report was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of VIS. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Justice, 2009. 143p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Sentencing (Victoria, Australia Shelf Number: 117389

Author: Tresidder, Julia Title: Review of Data on Juvenile Remandees in Tasmania: Final Report Summary: This report examines one year's worth of data (2004/05 financial year) on young people remanded in custody in Tasmania, and interprets the results in the light of relevant literature and publicly available information on Tasmania and elsewhere. Data analysis revealed that for the group as a whole whose sentence outcomes were complete, 39 percent did not receive a sentence of detention in the 12 months data. The data also indicated that many young people were spending a considerable period of time on remand and over a third of the young people had spent over 11 weeks in custody on remand. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2005. 30p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Custodial Sentences (Tasmania) Shelf Number: 114875

Author: Chalmers, Jenny Title: How do Methamphetamine Users Respond to Changes in Methamphetamine Price? Summary: One of the core objectives of supply-side drug law enforcement is to reduce drug use by raising the cost of buying drugs. The effectiveness of this strategy depends on how illicit drug users respond to the rise in costs. The aim of this study was to estimate how methamphetamine users would respond to changes in the prices of methamphetamine and heroin, using hypothetical drug purchasing scenaries. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 15p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin; Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 134 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 118546

Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: Drink-driving and Recidivism in NSW Summary: This bulletin provides information on re-offending among drink-drivers in New South Wales. Overall, 15.5 percent of drink-drivers returned to court for another drink-driving offense within five years, and 14.3 percent returned to court within five years charged with a non-PAC driving offense, such as a registration, a roadworthiness or a driving license offense. Reconviction rates were found to be higher among men, Indigenous offenders, offenders aged less than 25 years, offenders who lived in areas with the highest level of socio-economic disadvantage, offenders that received a driver licence disqualification of between one and six months, and offenders with two or more convictions in the five-year period prior to their index offense. It is estimated that, within five years of their index offense, more than a third of drivers with these characteristics will be reconvicted of another drink-driving offense, and nearly half will be reconvicted for a driving licence, a motor vehicle registration or a motor vehicle roadworthiness offense. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 16p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin; Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 135 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence (Australia) Shelf Number: 118547

Author: Lulham, Rohan Title: The Recidivism of Offenders Given Suspended Sentences: A Comparison with Full-Time Imprisonment Summary: Between 2000 and 2007, the number of suspended sentences imposed by the New South Wales Local Court rose 300 percent, from 1,704 to 5,172. In 2000, suspended sentences accounted for about one percent of all penalties imposed by the Local Court. By 2007, this figure had risen to 4.6 percent. One issue of contention is whether suspended sentences have the same deterrent effect on re-offending as prison sentences. This study compares rates of re-offending among offenders who received suspended sentences with rates of re-offending among a matched control group who received a full-time prison sentence. For offenders with no prior prison sentence, there was no statistically significant difference in re-offending between offenders who received a suspended sentence and those who received a prison sentence. Among offenders who had previously been to prison, however, those who received a prison sentence re-offended substantially quicker than those who received a suspended sentence. The study concludes that there is no evidence full-time imprisonment exerts a greater deterrent effect than a suspended sentence of imprisonment. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 16p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin; Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 136 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Imprisonment Shelf Number: 118548

Author: Neto, Abilio Title: Offender Population Trends: Convicted Sex Offenders in NSW Summary: This report presents data on the New South Wales population of sex offenders from 2003 to 2008 collected on 30 June of each year. It consists of an overview of demographics patterns and trends over the past five-year period for both sentenced offenders in full-time custody and those serving community-based orders managed by Corrective Services NSW. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Corrective Services, 2009. 12p. Source: Internet Resource; Research Bulletin No. 26 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 118561

Author: Allen Consulting Group Title: Independent Review of Policing in Remote Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory: Policing Further into Remote Communities Summary: There still remain communities in the Northern Territory that do not have a permanent police presence or regular policing patrols or visits. The issue for this review is how to further policing in these communities by improving the services that are currently provided and by extending these services to more communities. Details: Melbourne: Allen Consulting, 2010. 126p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples (Australia) Shelf Number: 118568

Author: Lumby, Catharine Title: Untangling the Net: The Scope of Content Caught By Mandatory Internet Filtering Summary: This report considers a number of key challenges the Australian Federal Government faces in designing the regulatory framework and the reach of its planned mandatory internet filter. Previous reports on the mandatory filtering scheme have concentrated on the filtering technologies, their efficacy, their cost and their likely impact on the broadband environment. This report focuses on the scope and nature of content that is likely to be caught by the proposed filter and on identifying associated public policy implications. Details: Brisbane: ACR Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation, 2009. 40p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Internet Shelf Number: 118582

Author: Koning, Pierre Title: The Effect of Childhood Conduct Disorder on Human Capital Summary: This paper estimates the longer-term effects of childhood conduct disorder on human capital accumulation and violent and criminal behavior later in life using data of Australian twins. It measures conduct disorder with a rich set of indicators based on diagnostic criteria from psychiatry. Using ordinary least squares and twin fixed effects estimation approaches, it finds that early (pre-18) conduct disorder problems significantly affect both human capital accumulation and violent and criminal behavior over the life course. In addition, it finds that conduct disorder is more deleterious if these behaviors occur earlier in life. Details: Bonn, Germany: IZA (Institute for the Study of Labor), 2010. 34p. Source: IZA Discussion Paper Series No. 4940; Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Personality Disorders Shelf Number: 118598

Author: Holmes, Jessie Title: Female Offending: Has There Been an Increase? Summary: There is increasing speculation that females are becoming more criminal and more violent. Using police person of interest data, this brief considers trends in offending by females and juvenile females in Austraia over the 10 years to June 2009. Over this period, the number of females proceeded against by police increased by 15 percent, whereas the number of male offenders remained stable. Female offenders were most likely to shoplift, commit non-domestic and domestic violence assault, fraud, and possess/use drugs. Female participation in specific offenses changed over this time, with significantly more females being proceeded against for breaching judicial orders, committing assault, liquor offences and offensive behavior as well as maliciously damaging property. Significantly fewer females were proceeded against for prostitution offenses, robberies and theft. The number of juvenile female offenders increased by more than a third, whereas for juvenile males the increase was less than a tenth. Trends in offending by juvenile females mirrored those of all females, with the exception of shoplifting for which there was a significant rise in the number of juvenile female offenders but remained constant for female offenders in general. Notwithstanding these findings, females as well as juvenile females still continue to commit significantly fewer offenses than their male counterparts. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 10p. Source: Crime and Justice Statistics; Bureau Brief; Issue Paper No. 46 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 118578

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: The Health of Australia's Prisoners 2009 Summary: This report is the culmination of several years' development of national indicators in relation to prisoner health inAustralia. The report presents information on the health of prisoners at the time of entry to prisons, their use of health services while in prison as well as some information on the prison environment. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2010. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Health Care, Prisoners Shelf Number: 118577

Author: Gorta, Angela Title: Project Manta. Report 1: Identification and Communication of Command Misconduct Risks Summary: In 2007, the NSW Police Integrity Commission commenced a project, codenamed Project Manta, to obtain a better understanding of the nature of the misconduct risks facing the NSW Police Force and how commands identify, communicate and manage their misconduct risks. This first report from Project Manta concerns the nature of the misconduct risks faced by individual commands and the identification and communications of these misconduct risks. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Police Integrity Commission, 2009. 267p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Ethics (Australia) Shelf Number: 118610

Author: Sheehan, Mary Title: Drink Driver Rehabilitation and Education in Victoria Summary: This report presents a review of the current Victorian drink driver offender program. The aim of the research was to: determine what best practice drink drive rehabilitation is and compare this to what is currently delivered in Victoria; and obtain feedback from stakeholders and service providers on their perceptoins of the effectiveness of the current Victorian program. Based on the findings of the review of relevant international iterature a comprehensive range of recommendations are provided. Details: Victoria, AUS: Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Ltd., 2005. 64p. Source: RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria) Research Report No. 05/01 Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Ignition Interlocks Shelf Number: 118708

Author: Herrington, Victoria Title: The Impact of the NSW Police Force Mental Health Intervention Team: Final Evaluation Report. Summary: In January 2008, the New South Wales Police Force commenced a pilot program to provide mental health training to a number of frontline officers in three Local Area Commands. Training was developed and delivered by a central Mental Health Intervention Team Command during 2008, and provided officers with guidance and enhanced skills for dealing with individuals displying mental health-related symptoms. The program aimed to improve police capacity to respond efficiently and safey to such incidents. This report presents the findings from a two-year evaluation of the program. Details: Manly, NSW: Charles Sturt University, Centre for Inland Health and Austrailan Graduate School of Policing, 2009. 87p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Mentally Ill Offenders Shelf Number: 118595

Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: Domestic Violence Incident Peaks: Seasonal Factors, Calendar Events and Sporting Matches Summary: This paper reports on a study about the possible relationships between reported domestic violence incidents and seasonal changes, calendar and football events. The study reviewed relevant international research to investigate claims around correlations between these variables. An analysis was then made of three years of domestic violence statistics from Australian states and territories, for which data were available. The analysis of Australian domestic violence data identified a correlation between higher numbers of reported domestic violence incidents and summer months and some calendar events (i.e. New Year's Day and Melbourne Cup). Australia Day, Easter, ANZAC Day and the Queen's Birthday were associated with small increases in the NSW data. No correlation between domestic violence figures and major football matches was identified in the Australian data, although it may be that the fortunes of local teams have local effects. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2007. 20p. Source: Internet Resource; Stakeholder Paper 2 Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 118714

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Flexible Work Practices for Policing Summary: Flexible work practices refer to workplace policies and processes that enable a workforce to respond to changing circumstances. For Victoria Police this means being able to respond to changes in crime and criminal activity, to meet changing community expectations, and to adapt to changes in law and order policy and peace-keeping priorities. This review considers flexible work practices in two contexts - the needs of individuals and the needs of Victoria Police as an organization. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2010. 40p. Source: Internet Resource; Issues Paper No. 1 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Administration Shelf Number: 118291

Author: Rodwell, Laura Title: What Do Police Data Tell Us About Criminal Methods of Obtaining Prescription Drugs? Summary: Recent reports suggest that the illicit use of prescription medicines, particularly pharmaceutical opioids is increasing in Australia. The aim of this study was to use police data to examine: (1) whether this increase is reflected in police crime data; (b) some of the criminal methods by which these medicines are obtained; and (c) which particular medicines have been most commonly sought through these methods over time. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource; Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 139 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 118722

Author: Ramrakha, Taran Title: Project Odin: Identifying and Managing High Risk Officers in the NSW Police Force Summary: In February 2007, the Police Integrity Commission commenced a project examining the practice of identifying and managing high risk officers in the New South Wales Police Force. By the term high risk officer, the Commission means officers who because of their histories pose a risk of engaging in misconduct. The project was undertaken by the Commission to develop a better understanding of how NSW Police Force commands identify and manage these officers and to recommend improvement, if required. To the extent that the term high risk officer is used by NSW Police Force commands to identify officers with conduct risks, the project was also concerned with assessing the effectiveness of that practice. This report presents the research findings of the project as well as the recommendations. Details: Sydney: Police Integrity Commission, 2009. 149p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Ethics (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 118707

Author: Leigh, Andrew Title: Do Gun Buybacks Save Lives? Evidence from Panel Data Summary: In 1997, Australia implemented a gun buyback program that reduced the stock of firearms by around one-fifth. Using differences across states in the number of firearms withdrawn, this study tests whether the reduction in firearms availability affected firearm homicide and suicide rates. The study found that the buyback led to a drop in the firearm suicide rates of almost 80 percent, with no statistically significant effect on non-firearm death rates. The estimated effect on firearm homicides is of similar magnitude, but is less precise. The results are robust to a variety of specification checks, and to instrumenting the state-level buyback rate. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2010. 55p. Source: Internet Resource; IZA Discussion Paper No. 4995 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Shelf Number: 118790

Author: People, Julie Title: Improper Associations in the NSW Police Force: A Review of Compliance with Policies and Guidelines Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which New South Wales police officers are complying with the Conflicts of Interest (Improper Associations) Policy and Guidelines with regards to declaring their improper associations. An improper association is defined as an association between an employee and a person, group or organization that is involved (or perceived to be involved) in an activity that is incompatible with the NSW Police Force's role to uphold the law. In other words, an improper association is an association between a NSW Police Force employee and a person who is a known criminal, or is suspected or perceived to be involved in criminal activities. The results showed a poor level of compliance with the policy. Very few police officers with a known improper association made a written declaration regarding their association. Recommendations for improving compliance with the policy are outlined in this paper. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2010. 18p. Source: Internet Resource; Research and Issues Papers, No. 05 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Ethics (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 118784

Author: People, Julie Title: Project Marrella: Is Misconduct by NSW Police Officers Affected by the Number of Students in a Training Intake at the NSW Police College? Summary: The number of students being trained at police colleges and academies can vary greatly and occasionally, very large numbers of students are recruited and trained. A perception exists that when larger than usual numbers of students are recruited and trained at police colleges and academies, the students trained in these large intakes are more likely to engage in misconduct once they become police officers than those trained in smaller intakes. This project, code named Project Marrella, tested the validity of this perception for NSW police officers using complaints as a proxy for misconduct. The results showed that students trained in large intakes were not more likely to be the subject of complaints in their first two years of service than students trained in smaller intakes. The perception that students trained in large intakes are more likely to engage in misconduct once they become police officers than trained in smaller intakes is therefore not valid for NSW police officers when complaints are used as a proxy for misconduct. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2009. 32p. Source: Internet Resource; Research and Issues Papers, No. 03 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Ethics (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 118783

Author: Passey, Megan Title: Evaluation of the Lismore MERIT Pilot Program: Final Report Summary: The Lismore Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment (MERIT) Pilot Program is a pre-plea early court intervention. The target population of the program were adult defendants at Lismore and surrounding Local Courts, who had a demonstrable drug problem, were elegible for bail, and who were motivated to engage in treatment for their illicit drug problems. This report presents a formal evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the program. It includes the following sections: program and participant profiles; court outcomes and recidivism; health and social functioning outcomes; economic assessment; review of legal issues; implementation review; and participant perspectives and satisfaction. Details: Sydney: Attorney General's Department, 2003. 133p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Intervention Shelf Number: 118760

Author: Whiting, Aimee Title: Drugs Survey Summary: This report presents the findings from an online survey of 1008 adults in Australia about using illegal drugs and people's attitudes to illegal drugs in Australian Society. Details: Crows Nest, NSW: McNair Ingenuity Research, 2010. 33p. Source: Internet Resource:Conducted for Hungry Beast, February 2010 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 118720

Author: Pilkington, James Title: Aboriginal Communities and the Police's Taskforce Themis: Case Studies in Remote Aboriginal Community Policing in the Northern Territory Summary: The Northern Territory government built 18 new police stations in Aboriginal communities and labeled this Taskforce Themis. This report examines the impact of these new police stations on the various communities in which the stations were placed. Each of the communities was examined as a separate case study in remote community policing. Part 2 contains a detailed examination of the experience of each community with the police. The first clear conclusion from the fieldwork is that each community has had a distinct and different experience with the police presence. There are no factors in common across all the communities of Taskforce Themis; policing styles, priorities, and levels and methods for community engagement vary, as do crime levels, crime improvement and community responses to the police. Details: Darwin, NT, AUS: North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency and Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service, 2009. 198p., app. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 118705

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: Bail Law: Developments, Debate and Statistics Summary: This report updates a 2002 Briefing Paper on bail law and practice in New South Wales. It reviews recent changes to bail laws and outlines certain criticism of these laws. It also looks at reports that have discussed bail laws in relation to young people. Statistical trends in bail outcomes and the number of remand prisoners are also examined. The last section discusses a 2007 review of bail laws in Victoria. Details: Sydney: NSW Parlimentary Library, Research Service, 2010. 29p. Source: Internet Resource; Briefing Paper 5/2010 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail (Australia) Shelf Number: 118761

Author: Success Works Title: Tasmania's Drug Mandated Drug Diversion Program: Evaluation Report Summary: This report evaluates the pilot Court Mandated Drug Diversion Program (CMD) in Tasmania. The goal of the program is to break the drug-crime cycle by involving offenders in treatment and rehabilitation programs and providing alternative pathways for offenders through increasing their access to drug, alcohol, or other welfare services. This evaluation considers the first two months of the pilot program. Data provided by the Tasmanian Department of Justice indicates that in its first year of operation 250 offenders were referred for screening for suitability for the program and 157 offenders commenced the program. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Success Works, 2008. 147p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternative to Incarceration Shelf Number: 117577

Author: Willis, Kate Title: Developing the Capacity and Skills for National Implementation of a Drug Law Enforcement Performance Measurement Framework Summary: This report summarizes the major findings from the second stage of a project to test the feasibility of a model performance measurement framework for Australian drug law enforcement agencies and to provide advice on its national implementation. Companion documents include: 1) Implementing a Drug Law Enforcement (DLE) Performance Measurement Framework in Australia; 2) A Plan for National Implementation of the Drug Law Enforcement Performance Measurement Framework; and 3) Foundations for an Effective Performance Measurement System for Drug Law Enforcement. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2008. 60p. Source: Internet Resource; Monograph Series No. 34 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 117805

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Organised Fraud in Queensland: A Strategic Assessment Summary: This 2009 fraud assessment report focuses on major organized crime groups and their use of fraud both as a means to earn money and as a facilitator of further criminal enterprise. Although many fraud offenses are opportunistic and carried out by individuals or groups, this assessment focuses on fraud committed by organized criminal networks against persons, businesses and companies; it does not extend to corporate sector fraud. This summary provides an overview of current and emerging issues relating online, credit card, identity and check fraud. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2009. 27p. Source: Internet Resource; Crime Bulletin, No. 10 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 118831

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Money Laundering and Organised Crime in Queensland: A Strategic Assessment Summary: The purpose of this assessment is to examine what constitutes money laundering in Queensland and to examine different money laundering techniques employed by organized crime groups. It provides warning signs of particular types of money laundering techniques and discusses law enforcement response to money laundering. The paper also assesses the risk posed by money laundering by organized crime groups. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2009. 35p. Source: Internet Resource; Crime Bulletin, No. 11 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Money Laundering (Australia) Shelf Number: 118830

Author: Smith, Nadine Title: Comorbid Substance and Non-Substance Mental Health Disorders and Re-Offending Among NSW Prisoners Summary: This report examines whether released prisoners in New South Wales with mental health disorders are at increased risk of re-offending when compared with released prisoners without mental health disorders. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 16p. Source: Internet Resource; Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 140 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health (Australia) Shelf Number: 119142

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Financing of Terrorism: Risks for Australia Summary: This paper examines the global environment in which the financing of terrorism occurs, particularly with responect ot eh activities of transnational, organized groups that may have an involvement with terrorist organizations. Consideration is then given to how the financing of terrorism occurs, first through the use of illegally obtained funds and then through financing derived from legitimate sources, sucha as charitable donations, which are diverted for use in terrorist activities. Evidence of the financing of terrorism in Australia is then examined and cases which have been detected and prosecuted in Australia than entail an element of terrorist financing are reviewed. Although the number of cases is small, they are indicative of the fact that Australia is not immune from terrorist activities that are being financed by Australian individuals and organizations. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource; Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 394 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Organized Crime Shelf Number: 118810

Author: Parkinson, Patrick Title: Study of Reported Child Sexual Abuse in the Anglican Church Summary: This report discusses the nature and extent of reported child sexual abuse by clergy and church workers, including volunteers, since 1990 in the Anglican Church of Australia. The aims of the research study were to: 1) understand the characteristics of accused persons and complainants and the circumstances of the offense; 2) ascertain patterns of abuse in relation to similarities or differences in gender and age of the child complainants; and 3) inform the Church on what steps could be taken towards better prevention of sexual abuse within church communities. Details: Melbourne: Anglican Church of Melbourne, 2009. 61p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 115658

Author: Canty, Chris Title: Evaluation of a Community-Based Drug Law Enforcement Model for Intersectoral Harm Reduction Summary: This report presents the evaluation of four Australian pilot programs in community-based approaches to drug law enforcement. The pilot programs aimed at finding ways to ensure that drug law enforcement strategies, priorities and tactics at the local leval could be made more consistent with the official police commitment to a harm minimization philosophy. Trials were established within Fairfield in New South Wales, the Gippsland region in Victoria dn Mirrabooka and Geraldton in Western Australia. Details: Payneham, SA: Australasian Centre for Policing Research, 2001. 208p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2001 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 118695

Author: Noetic Solutions Pty Limited Title: Review of Effective Practice in Juvenile Justice. Report for the Minister for Juvenile Justice Summary: This report forms part of a broader review of the New South Wales juvenile justice system. The purpose of the review is to propose a plan for future policy, programs, and practices within the NSW juvenile justice system. The report identifies and describes effective practice in juvenile justice, and reviews important international and Australian juvenile justice systems and draws from the what works literature to evaluate a range of programs, as well as traditional penal and get tough programs including juvenile incarceration. Specific issues of reducing Indigenous overrepresentation, and realizing and coordinating whole-of-community action are also duscussed. The report will be used to build a comprehensive evidence base from Australian and overseas in order to test current practice and new ideas in the NSW context. Details: Griffith, Australia: Noetic Solutions Pty Limited, 2010. 73p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Justice (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 119135

Author: Stanley, Janet Title: Advancing Bushfire Arson Prevention in Australia Summary: This report presents the findings from The Symposium Advancing Bushfire Arson Prevention in Australia, held on 25-26 March 2010 which brought together a wide range of stakeholders to identify the gaps in current knowledge and responses to bushfire arson, and to determine priorities for addressing them. Details: Clayton, Australia: Monash Sustainability institute, Monash University, 2010. 85p. Source: Internet Resource; MSI Report 10/3, June 2010 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Arson (Australia) Shelf Number: 119156

Author: Murphy, Peter Title: A Strategic Review of the New South Wales Juvenile Justice System: Report for the Minister for Juvenile Justice Summary: This report presents a strategic and comprehensive review of juvenile justice in New South Wales. The review recommends a strategic change in juvenile justice, with a new emphasis on a justice reinvestment approach. Details: Manuka, ACT, Australia: Noetic Solutions Pty Limited, 2010. 208p., app. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Justice Reform Shelf Number: 119176

Author: Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives. Standing Committee on Communications Title: Hackers, Fraudsters and Botnets: Tackling the Problem of Cyber Crime. The Report of the Inquiry into Cyber Crime Summary: This report asserts that Australian home computer users and small businesses have been left to fend for themselves against the growing problem of organized cyber crime. The committee makes 34 recommendations aimed at improving Australia's response to the growth of cyber crime, and further recommends that an Office of Online Security be established to coordinate cyber crime policy across the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, and foster partnerships with industry and the community. Details: Canberra: Australian Parliament, 2010. 260p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 119160

Author: Wan, Wai Yin Title: The Impact of Criminal Case Conferencing on Early Guilty Pleas in the NSW District Criminal Court Summary: The aim of this study was to test whether the legislative Criminal Case Conferencing (CCC) trial scheme had any impact on the number of late guilty pleas in courts affected by the legislation. A quasi-experimental research design was used, whereby outcomes for matters affected by the legislation (the intervention site) were compared with matters committed from all other NSW Local Courts (the comparison site). Interrupted time series analyses were employed to test whether the scheme had any impact on four markers of late guilty pleas. Only one of the four measures showed effects consistent with a reduction in late guilty pleas. There was a small decrease in trial registrations in the intervention site, but no corresponding reduction in the comparison site. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource; Bureau Brief Issue Paper no. 44 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts Shelf Number: 118678

Author: Bammer, Gabriele, ed. Title: Dealing with Uncertainties in Policing Serious Crime Summary: This book draws together research and practice perspectives to review fruitful approaches to uncertainties in policing serious crimes. Scene setting chapters describe the consequences of globalization and the spread of sophisticated information technologies, as well as advances in understanding and managing uncertainty. Ways of enhancing responses from statistics, risk analysis, and the psychology of decision making follow. These chapters are complemented by insights from law, politics, and business. Synthesis is provided by the four final chapters wich present the outlooks of the investigating officer and investigation manager, the provider of policing higher education, the capacity-building consultant, and the leader of a law enforcement agency. Details: Acton, ACT, Australia: ANU E Press, 2010. 213p. Source: Internet Resource; eBook Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Evidence (Australia) Shelf Number: 118780

Author: Roche, Ann M. Title: In Pursuit of Excellence: Alcohol- and Drug-Related Workforce Development Issues for Australian Police into the 21st Century Summary: This report presents an initial examination of the workforce development needs of police in relation to alcohol and other drug issues. The report draws on various sources of information and data to provide a synthesis of current relevant issues and recommendations in relation to workforce development. The report also critiques police training needs as one aspect of an overall workforce development approach. Details: Adelaide: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University, 2009. 78p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Education (Australia) Shelf Number: 118776

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: Performance Examination: The Juvenile Justice System: Dealing With Young People Under the Young Offenders Act 1994. Summary: The Young Offenders Act 1994 and its later amendments set out how the Western Australian government expects the justice system will deal with young people who have come into contact with the law. The Act recognizes that there should be special provisions for the fair treatment of young people. For this reason, the Act requires police to consider, under suitable circumstances, directing young people away from courts, by using cautions and referrals to juvenile justice teams. The Act also requires police to use detention on remand as a last resort, by releasing the young persons on bail under the supervision of a suitable responsible adult. After a good start and concerted efforts to implement the Act in its early years, the critical strategies have started to lose momentum. This examination found that in recent years, fewer young people who have come into contact with police have been kept out of the court system, and this cannot be fully explained by trends in juvenile crime. Police referrals to juvenile justice teams have also been on the decline, along with the use of cautions. A supporting paper presents a cost savings to the Western Australian Government of pre-sentencing direction measures - police cautions; referrals to juvenile justice teams by the police; referrals to juvenile justice teams by the Children's Court; and court conferences. Details: Perth: Auditor General, 2008. 54p., 76p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration, Juveniles Shelf Number: 117637

Author: Asquith, Nicole Title: Review and Evaluation of the Officer Next Door Program Summary: This report assesses and evaluates the criminal justice and business case for the Officer Next Door(OND) program. Since its establishment in 1998, the OND program has sought to provide Housing Tasmania residents with a reassurance policing approach based on early intervention in criminal and anti-social behavior on Housing Tasmania Broadacre Estates. The primary objects of this research were four-fold: 1) What are the preceived goals of the Office Next Door program for both Housing Tasmania and Tasmania Police?; 2) What are the expectations and obligations of Officers Next Door?; 3) What are the social and criminal jsutice outcomes for Housing Tasmania residents?; and 4) Does the program represent value for money for Housing Tasmania in managing anti-social behavor in and around public housing in Tasmania? Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Housing Tasmania and Tasmania Police, 2009. 125p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior (Tasmania) Shelf Number: 118673

Author: Australian Customs and Border Protection Service Title: Illegal Foreign Fishing in Australia's Northern Waters Summary: This audit assesses the effectiveness of the Customs and Border Protection's performance in managing and coordinating enforcement operations against illegal foreign fishing in Australia's northern waters. Details: Canberra: Australian National Audit Office, 2010. 148p. Source: Internet Resource; ANOA Audit Report No. 23 2009-2010 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Crimes Against the Environment Shelf Number: 119207

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Update on Conditions in Victoria Police Cells Summary: This report is based on an audit conducted in 2009 by the Professional Standards Assurance Unit of the Office of Police Integrity into conditions in the 22 catagory A police cells operated by Victoria Police. The focus of the audit was to examine facilities, systems and processes in place in the cell complexes. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2010. 32p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Inmates Shelf Number: 119254

Author: New South Wales. Police Integrity Commission Title: Operation Lantana: Report to Parliament Summary: Operation Lantana involved allegations that two NSW Police Force officers had been involved in a ‘drug rip’, where they seized drugs and sold them for their own financial benefit. The Commission held a public hearing in February 2009 as a part of this investigation. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2009. 50p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 118812

Author: Steels, Brian Title: Predator or Prey? An Exploration of the Impact and Incidence of Sexual Assault in West Australian Prisons Summary: This study set out to investigate the incidence and social implications of sexual assault within the West Australian prison system. One of the key aims was to gauge the levels of both reported and unreported sexual assault, questioning the prison authority's claim that prison rape is a rare occurrence. Details: Perth: Murdoch University, Centre for Social & Community Research, 2009. 58p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Inmates Shelf Number: 117639

Author: Chisholm, Richard Title: Family Courts Violence Review Summary: The Family Courts Violence Review considered whether improvements could be made to ensure that the federal family law courts provide the best possible support to families who have experienced or are at risk of violence. The review focused on the laws, practices and procedures that apply in family law cases that raise family violence concerns. While not directly relating to shared parenting or shared care, all aspects of family law and court practice and procedures were considered to the extent they impact on the federal family law courts’ response to the needs of families affected by family violence. Details: Canberra: Attorney General's Department, 2009. 275p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 117758

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Improving Victorian Policing Services Through Effective Complaint Handling Summary: This report examined Victoria Police's alternative dispute resolution system, known as the Management Intervention Model, utilised in up to 30 per cent of police complaints. The report details a number of recommendations to improve the complaints handling process. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2008. 53p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Complaints Against Police Shelf Number: 115365

Author: Bagshaw, Dale Title: Family Violence and Family Law in Australia: The Experiences and Views of Children and Adults from families who Separated Post-1995 and Post 2006. Volume 1 Summary: Canberra: Attorney General, 2010. 204p. Details: This report examines the impact of family violence, which had occurred before, during and or after parental relationship breakdown, on post-separation decision making and arrangements as viewed by children and parents. Source: Internet Resource Year: 0 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 119290

Author: Brace, Charlotte Title: The Relationship Between Crime and Road Safety Summary: The aim of this project was to review the literature on the relationship between crime and road safety, to identify pertinent Victorian crime and road safety data, and discuss how such data can be utilised to examine the relationship between crime and road safety. Of specific interest was the relationship between criminal activity of individuals and the likelihood of these individuals being involved in a fatal or serious injury outcome road crash. The key findings of this research suggests that t here is a positive relationship between: general negative behaviour (e.g. involvement in antisocial behaviours) and risky driving behaviour; criminal behaviour and traffic offences (specifically violence, theft & burglary and recidivist/drink driving, driving whilst disqualified; risky traffic behaviour contributing to a crash and criminal history (particularly for violent crime, vandalism, property crime, and involvement in traffic crime), and; crash involvement, drink driving and general criminal history including theft, car theft, drug and alcohol related crimes, violence and property damage. This report documents a variety of approaches that have been adopted internationally to examine these relationships, and highlights that such work has not been undertaken in Victoria to date. Moreover, the limitations and barriers for linking crime and road safety data in Victoria are discussed and these predominantly concern privacy and ethics, matching of data, issues with data analysis and cost/resource factors. A number of recommendations are made to overcome these data limitations, and to explore more fully the relationship between crime and road safety in Victoria. Details: Victoria, Australia: Monash University, Accident Research Centre, 2009. 60p. Source: Internet Resource; Report No. 284 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime Shelf Number: 119337

Author: Wheeler, Sarah Title: The Relationship Between Crime and Gaming Expenditure in Victoria Summary: This study investigated the relationship between gaming expenditure and crime in Victoria (especially income-generating crime - theft, fraud, break and enter, forgery, false pretences, larceny and robbery). The research ivnolved an extensive literature review and developed complex databases to model the relationship between crime and its various influences across three years in Victoria: 1996, 2001 and 2006. Details: Melbourne: Office of Gaming and Racing, 2010. 82p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Casinos Shelf Number: 119347

Author: Kennedy, D.M. Title: Personal Security in Public Transport Travel in New Zealand: Problems, Issues & Sollutions Summary: research project explores concerns about personal security by users of public transport. The findings from an international literature review are used, and the concerns of public transport users in three New Zealand cities (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch) that have significant public transport patronage streams are explored. Personal security concerns were found to discourage existing patrons from using public transport, and more so after dark. A number of security measures preferred by patrons are outlined. However, the project also found that only a small proportion of patrons actually noticed the presence of security measures that had been installed. Details: Wellington, NZ: Land Transport New Zealand, 2008. 112p.; 76p. Source: Internet Resource; Land Transport New Zealand Research Report 344 Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Transit Crime Shelf Number: 119343

Author: McInnis, Lia Title: Trends in the Use of Suspended Sentences in NSW Summary: "Since they were re-introduced to New South Wales in April 2000, the use of suspended prison sentences has tripled in NSW Local Courts and more than doubled in NSW District and Supreme Courts. The aim of the current study was to assess the extent to which suspended sentences have replaced custodial and non-custodial penalties. In Local Courts, the proportional use of full time and periodic custody sanctions decreased after the introduction of suspended sentences but so did the use of Community Service Orders (CSOs). In the Higher (District and Supreme) Criminal Courts, there appears to have been a small reduction in full-time imprisonment and the use of period detention. The introduction of suspended sentences, however, has also resulted in significant reductions in the use of bonds and CSOs." Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 4p. Source: Internet Resource; Crime and Justice Statistics Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 47 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Imprisonment Shelf Number: 119366

Author: South Australia Police Title: Alcohol and Crime: Late Night Liquor Trading and the Real Cost of a Big Night Out in the Adelaide CBD Summary: This report focuses on the impact of alcohol misuse on violence, social disorder and drink driving in the late-night economy of the Adelaide Central Business District (CBD). The key issue addressed is whether the State of South Australia currently has the appropriate balance of policy settings to allow the beneficial aspects of alcohol consumption to be enjoyed in the CBD, while minimising the costs and harms. Reducing the level of alcohol-related crime, disorder and injury in the Adelaide CBD is not simply a matter of having more police. There is every reason to believe that this approach would not only be extremely expensive, but unsuccessful. Given the complex nature of these problems, they require approaches that involve a range of key stakeholders. These stakeholders include the SA Police (SAPOL), the Adelaide City Council (ACC), liquor licensees, the Office of the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner, health agencies and providers of transport services. There is increasing community disquiet and media focus on problems of alcohol-related violence, public disorder and drink driving occurring in, and emanating from, the CBD. While this has predominantly focused on Hindley Street, increasing levels of problems are also occurring in Hutt, Gouger, Waymouth and Rundle Streets. This means that SAPOL’s resources need to be spread more thinly to respond to this trend. Over the last two and a half decades there has been a substantial increase in the availability of alcohol in the Adelaide CBD. This proliferation has occurred across several axes. These include: an increased number of licensed premises; an increased number of different types of licensed premises; increased hours of availability; an increased number of beverage types; and an increased number of special events licences. Several premises in Hindley Street and its environs have the capacity to trade 24 hours a day on the basis of them being in a tourist location. The extent to which this 24-hour trading actually contributes to the vitality of the tourism industry is very unclear. SA Police data indicate that 97.6% of those apprehended for offences and 97.9% of victims of offences in the CBD had a home postcode within South Australia. On the one hand, there could be a large number of tourists who are attracted to and utilising the CBD, who have an exceptional capacity to avoid trouble, either as an offender or a victim. The alternative possibility is that the current late-night trading arrangements are predominantly catering for the local, rather than the tourist, market. Having 24-hour trading means that there is no ‘recovery time’ for the precinct and there is little, if any, gap between the night-time users of the precinct leaving and the day-time users arriving. As a result, the day-time users of the area encounter the individuals left over from the night before and the often unsavoury results of their activities. The Australian and international research on the relationship between extended trading hours and a high density of alcohol outlets, and their adverse impact on alcohol-related social harms, is overwhelming and irrefutable. That is, as the hours of trading and the density of licensed outlets increase, so do the frequency of problems such as assaults. These findings are particularly relevant to the situation in Hindley Street in which the 24- hour trading premises are located relatively close to each other. There is also good evidence that reducing the hours of liquor trading reduces many of these harms. Details: Adelaide: South Australia Police, 2010. 41p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime and Disorder Shelf Number: 119412

Author: Chisholm, Richard Title: Family Courts Violence Review Summary: The Australian Attorney-General commissioned a review of the practices, procedures and laws that apply in the federal family law courts in the context of family violence. The Family Courts Violence Review considered whether improvements could be made to ensure that the federal family law courts provide the best possible support to families who have experienced or are at risk of violence. The review focused on the laws, practices and procedures that apply in family law cases that raise family violence concerns. While not directly relating to shared parenting or shared care, all aspects of family law and court practice and procedures were considered to the extent they impact on the federal family law courts’ response to the needs of families affected by family violence. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Government Attorney-275p. General's Department, 2009. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 117758

Author: Anderson, Jessica Title: A Review of the Western Australian Community Safety and Crime Prevention Partnership Planning Process: Final Report Summary: Western Australia’s Office of Crime Prevention (OCP) has supported local communities across Western Australia to develop Community Safety and Crime Prevention Plans since 2005. Over this period, 126 out of 144 local government authorities (LGAs) have engaged in the crime prevention planning process. This has exceeded their original target of engaging 120 LGAs. The OCP has also supported the communities that have had their plans endorsed to implement related activities. This process has resulted in crime prevention activity being undertaken at both a planning and implementation level throughout WA in metropolitan, rural and remote settings. Since 2005, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has been evaluating the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Planning process in Western Australia. This work has documented both the planning and implementation processes, and has identified both the successes of this process and areas in which communities need further support. This evaluation work aims to make recommendations that could potentially improve the delivery of the Community Safety and Crime Prevention (CSCP) Plans in Western Australia. This current work by the AIC is an extension of a previous collaboration between the AIC and the OCP that operated for two years during 2005 and 2006. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2008. 41p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 119420

Author: Preston, Brian J. Title: Achieving Consistency and Transparency in Sentencing for Environmental Offences Summary: Sentencing statistics for criminal offences have been used by Local, District and Supreme Courts in New South Wales for more than 15 years. This monograph reports on an intiative of the Judicial Information Research System to provide sentencing statistics for environmental offences in graphical form. Details: Sydney: Judicial Commission of New South Wales, 2008. 48p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Offenses Against the Environment Shelf Number: 119451

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Gender Differences in Sentencing Outcomes Summary: This report examines the research literature and presents data from Victoria to consider differences in sentencing outcomes for men and women. Data on police recorded offending and prison statistics are also included. The report draws several conclusions that are consistent with other research: 1) Women’s offending tends to be less serious than men’s, with women less likely to be involved in violent offences; 2) Women are less likely to be sentenced to imprisonment and, when they are, they receive shorter terms in prison; 3) Women are more likely to receive a wholly suspended sentence or a community-based order; 4) Women prisoners have less serious criminal histories than do men, with fewer prior convictions and less serious previous and current offending; and 5) Women’s sentences are shorter than men’s as women are more likely to have a group of factors that can reduce sentence length: they are more likely than men to have a history of mental illness, physical or sexual abuse in childhood or adulthood and drug abuse. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Sentencing Advisory Council, 2010. 71p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Offenders Shelf Number: 119456

Author: O'Brien, Wendy Title: Australia's Response to Sexualised or Sexually Abusive Behaviours in Children and Young People Summary: Responding to children and young people with sexualised or sexual offending behaviours presents significant challenges across the allied health, child protection, education and juvenile justice sectors. This report maps the specialised therapeutic services designed to effect positive behavioural change and thus divert young people with sexualised behaviours from the juvenile justice system. Accurate numbers on children with sexualised or sexual offending behaviours are difficult to determine. Recent Australian research cites international data to estimate that sexual abuse by children or young people constitutes between 40 and 90 per cent of sexual offending against children. Even the lower estimate belies the generally held assumption that perpetrators of child sexual assault are adult males. Young people are responsible for a significant proportion of sex offences against children, a fact that continues to go largely unknown. There are several factors contributing to this gap in understanding. These include entrenched ideals about children as inherently innocent, widespread ignorance about developmental sexuality, and the tendency of both young people and parents to deny or minimise incidents when they do occur. In Australia, data on children with sexualised behaviours are not collected uniformly and non-disclosure contributes to what might be large numbers of offences going undetected. Mandatory reporting requirements apply where children display sexualised behaviours and are thought to be at risk of harm. Yet a general lack of knowledge as to what constitutes appropriate behaviour means that many may respond inappropriately to incidents of sexualised behaviours. This context of confusion, denial and non-disclosure creates a hidden population of children that continues to be at risk. Attention to redressing the contexts for non-disclosure is urgently required to ensure that children in need are provided with specialised therapeutic care. Scholars and clinicians agree that the ‘earliest possible intervention’ leads to the best rehabilitative outcomes for the young people involved. Clinical studies indicate that recidivism rates are low where a full program of specialised counselling is completed. Despite these positive findings, there are a number of key challenges to the comprehensive provision of tertiary services to young people who have sexualised behaviours. This report presents qualitative data from interviews with specialised clinicians as well as submissions from service providers in both community and youth justice settings. In mapping the availability of therapeutic services, this report highlights a number of geographic and demographic gaps in service provision, including difficulties with eligibility criteria, referral pathways, funding arrangements and specialised workforce development. The intention of this research is to ascertain what therapeutic services were being delivered to all Australian children, including programs designed to reduce the numbers of Indigenous children before the courts on charges of sexual assault. Details: Canberra: Australian Crime Commission, 2010. 116p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 119458

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Sensitive and Confidential Information in a Police Environment Summary: This discussion paper arose from extensive research and literature reviews into a number of leak enquiries involving police information. In the process of developing an understanding of the nature of information leaking by police officers, the Office of Police Integrity (OPI) researchers identified a paucity of knowledge within the Australian law enforcement environment. Unauthorised and inappropriate use of information by police officers is a form of misconduct that must result in serious consequences for all officers involved. This paper aims to provide an insight into and generate discussion about the factors influencing leaking behaviour, and to provide options for its prevention, management and treatment. The paper will also use case illustrations from OPI’s own investigation files and from the experiences of Victoria Police, to highlight the risks of misconduct and corruption. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2010. 37p. Source: Internet Resource; Discussion Paper no. 2 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 119463

Author: Poletti, Patrizia Title: The Impact of Standard Non-Parole Period Sentencing Scheme on Sentencing Patterns in New South Wales Summary: This study investigates whether, since the introduction of standard non-parole periods in February 2003, the use of full-time imprisonment has increased, the lengths of non-parole periods and head sentences have increased, and greater consistency in sentencing has been achieved. The study also examines appeal results for standard non-parole period offences. The findings of this study confirm that the statutory scheme has generally resulted in a greater uniformity of, and consistency in, sentencing outcomes. It also confirms claims that there would be an increase in the severity of penalties imposed and the duration of sentences of full-time imprisonment. Details: Sydney: Judicial Commission of NSW, 2010. 76p. Source: Internet Resource; Monograph 33 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice, Administration of (New South Wal Shelf Number: 119471

Author: Indig, Devon Title: 2009 NSW Inmate Health Survey: Key Findings Report Summary: This report presents the main findings of the cross-sectional component of the 2009 Inmate Health Survey (IHS) drawing from a random sample of 996 participants, with results presented separately for men and women. Where possible and appropriate, comparable findings from all three IHSs (1996, 2001 and 2009) are also presented, to depict changes over time in important health and social indicators describing the NSW prison population. Details: Matraville, NSW: Centre for Health Research in Criminal Justice, Justice Health, 2010. 212p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Institutions, Health Care Shelf Number: 119472

Author: McGregor, Kiah Title: National Community Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women Survey 2009: Changing Cultures, Changing Attitudes - Preventing Violence Against Women. Project Technical Report and Summary of Findings Summary: The survey involved approximately 13,000 men and women from across Australia. It included Indigenous Australians, people from culturally diverse communities and a sample of 16- and 17-year old respondents. The design of these components was supported by an Advisory Group to ensure the research approach was methodologically, ethically and culturally sound. The survey establishes a contemporary baseline upon which to improve our understanding of factors leading to the formation of community attitudes on violence against women, and will help to inform the design and implementation of future prevention interventions that will address violence against women across our communities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2009. 80 p.; 208p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 119473

Author: Barker, Justin Title: Dutch Courage: Young People, Alcohol and Alcohol Related Violence Summary: This report discusses the findings of a project aiming to investigate the experiences, perspectives and understandings of young people regarding alcohol related violence in Canberra. The project examined the patterns of alcohol consumption, the value, and role attributed to alcohol and violence in the lives of young people who socialise in Civic. The project used semi-structured focus group interviews and a survey with self-selected peer groups of young people aged 18 – 25 years. A ‘pathfinder,’ a key youth participant and contact, was used to identify the target groups, providing a means to access groups of young people, and arrange a familiar venue for the focus groups. This was a qualitative investigation that sought to not only obtain the subjective experiences and stories of the participants but also to engage the participants in an analysis of existing theories and models accounting for alcohol consumption and related behaviours by young people. The participants were encouraged to provide their own explanations, theories and analysis based on their own experiences and the information they were provided with. The findings of the qualitative analysis were presented to research participants to validate, verify, refute and add further insights and clarification. Two key findings emerged from the project. Firstly, two groups of young people were identified regarding alcohol related violence, referred to as Group A and Group B. These Groups do not represent distinct communities, but rather different relationships to alcohol and violence within the broader population, and not (necessarily) any other kind of cultural differentiation. Group A encompasses the vast majority of the target group (18 – 25 year olds) of this research project: young people who drink, or associate with other young people who drink, and socialise in Civic. Group A are constrained by negative association with alcohol related violence and a desire to avoid conflict and the negative consequences linked to violence. Group B value violence as a means to obtain status, empower them and claim a legitimate identity. The second key finding of the project outlines the ‘patterns of alcohol related violence’. These incidents of alcohol related violence are predominantly initiated by groups of young men aiming to bolster their status. Four phases were identified, including victim selection, justification, conflict and dispersal. Several approaches and potential ‘ways forward’ are identified in conclusion. Details: Lyneham, ACT, Australia: Youth Coalition of the ACT, 2010. 38p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 119476

Author: Dekker, Joula Title: An Evaluation of the Compulsory Drug Treatment Program (CDTP) Summary: The Compulsory Drug Treatment Correctional Centre (CDTCC) is a purpose-built facility erected for the CDTP. The CDTP began in August 2006 and operates as a five-stage post-sentencing program for males. Drug treatment and rehabilitation is provided in Stages 1-3 primarily from the CDTCC, followed by Stage 4 (parole) and Stage 5 (voluntary case management0 in the community where appropriate. It was beyond the scope of the study to investigate the impact of Stages 4 and 5. Stage 1 involves closed detention, and participants are kept in full-time custody at the CDTCC. This stage aims to stabilise participants and to address physical and mental health needs, while providing adult education, work readiness and skills programs, and therapeutic programs that target dynamic risk factors for drug-related offending. Stage 2 involves semi-open detention, whereby participants are permitted to leave the CDTCC to attend employment, training and approved social activities. Stage 2 involves therapeutic programs to maintain positive behaviour change and other training to assist in effective re-integration into the community. Stage 3 involves community custody, where participants reside outside of the CDTCC but under intensive supervision from CDTCC staff. Stage 3 aims to support community re-integration and to strengthen changes made in Stages 1 and 2. Participants should stay in each stage of the program for a period of at least six months. Following successful completion of Stage 3 of the program, offenders are released into the community once the period of the sentence has been completed. The research involved a series of face-to-face interviews with CDTP participants. Baseline interviews were conducted with 95 participants at the commencement of their time on the program. Three follow-up interviews were conducted as close to the time that participants finished Stages 1, 2 and 3, as was practicable. By the time data collection ceased, 78 per cent of the baseline sample (74 participants) had completed Stage 1 and participated in one follow-up interview (end of Stage 1), and 41 per cent of the baseline sample (39 participants; for some measures information is missing for one participant so N = 38) had completed both Stages 1 and 2 and participated in two follow-up interviews (end of Stages 1 and 2). Of the baseline sample, 13.5 per cent (13 participants) had completed all three follow-up interviews (end of Stages 1, 2, and 3). Due to the small number of participants who had completed Stages 1, 2 and 3 and participated in all three follow-up interviews, changes from baseline through to the end of Stage 3 were not investigated. The evaluation also included analysis of the regular urine samples provided by CDTP participants as a condition of the program. Due to the lack of a comparison group it is difficult to draw any firm conclusions about the effectiveness of the program. Nevertheless, there are some promising aspects to the program. Participants' health and wellbeing appeared to improve over time on the program. Although the program was coercive, the vast majority of participants felt that their participation in the CDTP was voluntary. Participants made positive comments about the program and consistently expressed their desire to be in the program regardless of what stage they were in. This is encouraging evidence that offenders in the program genuinely wanted to change their behaviour. These positive findings, however, have to be set against the fact that illegal and non-prescribed drug use was detected in at least one of the drug tests for the majority of participants, despite 'positive' tests accounting for only a very small proportion of all tests conducted. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 90p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 119479

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Drugs and cRime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry Into People Trafficking for Sex Work: Final Report Summary: This study reports on the prevalence of women trafficked to Australia for sexual purposes. It is an attempt to make the Melbourne community aware of this crime and to institute a better regime to protect these vulnerable women. The report recommends that a special unit be set up in the Department of Justice to work in the sex industry area and particularly with trafficked women. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer for State of Victoria, 2010. 257p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking Shelf Number: 119533

Author: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Standing Committee on Law and Justice Title: Spent Convictions for Juvenile Offenders Summary: This inquiry examined whether convictions for juvenile sex offenses should continue to be excluded from the spent convictions scheme. The inquiry concluded that the evidence does not warrant continuing to treat juvenile sexual offences differently from other juvenile offences for the purposes of the spent convictions scheme. It therefore recomended that juvenile sexual offences be included in the spent convictions scheme provided that they meet certain eligibility criteria. Details: Sydney: The Committee, 2010. 158p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Records, Expungement Shelf Number: 119550

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Factors Which Influence the Sentencing of Domestic Violence Offenders Summary: This report shows the pattern of sentencing for a range of domestic violence offences in the NSW Local and District Criminal Courts, and identifies the characteristics which influence whether offenders guilty of domestic violence related assault receive a sentence of imprisonment. Data were sourced from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research’s recorded criminal incident database and Reoffending Database. Domestic violence-related offences finalised in NSW Local and District Courts between January 2008 and June 2009 were identified by reference to the original police report and the use of domestic violence-specific law part codes. A multivariable model was developed to identify the factors influential in the sentencing of domestic assault offenders. The results showed that offenders found guilty of a domestic violence-related assault are more likely to receive a prison sentence if: the assault caused significant harm, the offender has a concurrent offence at the court appearance, a prior prison episode, a prior conviction for a violent offence, has breached an AVO in the previous two years, is male or Indigenous. Domestic violence appears before the courts in many forms, from the most serious assaults to property damage and offensive language. The penalties received for these offences are equally diverse. The factors which influence whether a domestic violence-related assault offender will be sentenced to prison generally reflect the severity of the offence and the criminal history of the offender. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource; Crime and Justice Statistics Bureau Brief; Issue Paper No. 48 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 119551

Author: Mason, Ron Title: Analysis of the Tasmania Police Risk Assessment Screening Tool (RAST) Summary: Safe at Home involves a range of initiatives, expanded and new services that represent a significant change in the way the Tasmanian Government responds to family violence: family violence is treated as a crime rather than a private matter. Included in the Safe at Home Strategy was the implementation of a Risk Assessment Screening Tool (RAST) developed by Tasmania Police and the Department of Justice. The RAST is utilised by operational police at the attendance of family violence incidents to assist in assessing the risk of a victim experiencing future violence. In May 2008, Tasmania Police contracted the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies [TILES], of the University of Tasmania, to undertake a statistical analysis of the police Risk Assessment Screening Tool [RAST] to determine the validity and reliability of the RAST with respect to the Tasmanian population. The study concluded that, whilst the current scoring system employed has modest predictive utility (AUC .602), with an increased risk of misclassification in the medium and high categories, those characteristics identified through regression modelling provided a significantly greater level of accuracy (AUC .726). This reflects good predictive utility in that it is correct in predicting repeat offending in nearly 75% of cases (i.e. in approximately 3 out of 4 cases). It should be noted that this compares favourably with other risk assessment tools. With the primary purpose of the RAST being to predict the likelihood of re-offending, the Analysis found that the most useful risk factors on the RAST are those that reflect static variables. Static variables include age, gender, criminal history and education, and tend to be objective rather than subjective. Problems identified with the present RAST included structural issues whereby risk factors may have unintended deleterious and/or cumulative effects on the likelihood of re-offending. Consequent of these conclusions, it has been recommended that a new weighting system be considered with emphasis placed on those risk factors that have a cumulative effect on re-offending. The Analysis identified potential for improvements to the RAST that could increase its predictive utility from modest to good. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, 2009. 68p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Tasmania) Shelf Number: 119555

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Thematic Review of Court Security and Custodial Services in Western Australia Summary: Few publicly funded services have attracted as much attention as those involved in the custodial transport of Aboriginal elder Mr Ward on 27 January 2008. Mr Ward died a ‘terrible death’ i1from heatstroke at Kalgoorlie District Hospital following a journey from Laverton to Kalgoorlie. The service in question was provided under the Court Security and Custodial Services Contract. However, this Report extends into a much wider range of services conducted under the Court Security and Custodial Services Act 1999 (CSCS Act). These include services provided by the public sector as well as privately-provided services. The report includes the following chapters: Introduction; Court Operations; Transport Operations; Contract Management; The Contractor; Police Involvement; and Re-Tendering Court Custody and Security Services. Details: Perth, WA: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2010. 132p. Source: Internet Resource; Report No. 65 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Security (Western Australia) Shelf Number: 119568

Author: Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives, Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth Title: Avoid the Harm - Stay Calm: Report on the Inquiry into the Impact of Violence on Young Australians Summary: This report attempts to answer the following qustion - What needs to be done to curb youth violence and address the concerns of young people and of the wider Australian community? As such, it reports on the impact of violence on young Australians with particular reference to: perceptions of violence and community safety among young Australians; links between illicit drug use, alcohol abuse and violence among young Australians; the relationship between bullying and violence and the well-being of young Australians; social and economic factors that contribute to violence by young Australians; and strategies to reduce violence and its impact among young Australians. Details: Canberra: Parliament of Australia, 2010. 180p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 119529

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Prison Populations and Correctional Outlays: The Effect of Reducing Re-Imprisonment Summary: "Between 1998 and 2008, the Australian imprisonment rate (per capita) rose 20 per cent. In 2008, net recurrent and capital expenditure on prisons in Australia exceeded $2.6 billion per annum. Efforts to reduce the prison population through the creation of alternatives to custody have not been very successful. This bulletin explores the potential savings in prison costs and prison numbers of reducing the rate at which prisoners return to custody. The results of our analysis suggest that modest reductions in the rate at which offenders are re-imprisoned would result in substantial savings in prisoner numbers and correctional outlays. A ten per cent reduction in the overall re-imprisonment rates would reduce the prison population by more than 800 inmates, saving $28 million per year. Comparable reductions in the number of new sentenced prisoners also produce benefits but they are smaller. The potential benefits of reducing the rate of re-imprisonment among subgroups of offenders with a high re-imprisonment rate are particularly noteworthy. A 10 per cent reduction in the Indigenous re-imprisonment rate, for example, would reduce the Indigenous sentenced prisoner population by 365 inmates, resulting in savings of more than $10 million per annum." Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 11p. Source: Internet Resource; Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 138; Accessed August 8, 2010 at http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb138.pdf/$file/cjb138.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Corrections Shelf Number: 119575

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Ceja Task Force Drug Related Corruption: Third and Final Report Summary: "In October 2006, the work of the Ceja Task Force drew to a close with the fifth successful prosecution for drug related offences of a former member of the now disbanded Victoria Police Drug Squad. Following the delivery of the verdict in that case, a third and final review of the operations of the Task Force was commissioned. The review examined the background, methodology and achievements of the Ceja Task Force." Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2007. 35p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 10, 2010 at http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/index.php?i=86 Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenses Shelf Number: 117838

Author: Queensland Police Service Title: Review of Taser Policy, Training, and Monitoring and Review Practices Summary: This report presents a review of taser training and operational policy in Queensland. The review found that the current policy addressed most of the risks identifed during the review. The review presents a number of recommendations to designed to improve the policy and procedures that are already in place, as well as officer training in the use of tasers, and the monitoring process of such use. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Police and the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2009. 66p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 10, 2010 at the following website: http://www.police.qld.gov.au Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Policing (Queensland) Shelf Number: 116526

Author: Bromfield, Leah Title: The Economic Costs of Child Abuse and Neglect Summary: This resource sheet examines the cost of child abuse and neglect related to the various Australian government departments responsible for children protection services. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 13, 2010 at http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs2/rs2.html Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 119594

Author: Hughes, Caitlin Title: The Coordination of Australian Illicit Drug Policy: A Governance Perspective Summary: This study focuses on the coordination of Australian drug policy. The study provides a new approach to looking at coordination, through the lens of “good governance”. The principles for good governance of Australian illicit drug policy include the following: participation, consensus-orientation, accountability, transparency, responsiveness, equity and inclusiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, and follow the rule of law. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2010. 108p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 14, 2010 at: http://www.dpmp.unsw.edu.au/DPMPWeb.nsf/resources/Monograph+16.pdf/$file/Mono+18.pdf; DPMP Monograph Series; No. 18 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 117330

Author: Lamont, Alister Title: Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect for Children and Adolescents Summary: "Child abuse and neglect is a social and public health problem in Australia, as well as a children’s rights issue. Abuse and neglect can lead to a wide range of adverse consequences for children and young people. The purpose of this Resource Sheet is to indicate the possible effects of child abuse and neglect and to explore whether different types of maltreatment are associated with specific adverse consequences in childhood and adolescence." Details: Melbourne, Australia: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 7p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 16, 2010 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs17/rs17.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Australia) Shelf Number: 119602

Author: Carr, Angela Title: How the Criminal Justice System Handles Allegations of Sexual Abuse: A Review of the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Seeking Justice Report Summary: In June 2003, the CMC presented its report — Seeking justice: an inquiry into the handling of sexual offences by the criminal justice system — to the Queensland Parliament in accordance with section 69 of the Crime and Misconduct Act 2001. That report made 23 recommendations for reform of the criminal justice system, plus a final recommendation that in two years’ time the CMC review the implementation of these recommendations. The current report presents the results of that review. The study found that good progress has been made in implementing most of the recommendations in the Seeking justice report, and in reforming the way in which sexual offences are investigated and prosecuted in Queensland. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2008. 58p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 16, 2010 at http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/77815001205361682379.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Prosecution, Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 109692

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Indicators Used Internationally to Measure Indigenous Justice Outcomes Summary: "The social disadvantages faced by Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand, across dimensions that include community safety and the justice system, have been well documented. The extent of Indigenous disadvantage and the complexities of overcoming it have led to the development of a range of indicators against which the effectiveness of efforts to reduce disadvantage can be measured. This paper aims to contribute to the further development of justice indicators by reporting on approaches used internationally." Details: Canberra: Indigenouse Justice Clearinghouse )Australian Institute of Criminology and the Attorney General's Department of NSW), 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief No. 8; Accessed August 17, 2010 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief008.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice, Administration of Shelf Number: 119618

Author: Woods, Daniel J. Title: Unpacking the Impact of Restorative Justice in the RISE Experiments: Facilitators, Offenders, and Conference Non-Delivery Summary: Restorative Justice (RJ) programs are often evaluated in terms of their outcomes (e.g. impact on crime), with little attention to the process. RJ's impact is often assessed by examining the difference between RJ “treated” groups with controls who typically experience standard criminal justice system processing. This strategy yields average effects across individuals who experience RJ differently. The present dissertation unpacks these different effects in three separate inquiries utilizing data from the Reintegrative Shaming Experiments (RISE) conducted in Canberra, Australia from 1995 - 2000. First, borrowing a medical model, we descriptively assess the extent to which conference facilitators engender perceptions of procedural justice and legitimacy in offenders who attend RJ. We graphically examine the number of conferences delivered per facilitator (experience), sequential conferences (practice-makes-perfect) and the timing between conferences (skill maintenance). Certain conference facilitators are just who are good at promoting perceptions of procedural justice and legitimacy, two concepts that are linked with reduced criminal behavior. Second, we utilize trajectory analysis to assess the impact of assignment to RJ on subsequent criminal offending for individuals following different offending trajectories. The impact of RJ varies by offending group, with negative effects observed for Aboriginal offenders. Finally, utilizing multinomial logistic regression, we examine the characteristics associated with non-delivery of RJ, either due to offender-related or administrative-related reasons. From a practical standpoint, randomized controlled trials, such as RISE, rely on treatment integrity to best assess the impact of the assigned treatment. From a policy standpoint, the most efficient use of resources would rely on successful conference delivery. We find that the time between random assignment and the first conference attempt is significantly related to successful delivery. Specifically, organizing a conference too soon or too late increases the chance that the conference will fail. This dissertation takes important steps in understanding the importance of unpacking the impact of RJ and helps inform who should conduct RJ conferences, what groups of individuals to include in future studies, and what impacts non-delivery of RJ conferences. Details: Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 2009. 112p. (Thesis) Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2010 at:http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=edissertations Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Recidivism Shelf Number: 119642

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: CMC Review of the Queensland Police Service's Palm Island Review Summary: This report is a review by the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) of an internal investigation by the Queensland Police and examines the initial police investigation into the events surrounding the death of Mulrunji on Palm Island on 19 November 2004. The Commission review found that both the initial police investigation and the subsequent internal police review were seriously flawed, and that the conduct of the officers involved warranted consideration of disciplinary proceedings for misconduct. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2010. 216p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2010 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/13053001276649217949.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Deaths in Custody Shelf Number: 119662

Author: Gray, Brett Title: Exploring the Benefits of Data Mining on Juvenile Justice Data: QCIF Final Report Summary: Although data mining has proven to be a useful methodology in a number of fields, its use in criminal justice applications and research is in its infancy. Given this, the purpose of this project is to apply a number of data mining techniques to data of Queensland juvenile court appearances to extract relevant, potentially unforseen, relationships. Details: Mt. Gravatt, Queensland: Griffith University, Justice Modelling, 2008. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2010 at: http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/10072/21293/1/53136__1.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Data Analysis Shelf Number: 117390

Author: Wunderlitz, Joy Title: Indigenous Perpetrators of Violence: Prevalence and Risk Factors for Offending Summary: This report focuses on Indigenous perpetrators of violence and aims to quantify the prevalence and nature of violent behaviour as well as examine empirical evidence on the relationship between violence and its associated risk factors. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 129p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series No. 105: Accessed August 23, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/2/A/4/%7B2A48440C-E61B-41E4-AD8D-28F536F8B586%7Drpp105.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 119202

Author: Rees, David Title: Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risks Pose by Alternative Remittance in Australia Summary: The events of 11 September 2001 have heightened interest in ensuring that all sectors of the financial system are not misused either by criminal or terrorist groups. In addition to conventional banks, money and value can be transferred by alternative remittance providers who have, until recently, not been closely regulated. Regulators are concerned that the informal nature of these businesses may lead to their use by terrorist groups and other criminals. This brief considers the characteristics of alternative remittance businesses, the risks they pose and some of the current responses to these risks. This report is one of three in a suite on this issue by the AIC which also includes Alternative remittance systems in Australia: Perceptions of users and providers and Risks of money laundering and the financing of terrorism arising from alternative remittance systems. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 118p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series No. 106; Accessed August 22, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/A/8/7/{A876C9D4-152E-4FDD-93BB-3F98F8C5ED70}rpp106.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Money Laundering (Australia) Shelf Number: 119101

Author: Zhang, Jessica Title: An Analysis of Repeat Imprisonment Trends in Australia Using Prisoner Census Data from 1994 to 2007 Summary: Reducing the number of prisoners who are repeatedly imprisoned is one of the goals of any correctional system. However, while a period of imprisonment may deter some people from re-offending, in others it may foster further criminal behaviour. This paper presents the results of a study based on a longitudinal dataset constructed from 14 successive Prisoner Censuses between 1994 and 2007 to follow, over time, two cohorts of people who were 'released' from prison (where 'release' is a proxy measure derived from the absence of a prisoner's record in a subsequent Prisoner Census). This paper expands on an earlier study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics by using logistic regression models to examine the factors associated with repeat imprisonment and assess whether or not the propensity for reimprisonment has increased over time. This paper also examines trends in criminal career development using descriptive methods, looking at patterns of specialisation, and of movements from one type of offence to another. The study finds that reimprisonment is strongly associated with being young, being Indigenous, or having been previously imprisoned (that is, being a prisoner who had already served time in prison). In all jurisdictions except Queensland, the rate of reimprisonment in recent years was higher than in the mid-1990s. Details: Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/26D48B9A4BE29D48CA25778C001F67D3/$File/1351055031_aug%202010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Longitudinal Studies Shelf Number: 119689

Author: O'Reilly, Bridie Title: Benzodiazepine and Pharmaceutical Opioid Misuse and Their Relationship to Crime: An Examination of Illicit Prescription Drug Markets in Melbourne, Hobart and Darwin. Northern Territory Report Summary: The National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund commissioned research to enhance law enforcement understanding of the impact of benzodiazepine and pharmaceutical opiate use on crime in three select Australian jurisdictions where there was evidence of emergent or consolidated illicit markets: Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. The aims were to gain understanding of illicit benzodiazepine and pharmaceutical opiate market characteristics, investigate the hypothesized relationship between benzodiazepine and pharmaceutical opiate use and crime, explore the implications for emergency services staff and consider appropriate interventions to address the impact on law enforcement and health. The current research replicated core methods in the three target jurisdictions in four stages over a 14-month period commencing April 2003: interviews with law enforcement personnel, two surveys of benzodiazepine and pharmaceutical opiate users, analysis of secondary indicator data and in-depth interviews with key informants. This report focuses only on the Northern Territory findings. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2007. 241p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_24.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Drugs Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 119696

Author: Bruno, Raimondo Title: Benzodiazepine and Pharmaceutical Opioid Misuse and Their Relationship to Crime Summary: The purpose of the current study was to contribute to the understanding of the law enforcement sector in regard to the impact of benzodiazepine and pharmaceutical opiate misuse on crime. In particular, the study aimed: to examine the nature of the illicit market in benzodiazepines and pharmaceutical opiates; to investigate any links between misuse of such drugs and criminal activity; to examine the implications of use for health and law enforcement staff; and to consider opportunities, and the potential impacts of, interventions into this issue. The study was conducted in three Australian jurisdictions where there was evidence of existing or emerging patterns of use of diverted pharmaceutical products amongst individuals who inject illicit drugs. This report details only the Tasmanian-specific primary data collected as part of this larger study. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2007. 186p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 22: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_22.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 119697

Author: Roberts, Lynne Title: What Australians Think About Crime and Justice: Results from the 2007 Survey of Social Attitudes Summary: This report provides an analysis of the responses in the 2007 Australian Survey of Social Attitudes (AuSSA) on crime and justice. The AuSSA is a biennial mail-out survey that provides data on key questions relating to Australians’ social attitudes and behaviours over time. AuSSA 2007 consisted of a cross sectional mail-out survey completed by 8,133 adults from all Australian states and territories. Three versions of the survey were fielded with final response rates ranging from 39 to 42 percent. To produce Australian estimates the data have been weighted by education level to correct for differences in education level between survey respondents and the general population. The report addresses perceptions of crime, fear of crime, the administration of criminal justice, and changes in attitudes over time. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2009. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Research and Public Policy Series No. 101: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/8/A/%7B48A3B38B-376E-4A7A-A457-AA5CC37AE090%7Drpp101.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice, Administration of Shelf Number: 119698

Author: Gotsis, Tom Title: Diverting Mentally Disordered Offenders in the NSW Local Court Summary: Section 32 of the Mental Health (Criminal Procedure) Act 1990 enables mentally disordered defendants facing criminal charges in the New South Wales Local Court to be diverted by the court from the criminal justice system. Defendants diverted under s 32(3) between 2004–2006 represented only a small fraction of those who appeared in the Local court. Nearly 80% of defendants subject to a s 32(3) order were discharged conditionally into the care of a responsible person under s 32(3)(a) (55%) or for assessment and/or treatment under s 32(3)(b) (24%).ii The offences allegedly committed by these defendants were varied but traffic offences were not predominant. Magistrates expressed a reluctance to utilise s 32 orders for traffic offences. Details: Sydney: Judicial Commission of NSW, 2008. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph 31: Accessed August 28, 2010 at: http://www.judcom.nsw.gov.au/publications/research-monographs-1/monograph31/monograph31.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Services Shelf Number: 119701

Author: International Social Service, Australian Branch Title: Living in Limbo: The Experience of International Parental Child Abduction: The Call for a National Support Service Summary: Apart from high profile cases of parents abducting their children to other countries, little is generally known about the extent and impact that International Parental Child Abduction has on children and families. The incidence of these abductions is greater than official government figures reveal. Only abductions which occur between Australia and countries which have signed the Hague Convention into the Civil Aspects of Parental Child Abduction are recorded. Abductions involving countries not a party to the convention are not counted. There is also no official recording of attempted cases which do not eventuate. Abductions occur when relationships have failed and usually where the parents come from different cultural backgrounds. Domestic violence, a deep sense of unfairness about contact and access arrangements, intense fear of losing the child and disagreement about the other parent’s cultural beliefs relating to child rearing are common reasons for parents choosing this regrettable path. There are serious emotional consequences for the abducted child taken from all that is familiar, most usually to the parent’s country of origin. As the child is already dealing with the breakdown of the family unit, this additional trauma can cause emotional problems which if not treated in an ongoing way, can have lasting consequences. The left behind parent also suffers considerable grief, anger and guilt which will affect ongoing relationships with other children as well as children who have been abducted. The abducting parent is also usually in need of therapeutic help. The legal remedy available through the Hague Convention of seeking to have the child returned to the country where he or she lived habitually prior to the abduction aims to achieve a fair process. There is also an underlying premise in the Convention that matters relating to the custody of children are rightly the responsibility of the national jurisdiction where the child habitually lived pre-abduction. The Convention process cannot however comprehensively address the post traumatic stress experienced by family members or the underlying issues which led to the abduction. Growing concerns about the impact of abduction, particularly on the children but also the parents and recognition of the limitations of a legal response prompted the Commonwealth Attorney- General’s Department to fund a project to consider the viability of establishing a support service. International Social Service Australia undertook this project and this paper outlines key findings. International Social Service is a non-profit organisation which operates through a worldwide network of offices in over 140 countries. Core work relates to child welfare issues involving Australia and another country. Their work is also guided by International Conventions focusing on children and families. The report recommends that a support service be established. The service will comprise an advice line, make referrals to specialist agencies, lawyers and experienced parents. It will also conduct community education and training and undertake research and advocacy. The report concludes that as the service complements the work of International Social Service Australia, it is an appropriate choice for the location of the service. Details: Melbourne: International Social Service, Australian Branch, 2005. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/Assets/Files/9bb6de98-a9ab-436f-8c08-cb63c21ff155.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Custody Shelf Number: 119717

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Police-Referred Restorative Justice for Juveniles in Australia Summary: This preliminary paper provides an overview of the legislative and policy context of restorative justice measures for juveniles in each Australian state and territory, highlighting the diverse characteristics of current restorative practices. Further, it provides an indication of the numbers and characteristics of juveniles who are referred by police to restorative justice measures and the offence types for which they are most commonly referred. A number of key points about the application of restorative justice measures to juveniles in Australia’s jurisdictions are highlighted, including that juveniles were referred to conferences primarily for property crimes and that Indigenous juveniles comprised higher proportions of those sent to court than to conferencing. This paper argues that more detailed data on the offending histories, offence types and offence seriousness of juveniles referred by police to restorative justice processes would enable a more finely-grained analysis of restorative justice for juveniles in Australia. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 398: Accessed September 1, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/D/3/F/{D3F3C924-7049-49E9-8545-B5D755553BBD}tandi398.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 119723

Author: Eckersley, Richard Title: Violence in Public Places: Explanations and Solutions: A Report on an Expert Roundtable for Victoria Police Summary: Combating the problem of violence in public places will require the cooperation of everyone from parents and young people to education providers, police and government, a new report from Australia21 suggests. Key factors identified in explaining violence in public places were the growth in the night time economy, a 24/7 lifestyle, technology and the media, links between antisocial behaviour and young people’s health and well-being, parental overprotection or neglect, increased social expectations or social exclusion and alienation and a perception of violence as the norm. The report was commissioned by Victoria Police and is based on an expert roundtable held in Melbourne in October 2008. Details: Weston, ACT: Australia 21, 2008. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2010 at: http://www.australia21.org.au/pdf/Violence%20in%20public%20places%20report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 117398

Author: Fitzgerald, Jacqueline Title: Trands in Property and Illicit Drug Crime Around the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Kings Cross: An Update Summary: The Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) opened in Kings Cross in May 2001. This paper examines whether there have been (a) increases in the volume of robbery, property crime and drug offences in Kings Cross Local Area Command, or (b) increases in the proportion of Kings Cross drug offences occurring in the immediate vicinity of the MSIC, which could be attributed to the MSIC. The volume of crime was indicated by the number of criminal incidents of robbery, property crime and selected drug offences recorded by NSW Police between January 1999 and March 2010. We computed the trends in these offences in Kings Cross LAC from May 2001 to March 2010 and compared the results to the equivalent trends for the rest of Sydney SD. Spatial analyses were used to determine whether drug arrests were concentrated around the MSIC site. Police recorded incidents of possession and dealing of narcotics, cocaine and amphetamines were geocoded and mapped with the results inferred by descriptive statistics and visual inspection. With a few minor exceptions the incidence of robbery and property offences have fallen in the Kings Cross Local Area Command since 2001. This pattern is consistent with the rest of Sydney. Of the six drug offences considered, five have been stable in Kings Cross since 2001. The exception was cocaine possession which increased in both Kings Cross and the rest of Sydney. The spatial analyses showed no pattern of increased drug offences around the MSIC. No evidence was found that the MSIC has had a negative impact on robbery, property crime or drug offences in Kings Cross LAC. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Statistics Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 51: Accessed September 6, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb51.pdf/$file/bb51.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 119745

Author: Victoria. Auditor General Title: Personal Safety and Security on the Metropolitan Train System Summary: The audit examined how successful Victoria Police (VicPol) and the Department of Transport (the department) had been from mid-2005 in reducing crime on Melbourne’s train system and making passengers feel safe when travelling. During 2008–09 there were more than 7 000 criminal offences reported on Melbourne’s train system and this equates to 33 offences per million passenger boardings. These offences happened on trains, at stations and station car parks. These account for about 75 per cent of all recorded offences on public transport in Victoria. Perceptions of safety are important because they influence how people behave, and they do not solely depend on levels of crime. For these reasons it is important that crime and perceptions of safety are managed as two connected but separate objectives. VicPol and the department have been successful in reducing crime on Melbourne’s train system since 2007–08. In contrast, the approach to improve passengers’ perceptions of safety has not been effective and requires focussed attention. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Auditor-General, 2010. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2010 at: http://download.audit.vic.gov.au/files/20100609_Rail_Safety_Full_Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Transit Crime Shelf Number: 119756

Author: Murphy, Kristina Title: Policing Youth: Can Procedural Justice Nurture Youth Cooperation with Police? Summary: Australian crime statistics reveal that young people are the most likely population group to have contact with the police, and persons aged 15 to 19 years are the most prominent group to have contact with police for the commission of a crime. When compared to their older counterparts, young people are more likely to attract police attention, in part because of their high level of involvement in illegal activity. Behaviours that are legal for adults may not be so for youth. Examples include alcohol consumption, temporary absenteeism from school, and driving cars unlicensed. iven young people are also more likely to congregate in public areas they are also often considered a public nuisance, and therefore attract unwanted police attention. Hence, the wider societal culture that deems that young people are a threat tends to provide justification for police to attend to youth in order to avoid potential trouble. Removing youth from visible street locations, often when the youth are not involved in any illegal or deviant behaviour can result in negative opinion toward police by the youth. The extra police attention for not doing anything wrong creates a sense that they are being treated like trouble-makers. This promotes tense and hostile police-youth encounters, and leads many youth to have a pessimistic view of police enacting their authority unfairly. Using survey data collected from a sample of Australian youth, the present study examines factors that lead young people to question police authority, and how such factors can ultimately affect their willingness to cooperate with police efforts to control crime and disorder effectively. Details: Geelong, VIC, Australia: Alfred Deakin Research Institute, Deakin University, 2010. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Alfred Deakin Research Institute, Working Paper No. 06: Accessed September 10, 2010 at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/alfred-deakin-research-institute/publications/workingpapers/adri-working-paper-06.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 119779

Author: Murphy, Kristina Title: Policing Ethnic Minority Groups with Procedural Justice: An Empirical Study Summary: Public cooperation with police is essential for the effective management of crime and disorder in our society. Understanding factors that shape public cooperation with the police is therefore important. However, Australian and international studies show that police find it difficult to elicit cooperation from ethnic communities, this made difficult by the fact that ethnic groups display low levels of trust and confidence in the police. This study examines the role that procedural justice might play in fostering minority group perceptions of police legitimacy and their willingness to cooperate with police officers. The study uses survey data collected from Australian citizens and tests whether procedurally fair policing can enhance public cooperation among ethnic minority group members. Results indicate that cooperation appears to be mediated by people's perceptions of police legitimacy. The findings have implications for theories of cooperation, as well as for determining how the police can foster better relationships with ethnically diverse communities. Details: Geelong, VIC, Australia: Alfred Deakin Research Institute, Deakin University, 2010. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Alfred Deakin Research Institute, Working Paper No. 02: Accessed September 10, 2010 at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/alfred-deakin-research-institute/publications/workingpapers/adri-working-paper-02.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Minority Groups Shelf Number: 119780

Author: Victorian Law Reform Commission Title: Surveillance in Public Places: Final Report 18 Summary: This report completes a two-stage inquiry into the widespread use of privacy invasive technologies. The first stage of our inquiry dealt with workplace privacy, while this report deals with the growing use of surveillance in public places. Public place surveillance is so extensive that it now affects the lives of nearly all Victorians. It is highly likely that our image will be captured by camera, and recorded, whenever we are walking down city streets, travelling on public transport, driving on freeways, visiting shopping centres or attending a major sporting event. People should know about these activities and appreciate that it is becoming increasingly difficult to remain anonymous in public places. The notion of blending in with the crowd is fast disappearing. The Attorney-General asked the commission to consider the interests of users of surveillance in protecting their property and providing safe places, and to balance these against the protection of privacy, autonomy and the dignity of individuals. The commission has been guided by these concerns and this report reflects the diversity of opinion regarding the use of surveillance in public places. We must seek to reap the many benefits of modern surveillance equipment while also ensuring that it is not used oppressively and unnecessarily in public places. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Law Reform Commission, 2010. 180p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2010 at: Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 119791

Author: Wilson, Dean Title: Marginalised Young People, Surveillance and Public Space: A Research Report Summary: This report finds that young people are particularly vulnerable to the abuse of powers in public surveillance practice and to being the target of policing to regulate behaviour in public spaces. The report aims to inform policy debate on the interaction of young people with public space within a broader context, and by providing empirical evidence on the experiences of young people with surveillance and security in public space. Chapter Two sets the research within the context of current research on young people, surveillance and public space. Chapter Three outlines the focus group and survey methodology used in conducting the present research. Chapter Four presents the results of the survey to give a broad demographic sketch of the backgrounds, education and living situations of those who participated. Chapter Five to Chapter Ten present qualitative data drawn from the focus groups. Chapter Five outlines the participants understanding of surveillance. Chapter Six analyses the perceptions evident in discussions of what surveillance cameras in public areas were for and what they actually do. Chapter Seven examines how surveillance was occasionally resisted and how the young people who participated understood notions of privacy and autonomy in public. Chapter Eight discusses some of the anxieties participants expressed regarding who observed security cameras and how images from cameras might be misused. Chapter Nine outlines participants interactions with security guards, including their feelings of being targeted by security guards on the basis of their age and appearance. Chapter Ten recounts concerns young people raised about ‘knife crime’ and their sense that they were unfairly stigmatized as perpetrators of violence. Finally, Chapter Eleven addresses the policy implications of the research and provides some recommendations for policy change in light of the findings of the research. Details: Melbourne: Youth Affairs Council of Victoria and the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, 2010. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 14, 2010 at: http://www.apo.org.au/sites/default/files/Marginalised%20Young%20People%2C%20Surveillance%20and%20Public%20Space.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Public Space Shelf Number: 119793

Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: Assaults on School Premises in NSW, 2005-2009 Summary: This study examines the characteristics of, and trends in, police-recorded assault incidents involving school-aged children on school premises in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The sample consisted of all incidents of assault recorded by NSW police officers as having occurred on school premises between 2005 and 2009. The police-recorded free-text narratives of a random sample of 300 incidents which occurred in 2009 were examined to determine the type of victim and offender involved and the location on the school premises where the incident occurred. Over the five years, there was a statistically significant upward trend in the rate of recorded assault incidents between school-aged children on government school premises during school hours. The typical assault occurred in the afternoon in a government secondary school, involved two students of the same gender (generally boys), aged between 13 and 15 years, involved no weapon and no injury or only minor injuries to the victim. Most offenders were not charged with an offence. The most common locations for incidents were either the playground/oval or school corridors/staircases/toilet blocks/gymnasium. While the upward trend in assaults on school premises may be due to an actual increase in assaults, there is also reason to believe that, in recent years, schools have been much more likely to report assaults to police. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 50: Accessed September 15, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb50.pdf/$file/bb50.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 119814

Author: Fry, Craig Title: Benzodiazepine and Pharmaceutical Opioid Misuse and their Relationship to Crime: An Examination of Illicit Prescription Drug Markets in Melbourne, Hobart and Darwin. National Overview Report Summary: This National Overview Report presents a review of the literature, an overview of study methodology, key findings and jurisdiction-specific discussion points. It should be read in conjunction with each of the companion Jurisdiction Reports for Melbourne (Smith et al. 2004), Hobart (Bruno, 2004) and Darwin (O’Reilly et al. 2004), which contain detailed data content, and discussion of the findings and issues of local relevance to those study sites. This report avoids duplication of the data content of each Jurisdiction Report, in preference for summary and discussion of the main important findings and themes that have emerged from this comprehensive study. Specifically, the report focuses upon: • Salient issues that have emerged from the review of relevant national and international literature (current knowledge and gaps in the literature); • Comparison of key findings across study sites (descriptive and explanatory/statistical comparisons concerning market characteristics, diversion and links to crime); and • Discussion of the implications of these findings for law enforcement and health services (including implications for front line workers, options for intervention within the market, and future directions). Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2007. 214p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 21: Accessed October 6, 2010 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_21.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 119864

Author: MacKinnell, Ian Title: Measuring Offence Seriousness Summary: The aim of this report is to present and assess two new measures of offence seriousness in NSW. The first measure of offence seriousness, Median Sentence Ranking (MSR), was constructed by identifying the median sentence actually imposed in each Australian Standard Offence Classification (ASOC) group. The data used for this purpose consisted of cases finalised in the NSW Children's, Local, District and Supreme Courts between 3 April 2000 and 31 March 2005 where the offender had no prior criminal record. The second measure, Median Statutory Maximum Ranking (MSMR), was constructed by reference to the median statutory maximum penalty applicable among offences in each ASOC group. Logistic regression was used to compare the MSR and the MSMR to the current National Offence Index (NOI) in terms of (a) their ability to predict who will be sentenced to imprisonment, and (b) their ability to identify the principal offence, that is, the offence that incurred the most severe penalty. The MSR proved superior to both the NOI and MSMR both in its ability to predict a sentence of imprisonment and to predict the principal offence. The MSMR proved superior to the NOI in its ability to predict a sentence of imprisonment, however, the NOI proved superior to the MSMR in predicting the principal offence. It was found that the MSR is the better choice when the aim is either to investigate or control for the influence of offence seriousness on the likelihood of imprisonment or to identify which of two offences will incur the more severe sentence. The NOI is a relatively robust measure of seriousness which may make it useful when alternative measures are not available or cannot be derived or when the aim is to predict outcomes outside the criminal justice system where public opinion is a salient factor. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 142: Accessed October 7, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB142.pdf/$file/CJB142.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Offense Seriousness Shelf Number: 119883

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: The Effect of Prison on Adult Re-Offending Summary: The effect of prison on re-offending was examined by comparing time to re-conviction among 96 matched pairs of convicted burglars and 406 matched pairs of offenders convicted of non-aggravated assault. One member of each pair received a prison sentence, while the other received some form of non-custodial sanction. All offenders were matched on offence type, number of concurrent offences, prior prison experience, number of prior appearances in court and bail status at final appearance. Cox regression was used to control for age, age of first conviction, gender, race, plea, number of counts of the principal offence, legal representation and prior breach of a court order. In the case of non-aggravated assault an additional control was included: prior conviction for a violent offence. The study found that offenders who received a prison sentence were slightly more likely to re-offend than those who received a noncustodial penalty. The difference was just significant for non-aggravated assault but not significant for burglary. The study concluded that there is no evidence that prison deters offenders convicted of burglary or non-aggravated assault. There is some evidence that prison increases the risk of offending amongst offenders convicted of non-aggravated assault but further research with larger samples is needed to confirm the results. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 143: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB143.pdf/$file/CJB143.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Shelf Number: 119884

Author: Hughes, Caitlin Title: Media Reporting on Illicit Drugs in Australia: Trends and Impacts on Youth Attitudes to Illicit Drug Use Summary: This study starts to address the intersection between news media and illicit drug use. It examines two major aspects of news media: media production – as denoted by patterns and trends in Australian news media reporting on illicit drugs – and media effects – as denoted by impacts on youth attitudes to illicit drug use. The purpose of this study was fourfold: To identify the dominant media portrayals used to denote illicit drugs in Australian news media and dominant portrayals by drug type (cannabis, amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin); To identify the extent to which media portrayals have changed over time (from 2003-2008): measured in terms of the number and type of media reports on illicit drugs; To explore the impacts of different media portrayals on youth attitudes to illicit drug use: namely their perceptions of the risks and acceptability of use and their likelihood of future use; and To determine if the media differentially affects sub-populations of youth, and if so, to identify the sub-populations of youth that are most responsive to media reporting on illicit drugs. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2010. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Policy Modelling Program, Monograph 19: Accessed October 8, 2010 at: http://www.dpmp.unsw.edu.au/DPMPWeb.nsf/resources/Monograph+16.pdf/$file/Mono+19.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 119888

Author: Lulham, Rohan Title: The Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment Program: Impact of Program Participation on Re-Offending by Defendants with a Drug Use Problem Summary: This bulletin reports on the evaluation of re-offending outcomes for the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) drug diversion program in New South Wales, Australia. MERIT provides defendants in NSW Local Courts with the option of undertaking formal drug treatment while on bail. Re-offending outcomes for a cohort of 2,396 defendants who participated in the MERIT program were compared with a comparison group of defendants who did not participate in the MERIT program but who broadly met the eligibility criteria. To estimate the impact of the program we used a treatment effects model with correction for selection bias. Acceptance into the MERIT program, regardless of completion, was found to significantly reduce the number of defendants committing any theft re-offence by an estimated four percentage points. Acceptance and completion of the MERIT program significantly reduced the number of defendants committing any type of offence by an estimated 12 percentage points, and any theft re-offence by four percentage points. This evaluation provides strong support that participation in the MERIT program reduces defendants’ propensity to commit theft offences and, for those who complete the program, substantially reduces their propensity to commit any type of re-offence. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 131: Accessed October 9, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb131.pdf/$file/cjb131.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Diversion Shelf Number: 119897

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Rates of Participation in Burglary and Motor Vehicle Theft: Estimates and Implications for Policy Summary: This bulletin uses techniques developed in population biology to estimate the number of offenders actively involved in burglary and motor vehicle theft in NSW during the period 2006-2007, as well as the percentage of offenders apprehended and convicted. We estimate the participation rates in burglary and motor vehicle theft to have been approximately 32,000 (burglary) and 23,000 (motor vehicle theft). The overall detection and conviction rates amongst these groups of offenders were found to be much higher than is conventionally assumed (16.6 per cent for burglary and 13.5 for motor vehicle theft). The analysis provides evidence that there are two distinct groups of offenders – one offending at a very high rate and the other at a much lower rate. The majority of frequent offenders are caught and convicted but most infrequent offenders escape conviction. The bulletin concludes by arguing that control of burglary and motor vehicle theft requires a combination of law enforcement targeted at high rate offenders and prevention strategies designed to remove the opportunities and incentives for involvement in crime. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 130: Accessed October 9, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB130.pdf/$file/CJB130.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 119896

Author: Victorian Auditor-General Title: Managing Offenders on Community Corrections Orders Summary: Managing offenders in the community provides a range of financial and social benefits. It is a cost-effective alternative to imprisonment. It also enables offenders to maintain connection with their community, by retaining employment, social networks and accommodation. Offenders can also undertake programs designed to address their behaviour and reduce the likelihood of them re-offending. Community Correctional Services (CCS), within Corrections Victoria, is responsible for managing offenders on community orders. Its primary purpose is to enhance community safety primarily through a range of offender management processes and services, including risk and need assessments, program referrals and supervision to ensure offenders are complying with the conditions of their orders. This audit found that CCS has established a robust, evidence-based framework for offender management and for implementing a strong quality assurance process to monitor the application of the framework. However, what is missing is a meaningful way to measure the effectiveness of the program. The current outcome measures are not directly relevant. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2009. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2010 at: http://download.audit.vic.gov.au/files/20091125_CCO_Full_Report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 119910

Author: Fitzgerald, Jacqueline Title: Why are Indigenous Imprisonment Rates Rising? Summary: Between 2001 and 2008 the adult Indigenous imprisonment rate rose by 37 percent in Australia and 48 percent in New South Wales. This paper looks at the reasons behind this rise in New South Wales. The evidence suggests that most of the increase is due to increased severity by the criminal justice system in its treatment of Indigenous offenders. One quarter of the increase has come from remandees and three quarters from sentenced prisoners. The increase in the number of remandees appears to be due to a greater proportion of Indigenous defendants being refused bail and an increase in the time spent on remand. Similarly, the number of sentenced Indigenous prisoners has increased because more Indigenous offenders are receiving a prison sentence and for longer periods. With the possible exception of offences against justice procedures, it does not appear that the increase in imprisonment is due to increased offending. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 41: Accessed October 11, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb41.pdf/$file/bb41.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Incarceration Rates Shelf Number: 118555

Author: Fitzgerald, Jacqueline Title: The Nature of Assaults Recorded on Licensed Premises Summary: Nearly ten percent of assaults recorded by police in NSW occur on licensed premises. This paper considers where these incidents occur in relation to the licensed premises and who is involved. In a sample of 352 assault incidents recorded by police in 2007/08, we found 76 percent occurred on the licensed premise; either inside a building on the premises (57%) or on an outdoor location within the grounds of the premises such as in the beer garden or carpark (19%). Another 21 percent of incidents were indirectly linked to the premises; occurring near the premise (such as on the footpath) and involving either premises staff, patrons or people refused entry. Three percent of assaults recorded as occurring on licensed premises could not be clearly connected to the premises. Patrons committed the majority of assaults (57%) followed by evicted patrons (15%), security and other staff (12%) and people refused entry to the premises (5%). Most victims were also patrons (62%) followed by security guards and other staff (22%), evicted patrons (6%) and police (5%). Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 43: Accessed October 11, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB43.pdf/$file/BB43.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 118553

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Domestic Homicide in NSW, January 2003 - June 2008 Summary: This brief examines trends and characteristics of domestic homicides in NSW over the period January 2003 to June 2008. During this time, there were 215 victims of domestic homicide, 115 females and 100 males. The rate of domestic homicide per year remained stable, ranging from a low of 0.46 per 100,000 population in 2004 to a high of 0.63 per 100,000 population in 2006. Forty-three per cent of domestic homicide victims (70 females and 23 males) were killed by intimate partners, and 19 per cent by parents. Stabbing was the most common act causing death, with knives used in over one-third of domestic homicides. The use of knives increased over the period, while the use of firearms decreased. Over three-quarters of offenders were male, and one-third of offenders may have had a history of mental illness and/or been suffering from mental illness at the time of the homicide. Twenty-six per cent of offenders were persons of interest in a violence-related incident in the 12 months prior to the homicide, and 52 per cent in the five years prior. In the 12 months prior to the homicide event, only 10 per cent of victims had been identified as a victim in a violence-related incident where the homicide offender was identified as a person of interest. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 42: Accessed October 11, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb42.pdf/$file/bb42.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 118552

Author: Moffatt, Steve Title: Liquor Licensing Enforcement and Assaults on Licensed Premises Summary: On October 30 2008, the New South Wales Premier announced the imposition of licence restrictions on 48 of the licensed premises previously identified as sites where violence frequently occurred. The restrictions included mandatory 2 a.m. lock outs, cessation of alcohol service 30 minutes before closing time, drink purchase limits after midnight and ten minute alcohol sale ‘time outs’ every hour after midnight. The present report details the results of an evaluation of the effect of these restrictions. The report finds that the incidence of assault on the 48 licensed premises upon which restrictions were imposed has declined, but the decline was not restricted to these premises. A general decline in the number of assaults on licensed premises occurred across the top 100 licensed premises listed on the BOCSAR website. The precise cause of the decline is unclear but likely influences include adverse publicity and increased enforcement activity by NSW Police and the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR). Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 40: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb40.pdf/$file/bb40.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 118554

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: The Specific Deterrent Effect of Custodial Penalties on Juvenile Re-offending Summary: It is widely assumed that placing offenders (juvenile or adult) in custody acts as a deterrent to further offending. The present study was designed to see whether juvenile offenders who receive a detention sentence are less likely to re-offend, controlling for other factors, than juvenile offenders given some other form of sentence. Two groups of offenders (152 given an detention sentence, 243 given a non-custodial sentence) were interviewed at length about their family life, school performance, association with delinquent peers and substance abuse. They were then followed up to determine what proportion in each group was reconvicted of a further offence. Cox regression was used to model time to reconviction. The study found no significant difference between juveniles given a custodial penalty and those given a non-custodial penalty in the likelihood of reconviction, even after controlling for factors that differ between the two groups. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 132: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb132.pdf/$file/cjb132.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 116635

Author: Snowball, Lucy Title: Bail Presumptions and Risk of Bail Refusal: An Analysis of the NSW Bail Act Summary: This report examines the relationship between various statutory presumptions surrounding bail and the risk of bail refusal in New South Wales. A total 37,165 cases where defendants were either granted or refused bail by a Local Court were analysed to determine what impact the presumptions surrounding bail had on the risk of bail refusal. Controls included in the analysis were age; gender; Indigenous status of the defendant; number of concurrent offences; the number of prior criminal convictions; whether the offender had a previous conviction for a breach offence; the number of days between the date of first court appearance and the date of finalisation; whether the defendant had legal representation in the current case; and the plea in the current case at time of finalisation. After adjusting for the effects of other factors, the risk of bail refusal was found to be higher for those charged with offences where there was a presumption against bail or where bail should only be granted in ‘exceptional circumstances’. The risk of bail was also elevated for those with a larger number of prior convictions and/or concurrent offences. Three main anomalies were noted. Firstly, nearly half of those falling into the ‘exceptional circumstance’ category were on bail at their final court appearance. Secondly, factors such as prior criminal record, number of concurrent offences and delay in finalising a case, exert a much stronger influence on the risk of bail refusal than the presumptions surrounding bail. Thirdly, the bail refusal risk was higher for those charged with offences where there was no presumption for or against bail than for those charged with offences involving a presumption against bail. The report concludes that the NSW Bail Act may need some simplification and clarification. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 49; Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb49.pdf/$file/bb49.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 119945

Author: Smith, Lance Title: Cash in Transit Armed Robbery in Australia Summary: Cash in transit (CIT) armed robbery is an offence that can cause serious stress and danger to individuals who become victims while doing their job. To compound the emotional, psychological and physical damage CIT armed robbery can cause victims, it often causes considerable financial loss to the companies targeted. CIT armed robberies have been increasing in recent years and the AIC's National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program, along with some of Australia's leading CIT companies, determined that the dynamics of this type of robbery needed to be more closely examined. Understanding the type of offender who commits CIT armed robbery will help with the development of crime prevention strategies for the CIT industry. The types of offenders who typically commit CIT armed robbery are professional offenders who have a tendency to plan the offence, study their target and carry high-powered weaponry. Considering CIT armed robbery and related crime prevention strategies from overseas is also recommended, as countries such as South Africa and the United Kingdom have had more experience in preventing this type of crime. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 397: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/E/3/{8E3B6B17-D5C1-4C2A-AB9F-64F5F0FDAD0C}tandi397.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Armed Robbery Shelf Number: 119949

Author: Jones, Craig Title: The Impact of Restricted Alcohol Availability on Alcohol-Related Violence in Newcastle, NSW Summary: In March 2008, the New South Wales Liquor Administration Board (LAB) introduced significant restrictions on hotel trading hours for a number of licensed premises in the Newcastle CBD. We sought to determine whether this reduced the incidence of assault in the vicinity of these premises. Three sources of police data were employed to address this research question: recorded crime data, last-place-of-consumption data from the Alcohol Linking Program and police call-out data. Recorded crime and Linking data revealed a significant reduction in alcohol-related assaults in the intervention site but not the comparison site. These two data sources revealed no evidence of any geographic displacement of assaults to other licensed premises or neighbouring areas. There was no evidence of any decrease in the total number of calls for service in either the intervention or comparison sites but this is most likely due to limitations inherent in the call-out data. All three data sources revealed a significant decrease in the proportion of assaults occurring after 3 a.m. in the intervention site but not in the comparison sites. Collectively, the data provide strong evidence that the restricted availability of alcohol reduced the incidence of assault in the Newcastle CBD. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 137: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB137.pdf/$file/CJB137.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 118549

Author: Allard, Troy Title: The Use and Impact of Police Diversion for Reducing Indigenous Over-Representation Summary: This report presents the findings of a project that explored whether there was disparity in the use of police diversion based on Indigenous status and whether the impact of police diversion varied based on Indigenous status. While police cautioning and police referred conferencing are widely used throughout Australia, few studies have explored whether there is disparity in the use or impact of these diversionary processes. Limited evidence suggests that Indigenous young people are less likely to be diverted than non-Indigenous young people and that Indigenous young people are more likely to have recontact than non-Indigenous young people, regardless of the juvenile justice system response. Given that Indigenous over-representation is a perennial problem in the justice system, the current project addressed three research questions: RQ1: What is the extent of Indigenous over-representation in the Queensland juvenile justice system? RQ2: Are Indigenous young people less likely to be diverted by police to a caution or conference than non-Indigenous young people? RQ3: How effective is police diversion at reducing recontact with the juvenile justice system? Addressing these research questions will provide an understanding about whether an increased proportion of Indigenous people could be diverted and whether police diversionary practices could be used to reduce Indigenous over-representation and begin to ‘close the gap’ on Indigenous over-representation in the justice system. Details: Mt. Gravatt, Australia: Griffith University, Justice Modelling, 2009. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Report to the Criminology Research Council: Grant: CRC 15/07-08: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/15-0708.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Discrimination in Juvenile Justice Administration Shelf Number: 119959

Author: Victoria. Ombudsman Title: Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001: Investigation into Conditions at the Melbourne Youth Justice Precinct Summary: This report investigates the Melbourne Youth Justice Centre and the Melbourne Youth Residential Centre at Parkville that draws conclusions about: unacceptable conditions; improper conduct; inadequate quality of care; and non‐compliance with operational and legislative provisions, including human rights responsibilities and working with children checks. The report makes 27 recommendations, all of which have been accepted by the Department of Human Services. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2010. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Investigation_into_conditions_at_the_Melbourne_Youth_Justice_Precinct_Oct_20101.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections Officers Shelf Number: 119961

Author: Grossman, Michele Title: Don't Go There: Young People's Perspectives on Community Safety and Policing Summary: This study aimed to find out what young people aged 15-19 in the Brimbank area think about community safety and about the ways in which police and young people interact on these issues. Using a mixed-method study design that collected data through a survey and focus groups, the study sought to answer the following research questions: What helps young people to feel safe? What leads to young people feeling unsafe or at risk when they are in public spaces? What do young people see as the triggers and causes of increased violence and conflict amongst groups of young people? What do young people think about police in their local area and how can relationships between young people and police be improved? How can police and young people work together in improving community safety in the Brimbank area? This project surveyed 500 young people drawn from the general population in Brimbank and engaged a further 44 young people from Sudanese and Pacific Islander backgrounds through focus group discussions, as well as 14 young people drawn from the general population in a focus group looking specifically at strategies for improved youth-police consultation mechanisms on community safety. The evidence base provided through the Don’t Go There study has emerged through detailed and rigorous elicitation and analysis of the perceptions, views and voices of young people themselves. The findings of the research report are essentially ‘data-up’ findings that have been generated through a series of questions and themes that, while they are informed by a range of concerns and interests for Victoria Police as the key stakeholder in the project, have been independently pursued in the research design and have allowed young people to speak freely and in detail about what most concerns them in relation to the main issues canvassed in the study. While the findings presented below are specific to what young people who live in the Brimbank region have said in response to the research questions and themes, the methodology used in this survey, as detailed in Chapter 7 of the report, is fully transferable and can be used to elicit the views and perspectives of young people anywhere in the state to gather similarly rich locale- or regionally-based data. Details: Melbourne: Victoria University, 2010. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2010 at: http://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/mcd/pdfs/dont-go-there-study-may-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Safety Shelf Number: 119986

Author: Victoria (Australia). Parliament. Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry Into Strategies to Reduce Assaults in Public Places in Victoria Summary: This report attempts to address some of the issues surrounding the increase in assaults in public places over the last few years. It provides a comprehensive survey of the current situation - particularly between the level of crime and the reporting of crime- and provides some evidence of comdmunity an government activities in this area. It proposes a series of recommendations to further address the problem. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer for State of Victoria, 2010. 340p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2010 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/dcpc/assaults/Final_assault_report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 119987

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Environmental Crime in Australia Summary: Environmental crime is the perpetration of harms against the environment that violate current law. The term environmental harm is often interchanged with environmental crime and, for some, any activity that has a deleterious effect on the environment is considered an environmental crime. At the other end of the spectrum, the harm may be conceived of as a crime per se only if it is subject to criminal prosecution and criminal sanction. The activities that are recognised in Australia as environmental crimes include: pollution or other contamination of air, land and water; illegal discharge and dumping of, or trade in, hazardous and other regulated waste; illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances; illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing; illegal trade in (protected) flora and fauna and harms to biodiversity; illegal logging and timber trade; illegal native vegetation clearance; and water theft. Compared with other crimes, environmental crime has taken longer to be accepted as a genuine category of crime. Changing perceptions about the vulnerability of the environment, particularly with respect to long-term outcomes of environmentally harmful practices, has altered this view to the extent that most behaviour with a potential environmental consequence is now tightly regulated. Environmental crime has received some research attention in Australia but little in the way of a comprehensive account. This report aims to address this by assembling the available literature to examine the nature and extent of environmental crime in Australia and the laws and other processes in place to prevent, deter and sanction environmental offences. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Reports, Research and Public Policy Series 109: Accessed October 18, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/2/1/1/%7B211B5EB9-E888-4D26-AED4-1D4E76646E4B%7Drpp109.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Fishing Shelf Number: 120006

Author: Holmes, Jessie Title: Trends in Possession and Use of Narcotics and Cocaine Summary: This brief describes trends in possession and use of narcotics and cocaine, characteristics of these offences and offenders, and court outcomes for those charged with possession and/or use of narcotics or cocaine. Descriptive analyses were conducted on data sourced from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research’s police recorded criminal incident and person of interest databases as well as from the NSW Reoffending Database and NSW Local Criminal Courts. Data from NSW Health on recorded opioid and cocaine overdoses was also analysed. Recorded incidents of narcotics possession and opioid overdoses fell sharply between 1999 and 2006. Since 2006 both narcotics possession and opioid overdoses doubled, however their levels are still much lower than those recorded prior to the heroin shortage. Recorded incidents of cocaine possession and overdoses have been increasing since 2003 and in 2009, both reached their highest levels in 15 years. Narcotics possession incidents were generally detected on streets and footpaths and at residential premises within Sydney’s CBD and in the Fairfield and Liverpool Local Government Areas. Cocaine possession incidents were detected on streets and footpaths, and at licensed and residential premises, located in Sydney’s CBD and the Eastern Suburbs. Narcotics and cocaine possession offenders tended to be males aged 20 to 39 years. Almost all offenders convicted of narcotics possession had prior convictions (93%) compared with less than half of those convicted of cocaine possession (49%). Most offenders convicted of these offences in 2008 were issued with fines averaging $355 for narcotics possession and $406 for cocaine possession. Taking into account data from other sources, these results suggest that actual levels of narcotics and cocaine use are increasing in NSW. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 52: Accessed October 19, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb52.pdf/$file/bb52.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Cocaine Shelf Number: 120009

Author: Australia. Parliament. Senate. Select Committee on Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities Title: Indigenous Australians, Incarceration and the Criminal Justice System Summary: This discussion paper has been prepared by the committee secretariat to provide the committee with an overview of Indigenous contact with the criminal justice system in Australia, including the nature of Indigenous offending, and current developments in corrective services. The first section reviews current statistics to build a picture of Indigenous contact with the criminal justice system in Australia. Approximately 25 per cent of prisoners in Australia are Indigenous, and this share is increasing over time. The rate of imprisonment for Indigenous adults is 14 times higher than for non-Indigenous adults and the gap is continuing to widen. Indigenous prisoners are overwhelmingly male, with assault being the major offence. Indigenous prisoners generally receive shorter sentences and spend less time on remand, but recidivism is much higher. The figures for juvenile detention are worse. Fifty-nine per cent of the juvenile detention population in 2007 was Indigenous. The rate of detention was 28 times higher than for non-Indigenous juveniles. The second section considers some of the reasons for Indigenous overrepresentation. The first part analyses some of the factors that contribute to high rates of Indigenous offending such as violence, alcohol, mental health issues and social disadvantage. The second part examines the response to Indigenous offending by the criminal justice system and finds that increasing imprisonment rates are in part a result of stricter sentencing policies. The third section provides information on rehabilitation programs with the potential to reduce offending and recidivism over time. Some of the most promising programs include juvenile treatments such as multi-systemic therapy, adult drug and alcohol programs and post-release support programs. Evidence based principles for successful rehabilitation programs are also presented. This section also includes a discussion of the costs of the criminal justice system in Australia, and the potential for both social and economic benefits as result of innovation in criminal justice. Finally, the results of an audit of programs and innovations in the Australian criminal justice system are presented in section four. Each state and territory was asked to provide information on current criminal justice programs and policies in their jurisdiction. There have been a limited number of evaluations undertaken across Australia. Evaluations have been included where available. Details: Canberra: The Senate, 2010. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2010 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/indig_ctte/Final_RRIC.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice System Shelf Number: 120013

Author: Jaakko Poyry Consulting Title: Overview of Illegal Logging Summary: This report prepared for the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry provides an overview of the estimated impact of illegal logging on Australian imports of forest and wood products. Details: Melbourne: J P Management Consulting, 2005. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2010 at: http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/37593/illegal_logging_report_16sept05.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Logging Shelf Number: 120014

Author: Center for International Economics Title: A Final Report to Inform a Regulation Impact Statement for the Proposed New Policy on Illegally Logged Timber Summary: The Australian Government is considering introducing a policy to combat illegal logging and associated trade by establishing systems that will promote trade in legally logged timber and, in the long term, trade in timber and wood products from sustainably managed forests. The proposed policy includes restricting importation of illegally logged timber and thereby assisting in reducing the environmental, social and financial damage caused by it to Australia and other countries in the region. It also includes action to require disclosure of species, country of harvest and any certification at point of sale. This report is the final report to the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) on the Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) process required for the policy. It is designed to assist DAFF to inform Government consideration of the options for combating illegal logging and associated trade in the most cost effective and efficient manner. It has drawn on initial consultations based on an issues paper circulated earlier in the process, a Consultation (Draft) RIS and stakeholder submissions responding to that and on interactions with government agencies with portfolio interests in combating illegal logging and associated trade. After considering a range of options, the report concludes that, because of Australia's limited share in the international timber trade, Australia should consider only non-regulatory policy options to combat illegal logging. Capacity building is one possibility. This has not been assessed here as this was not of concern to the Office of Best Practice Regulation. Nonetheless, an advantage of capacity building options is that they are designed to tackle the problem of illegal logging at its source. That is, they are designed to change ambiguous laws and/or to see enforcement of laws closer to the source of the problem. They also act directly on domestic production, not just part of trade. At this level, Australia is likely to provide more direct leadership and to establish influence without creating reasons for retaliation or non-cooperation. It can also limit and contain costs by targeting action toward initiatives where it has a reasonable chance of success. Bilateral and/or plurilateral agreements designed to tackle illegal logging by directly influencing the reform and enforcement of forestry laws in the country of origin of the problem may also hold promise. They too are targeting all levels of production in risk countries, not just a small amount of exports. Details: Canberra: Centre for International Economics, 2010. 144p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2010 at: Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Logging Shelf Number: 120015

Author: New South Wales. Audit Office Title: Home Detention: Corrective Services, NSW Summary: Home detention is a sentencing option that judges and magistrates can impose on less serious offenders instead of sending them to fulltime imprisonment. Detaining offenders in their homes keeps suitable offenders out of prison and away from hardened criminals. It also helps them to maintain family and community links and get treatment for the problems that led to their offending. Home detention was introduced in NSW in 1997 and has been available in the Sydney metropolitan, Newcastle and Wollongong areas. In 2008-09 the daily average number of offenders on home detention was about 175. This report looks at how well home detention is delivered across NSW by Corrective Services NSW, focusing on the critical areas of access, consistency and cost effectiveness. Details: Sydney: Audit Office of New South Wales, 2010. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2010 at: http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/reports/performance/2010/home_detention/home_detention.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 119975

Author: Palmer, Mick Title: Report on Illegal Fishing for Commercial Gain or Profit in NSW Summary: The illegal capture and sale of fish for commercial gain or profit is accepted as a significant issue in NSW. For a long time it has been known that abalone and rock lobster in particular have formed the basis of a significant illegal trade, but other species are becoming increasingly involved as the demand for fresh seafood, and the price of quality product, have risen. Various compliance strategies have been implemented over time to increase compliance capacity and effectiveness, with varying degrees of success. Accurate and timely information has traditionally been difficult to obtain and, consequently, even targeted compliance operations have frequently proven to be extremely resource and time intensive. The overall goal of this review is to scope and assess the nature and extent of illegal harvesting and black marketing of fish for commercial purposes and to recommend areas for potential improvement in legislation, regulation, education and enforcement including identifying the resources and priorities necessary to achieve optimal compliance and effective deterrents. Details: Sydney, N.S.W.: NSW Fisheries, 2004. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 21, 2010 at: http://www.illegal-fishing.info/uploads/Black-Market-Report-NSW.pdf Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Fishing Shelf Number: 120042

Author: KPMG Title: Evaluation of the Temporary Late Night Entry Declaration: Final Report Summary: In May 2008, the Director of Liquor Licensing made a temporary late night entry declaration to help reduce alcohol-related violence and disorder. The declaration was introduced across four inner municipalities of Melbourne (including Stonnington, Port Phillip, Yarra and Melbourne). The initiative allowed patrons to remain on a licensed premises after a designated time but prevented new customers from entering or customers from re-entering after leaving. Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 (the Act), the declaration commenced at 2am on 3 June and concluded on 2 September 2008. It was enforced across: general licences trading after 2am (this does not affect residents or guests of residents of the general licensed premises); on premises licences trading after 2am (this does not affect on-premises licences, which contain a condition from section 9 of the Act - restaurant conditions); and limited licences (including a renewable limited licence) where trading has been authorised after 2am. In November 2008, KPMG completed an independent evaluation of the Melbourne CBD temporary lockout that examined how well it addressed alcohol-related violence and antisocial behaviour. Key stakeholders including licensees, patrons and the broader community were invited to participate in an evaluation conducted through online surveys, focus groups and interviews. The evaluation used a range of data sources in addition to relevant crime data. The report highlighted some of the difficulties experienced during the temporary lockout, including problems that arose from venues granted an exemption by VCAT. These venues were permitted to continue allowing customers to enter or re-enter the premises, making police enforcement difficult and confusing patrons. Despite these difficulties, the report's findings indicate the lockout was an effective way of reducing late night alcohol-related violence. Details: Melbourne, Victoria: Department of Justice, 2008. 172p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2010 at: http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/e8e27c80441a1ab8bfa6ff1b048e52c2/Evaluation_TemporaryLateNightEntry_Declaration_FinalReport.PDF?MOD=AJPERES Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 120051

Author: Allen Consulting Group Title: Alcohol-Related Harm and the Operation of Licensed Premises Summary: The Allen Consulting Group has been commissioned by the Department of Justice to estimate the social costs of alcohol-related harm in Victoria and to review the available evidence linking alcohol-related harm to the operation of licensed premises. This is because the Victorian Government has committed to a review of liquor licensing fees that involves ‘consideration given to a differentiated, risk-based fee structure that also operates as a mechanism to ensure that licensees associated with the most harm pay a commensurate fee. Consideration of a risk-based fee structure requires a detailed and robust understanding of a number of important factors that are covered in this report, namely: the costs of alcohol related harm in Victoria and the quantum of costs borne by the Victorian Government; a review of evidence from the literature examining the link between alcohol-related harm and licensed venues, and whether there are any factors associated with licensed premises that indicate higher risk of alcohol-related harm; data analysis which tests whether any factors identified in the literature review are associated with alcohol-related harm in or near licensed venues in a Victorian setting; and the development of risk-based licensing models to encourage licensees to modify their behavior to reduce the social costs of alcohol-related harm. Details: Melbourne, Victoria: Allen Consulting Group, 2009. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2010 at: http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/c9e3b000404aa2559dddfff5f2791d4a/harm_study_July_2009.PDF?MOD=AJPERES Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 120052

Author: Cassematis, Peter Title: Understanding Glassing Incidents on Licensed Premises: Dimensions, Prevention and Control Summary: ‘Glassings’ have emerged as a particularly concerning component of violence occurring within licensed establishments in many parts of Queensland. The current project aimed to address the knowledge gap about glassing behaviour by examining various dimensions of glassing, and evaluating the likely success of alternative strategies for reducing glassing incidents and minimizing related harm. The analysis was informed by undertaking a review of published literature that addressed the causes and management of aggression in venues, as well as literature addressing the comparative safety of plastic and toughened glass to normal glass as well as the impact of changing drinking vessels on venue aggression. The findings drawn from prior research were then integrated with new data collected for this project. Two sources of raw data were analysed. One source of raw data was text based reports of 34 glassing incidents in Gold Coast venues (October 2007 - February 2009). These reports were provided by Qld. Liquor Licensing, Queensland Police Service and newspaper reports. Frequency counts were generated based on themes present within each separate incident report. The second source of data was semi-structured interviews of venue representatives with managerial responsibilities. Frequency counts of themes were aggregated to identify typical venue management experiences, attitudes, and beliefs regarding predictors of glassing assault and the perceived efficacy of plastic, glass and rapid removal. Based on our analysis, we formed the view that glassing is an outcome from a complex interaction of patron and venue based characteristics. Glassing is most likely to occur on weekends between 9.00 pm and 3.00 am. Taverns or nightclubs are the most likely to be the site of a glassing. Glassing assaults have the same initial conflicts as non-glassing assaults. Young males are most likely to be offenders but participants believed a variety of intrapersonal deficits were more predictive than demography. Glass is used as a weapon because it is convenient. Plastic is likely to be the safest material but is least acceptable to venues. Most participants favoured a combination of toughened glass and rapid removal. An educative advertising campaign, tougher penalties for offenders and a safer drinking vessel combined with rapid removal is likely to have the biggest impact on glassing behaviour. The findings of the research gave rise to six practical recommendations intended to control the frequency of glassing attempts and lessen the severity of injury that occurs from completed attempts. Six areas for research have been suggested as particularly pertinent to increasing the presently limited store of relevant knowledge. Key learnings emerging from the project have been identified and presented in this report. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Government, 2009. 190p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2010 at: http://www.olgr.qld.gov.au/resources/liquorDocs/Glassing_Incidents_Final_Report_Sept_2009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 120053

Author: Robinson, Elly Title: Family Violence: Towards a Holistic Approach to Screening and Risk Assessment in Family Support Services Summary: Since the 1960s, violence between intimate partners, between family members and towards children has been increasingly recognised as a significant problem. Seminal work on male violence towards women within families was conducted in Britain, Australia and the United States. Prior to that, Kempe, Silverman, Steele, Droeghmeuller, and Silver found convincing (and at the time shocking) evidence of the extent to which children were being physically abused by parents and carers. While knowledge about family violence and its effects has grown considerably since this time, services still grapple with the most effective ways of identifying family violence issues with which clients present and, just as importantly, of taking appropriate actions once family violence has been accurately identified. Research such as the evaluation of the 2006 family law reforms suggested that family violence is not always recognised by practitioners working in this area and that even when it is recognised, appropriate actions aimed at creating or preserving safety are not always taken. This paper reviews the current research and literature specific to family violence screening and risk assessment. It is hoped that the paper will assist service providers and practitioners to develop and evaluate tools for use within family support services. Details: Melbourne, Australi: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: AFR Briefing, No. 17: Accessed October 25, 2010 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/briefing/b017/b017.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse Shelf Number: 120067

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Evaluation of the Queensland Murri Court: Final Report Summary: There have been a variety of innovative court models introduced, piloted and implemented across Australia to improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in dealing with specific offender populations. Indigenous sentencing courts have been established in most Australian jurisdictions in order to reduce high rates of reoffending among Indigenous offenders and to provide a more culturally - appropriate criminal justice process for Indigenous Australians that increases the involvement and confidence of the Indigenous community in the courts. There are a growing number of evaluations investigating the operation and effectiveness of these court models. These are important because they can provide policymakers, judiciary and court partners with an evidence base upon which to make decisions regarding the expansion, improvement and development of both new and existing court programs. This report presents the findings from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s (AIC) comprehensive evaluation of the Queensland Murri Court, undertaken with the support and assistance of a range of stakeholders involved in the program. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 158p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Technical and Background Paper No. 39: Accessed October 25, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/9/C/3/%7B9C3FF400-3995-472B-B442-789F892CFC36%7Dtbp039.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 120068

Author: Barbour, Bruce: NSW Ombudsman Title: Review of the Impact of Criminal Infringement Notices on Aboriginal Communities Summary: Criminal Infringement Notices (CINs) provide police with an easy, additional option for dealing with adults who are suspected of certain minor offences that are usually characterised as criminal in nature. After a five-year trial in which 9,452 CINs were issued, the scheme was extended beyond the 12 trial locations to the rest of NSW in late 2007. In the first full year of state-wide use, 8,681 CINs were issued – most for just three offences: offensive conduct, offensive language and shoplifting. By contrast, an estimated 17,000 offences can be dealt with by penalty notice in NSW. In 2008, police records show that more than 500,000 penalty notices were issued to suspects aged 18 years and over. This was in addition to 170,000 criminal charges. The State Debt Recovery Office (SDRO) is the agency responsible for collecting penalty notice payments and taking enforcement action against those who do not pay. The SDRO estimates that the 18,133 CINs issued between 1 September 2002 and 31 October 2008 represent just 0.1% of the 15 million penalty notices that it processed in that period. While CINs make up just a small portion of police and SDRO business, the consequences for individual CIN recipients can be significant. Delays in paying a $150 CIN penalty for swearing or $300 penalty for shoplifting will usually result in enforcement action, adding an extra $50 in costs to each penalty notice, plus another $40 for each time that enforcement action involves an RTA sanction. Penalties and costs can quickly accumulate. Recipients who elect to have their CIN heard at court risk incurring a criminal record, a harsher penalty, additional costs and the stresses associated with the prosecution process. To the extent that CINs can divert petty offenders who would otherwise have been arrested, charged and brought before the courts, there are clear diversionary benefits. Paying the fixed penalty in the time allowed finalises the matter, providing a sanction to punish one-off misdemeanours without the recipient incurring a criminal record. There are also savings for police, courts and others involved in the judicial process. At the same time, the scheme preserves the right for recipients to elect to have their CIN determined by a court. Yet there are also risks associated with the use of CINs. These include risks of net increases in sanctions, in that some offenders may be issued with CINs in circumstances where previously they would have been warned or cautioned, risks that recipients might not court-elect or request an internal review despite having strong grounds to do so, and risks that recipients may simply ignore the penalty notice and become entrenched in the fines enforcement system - thereby incurring further debts, RTA sanctions and an increased likelihood of becoming involved in secondary offending. Our review has found that these pitfalls are particularly acute for Aboriginal people, who are already over-represented in the criminal justice system. The number of CINs issued to Aboriginal people has grown significantly since the scheme was extended state-wide, with Aboriginal suspects now accounting for 7.4% of all CINs issued, much higher than would be expected for a group that makes up just over 2% of the total NSW population. We also found that Aboriginal people are less likely to request a review or elect to have the matter heard at court, and that nine out of every 10 Aboriginal people issued with a CIN failed to pay within the time allowed, resulting in much higher numbers of these recipients becoming entrenched in the fines enforcement system. The impact of CINs and CIN-related debts on Aboriginal communities must be considered in the context of broader fines processes. During this review, Parliament approved important changes to the Fines Act 1996 that aim to reduce the negative impacts of the fines system on marginalised sections of the community, including Aboriginal people. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Ombudsman, 2009. 159p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 25, 2010 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/other%20reports/FR_CINs_ATSI_review_Aug09.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Fines Shelf Number: 120074

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Drugs and cRime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry into the Impact of Drug-Related Offending On Female Prisoner Numbers - Interim Report Summary: The Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee and was given the mandate to examine the impact of drug-related offending on female prisoner numbers. Specifically, the committee was asked to (a) examine the impact of drug-related crime on the female prisoner population; (b) review the demographic profiles of women in custody for drug offences and the types of drug offences; (c) examine underlying causal factors which may influence drug-related offending and repeat offending that result in women entering custody; and (d) recommend strategies to reduce drug-related offending and repeat offending by women, including strategies to address underlying causal factors. Whilst the Committee was unable to complete the reference, particularly as further investigation into the recent increase in prison numbers is required, we were concerned about some of the information provided to us both in submissions and during public hearings. This evidence particularly related to the problems women face when in prison, when released from prison and their high rates of recidivism. The information provided to us was almost unanimous – the housing problem in particular being identified as a significant issue for many post-release women. Accordingly, we have made some recommendations for the post November 2010 government to consider and we hope the 57th Parliament of Victoria will make further recommendations on the other issues we have raised. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer for State of Victoria, 2010. 118p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 25, 2010 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/dcpc/Women_prisoners/Female_prisoners_inquiry_-_interim_report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 120086

Author: Centre for the Human Rights of Imprisoned People Title: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women in Victorian Prisons Summary: The number of women imprisoned in Victoria has increased by 25% over the past year, with a disproportionate number of the women imprisoned coming from Calturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The number of women born in Vietnam who are imprisoned in Victoria has almost doubled during the period of June 2008 to June 2009. There are currently more than 300 women imprisoned in Victoria, which is the highest number of women imprisoned in the state at any one time since prior to Federation. This dramatic increase is therefore unprecedented and extremely alarming, particularly as it affects women of CALD backgrounds. This project examines the situation of CALD women who are imprisoned in Victoria. To do this, the project follows up the serious issues of discrimination raised in the Request for a Systemic Review of Discrimination against Women in Victorian Prisons, made in 2005 by the Federation of Community Legal Centres FCLC and Victorian Council of Social Services VCOSS to the Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria (EOCV). The 2005 Request for Systemic Review raised significant allegations of discrimination affecting the women held in custody in Victoria. Although this discrimination was attributed firstly to the gender of prisoners, the Request also identified specific areas of discrimination on the basis of race and cognitive ability by the State Government of Victoria in its management of the Victorian women’s prisons at Tarrengower and the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre at Deer Park. In relation to women from CALD backgrounds, the 2005 Request for Systemic Review contained significant anecdotal evidence highlighting incidents and practices of direct and indirect discrimination on the basis of race and religion that impacted on the day-to-day life of imprisoned CALD women. The report remains significant as the only detailed investigation and documentation of the treatment of CALD women in the Victorian prison system. Details: Flemington, VIC, AUS: Centre for the Human Rights of Imprisoned People, 2010. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2010 at: http://www.apo.org.au/research/culturally-and-linguistically-diverse-women-victorian-prisons Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Discrimination Shelf Number: 120089

Author: Hemphill, Sheryl A. Title: Preventing Youth Violence: What Does and Doesn't Work and Why? An Overview of the Evidence on Approaches and Programs Summary: This paper is designed to inform the development of strategies aimed at preventing violent and antisocial behaviours among young people. The paper summarises the evidence across disciplines and sectors on: • the nature and magnitude of youth violence and antisocial behaviour in Australia (incidence, demographic indicators, trends) • factors that are known to contribute to youth violence and antisocial behaviour together with the strength of the associations with these factors and • policies, programs and strategies that have been proven to work in preventing violent and antisocial behaviour among young people, including the principles upon which they are based and key factors associated with their success. Details: Canberra: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2010. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2010 at: http://www.aracy.org.au/publicationDocuments/Preventing_Youth_Violence_final.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 120116

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Juvenile Justice in Australia 2007-2008 Summary: In Australia, responsibility for juvenile justice lies with the states and territories, and involves both juvenile justice agencies and other justice agencies such as the police and the courts. This report presents information on one aspect of the juvenile justice process: the supervision of young people in the juvenile justice system. There were 4,708 young people under juvenile justice supervision on an average day in 2007–08 in all states and territories except New South Wales, for which data were not available, and 9,540 young people experienced supervision at some time during the year. Most young people were supervised in the community. Around 87% of those under supervision on an average day were under community-based supervision while 13% were in detention. One-quarter of young people who were under supervision during 2007–08 had both community-based supervision and detention during the year. The number of young people in detention on an average day in Australia (excluding New South Wales) rose from 540 in 2004–05 to 630 in 2007–08—a 17% increase. The rate of young people aged 10–17 years in detention during the year increased from 1.7 per 1,000 to 2.0 per 1,000, indicating that a young person aged 10–17 years in 2007–08 was around 1.2 times as likely to be in detention during the year as a young person aged 10–17 years in 2004–05. In 2004–05, just over one-third of the average daily detention population was unsentenced but, by 2007–08, unsentenced young people in detention outnumbered those who were sentenced. The increase in the unsentenced population occurred for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. Although only about 5% of young Australians are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, 40% of those under supervision on an average day were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. Their over-representation was particularly prominent in detention, where over half of those in detention on an average day and 60% of those who were unsentenced in detention were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. An Indigenous young person aged 10–17 years was 16 times as likely as a non-Indigenous young person of the same age to be under supervision in 2007–08, nearly 15 times as likely to be under community-based supervision as a non-Indigenous young person, and nearly 30 times as likely to be in detention. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2009. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 5: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/juv/juv-5-10853/juv-5-10853.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 120133

Author: Nicholson, Sarah Title: Taser Trap: Is Victoria Falling for It? Summary: The Federation of Community Legal Centres has long argued that Tasers are not a panacea for police use of lethal or near lethal force. Death or serious injury in Victoria in connection with Taser use is a real possibility. In particular, there are real risks of death or serious injury associated with Taser use on vulnerable groups or in particular situations. These vulnerable groups include people with mental illness, people with pre-existing health issues and people who are drug and alcohol affected. Evidence from overseas, and increasingly from Australia, suggests that Tasers are prone to misuse and ‘usage creep’ – the term used to describe when the use of a device extends beyond the boundaries for use set by policies and procedures. We have already seen Victoria Police ‘usage creep’ in connection with capsicum spray and there is substantial evidence of ‘usage creep’ in other jurisdictions in relation to police Taser use. We know that use of lethal force by police can be avoided in many instances with tactical communication, non-violent intervention and other lower use of force strategies. This has been emphasised in reports reviewing police shootings in Victoria, including reviews undertaken by the Office of Police Integrity and reviews commissioned by Victoria Police. It is not a simplistic question of whether someone would prefer to be Tased than shot. In many cases, incidents can be resolved without the use of any force whatsoever. Victoria Police was first authorised to use Tasers in 2003. Until recently, Taser use by Victoria Police was limited to two specialist units, the Special Operations Group and Critical Incident Response Teams. On 1 July 2010 however, under a 12-month pilot, Tasers were issued to general duties police in two regional areas of Victoria, Bendigo and Morwell. The decision to extend Taser use to general duties officers was made in the face of comprehensive analyses questioning the safety of Tasers and reports criticising police use of force in Victoria. Victoria Police and the Victorian Government have largely made decisions about use of force issues, including decisions on Taser use, without seeking public input and without providing the public with clear, evidence-based reasoning for decisions. This contrasts with other jurisdictions both overseas and in Australia where police, governments and police oversight bodies have acknowledged the strong public interest in police Taser use and have facilitated public debate through the public release of Taser reviews and relevant police operating procedures. In the absence of transparency and accountability by Victoria Police around these issues, the Federation and its member community legal centres sought to make public key documents around Tasers and the use force, by requesting information from Victoria Police and by using procedures under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic). Over the past three years, we have obtained: · data showing how Tasers have been used by Victoria Police specialist units; · copies of Victoria Police Taser use policies; and · documents relating to Victoria Police’s management of use of force issues and decisions about Taser use by Victoria Police. The first section of this report provides background information on Tasers and issues around their safety and use by police. The second section of this report analyses Victoria Police policies relating to Taser use. Our analysis shows that Victoria Police Taser policies are inconsistent and policies for specialist units do not take into account known risk factors and do not comply with internationally accepted best practice for Taser use and relevant human rights considerations. The third section of this report analyses data showing how Tasers have been used by Victoria Police specialist units. Details: Melbourne: Federation of Community Legal Centres - Victoria, 2010. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 4, 2010 at: http://www.communitylaw.org.au/cb_pages/federation_reports.php Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Use of Force Shelf Number: 120185

Author: Byles, Dennis Title: Sentencing in the Koori Court Division of the Magistrates' Corut: A Statistical Report Summary: In 1991, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody reported that Indigenous people were significantly over-represented in police custody, prisons and juvenile detention centres. Following the Royal Commission’s recommendations, the Victorian Government resolved to put into place strategies to reduce the Indigenous custody rate. One such initiative, first piloted in 2002, was the establishment of the Koori Court Division of the Victorian Magistrates’ Court (‘the Koori Court’). Through the participation of Aboriginal Elders, Respected Persons and other members of the Indigenous community in the hearing process, the Koori Court aims to provide a more culturally relevant and inclusive sentencing process for Indigenous people charged with offences. This report uses newly available data for a statistical profile of accused persons appearing before the Koori Court. The report also covers the offences heard and sentencing outcomes. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Sentencing Advisory Council, 2010. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 4, 2010 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/sentencing_in_the_koori_court_division_of_the_magistrates_court.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 120186

Author: National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children Title: Domestic Violence Laws in Australia Summary: This report provides: an overview of all State and Territory and New Zealand domestic violence-specific laws providing for the making of protection orders; a comparative analysis of what behaviours constitute domestic violence for the purposes of those laws, and what relationship must exist between the persons concerned in order for the legislation to apply; a comparative analysis of the laws of each of the examined jurisdictions for the registration and enforcement of domestic violence protection orders made in other jurisdictions (‘portability’ of orders); a comparative analysis of the laws of the examined jurisdictions in relation to orders which operate to exclude a perpetrator of domestic violence from that person’s home (where the perpetrator and the victim would normally cohabit); a comparative analysis of the laws of the examined jurisdictions providing for counselling (both mandatory and voluntary) for perpetrators of domestic violence; an overview of the laws of the examined jurisdictions that make stalking an offence; an overview of the provisions in the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) that have particular significance in relation to domestic violence; and an analysis of areas where there is overlap and potential for conflict between orders or injunctions made under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) and orders made under the State and Territory domestic violence protection orders legislation. Details: Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2009. 252p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/women/pubs/violence/np_time_for_action/domestic_violence_laws/Documents/Domestic%20Violence%20Laws%20in%20Australia%20-%20June%202009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 120289

Author: Hall, Wayne Title: Legally Coerced Treatment for Drug Using Offenders: Ethical and Policy Issues Summary: This bulletin discusses the policy and ethical implications raised by legally coercing drug offenders into drug treatment in the community and providing compulsory treatment within the prison system. The bulletin briefly summarises the case for legally coerced drug treatment, describes the different approaches that have been used to implement it, discusses the ethical issues raised by different types of legally coerced drug treatment, and summarises the evidence on the effectiveness of community-based drug treatment with and without legal coercion. The case for, and evidence on, the effectiveness of providing voluntary drug treatment in prisons is then considered. Finally, in the light of the evidence reviewed, the bulletin discusses the NSW Compulsory Drug Treatment Corrections Centre and the challenges in evaluating its effectiveness. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 144: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB144.pdf/$file/CJB144.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment Shelf Number: 120301

Author: Anex Title: With Conviction: The Case for Controlled Needle and Syringe Programs in Australian Prisons Summary: The financial efficiency and health effectiveness of Australian needle and syringe programs (NSPs) are well established. The effectiveness of NSPs in prisons has also been proven in numerous settings, particularly in Europe. Yet in Australian prisons, where the incidence of blood borne viruses is far higher than in the community, there has never been a needle and syringe exchange trial. The Australian Government recently issued HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevention strategies as well the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy. All three strategies recommend that State and Territory governments identify prisons for controlled NSP trials. This paper by the Harm Minimisation in Prisons Committee outlines the main reasons why community health is threatened by the high rates of drug injecting and sharing of unsterile needles in prisons. It argues that Australians concerned with community health should support clinical trials of this important intervention. The purpose of the trial would be to examine how best to implement prison-based NSPs. Details: Melbourne: Anex, 2010. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.anex.org.au/downloads/HMPC%20Paper%20on%20NSP%20in%20Prison%20-%20October%202010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 120334

Author: Western Australia. Corruption and Crime Commission Title: The Use of Taser Weapons by Western Australia Police Summary: A Taser weapon is a weapon carried by Western Australia Police (WAPOL) officers which uses a high voltage, low power charge of electricity to either induce involuntary muscle contractions that cause temporary incapacitation or to cause pain. Since 2007, WAPOL officers have used the weapon as an alternative use of force to minimise injury to themselves or others when confronted with potentially violent situations. Taser weapon use is governed by a policy which dictates that Taser weapons are not to be used for compliance. The threshold for use stipulates the focus on preventing injury (to both officers, and to the public). The Commission examined Taser weapon use in Western Australia from 2007 to 2009. This examination consisted of an analysis of complaints and matters notified to the Commission, WAPOL data from 2007 to 2009, and a detailed analysis of WAPOL Use of Force reports between July and September 2009. The majority of Taser weapon use by WAPOL officers is appropriate even though the WAPOL policy threshold for Taser weapon use is one of the lowest in Australia. A low threshold means WAPOL officers are authorised to use a Taser weapon in more situations than other police in Australia. Taser weapons have become the force option of “choice” in Western Australia, resulting in significant decreases in the use of OC spray, handcuffs and empty hand techniques. Taser weapon use increased from 49% in 2007 to 74% in 2008 and declined to 65% in 2009. This represents an overall increase in Taser weapon use of 25%. Most Taser weapon use occurred on weekends between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. The most significant trend was the increase of Taser weapon deployment against subjects who were physically resisting arrest, increasing from 22% in 2007 to 43% in 2009. The use of firearms has doubled since the introduction of Taser weapons, from 6% of all uses of force in 2007 to 12% in 2009. Given that Taser weapons were expected to reduce the number of situations where officers were involved in physical altercations, it was expected that injuries would decrease overall. This has not occurred. The number of hospitalisations of WAPOL officers between 2007 and 2009 remained relatively stable at under 2% of incidents. Injuries to officers increased from 9% of all use of force incidents in 2007 to 12% in 2008 and 11% in 2009. Generally speaking the injuries received by police officers were minor, including bruises, abrasions or minor lacerations and muscle sprains. In all cases these injuries resulted from an assault by another person or from struggling with a person. Police officers actually received more injuries in Taser weapon-related incidents than in non-Taser weapon incidents (17% of cases compared to 15% of cases). Taser weapons are an effective force option in situations where there is a real risk of serious injury to an officer or other person, however there is potential for misuse. There is also a real and significant risk that Taser weapons will be subject to mission creep, that is, that a Taser weapon will be used in situations where it was not intended to be used and where such use is potentially excessive or improper. Between July and September 2009, potential misuse was involved in 7% of Taser weapon incidents. Of these, 38% involved using the Taser weapon as a threat. The remaining 62% involved potentially improper or excessive Taser weapon deployment. International and national research shows Taser weapon use can result in death in certain circumstances. Death or serious injury can be caused by the fact that a Taser weapon causes incapacitation (leading to, for example, death by drowning or falling); by the ignition of flammable substances; or as a result of ventricular fibrillation and/or asphyxiation. While no deaths in Western Australia have been directly attributed to Taser weapon use, the risks of injury and death, and of mission creep, are potentially increased when a Taser weapon is used on the young, the elderly, people with an existing health condition, drug users and the mentally ill. Notwithstanding the high percentage of appropriate use, the Commission’s analysis of Taser weapon incidents has led to the identification of misuse of Taser weapons in Western Australia. WAPOL officers are using Taser weapons: (1) for compliance and in other situations in contravention to WAPOL Taser weapon policy, although in most cases this is identified and dealt with appropriately through WAPOL misconduct systems and processes; (2) in situations where such use is potentially improper or excessive, including against people whose level of resistance appears to present only a small chance of harm to officers, and this type of use appears to be increasing; (3) disproportionately against indigenous people, and the proportion of such Taser weapon use is increasing (from 16% of all Taser weapon use in 2007 to 30% in 2009); and (4) against people in high risk groups including individuals with a mental illness, those who are suffering from substance abuse, or those who are otherwise exhibiting signs of extreme psychological distress. In a small proportion of these cases, effective communication and de-escalation techniques are not being utilised prior to the Taser weapon use. [13] The Commission has developed its recommendations after considering current national and international trends and are aimed at: decreasing the misuse of Taser weapons, and the potential for misconduct by WAPOL officers in relation to Taser weapon use; maintaining public confidence in the way WAPOL officers use force to go about their duties; preventing the potentially excessive or improper use of Taser weapons against high risk groups such as indigenous people; people with a mental illness or otherwise suffering from extreme psychological distress; those people with small body mass; and people suffering from serious health conditions; ensuring the continued availability of Taser weapons for the use of WAPOL officers as a means of reducing the likelihood that officers will be killed or seriously injured by the actions of violent and aggressive members of the public; and reducing the likelihood that a fatality will occur in Western Australia as a result of Taser weapon use by a WAPOL officer, and reducing the likelihood that serious injuries will occur as a result of Taser weapon use by a WAPOL officer. Details: Perth: Corruption and Crime Commission, 2010. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.ccc.wa.gov.au/Publications/Reports/Published%20Reports%202010/Full%20Report%20-%20Use%20of%20Taser%20Weapons%20by%20WAPOL.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Use of Force Shelf Number: 120335

Author: Burns, Jane Title: Preventing youth Disengagement and Promoting Engagement Summary: This review evamines the evidence on how young people could best be supported to engage with society in healthy, constructive ways. As part of this review, youth violence and antisocial behaviour were identified as major, inter-related problems that were threatening the development and social prospects of increasing numbers of young people. Details: Perth, Western Australia: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2008. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.aracy.org.au/cmsdocuments/Preventing_Youth_Disengagement_and_Promoting_Engagement-BurnsJ_et_al_August2008.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 120337

Author: Parkinson, Debra Title: Supporting Victims Through the Legal Process: The Role of Sexual Assault Service Providers Summary: The secondary victimisation suffered by women in sexual assault court cases is well documented and is a factor in women's reluctance to report sexual assault. Over recent years, state, territory and national governments have attempted to minimise the negative impacts of the law. Tasmania, for example, has introduced initiatives to increase access to Legal Aid and court support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. The ACT has offered specialist training to police, prosecutors and victim support workers, with new legislation in 2008 providing victims with improved protection during the court process. In NSW, the Attorney-General's Criminal Justice Sexual Offences Taskforce developed 70 recommendations on ways to improve the responsiveness of the criminal justice system to victims of sexual assault. These government initiatives affirm a general awareness that women's experience of the criminal justice system must improve if more women are to pursue justice through the courts. This Wrap examines one initiative to improve women's experience the criminal justice system through the provision of support for victims throughout the process. It is informed by consultations with sexual assault counsellors who have worked extensively in helping women navigate the legal system, and by other key informants. It draws on their expertise to distil strategies for effective practice. The case studies at the end of this publication illustrate a range of initiatives designed to improve justice outcomes for victims of sexual assault. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Wrap No. 8: Accessed December 2, 2010 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/wrap/wrap8/w8.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 120342

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Review of the Investigation of Deaths Associated with Police Contact Summary: This paper identifies issues raised during OPI's review of the investigation of deaths associated with police contact. It also provides an overview of the review process, including OPI’s progress to date. A final report is expected to be tabled in the Victorian Parliament in 2011. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2010. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2010 at: http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/index.php?i=19&m=12&t=1 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Misconduct Shelf Number: 120383

Author: Beale, Roger Title: New Realities: National Policing in the 21st Century. Federal Audit of Police Capabilities Summary: The world has changed dramatically over the last twenty years. For Australian policing, many of those changes were crystallised in six short years between 1999 and 2005. These remarkable years saw the United Nations (UN) INTERFET operation commence in East Timor, the terrible events of September 11 2001, the two Bali bombings, the Marriott and Jakarta Embassy bombings, the Afghanistan and Iraq interventions and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. Each had, or led to, an important Australian policing component. Since then Australia has seen massive and complex domestic terrorism investigations and trials – its first since those which flowed from the 1979 Hilton bombing which led to the establishment of the AFP. The growth in the importance of the internet for the economy, and society, was underscored by the Millenium Bug concern of the year 2000 and then underlined by the dot com share market crash of 2001. The first E-security National Agenda was introduced in 2001. The first AFP arrests under new Commonwealth law for child pornography conveyed over the internet took place in 2005. The UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime came into force in the year 2000. In 2003 the Australian government announced a major initiative on human trafficking and people smuggling. In 2004 Australia ratified these UN instruments aimed at criminalising offences committed by organised criminal groups, combating money laundering and facilitating international cooperation in the fight against transnational organised crime. Also in 2004 Australian, Fijian and New Zealand police combined in an operation that led to the identification and raiding of the biggest illegal drug factory ever discovered in the Southern Hemisphere. The bulk of its product was likely destined for Australian and New Zealand streets. The year 2001 saw the collapse of HIH, one of Australia’s largest corporate failures, at considerable cost to thousands of ordinary Australians. By 2005 concerns were being expressed about the legality of the behaviour of the Australian Wheat Board in relation to the payment of bribes to the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. Both of these events would in time lead to extensive criminal inquiries. More importantly they symbolised the extent to which everyday Australians are now exposed through their share ownership and superannuation investments to corporate wrongdoing, and to the care that Australian companies must take to obey the law in their international dealings. These six remarkable years underlined for policing that the global changes accelerating over the previous two decades brought with them very significant local Australian consequences. These changes impacted all levels of policing – but particularly national policing. They demanded new approaches by the Commonwealth, and across the Federation, as Commonwealth, State and Territory law enforcement agencies responded. At the epicentre of these changes was the Australian Federal Police (AFP). It responded in a remarkably short time to develop highly effective abilities in counter terrorism, a capability to provide widely praised international deployments to support the restoration of law and order and bolster civil governance, to take a firm lead on the policing of Australia’s airports and protection of aviation, and integrate protection services for Australia’s leaders and key institutions, while growing its international network and maintaining its role in serious crime and community policing. The AFP is acknowledged to have made an important contribution to the strengthening of ties between Australia and Indonesia after the events in East Timor when traditional close diplomatic and military relationships were strained. There have been some controversies and criticisms, and it is clear that the pace of change has outstripped the capacity of some internal systems, but it has been an overwhelmingly successful transition from the fringe to the centre of government. For most of this period Commissioner Mick Keelty, APM, led the AFP. Details: Melbourne: Allen Consulting Group, 2009. 263p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2010 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(4CA02151F94FFB778ADAEC2E6EA8653D)~Federal+Audit+of+Police+Capabilities-dec09.pdf/$file/Federal+Audit+of+Police+Capabilities-dec09.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Performance Shelf Number: 120376

Author: Mathews, Benjamin Title: Teachers Reporting Child Sexual Abuse: Towards Evidence-Based Reform of Law, Policy and Practice: Final Report Summary: This report presents the results of the largest study ever conducted into the law, policy and practice of primary school teachers’ reporting of child sexual abuse in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. The study included the largest Australian survey of teachers about reporting sexual abuse, in both government and non-government schools (n=470). Our research has produced evidence-based findings to enhance law, policy and practice about teachers’ reporting of child sexual abuse. The major benefits of our findings and recommendations are to: • Show how the legislation in each State can be improved; • Show how the policies in government and non-government school sectors can be improved; and • Show how teacher training can be improved. These improvements can enhance the already valuable contribution that teachers are making to identify cases of child sexual abuse. Based on the findings of our research, this report proposes solutions to issues in seven key areas of law, policy and practice. These solutions are relevant for State Parliaments, government and non-government educational authorities, and child protection departments. The solutions in each State are practicable, low-cost, and align with current government policy approaches. Implementing these solutions will: • protect more children from sexual abuse; • save cost to governments and society; • develop a professional teacher workforce better equipped for their child protection role; and • protect government and school authorities from legal liability. Details: Brisbane, QLD: Queensland University of Technology, 2010. 145p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2010 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/33010/1/ARC_DP0664847_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Maltreatment Shelf Number: 120387

Author: KPMG Title: Fraud and Misconduct Survey 2010: Australia and New Zealand Summary: KPMG's ninth biennial Fraud and Misconduct Survey 2010, Australia and New Zealand looks into the extent and nature of fraud in the public and private sector – how much was stolen, who stole it, how they stole it and how to prevent them stealing it again. Key findings include the following: The total cost of fraud is increasing: $345.4 million was lost to fraud compared to $301.1 million two years ago. Yet respondents believed that only a third of total losses are being detected. We could be looking at the tip of an iceberg; The value per fraud is increasing: The number of separate frauds reported fell when compared with the 2008 survey, yet the average fraud rose from $1.5 million in 2008 to $3 million in 2010; Who did it: 65 percent of major frauds are committed by people already working in the organisation who usually act alone. The main motivator for fraud was greed and lifestyle. Details: Sydney(?): KPMG, 2010. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2010 at: http://www.kpmg.com/AU/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Fraud-Survey/Documents/Fraud-and-Misconduct-Survey-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Corporate Crime Shelf Number: 120388

Author: South Australia. Attorney-General's Department. Office of Crime Statistics and Research Title: Youth CARDS Final Evaluation Report Summary: This report presents findings of the evaluation of the Youth Court Assessment and Referral Drug Scheme (CARDS). The evaluation of CARDS was undertaken from July 2005 to December 2006. As far as is possible within the timeframe, the evaluation focused on both process and outcomes. The process evaluation sought to monitor and record key aspects of the implementaion, coordination and operation of Youth CARDS. The outcome evaluation sought to establish the extent to which the aims and intended outcomes of Youth CARDS had been achieved in its pilot period. The evaluation was based on a mixed methods approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative techniques using a range of data collection methods. Details: Adelaide: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2008. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2010 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/YouthCARDSFinalEvaluationReport.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 120394

Author: Day, Andrew Title: Integrated Responses to Domestic Violence: Legally Mandated Intervention Programs for Male Perpetrators Summary: International surveys have suggested that around one-third of all adult women will, at some point in their lifetime, experience abuse perpetrated by an intimate male partner. Domestic violence is considered to be one of the major risk factors affecting women’s health in Australia and there is a need for the community to respond in ways that reduce the likelihood of further violence occurring. One way of doing this is to deliver programs that aim to reduce the risk of known perpetrators committing further offences. This paper describes the outcomes of a Gold Coast program delivered to men who perpetrate domestic violence and who are legally obliged to participate. The data show that this type of program can produce positive changes in participants. However, the extent to which such changes lead to direct behavioural change is less clear and further research and evaluation is required to develop the evidence base that is needed to ensure that programs for perpetrators produce significant and enduring improvements to community safety. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 404: Accessed December 8, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/E/4/%7B8E459B9D-346C-4C5E-ABDA-1CA83ABE7377%7Dtandi404.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Battered Women Shelf Number: 120414

Author: Independent Commission Against Corruption Title: Report on Investigation Into the Introduction of Contraband Into the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre, Silverwater Summary: This report deals with an investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (the Commission) concerning the introduction of contraband into the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre (MRRC) located at the Silverwater Correctional Complex. The MRRC can accommodate approximately 900 inmates, most of whom are on remand (i.e. not yet sentenced). On 25 August 2003 the Department of Corrective Services (DCS) informed the Commission of allegations that a custodial officer employed at the MRRC was taking contraband into the gaol. Initial enquiries by the Commission confirmed that the officer was Shayne Alan Hughes, then a Correctional Officer First Class. The Commission conducted an investigation which focussed on the conduct of Mr Hughes in relation to the introduction of contraband into the MRRC. On 11 December 2003 Commission officers met with police officers attached to the Corrective Services Investigation Unit (CSIU) and advised them that Mr Hughes was likely to attempt to bring contraband into the MRRC on the following day. Mr Hughes was apprehended after he had entered the MRRC and was searched. A quantity of steroid tablets and a mobile telephone were found hidden in his underpants. Hughes was interviewed by CSIU officers and then by Commission officers. He denied receiving any financial benefit for taking contraband into the gaol apart from free entry into nightclubs and drugs. In hearings before the Commission, Mr Hughes admitted taking mobile telephones and drugs into the MRRC and also made admissions concerning his involvement in other criminal activity, some of which had arisen from his association with a particular inmate. He also admitted receiving cash payments relating to these activities, including the sum of $1,000 on the day before he was apprehended. Findings are made in Chapter 5 of this report that Mr Hughes had dealings with an inmate and his family between April 2003 and December 2003 and took a considerable amount of contraband into the MRRC over that period, for which he received the sum of $5,000. Findings are also made that he received an additional sum of $1,000 on 11 December 2003 in return for taking contraband into the MRRC and that he attempted to take the contraband into the Centre on 12 December 2003. These findings of fact have been used as the basis for findings of corrupt conduct. Mr Hughes was charged on 12 December 2003 with three offences under the Summary Offences Act 1988 in relation to taking contraband into the gaol and with the unlawful possession of a prescribed substance (the steroids). After further enquiries he was also charged with corruptly receiving a benefit of $1,000 on 11 December 2003 contrary to section 249B(1) of the Crimes Act 1900. He has since pleaded guilty to those charges and is currently serving a term of imprisonment.A number of recommendations are made in Chapter 6 of this report to assist DCS to improve the effectiveness of procedures designed to minimise the entry of contraband into correctional centres. Details: Sydney: Independent Commission Against Corruption, 2004. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2010 at: http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/publications-and-resources/investigations-publications Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections Officers Shelf Number: 120423

Author: Hilferty, Fiona Title: The Evaluation of Brighter Futures, NSW Community Services' Early Intervention Program: Final Report Summary: This report presents the findings of the evaluation of the NSW Community Services‘ early intervention program, Brighter Futures. Brighter Futures is an innovative program, which has changed the practice of child abuse prevention services in NSW. The program has broken new ground nationally and internationally by developing an evidence-based service model; requiring caseworkers to use validated instruments for assessment and reporting; and being delivered through a cross-sectoral partnership between Community Services and non-government organisations. It is also innovative in specifically targeting families who are at most risk of entering the child protection system. The Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of New South Wales was commissioned to evaluate the program shortly after its state-wide rollout. SPRC worked in collaboration with researchers from the Centre for Health and Economics Research and Evaluation (CHERE) at the University of Technology, Sydney, who undertook the Economic Evaluation. The results summarised in this document and detailed in the main report present a picture of program success. However as a consequence of evaluation timing, and the innovative nature of the program, teething problems associated with implementing a new program were identified. Evaluation findings were limited by the narrow timeframe with which we had been able to observe participant families following their exit from the program. Further tracking of participant families is possible as an avenue for future research. Key findings for each component of the evaluation are provided throughout the report. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, Social Policy Research Centre, 2010. 305p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2010 at: http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/brighter_futures_evaluation4.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Australia) Shelf Number: 120442

Author: Beranger, Boris Title: Reducing Indigenous Contact With the Court System Summary: This report examines the relationship between the number of Indigenous defendants appearing in the NSW Local Court and the rate of Indigenous recidivism. A simple model of the Indigenous recidivism process was developed and then used to simulate the effect of changes in the rate of Indigenous recidivism. It was found that reducing the rate of Indigenous recidivism is an effective way of reducing the over-representation of Indigenous defendants in court. A 20 per cent reduction in the rate of Indigenous re-appearance in the court system, for example, would reduce the ratio of Indigenous to non-Indigenous Local Court appearances from 1 in every 9.6 cases to 1 in every 18.6 cases. Efforts to reduce Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system should be focussed on offender rehabilitation and assistance in promoting compliance with court orders. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 54: Accessed December 10, 2010 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB54.pdf/$file/BB54.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 120444

Author: Australia. Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee Title: Australia's Judicial System and the Role of Judges Summary: This report looks at Australia's judicial system and the role of judges. It includes the terms of reference related to the federal courts and covers procedures for the appointment and termination of judges, terms of employment, jurisdictional issues, and the judicial complaints handling system. Details: Canberra: The Senate, 2009. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/legcon_ctte/judicial_system/report/report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 120495

Author: Weigall, Fiona Title: Trends in Improved Security Measures -- Reducing Armed Robberies in Pharmacies Summary: The overall aim of this study was to examine factors that have contributed to a decrease in hold-ups with particular reference primarily to pharmacies and secondly to other target groups such as convenience stores and bottle shops. The study identified a number of differences between the characteristics of pharmacies that were robbed and those not robbed including: location, staff working alone, visibility into the store and longer trading hours. Details: Gvmea, NSW: Health & Safety Matters Pty. Ltd., 2008. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/formspublications/publications/Documents/applied_research_report_reducing_armed_roberies_pharmacies_5829.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Pharmacies Shelf Number: 111799

Author: Grosskopf, Angelique Title: Online Interactions Involving Suspected Paedophiles Who Engage Male Children Summary: This paper summarises the results of a small-scale study into the online interactions of suspected paedophiles with undercover Australian police officers posing as male children. The study provides insight to an under-researched area of how persons with a sexual interest in male children interact with potential victims and whether these interactions differ from online engagements with female children. The findings provide an interesting and persuasive case to further examine online strategies used by persons wishing to exploit male children, as it highlights potential differences in approaches when compared with interactions between suspected offenders and female children. The differences include less aggressive online behaviour and language, with an emphasis on the male child’s sexuality and sexual experience. These strategies appear to assist the formation of an online friendship which precedes sexual topics, rather than the reverse as is largely reported in literature. These findings are likely to have implications for law enforcement and child protection initiatives. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 403: Accessed December 15, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/C/8/C/%7BC8C25B82-6F4A-4119-BC62-75840BA8D22A%7Dtandi403.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 120519

Author: Clark, Haley Title: Insights Into Sexual Assault Perpetration: Giving Voice to Victim/Survivors' Knowledge Summary: Significant proportions of women in Australia have been sexually assaulted: national victimisation surveys consistently estimate that around one in six women experience sexual assault from the age of 15.1 At local, state and national levels, reducing the incidence of sexual violence is a pressing concern and a core focus of policy development. However, those responsible for developing prevention strategies face the challenge that there is a lack of knowledge about sexual offending. Research has established that women are primarily assaulted by people they know, often in contexts of trust and familiarity. We also know that this acts as a barrier to disclosing sexual assault and many offences therefore remain hidden. Few victim/survivors report offences to police and fewer still see their perpetrator convicted. Most of what we know about male sexual offenders is based on the small minority who have been detected. The research base suggests that these men may not be representative of undetected offenders or the types of sexual offences regularly perpetrated. To date, the sexual offending literature has emphasised instances involving adult sexual assault where perpetrators and victims know each other. Relatively little is known about the situational circumstances in which sexual assault occurs, the factors that facilitate or inhibit it occurring, the use of strategies by offenders, and how these aspects all fit together. The Giving Voice project adds to our understandings of sexual offending by asking victim/survivors how the sexual assault(s) they experienced happened; what factors they thought facilitated it; and what strategies, behaviours and tactics perpetrators used to offend against them. Building the evidence on how sexual assault occurs, and particularly the strategies used by men to perpetrate, can assist in the development of prevention initiatives. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. 18: Accessed December 15, 2010 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/resreport18/rr18.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 120520

Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: Thinking About Homicide Risk: A Practice Framework for Counselling Summary: Research tells us that many women experiencing domestic violence do not disclose their experience when seeking counselling but instead raise other related problems such as relationship conflict, depression or parenting issues. These women may '�fall under the radar' if counsellors are not able to identify domestic violence and homicide risk. • Knowing how and when to assess for homicide risk is an essential skill for all counsellors who may work with women experiencing domestic violence, particularly those at non-specialist services. This paper proposes a multi-systemic practice framework to help counsellors assess for and respond to homicide risk in family violence contexts. The framework outlines the four main system domains that counsellors may need to address: the client system; the therapeutic relationship; the organisational context; and the system of services. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2010. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Stakeholder Paper 9: Accessed December 15, 2010 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Stakeholder%20Paper_9.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Battered Women Shelf Number: 120521

Author: Haynes, R. Title: Drug Trends and Crime Tracking: Relationships Between Indices of Heroin, Amphetamine and Cannabis Use and Crime Summary: Illicit drug use is associated with a range of harms to individuals, families and the wider community, and is a contributing factor to disability and death. In addition, illicit drug use is associated with crime. In 2004–05 it is estimated that drug related crime cost the Australian community $4 billion. Due to the wide range of harms associated with illicit drug use, it is important to examine the relationships between the prevalence of illicit drug use and health-related outcomes. However, as illicit drug use is also associated with crime and criminal behaviour it is also important to consider the effects of illicit drug use and availability on crime. This research was funded by the Office of Crime Prevention as a 'Crime Futures' research project. A primary objective was to investigate the potential for drug use indicators to be identified as a planning or 'early warning' tool for changing drug use trends. It was considered that the identification of reliable indicators would assist policy makers and service organisations in the health, welfare and justice sectors to plan in advance for changes in drug use patterns. Details: Perth: Government of Western Australia, Drug and Alcohol Office, 2010. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug and Alcohol Office Monograph: No. 6: Accessed December 20, 2010 at: http://www.crimeprevention.wa.gov.au/uploads/file/Drug%20Trends%20and%20Crime%20Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 120554

Author: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Standing Committee on Law and Justice Title: Inquiry Into Judge Alone Trials Under s.132 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 Summary: This inquiry into judge alone trials under section 132 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 was commenced after the Attorney General requested that the Committee consider a proposal to amend the Act so as to allow either party in criminal proceedings to apply to the court for trial by judge alone, without a requirement that the prosecution consents to the application, with the decision to be made by the court based on the interests of justice. The terms of reference for the Inquiry outlines the proposed model which the Committee, with the assistance of stakeholders, has considered. The proposed model for judge alone trials shifts the application and decision making process from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) to the courts. This shift is most significant in instances where the accused applies for a judge alone trial and the prosecution does not consent. In this situation it is the court that would determine the application on the basis of an 'interests of justice' test. This shift in decision making power from the ODPP to the court evoked much discussion amongst Inquiry participants, with a clear dichotomy of views emerging during the Inquiry. On balance, and after much deliberation, the Committee has concluded that the proposed model for judge alone trials provides a fair and transparent system for both the accused and the prosecution to apply for a judge alone trial. Our careful consideration of the model has, however, led us to identify three areas where the model can be improved. These areas relate to the need for the accused to provide informed consent to applications for judge alone trials, raising the threshold in the jury tampering exception, and ensuring that the 'interests of justice' test includes an inclusive, not exhaustive, list of factors for the courts to consider in determining applications for a judge alone trial. The Committee considers that, subject to our recommended changes, the proposed model will provide a transparent and equitable method of applying for, and determining, applications for judge alone trials. While the Committee has supported the proposed model for judge alone trials, this should not be taken as support for judge alone trials as a replacement for jury trials. The Committee believes that both modes of trial have an essential role to play in our criminal justice system. Details: Sydney: The Committee, 2010. 113p. Source: Internet Resource: Report no. 44: Accessed December 23, 2010 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/8532dcbfa13afcc7ca2577d400826cd1/$FILE/101108%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 120627

Author: Allard, Troy Title: Understanding and Preventing Indigenous Offending Summary: Indigenous over-representation is the most significant social justice and public policy issue for the Australian and New Zealand criminal justice systems. Closing the gap on Indigenous overrepresentation has been identified as a priority and promoted through the National Indigenous Law and Justice Framework and Reducing Offending by Māori Projec. This research brief reports on the data available regarding Indigenous offending patterns, and finds that over- representation is particularly acute with regard to acts intended to cause injury, public order offences, offences against justice and unlawful entry. Like other offenders, Indigenous offenders are very likely to be male, substance abusers, unemployed and poor. The legacies of colonisation, dispossession and child removal policies, such as psychological distress and social disorganisation, also appear to be risk factors. The implications of these findings for crime prevention are examined. Details: Canberra: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Brief 9: Accessed February 2, 2011 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief009.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 120666

Author: Robinson, Catherine Title: Rough Living: Surviving Violence and Homelessness Summary: Rough Living: Surviving Violence and Homelessness reveals the ways in which intense chains of disadvantage incorporating homelessness are triggered by very early experiences of violence. Drawing on biographic interviews with 6 men and 6 women, the project bears witness not only to horrendous repeated experiences of physical and sexual violence but discusses what may be understood as related multi-dimensional vulnerability in areas such as physical and mental health, education, employment and social connectedness. A picture of the long-term cycles of violent victimisation and homelessness and their compounding traumatising effects are made clear and the importance of trauma-informed service delivery is outlined as a key way forward. Details: Sydney: UTSePress - University of Technology Sydney, 2010. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: UTS Shopfront Monograph Series, No. 6: Accessed February 2, 2011 at: http://www.piac.asn.au/sites/default/files/news/attachments/Rough_Living.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Discrimination Against the Homeless Shelf Number: 120667

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Non-disclosure of Violence in Australian Indigenous Communities Summary: Violent crime statistics drawn from police data do not show the large amount of violent crime and victimisation that is never disclosed to police. Within this ‘dark figure of crime’ are human experiences that can leave victims without help and support, perpetrators not coming to justice and cycles of violence continuing unbroken. This paper explores some of the reasons for the high rates of non-disclosure of violence in Indigenous communities. It begins by examining reasons for nondisclosure in the broader Australian community before discussing how factors specific to Indigenous Australians influence individual decisions to disclose violence. As well as using Australian and international literature to build an understanding of why people choose not to disclose, the paper uses scenarios developed by the Australian Crime Commission from their work with Indigenous communities to illustrate the circumstances in which these choices are made. The paper concludes by considering ways of encouraging disclosure through services, training and education and community responses. It emphasises the need to locate these within broader efforts to address the cycles of intergenerational violence that can so heavily impact the lives of Indigenous Australians. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 405: Accessed February 2, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/9/1/2/%7B912F0370-E989-4041-8867-A18BB33A4089%7Dtandi405.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 120668

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Why Does NSW Have a Higher Imprisonment Rate Than Victoria? Summary: This study examines the influence of sentencing practice and other factors on the difference between NSW and Victoria in their imprisonment rates. The report includes a descriptive analysis of national crime, court and prison data. Findings show that the NSW court appearance rate is 26 per cent higher than that in Victoria. The overall conviction rate in NSW is 85.7 per cent, compared with 79.0 per cent in Victoria. The overall percentage imprisoned is significantly higher in NSW (7.5%) than in Victoria (5.4%). The mean expected time to serve among prisoners dealt with by Victorian courts is slightly longer than the mean expected time to serve among prisoners dealt with by NSW courts. The NSW remand rate is approximately 2.5 times the Victorian remand rate. The study concludes that the higher NSW imprisonment rate is attributable to a higher rate of court appearance, a slightly higher conviction rate, a higher likelihood of imprisonment and a higher likelihood of remand in custody. Details: Brisbane: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 145: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/pages/bocsar_mr_cjb145 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 120696

Author: Ayres, Susan Title: Bail Refusal and Homelessness Affecting Remandees in New South Wales Summary: This study investigates homelessness among New South Wales defendants who were refused bail. Specific objectives of the study were to: 1) identify the number and proportion of defendants refused bail where homelessness was a factor; 2) identify factors related to bail refusal decision; 3) compare the characteristics of homeless and non-homeless defendants who were refused bail, and 4) explore the bail decision making process, particularly in reference to homelessness. Details: Sydney: Corporate Research Evaluation & Statistics, Corrective Services NSW, 2010. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 50: Accessed February 7, 2011 at: https://correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/236971/rp50-bail-refusal-homelessness-affecting-remandees-nsw.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 120707

Author: David, Fiona Title: Labour Trafficking Summary: Since July 2007, the Australian Institute of Criminology has been conducting research into the trafficking of persons in the Asia–Pacific region in order to contribute to the evidence base underpinning efforts to combat people trafficking across a range of industries. This report examines what is known about labour trafficking, based on incidences of reported crimes, but also by drawing on information about unreported crime. As such, it provides an assessment about the known or likely incidence of trafficking in persons. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series, No. 108: Accessed February 8, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/A/9/0/%7BA90867A2-1558-4B01-A233-34B3381D2F6D%7Drpp108.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 120709

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Community Safety in Australian Indigenous Communities: Service Providers' Perceptions Summary: The disadvantages faced by Indigenous Australians are well-documented and are the focus of determined efforts by government and non-government agencies throughout Australia. Indigenous justice and safety are priority issues for the Council of Australian Governments and law enforcement. The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has contributed to work on closing the gap of Indigenous disadvantage by increasing knowledge about justice and community safety issues affecting Indigenous people. This report on the development of a community safety survey complements the AIC’s recent Australian Crime Commission-funded research on risk factors for Indigenous violent offending and victimisation. This project arose from a desire to know more about the safety issues that impact on life in Indigenous communities. Specifically, it arose from a need for a greater level of awareness about the behaviours and circumstances that affect community safety and the services available to communities to deal with them. It was important also to capture some of the initiatives being taken by Indigenous Australians to respond to their safety concerns and to identify community priorities and needs. The perceptions of service providers, who often work with the people affected by safety problems and contribute to resolutions, are a valuable way of building this knowledge. This report shows that while service provider respondents felt safe in most situations, they were concerned about their safety at night and the safety of others in the community, particularly female children and young people. While perceptions of crime and safety do not always align with the realities of risk, other evidence highlights the extent of the work ahead in ensuring that young people are able to pursue their potential free of the impacts of violence and trauma. While government investments have increased the availability of fundamental services, such as police and schools, challenges remain in making sure that these services are reaching the people who need them most. This report highlights the gaps that exist for Indigenous Australians in being able to make use of available services that can lead to real gains in community safety. Victims of crime need to be confident they can go to police for help without fear of retribution and further victimisation. Children need to be able to go to school and not have their education affected by the consequences of behaviours like family violence, alcohol use and gambling. Beyond government services, this report points to the desire for community-based services targeting specific needs, such as men’s places and community patrols that can play a vital role in preventing unsafe behaviours from occurring or minimise the impacts on victims. Alongside the research findings detailed in this report, the project has produced a survey questionnaire and methodology that will be available for use by Indigenous organisations, service agencies and policymakers. This report details how these tools were developed through consultation and feedback from the pilot phase for use in an Indigenous community context. Together with the draft guidelines included in the report, these tools can help create an evidence base for developing initiatives that build on the resilience and capacity in Indigenous communities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public policy Series, No. 110: Accessed February 8, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/0/B/4/%7B0B468E56-E4B5-48E5-88DD-5507836D68CA%7Drpp110.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples, Services for Shelf Number: 120711

Author: Flood, Michael Title: Where Men Stand: Men's Roles in Ending Violence Against Women Summary: This report maps where men stand in relation to violence against women. It describes how many men use violence against women, what men think about violence against women, and what role men can and do play in reducing and preventing this violence. Above all, this report is guided by the fundamental belief that men can play a positive role in preventing men’s violence against women. The report has been commissioned by the White Ribbon Foundation, whose mission is to prevent violence against women in Australia. The Foundation maintains the White Ribbon Campaign, centered on promoting men’s positive roles in preventing violence against women. The report offers good news. Most men see violence against women as unacceptable, and men’s attitudes have improved over time. Increasing numbers of men are taking part in efforts to end violence against women. Educational and other prevention strategies directed at men and boys can make a positive difference. And male involvement is on the policy agenda. At the same time, the report also details the bad news. Most men know that domestic violence and sexual assault are wrong, but men have done little to reduce this violence in their lives, families and communities. A significant minority of men hold violence-supportive attitudes, particularly those with more conservative attitudes towards gender in general. Men rarely take action to challenge the violence-supportive beliefs and behaviours they encounter from peers and others. Too many men believe common myths about violence, have ignored women’s fears and concerns about their safety, and have stayed silent in the face of other men’s violence-supportive attitudes and behaviours. There are important barriers to men’s involvement in anti-violence work. And violence prevention work with men and boys remains small and scattered, although its momentum and sophistication are growing. Details: Sydney: White Ribbon Foundation, 2010. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2011 at: White Ribbon Prevention Research Series, No. 2: http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/media/documents/WR%20PR%20Series%20Flood%20Report%20No%202%20Nov%202010%20full%20report%20final%2011.10.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 120738

Author: Lamont, Alister Title: Child Deaths from Abuse and Neglect in Australia Summary: This Resource Sheet provides a statistical overview of child deaths from child abuse and neglect in Australia and internationally. Child deaths from abuse and neglect are deaths resulting from acts of physical violence or neglect of a child, that are perpetrated by a family member or caregiver. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2011 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs4/rs4.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 120754

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Good Practice in Women's Prisons: A Literature Review Summary: Good prison practices are essential for the wellbeing of prisoners and the wider community. Not only do they provide assistance to one of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups within society, but they also benefit the wider community by providing adequate support and services to a group of people who will ultimately return to the community. The purposes of incarceration not only include retribution, punishment, deterrence and incapacitation, but also rehabilitation. In order for a prison to achieve this, it is essential to have prison practice models that support reintegration, facilitate personal development and reduce recidivism rates. In this paper, the literature concerning examples of good practice in women’s prison systems in Australia is reviewed. Key international developments are also considered, although it is acknowledged that the potential for transfer of such models may at times be limited. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Technical and Background Paper 41: Accessed February 15, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/E/5/%7B4E5E4435-E70A-44DB-8449-3154E6BD81EB%7Dtbp041.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 120775

Author: Williams, Mary Spiers Title: Reducing the Unintended Impacts of Fines Summary: The fines enforcement system, on its surface, treats Indigenous and non-Indigenous people equally. However the disadvantage experienced by many Indigenous people results in the fines enforcement system having disproportionate impacts upon them, including financial stress, social exclusion, driver's licence suspension, car registration cancellation, and imprisonment. This paper reports on these impacts and the efforts of justice agencies to avoid these excessive impacts. Innovations include outreach and education activities by conducted Aboriginal liaison officers, specialist courts and treatment orders. Details: Canberra: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Current Initiatives Paper 2: Accessed February 16, 2011 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/initiatives/initiative002.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Fines (Australia) Shelf Number: 120777

Author: Smith, Nadine Title: Why is the NSW Juvenile Reconviction Rate Higher Than Expected? Summary: This report examines reasons for the apparent increase in the rate of juvenile reconviction between 2004-05 and 2006-07 in New South Wales, Australia. Observed and predicted reconviction rates were investigated for the 2004-05 (n=4,225) and 2006-07 (n=4,368) cohorts of juvenile offenders given non-custodial sanctions. Various factors (for example, number of prior police cautions) were included in the Group Risk Assessment Model to determine whether they eliminated the discrepancy between the observed and predicted reconviction rates. The profile of re-offences across cohorts was also compared. It was found that two factors may explain the discrepancy between the observed and predicted reconviction rates in 2006-07: (1) a higher than expected rate of reconviction among juveniles dealt with via a Youth Justice Conference; and (2) the absence in the Group Risk Assessment Model of any control for the number of prior police cautions received by a juvenile offender. The higher than expected rate of reconviction among juveniles dealt with via a Youth Justice Conference in 2006-07 appears partly attributable to changes in policing practices. It is recommended that the use of the Group Risk Assessment Model be restricted to young offenders dealt with by way of the Children’s Court. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 146: Accessed February 16, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb146.pdf/$file/cjb146.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 120778

Author: Denning-Cotter, Gabrielle Title: Bail Support in Australia Summary: In Australia the prison population has been increasing at a rate of 5% per year since 1984, and recent figures indicate that Indigenous people comprise 24% of the prison population in Australia (ABS, 2007). In 2007 the proportion of prisoners on remand was 22% of the entire prison population (ABS, 2007). Because of the increase in the numbers of people on remand, there has been an increased interest in bail support programs for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people as a viable alternative to remand. Bail support is defined as the provision of services, intervention or support, designed to assist a person to successfully complete their bail period. These programs may be undertaken on a voluntary basis or mandated as a condition of bail. These programs usually aim to: Reduce re-offending while on bail; Increase court appearance rate; and Provide magistrates and police with a viable alternative to remand or incarceration. In the first section, this paper examines Australian and international literature to present principles of best practice; in the second section current bail support programs in Australia are identified. Indigenous-specific support programs are also discussed. Details: Canberra: Indegenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2008. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Brief 2: Accessed February 16, 2011 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief002.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 12

Author: Kelaher, Richard Title: Crime and Punishment Revisited Summary: Despite an abundance of empirical evidence on crime spanning over forty years, there exists no consensus on the impact of the criminal justice sys- tem on crime activity. We argue that this may be due to the combined e®ect of simultaneity, omitted variable bias and aggregation bias that may confound many of these studies. We construct a new panel data set of lo- cal government areas in Australia and develop a testing framework for the implications of economic theory on crime behaviour. The empirical results suggest that the criminal justice system can potentially exert a much greater in°uence on crime activity than is the common view in the literature. In addition, we ¯nd that increasing the risk of apprehension and conviction is more in°uential in reducing crime than raising the expected severity of punishment. Violent crime is more persistent and relatively less responsive to law enforcement policies compared to non-violent crime. Details: Sydney: University of Bydnes, Faculty of Economics and Business, 2011. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: MPRA Paper No. 28213: Accessed February 16, 2011 at: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/28213/1/MPRA_paper_28213.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Deterrence Shelf Number: 120805

Author: Australia. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and forestry Title: Australian National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Summary: Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing seriously damages fish stocks, associated species and the marine environment in waters of national jurisdiction and on the high seas. The IPOA-IUU calls on all States to take effective measures globally, regionally and nationally to combat IUU fishing. Australia played a leading role in the development and adoption of the IPOA-IUU by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). Effective implementation of the voluntary IPOA-IUU through binding commitments applicable in waters of national jurisdiction and on the high seas is possible only if States enact appropriate domestic laws and if regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) adopt binding fishery conservation and management measures to that effect. This AUS-NPOA-IUU is Australia’s initial National Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing. It has been developed through extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders in Australia, including state and territory government fisheries agencies, national government departments and agencies, fishing industry representatives, and non-governmental organisations concerned about the conservation and sustainable management of fisheries and the preservation and protection of related species and biodiversity. After an introduction that outlines the significance of IUU fishing for Australia and Australia’s role in addressing the issue internationally, the AUS-NPOA-IUU follows the structure of the IPOA-IUU and deals essentially with every provision paragraph by paragraph. The AUS-NPOA-IUU also outlines actions in all Australian jurisdictions to fish responsibly and combat IUU fishing, since around 80 per cent by value of Australian fish production derives from state and territory managed fisheries. Where state and territory actions relate closely to specific paragraphs of the IPOA-IUU, they are included in the relevant sections of the national plan of action. Other important measures by the states and territories are outlined in Annex 4. Internationally, Australia is party to the major global and regional fisheries-related conventions and treaties, participates fully in the Committee on Fisheries of FAO and implements the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and related instruments. New measures to be implemented include formal endorsement of the NPOA-Seabirds, finalisation of several new fishery plans of management and negotiation of new high seas fishery agreements as new and currently unregulated fisheries emerge. Australian jurisdictions have comprehensive fisheries laws in place and are committed to amend them as new regulatory needs are identified. Implementing stronger and more effective measures to combat (internal) cross-border fisheries crime is a particular priority for all jurisdictions. In New South Wales, a review of crime in fisheries is expected to result in major improvements in fisheries regulation and compliance. Details: Canberra: Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 2005. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/33963/npoa_iuu_fishing.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Fishing Shelf Number: 120818

Author: Queensland Schools Alliance Against Violence Title: Working Together: Queensland Schools Alliance Against Violence Report Summary: The formation of the Queensland Schools Alliance Against Violence (QSAAV) provided an important opportunity for the school sectors to collaborate on how best to respond to the issues of bullying and violence in Queensland schools. The issues facing students, school staff and parents are complex, and the possible responses are varied given the unique characteristics of our schools and general population. There is clearly a common concern about bullying, cyber bullying and violence in schools, and a need for effective responses to support students, parents and schools at the individual school, broader community and systemic policy levels. Much effort is already occurring in schools and school sectors to address the issues, but focused ongoing attention and commitment will be required. It is also clear that working to prevent incidents and to respond effectively when incidents do occur requires constant effort and vigilance. The prevention of bullying, cyber bullying and violence in schools must engage students and become part of the broader conversation across the community. Schools cannot successfully deal with these issues in isolation. They require the cooperation of the broader community, and QSAAV has produced an evidence-based framework within which this can occur. This report provides a summary of the information and advice considered by QSAAV during its six-month term, and includes recommendations for consideration by the Minister for Education and Training. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Government, 2010. 45p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/behaviour/qsaav/docs/qsaav_report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Cyberbullying Shelf Number: 120819

Author: Jacobs, Keith Title: Developing Effective Housing Management Policies to Address Problems of Anti-Social Behaviour Summary: This report presents research undertaken by the AHURI Southern Research Centre to develop effective housing management policies to address problems of anti-social behaviour (ASB). In recent years, public housing has increasingly become the tenure for individuals with limited incomes and a high level of social need. Furthermore, deinstitutionalisation policies in mental health provision have meant that individuals who in the past would have been provided with institutional care are now often residing in public housing. The intensive needs of many tenants result in a new set of challenges for housing managers in terms of supporting sustainable tenancies. The term anti-social behaviour is used to denote a range of activities from the very minor (such as the dropping of litter) to more extreme forms of criminal behaviour (such as burglary and harassment). Though residents who engage in ASB may be few in number, their activities have a significant negative impact on the quality of life for their neighbours. There is a wide-ranging debate about the causal factors associated with ASB. The dominant view within the Australian housing profession and academia is that ASB is a symptom of wider structural factors such as unemployment and poverty. Therefore, the most desirable policies are those that are community focused and seek to address the causal factors associated with ASB. However, there is a strand of literature based on the ‘underclass’ theory that draws upon the work of Charles Murray (1994) claiming that individual fecklessness is the root causal factor for ASB. Such underclass theories have been especially influential in informing the contemporary practices undertaken by housing authorities in the USA and, to a lesser extent, the UK. In Australia, State Housing Authorities deploy a range of strategies to address incidences of ASB. These include provisions within Residential Tenancy Acts to enforce conditions of tenancy, ‘good neighbour policies’, tenant complaint procedures, court orders, referrals to independent mediation services and, in extreme cases, eviction. However, while official policy frameworks for addressing ASB are in the public realm, very little is known about the extent of ASB, the ways in which housing managers actually respond to incidents and how tenants view the problem. In order to address these gaps in knowledge two case study investigations were undertaken in Bridgewater, Hobart and Christie Downs, Adelaide. The findings from the case study investigations confirm that ASB is a serious concern to tenants and housing managers and that considerable time and resources are taken up in responding to ASB. On average, it was estimated that front-line housing managers spend at least an hour a day on ASB issues. This figure can be even higher for senior managers when complex ASB cases are referred to them. Area offices very often deal with at least 10 incidents a week. However, the real extent of ASB is probably far greater than this with tenants noting that many incidents are not reported because of concerns about retribution. Young people under the age 16 are often cited as the most frequent perpetrators of ASB, although some incidents are viewed by staff as a direct consequence of the deinsitutionalisation policies in health care that have meant more individuals with mental health problems are residing in public housing. Housing managers perform an important role in preventing incidents of ASB and in responding to complaints from tenants. Evidence from the case study investigations show that staff adopt a range of proactive measures to reduce the risk of incidents taking place. The most effective interventions involve: • Housing staff working directly with tenants on an informal basis and utilising their knowledge of the area to inform their decision-making and harness a sense of communal well-being. • Flexible allocation policies • Communication and publicity strategies, especially when these are undertaken with the local community. • The establishment of neighbourhood renewal initiatives (i.e. Bridgewater Urban Renewal Project), which can play a vital part in tackling social stigma and restoring civic pride, both of which, in turn, can result in reduced incidents of ASB activities such as vandalism and damage to communal areas. Housing managers, when the need arises, utilise other measures to deal with ASB, for example, probationary tenancies, which can be effective in making sure tenants are aware of their responsibilities and transfers for exceptional cases (although it was acknowledged that this might result in simply moving the problem on). The establishment of good working relationships with the police and other professionals (such as educational and welfare professionals) were viewed as being very valuable. The best modes of collaboration were judged to be informal arrangements at the local level alongside innovative practices such as ‘officer next door programmes’ whereby special arrangements were made for police to reside in public housing to increase their presence on an estate. Mediation services were also valued for resolving disputes, but only when both parties were willing to participate. Finally, there was a view that policies need to be in place to deal with persistent ASB offenders who do not respond appropriately to complaints about their behaviour. In theory, eviction was deemed to be undesirable because the problem was not resolved but merely moved on to another locality or housing tenure. However, in certain circumstances housing managers and tenants felt that legal procedures and the threat of eviction could be useful as a deterrent. The report concludes that a mix of preventive and responsive strategies is required to tackle ASB and that the institutional barriers that can undermine implementation need to be addressed. For example, issues relating to confidentiality were seen as an impediment to information exchange with the police and staff working in community corrections. Holistic policies informed by social justice perspectives are generally seen as the best forms of intervention in preference to the imposition of stricter sanctions and punitive measures such as those adopted in the USA and to a lesser extent in UK policy settings. However, the active engagement by housing managers in holistic approaches to ASB requires considerable time and expertise. It is therefore important that the necessary training and resources are made available if such policies are to succeed. Details: Melbourne: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, 2003. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2130/1/40163_final.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior (Australia) Shelf Number: 120843

Author: Warner, Kate Title: Public Judgement on Sentencing: Final Results from the Tasmanian Jury Sentencing Study Summary: This seminal study, which was funded by the Criminology Research Council, is the first reported study to use jurors in real trials to gauge public opinion about sentences and sentencing. Using jurors is a way of investigating the views of members of the public who are as fully informed of the facts of the case and the background of the offender as the judge. Based upon jurors’ responses from 138 trials, the study found that more than half of the jurors surveyed suggested a more lenient sentence than the trial judge imposed. Moreover, when informed of the sentence, 90 percent of jurors said that the judge’s sentence was (very or fairly) appropriate. In contrast, responses to abstract questions about sentencing levels mirrored the results of representative surveys. The results of the study also suggest that providing information to jurors about crime and sentencing may be helpful in addressing misconceptions in these areas. Replication of this study may be of assistance to policymakers and judges who wish to know what informed members of the public think about sentencing. Portrayals of a punitive public are misleading and calls for harsher punishment largely uninformed. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 407: Accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/A/B/7/%7BAB703D46-E913-4384-B3DB-646DC27EF2D3%7Dtandi407.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Judges Shelf Number: 120848

Author: Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond Title: Cyber Threat Landscape Faced by Financial and Insurance Industry Summary: Opportunities for criminals to engage in transnational activities have expanded with globalisation and advancements in information and communications technologies. Cyber criminal activities will increasingly affect the financial security of online business. It is widely accepted that the financial and insurance industry is the ‘target of choice’ for financially motivated cyber criminals. Yet there is a lack of understanding about the true magnitude of cyber crime and its impact on businesses. Drawing on data from a 2008 Australia-wide survey conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology, this paper contributes to a better understanding of the threat landscape faced by the financial and insurance industry by assessing the top four risk areas reported by the survey respondents. The paper also examines whether the results from the financial and insurance industries differ from other industries and identifies ways in which industries (particularly the financial and insurance industry), can neutralise or reduce cyber crime opportunities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 408: Accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/F/B/%7B8FB75BEB-DA4B-458B-A444-1EED76001EEE%7Dtandi408.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Cybercrime Shelf Number: 120849

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: The Decline in Unconditional Release Before Trial Summary: This paper examines whether the reduction in the percentage of cases where bail is dispensed with (unconditional release) is due to a change in the profile of cases coming before the criminal courts or a general increase in the threshold for dispensing with bail. A series of statistical (logistic regression) models of the likelihood of unconditional release were constructed to see whether the fall in the likelihood of unconditional release over time remained significant after adjusting for other factors associated with the likelihood of unconditional release. Separate models were constructed for three offences: assault, property crime and property damage. The report concludes that the reduction in matters where bail is dispensed with is not accounted for by a change in the profile of cases coming before the courts. Instead, this appears to reflect an increase in the threshold for dispensing with bail. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 55: Accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb55.pdf/$file/bb55.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 120852

Author: Spears, Barbara Title: Behind the Scenes: Insights into the Human Dimension of Covert Bullying Summary: The emergence of new technologies has led to covert and cyber bullying becoming an issue for many schools. The Australian Government has commissioned two research projects to better understand these issues and the impact on Australian schools. This second study, Behind the Scenes: Insights into the Human Dimension of Covert Bullying explored real life experiences of individuals exposed to covert bullying (victim/ perpetrator/ bystander/ teacher/ parent). Details: Adelaide: South Australia Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2008. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/NationalSafeSchools/Documents/covertBullyReports/Behind%20the%20Scenes%20-%20Insights%20into%20the%20Human%20Dimension%20of%20Covert%20Bullying%20-%20Final%20Short%20Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Cyberbullying Shelf Number: 120856

Author: Biles, David Title: Sentence and Release Options for High-Risk Sexual Offenders Summary: The first phase of this project in mid July 2005 comprised the sending of requests for information to all Australian jurisdictions as well as the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand. The information sought included details of any special legislation enacted to curtail the activities of high-risk sexual offenders, any provisions in the general criminal law which could lead to the imposition of indefinite or indeterminate sentences on offenders of this type, the numbers of offenders dealt with under either of these provisions, and any evidence of the effectiveness of these measures. The United States was added to the overseas jurisdictions when a rich source of relevant information became available. This survey of the law and practice revealed that in Australia, only Victoria and Queensland had enacted special legislation on this subject. The Victorian legislation provides for the possibility of high-risk sexual offenders being ordered by a court to submit to supervision in the community for up to 15 years after any prison sentence or parole order has been served. This legislation commenced in May 2005. The Queensland legislation, which was enacted in 2003, provides for the Supreme Court, on the application of the Attorney-General, to order either continuing detention or continuing supervision in the community of serious sexual offenders who have completed their sentences. These orders must be reviewed by the Supreme Court at least every 12 months. As the legislation in both of these states is relatively recent, the numbers of offenders to whom it has been applied are quite small. In Victoria, one order with very strict conditions has been made and one other is under consideration by the courts. In Queensland, two continuing detention orders, one interim detention order and five continuing supervision orders have been made. In nearly all of the Australian jurisdictions there is provision in the general criminal law for some offenders, sometimes declared to be either dangerous or habitual, to be sentenced to indefinite prison terms. This is apparently not available in the ACT. The number of high-risk sexual offenders sentenced to indefinite terms is again relatively small, but it is difficult to be precise as other offenders, such as murderers, are commonly sentenced to life or an indefinite term. An authoritative source in the ACT estimated that there may be four cases in this jurisdiction which justify some form of special attention. The overseas law and practice presents a significantly different picture with very high numbers of sexual offenders being subjected to some form of special treatment. In the United States, for example, 15 of the 50 states have enacted civil commitment laws which provide for the detention in prison or other institution, or community supervision, for indefinite terms. The informal evidence available suggests that the numbers of offenders so committed run into the hundreds in some states. Canada also has well over 300 sexual offenders undergoing either detention or supervision in the community, many of whom are described as post warrant expiry cases. In New Zealand, specific legislation providing for extended supervision in the community for up to ten years for sexual offenders came into force in July 2004. To date a total of 32 extended supervision orders have been made by the courts. This figure may be seen as high compared with the equivalent figures in Australia. No evidence was forthcoming from Australia or overseas on the effectiveness of either the special legislation for sex offenders or the use of indefinite sentences. Most respondents said that it was too early to have any recidivism figures, but some suggested that the fact that the legislation was used must indicate an increased level of public safety as, at the very least, those offenders in detention or under very strict supervision were not committing offences. It is apparent from the information collected that there are two types of legislation that have been developed on this subject. The first is exemplified by Victoria and New Zealand, and the second is exemplified by Queensland, some parts of the United States and by Canada. There is also the possibility of either introducing or expanding the use of indefinite sentences for high-risk sexual offenders. On the basis of the analysis, it is suggested that there are four options that may be considered by the ACT Government. The options are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The options are: 1. No action, 2. Make provision for indefinite sentences, 3. Introduce post sentence continuing supervision, or 4. Introduce post sentence continuing detention. It would be logically possible to support any combination of options 2, 3 and 4, but option 1 cannot be combined with any others. Also, There may be considerable variation of the details within options 2, 3 and 4., and some of these possible variations are discussed. Following this analysis, two chapters are included which focus on the determination of highrisk sexual offending and the effectiveness of sexual offender treatment. These were prepared by a senior psychologist in ACT Corrections. Another chapter on human rights considerations was prepared by a senior officer of the ACT Department of Justice and Community Safety. These contributions to the report reflect the knowledge and points of view of two significant disciplines which are of central relevance to the subject under review. The report concludes with a discussion of a range of issues that are relevant to the terms of reference and would require careful consideration by the Government if any of options 2 to 4 are to be pursued. Apart from the ethical issue of whether or not it is acceptable to impose restrictions on the lives of individuals on the basis of probable future behaviour, a practical matter of intense interest is the potential number of offenders who would be affected by legislation that would provide for either post-sentence continuing supervision or detention. It is suggested that the high numbers identified in the USA, Canada, and perhaps even New Zealand, would not be seen as appropriate in Australia, where the numbers to date are relatively small. Other issues discussed include the level of probability of re-offending that would be reasonable to trigger additional intervention, and the type of expertise that would be needed to establish that probability. Consideration is also given to the appropriate agency for preparing cases for submission to the courts, and the desirability of a national approach to both monitoring and supervision of former sexual offenders. The consequences of a very high level of non-reporting of sexual offences are discussed, and it is suggested that this should be the subject of further research, as well as Australian research into the question of what sorts of treatment work with what sorts of offenders. Issues related to the managed release of information to victims, and the special problems presented by intellectually disadvantaged sexual offenders are then briefly discussed. Finally, attention is drawn to two papers which take opposing points of view, which are both strongly argued, and are included in the appendices to this report. The report concludes with the suggestion that this issue should be the subject of wide discussion in political circles in the relevant professions, and in the general public. Details: Canberra: Department of Justice and Community Safety, 2005. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2011 at: http://www.jcs.act.gov.au/eLibrary/OtherReports/Biles%20Report.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Sentencing Shelf Number: 120857

Author: Walsh, Tamara Title: No Offense: The Enforcement of Offensive Language and Behaviour Offences in Queensland Summary: In Queensland, as in all Australian States and Territories, it is an offence to be offensive. But in a contemporary society which is pluralistic, individualistic and combative in nature, what can reasonably be said to cause offence? People may consider, or desire, public places to be an extension of their backyard, but in reality, public places are just that – public. All manner of people, sights and behaviours may be, and must be, observed in public space. Some people will find certain things offensive that other people do not. That is what comes with being part of a diverse nation. Furthermore, times have changed. Language that would previously have been considered ‘obscene’ is now commonplace – heard on every street corner, at every workplace and in every school around the country. Also, social problems such as homelessness, income inequality and social exclusion are escalating. As a result, certain behaviours that might reasonably be considered offensive, like urinating, defecating or vomiting, will necessarily be committed in public by society’s most vulnerable people, simply because they have no private space to retreat to. In a society that itself offends – evidenced through its words and deeds, but also its omissions and those it neglects – how do we determine when someone’s behaviour is so offensive that the criminal law must intervene? This document reports on the results of research into offensiveness that has been conducted over an 18 month period, involving court observation, literature reviews, national and international policy analyses, numerous discussions and protracted thought. The research shows that many homeless, Indigenous, impaired and young people in Queensland are prosecuted for being ‘offensive’ when they are really just living out their lives. They may be engaging in conduct that many of us choose not to engage in, but these laws are not there to ‘ensure punishment of those who differ from the majority’ rather, they exist for ‘the protection of the people’. Further, these vulnerable people commonly receive the penalty they are most unable to comply with – a fine. For those trying to survive on around $100 a week, a fine of $200 is impossible to pay if life’s necessities are also to be had. The conclusion that must surely be reached is that in order for us to justifiably punish people for offending against society, we must create a society that is not in itself offensive. Details: St. Lucia, QLD: T.C. Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland, 2006. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 24, 2011 at: http://www.qcjc.com.au/research/download/9/research/police-powers-responsibilities-1/the-enforcement-of-offensive-language-and-behaviour-offences-in-qld.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Nuisance Behaviors and Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 120869

Author: Willis, Katie Title: Measuring the Effectiveness of Drug Law Enforcement Summary: Seizing drugs and arresting those who import, manufacture, grow and/or distribute these drugs is often viewed as the most important purpose of drug law enforcement. This view is certainly strong in popular media depictions of organised drug criminals. Unfortunately, the reality is perhaps far less entertaining or straightforward, although just as, if not more, important. While there is no doubt that a key role of drug law enforcement is to remove drugs and high-risk offenders from the community, the most critical factor is what this actually achieves in the longer term. That is, a community that is less burdened by the impact of drugs, such as crime, illness, injury and death. Increasingly, there is both internal and external pressure on drug law enforcement to demonstrate not just how much work they do (the seizures and arrests), but how well they do it (the community impacts)—something that has so far proven very difficult. This paper outlines the nature of these challenges and summarises findings from a national project that shows a practical and effective way forward in measuring the impacts of drug law enforcement. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 406: Accessed February 24, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/7/C/3/%7B7C3C0834-EE1D-4013-88D1-938A0D934782%7Dtandi406.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 120875

Author: McGee, Tara Renae Title: Antisocial Behaviour: An Examination of Individual, Family, and Neighbourhood Factors Summary: The present research is the first of its kind in Australia to simultaneously examine individual, family and neighbourhood predictors of adolescent antisocial behaviour. The study draws on two key data sources-Australian Bureau of Statistics census data and the Mater University Study of Pregnancy (MUSP). The MUSP is a prospective longitudinal study of mothers and their children in Brisbane, Australia; the current project draws on data from birth through to adolescence (age 14 years). The study found that less than one percent of variation in antisocial behaviour was attributable to the statistical local area (SLA). Subsequent models of both SLA-level variables (neighbourhood disadvantage, immigration concentration and residential mobility) and individual and familial variables, showed that the strongest predictors of adolescent antisocial behaviour are those which measure disruptions in parenting processes, poor school performance and early childhood aggression. The findings suggest that programs that aim to enhance parenting practices, including improving communication, supervision and monitoring of children, are important in reducing adolescent antisocial behaviour. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 410: Accessed February 28, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/6/5/%7BF6506CB0-7D65-4EB9-B1A7-06FD80748B1C%7Dtandi410.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 120878

Author: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth Title: Working Together to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect - A Common Approach for Identifying and Responding Early to Indicators of Need Summary: Current systems for protecting children in Australia are struggling to achieve their primary objective - to meet the needs of children. The statutory child protection system is overburdened with notifications of alleged child abuse and neglect, with numbers more than tripling nationally between 1999/2000 (107,134) and 2008/2009 (339,454) (AIHW 2008 and 2010). This represents huge demand on the resources within child protection agencies to assess and investigate these reports, and on government resources more broadly. The new approach is being developed under the auspices of the Common Approach to Assessment, Referral and Support (CAARS) Taskforce, which was established by the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) and the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) in 2009. The CAARS project is one of the 12 National Priorities planned during the initial three year period of the COAG National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2009-2020: Protecting Children is Everyone’s Business. The Common Approach promotes the use of common language across professions and can be embedded in existing practice. With it universal service providers will have at their disposal a comprehensive and, at the same time, easy-to-use instrument that helps them identify the needs of children and families at an early stage. The Common Approach also provides guidance to practitioners on the next steps involved in assisting and empowering these children and families to meet their needs in an effective and timely manner. The Common Approach is thus expected to enhance the capacity of universal service providers to identify the strengths, concerns, protective factors and unmet needs of children, young people and families, and to facilitate a pathway to appropriate support services. Details: Woden, ACT: Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2010. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2011 at: http://www.aracy.org.au/cmsimages/file/CAARS%20Final-Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Australia Shelf Number: 120893

Author: Ericson, Matthew Title: Young People on Remand in Victoria: Guilt Yet To Be Determined: Balancing Individual and Community Interests Summary: This comprehensive report analyses current Australian and international trends in evidence-based prison policy in Australia and overseas. This includes a review of remand and its place within the criminal justice system. The report includes a statistical analysis of more than eleven thousand Victorian remandees incarcerated while awaiting trail between 2008 and 2010, with particular attention to the socio-economic background of remandees by age, gender and Indigenous status. The analysis highlights the accumulated disadvantage of young people involved in the criminal justice system, including high rates of unemployment and low levels of educational attainment. This landmark report concludes with recommendations for remand reform that promote social inclusion and community safety, and the health and well-being of disadvantaged young people, families and communities. Details: Richmond, VIC: Jesuit Social Services, 2010. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2011 at: http://www.jss.org.au/files/Docs/policy-and-advocacy/publications/Young_people_in_remand_in_Victoria_-_Balancing_individual_and_community_interests.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Shelf Number: 120900

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: What Makes Juvenile Offenders Different from Adult Offenders? Summary: Responding to juvenile offending is a unique policy and practice challenge. While a substantial proportion of crime is perpetuated by juveniles, most juveniles will ‘grow out’ of offending and adopt law-abiding lifestyles as they mature. This paper outlines the factors (biological, psychological and social) that make juvenile offenders different from adult offenders and that necessitate unique responses to juvenile crime. It is argued that a range of factors, including juveniles’ lack of maturity, propensity to take risks and susceptibility to peer influence, as well as intellectual disability, mental illness and victimisation, increase juveniles’ risks of contact with the criminal justice system. These factors, combined with juveniles’ unique capacity to be rehabilitated, can require intensive and often expensive interventions by the juvenile justice system. Although juvenile offenders are highly diverse, and this diversity should be considered in any response to juvenile crime, a number of key strategies exist in Australia to respond effectively to juvenile crime. These are described in this paper. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 409: Accessed March 8, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/2/2/%7B4227C0AD-AD0A-47E6-88AF-399535916190%7Dtandi409.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems Shelf Number: 120899

Author: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Title: Targeting Scams: Report of the ACCC on Scam Activity 2010 Summary: This report explains key trends in scam activity and highlights the impact of scams on the community. It highlights the cooperative work of the ACCC, other regulators and law enforcement agencies to disrupt scams and educate consumers. Details: Canberra: ACCC, 2011. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2011 at: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=972476&nodeId=82520eb0bf4bef0d78873f4f0680557a&fn=Targeting%20Scams%20Report%202010.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud Shelf Number: 120961

Author: Budd, Carolyn Title: Consumer Fraud in Australasia: Results of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce Online Australia Surveys 2008 and 2009. Summary: Those who perpetrate consumer scams use a wide range of deceptive practices and methods of communication. However, all aim to trick unsuspecting consumers into parting with money or information, often to criminals located overseas. Phishing attacks, lottery and prize scams, financial investment scams and advanced fee fraud are just a few of the more common scam varieties that are used in an attempt to gain either money or personal details that will eventually be used for financial gain by offenders. The increased use of electronic forms of communication and the ease of sending mass scam invitations via the Internet has also resulted in an increase in the number of scam requests disseminated globally. Scam invitations may appear benign to those who receive them and choose not to respond. This form of spam may be seen as an unfortunate consequence of using the Internet, however, scams can cause serious financial and other harms to those who are victimised, as well as to the wider community. Consumer fraud has been estimated to cost Australia almost $1b annually, although the full extent of the losses is unknown as many choose not to report their experiences officially. Although victims of scams can lose as little as $1, some send substantial amounts to criminals, occasionally exceeding many hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those who send such large amounts frequently feel ashamed of what they have done, or apprehensive that they might have acted illegally. Victims may also receive little sympathy for having being victimised and may be blamed for being gullible. These factors act to deter victims from formally reporting the scam to police. When the full circumstances of cases are known, however, the sophistication of the deception makes it clear that victims have been enticed by a serious and concerted campaign of trickery which preys on their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. The Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT) includes 20 government regulatory agencies and departments in Australia and New Zealand that work alongside private sector, community and non-government partners to prevent fraud. In order to understand the dynamics of consumer fraud victimisation, the ACFT has conducted a range of fraud prevention and awareness-raising activities since 2006. One key activity of the ACFT is to hold an annual consumer fraud survey to obtain a snapshot of the public’s exposure to consumer scams, to assess their impact, to determine how victims respond and to identify any emerging typologies and issues. This report presents the results of surveys conducted in conjunction with the 2008 campaign that focused on Seduction and Deception Scams and the 2009 campaign that focused on sending the message— Scams Target You: Protect Yourself, Don’t Be a Victim of Scammers and Fight the Scammers. Don’t Respond. Overall, both surveys found that despite most respondents indicating that they had received a scam invitation over the specified 12 month period, the majority did not respond. Invitations sent by email remained the most common method of receiving an invitation, with lottery scams attracting the highest number of victims in 2008 whereas in 2009, work from home scams were the most common way respondents were scammed. Although the survey relies on self-reported data, it still provides a useful means of identifying the nature of victimisation and for identifying areas for further research into consumer fraud. The links identified between scam victimisation and factors such as age, income, reporting and jurisdiction could be used to develop more strategic consumer fraud awareness campaigns that focus on the groups more vulnerable to scam victimisation. The relationships between these variables and victimisation could then be explored more fully using representative samples of the population, or in-depth data collection techniques such as interviewing of those who have been defrauded. With a more extensive understanding of who is victimised and why, more effective scam prevention measures can be enacted. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper No. 43: Accessed March 10, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp043.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud Shelf Number: 120967

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Diversion Programs for Indigenous Women Summary: This paper presents a brief overview of the key diversion programs for Indigenous women currently in operation in Australia, with reference to relevant developments in New Zealand and Canada. It was prepared against the background of recent research on Indigenous women’s offending patterns and their over-representation in the criminal justice system, which included the following key findings: • analysis of data from New South Wales, the Northern Territory and South Australia indicated that Indigenous women are between nine and 16 times more likely to offend than their non-Indigenous counterparts; this is a much greater over-representation than for men (8–10 times more likely); • Indigenous women generally serve shorter sentences than their non-Indigenous counterparts, which suggests that Indigenous women are being imprisoned for more minor offences, especially public order offences; and • Indigenous women are more likely than non-Indigenous women to be on remand. According to the most recent data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS 2010), there were, on average, 663 full-time adult female Indigenous prisoners in Australia in the June 2010 quarter, comprising 30 percent of the full-time adult female prison population. By way of comparison, there were 6,984 adult male Indigenous prisoners, comprising 26 percent of the adult male prison population. Although the numbers of Indigenous women in prison are clearly much smaller than for their male counterparts, they are over-represented to a greater extent. The imprisonment rate for adult Indigenous women was 394 per 100,000, having risen by 14 percent from 346 in 2006, compared with 25 for the general adult female population. The rates for the Indigenous male and general male populations in the June 2010 quarter were 4,337 and 321 respectively (ABS 2010). Indigenous women are therefore 16 times more likely to be imprisoned than the general adult female population, compared with 14 times for Indigenous men. It appears that very little has been written—and indeed done — on diversion in relation to Indigenous status and women; most of the literature focuses on one aspect or the other. For example, an examination published by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) on the impact of pre-court diversion in the Northern Territory on juvenile offending provided a breakdown by gender and Indigenous status, but no breakdown on the basis of both. In addition, where such programs exist, there is little evidence of their effectiveness and a lack of comprehensive independent evaluation. More must be done, therefore, to disseminate information about the programs currently in place and wherever possible, to evaluate such programs. Notwithstanding the dearth of evaluative evidence demonstrating the efficacy of the diversion programs, the emerging evidence base, coupled with the overwhelming — and steadily rising —over-representation of Indigenous women in the prison population indicates there is a need for further development and funding of programs that can assist in diverting more Indigenous women from the prison system specifically and the criminal justice system more generally. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice Report, No. 13: Accessed March 14, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/E/C/7/%7BEC7ECE38-209C-4FAA-876A-246D2F6A5DCF%7Drip13.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 121003

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Police Move-On Powers: A CMC Review of their Use Summary: Move-on powers enable police to issue a direction to individuals or groups to move on or leave a public place. Move-on powers are intended to give police powers to respond to antisocial behaviour and thus facilitate improved perceptions of community safety. The powers are also seen as having the potential to divert people away from the criminal justice system. Queensland Police Service (QPS) officers have had the power to issue a move-on direction since 1997. Before 2006, the use of these powers was restricted to certain geographical locations. Over time, there has been an incremental expansion of the areas in which police can apply the laws. On 1 June 2006, new laws were introduced to expand the use of move-on powers to all public places in Queensland. These new laws also required the CMC to review the use of move-on powers as soon as practicable after 31 December 2007. The statewide expansion of the move-on powers occurred at a time when public attention was focused on antisocial behaviour and the mechanisms available to police to effectively prevent and respond to such behaviour. Significantly, the then Minister for Police and Corrective Services, the Hon. J Spence, established the Safe Youth Parties Taskforce (SYPT) in response to incidents of youth parties being gate-crashed and associated youth violence. This taskforce recommended the geographical expansion of the move-on laws (SYPT 2006). The debate surrounding the expansion of the powers centred on a number of issues, most of which stem from the discretionary nature of the law and the way in which police can apply it. In the large part, move-on powers are not complaint driven but rather are used by police in the routine activities associated with the policing of public spaces. When faced with a situation involving a person’s behaviour or presence in a public place, police officers will use their discretion to determine which response is most appropriate in the circumstance. Such responses can range from doing nothing, to unofficially encouraging the individual or group to relocate, to officially directing them to move on, and to using another power to arrest. Concerns were expressed that move-on powers would be misused by police officers. In particular, it was feared that those people living and regularly moving within public spaces, such as young people, homeless people and Indigenous people, would be disproportionately affected by the move-on law and would be displaced to another public space or drawn into the criminal justice system. It was also claimed that the law would enable the police to carry out ‘back-door’ regulation of public spaces, allowing them to remove people who were seen as ‘undesirable’. Views that personal biases, prejudices and stereotyping may influence a police officer’s decision-making processes were also raised. These concerns guided our review and focused our research efforts on the following key questions: How are police using move-on powers? 2. What role do move-on powers play in policing public order? 3. What is guiding or influencing the use of move-on powers? Details: Brisbane: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2011. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/80468001292819166771.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior (Australia) Shelf Number: 121008

Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: Seeking Security: Promoting Women's Economic Wellbeing Following Domestic Violence Summary: Domestic violence is a pervasive social issue in this country, with an estimated 15-17% of Australian women affected over the course of their lifetime (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006). It is also expensive, costing the Australian economy in the order of $13.6 billion in 2008-09 alone (National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009). Beneath these figures lie numerous individual experiences of abuse and women’s hard-fought struggles to be free from the immediate and ongoing effects of violence that permeate their lives. This research has been specifically concerned to examine the impact of domestic violence on women’s economic wellbeing and the intersection of this with their recovery overall. To do this, the research explored the ways in which domestic violence creates complex economic issues for women (and their children), and how this disrupts their lives over the short and long term. It has been equally concerned with investigating personal strategies and service initiatives that support those who have left violence to break free from financial uncertainty. The study was conducted in 2009 by the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, which is a project of the Centre for Gender-Related Violence Studies at the University of New South Wales. The findings of the research are consistent with national and international research studies that point to numerous ways in which domestic violence impacts on women’s financial outcomes. This study goes further to highlight that for women experiencing domestic violence, financial security goes to the heart of not only their freedom from abuse, but also their recovery and capacity to (re)gain control over their lives, now and in the future. Importantly, the study has a direct bearing on current debates in Australia concerning social inclusion (and by extension, social justice) and, specifically, the Federal Government’s social inclusion agenda.1 In February 2008, then Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard defined social inclusion as the capacity for people to find employment; access services; maintain social networks through family, friends, work, personal interests and their local community; deal with personal crises such as ill health, bereavement or the loss of a job; and have their voice heard. This research demonstrates how significantly men’s violence towards their female partners contributes to women’s social exclusion. This is apparent through its direct negative impact on victims’ material wealth and health outcomes. Domestic violence is also a disempowering force, undermining the confidence of those affected and often inviting discrimination against them. Efforts to prevent and mitigate the economic effects of domestic violence on victims are, thereby, central to promoting women’s social inclusion. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2011. 137p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2011 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Seeking%20Security%20Report%20WEB.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 121020

Author: Blackburn, John Title: Optimising Australia's Response to the Cyber Challenge Summary: The Australian Government’s 2009 Cyber Security Strategy states that cyber security is one of Australia’s top-tier national security priorities. It highlights that Australia’s national security, economic prosperity and social wellbeing are critically dependent upon the availability, integrity and confidentiality of a range of information and communications technologies. There is a growing threat from state and non-state actors who compromise, steal, change or destroy information and information systems upon which societies depend. This report examines the nature of the cyber challenge confronting Australia and how such a threat can be better addressed. Australia may well have reached a “tipping point” where the current trajectory of cyber responses is being rapidly outpaced by the evolving threat. In seeking to maintain a secure, resilient and trusted electronic operating environment that supports Australia’s national security and maximises the benefits of the digital economy, the Australian Government has defined cyber security as “Measures relating to the confidentiality, availability and integrity of information that is processed, stored and communicated by electronic or similar means”. The government’s strategy is well thought out and clearly identifies key near-term initiatives that address the cyber security threat. However, the breadth, scale and growth rate of the threat are such that the current cyber security program is not keeping pace. In fact, the actions taken to date have helped highlight the scale of the problem and underscored that more needs to be done in order to address the challenge. A complicating issue is that of public awareness. A large part of the Australian population does not comprehend the scale of the growing cyber threat, nor the potential impact of that threat on personal and national wellbeing. That lack of understanding, and therefore commitment to addressing the threat, is a fundamental weakness in the individual and collective security of Australians. This report seeks to answer two fundamental questions: are we doing enough to address the growing threat to our national and individual security in the cyber environment, and if not, what do we need to do? The report concludes that whilst progress in implementing the government’s 2009 Cyber Security Strategy has been laudable, we are not keeping pace with the growing threat and as a result are placing our collective and individual security at risk. What is lacking is a whole-of-nation, government-led integrated long-term National Cyber Strategy and Plan with defined responsibilities, identified priorities and dedicated resources that recognises the scale of the cyber challenge and the need to address that challenge in a more comprehensive manner. Australia needs to further harmonise the roles and responsibilities of government, industry and the public. While there will be technical challenges in meeting the evolving threat, the greatest challenges will centre on the cultural and organisational changes that will be needed to improve Australia’s security in the cyber environment. Specific conclusions and recommendations include: • Develop a whole-of-nation, government-led integrated long-term National Cyber Strategy and Cyber Capability Plan (as a subset of the National Security Strategy) with defined responsibilities, identified priorities and dedicated resources. • Assign the lead to coordinate cyber-related security issues across government to the Office of the National Security Adviser. • Continue to build on the current cyber programs but with some process and structural change to ensure the cyber threat is understood and cyber vulnerabilities are reduced, a credible counter-attack capability is developed, continuous technology discovery is pursued, culture change is effected, and alignment with key allies is achieved. • Accelerate systemic change through a suite of proactive measures such as a proposed National Security Innovation Centre, a virtual Cyber Academy, a Cyber Test Range, and a cyber Cooperative Research Centre (CRC). This will help to normalise cyber as a part of everyday activity. A key consideration regarding any recommended actions is that of timing - the gap between threat and response capabilities is growing. In the aftermath of the global economic crisis all governments are faced with increasing financial pressures. Projected growth in public and private debt as well as social security and health costs will likely exacerbate these financial pressures in the future. If we do not increase our focus on cyberspace, the threat will grow faster than our response and the cost of addressing the growing threat gap in the future will increase, possibly exponentially. Any delay in taking action may prove unaffordable in the long-term and introduce greater risks. Details: Kingston, ACT, AUS: Kokoda Foundation, 2011. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Kokoda Papers, No. 14: Accessed March 16, 2011 at: http://www.kokodafoundation.org/Resources/Documents/KP14ResponsetoCyber.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 121021

Author: Bromfield, Leah Title: Issues for the Safety and Wellbeing of Children in Families with Multiple and Complex Problems: The Co-occurrence of Domestic Violence, Parental Substance Misuse, and Mental Health Problems Summary: The factors most commonly associated with the occurrence of child abuse and neglect, and identified in families involved with child protection services, are domestic violence, parental substance abuse and parental mental health problems. The significance of parental substance misuse, mental health problems and domestic violence is made clear in the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children, which states “A particular focus is sustained on key risk factors of mental health, domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse” (Council of Australian Governments, 2009). Families in which parents present with these problems are often situated within a wider context of exclusion and disadvantage (e.g., housing instability, poverty, low education, social isolation and neighbourhood disadvantage). Parents may also be struggling to come to terms with their own experiences of trauma and victimisation. These types of problems are complex, often inter-related, and chronic in nature and rarely occur in isolation. Where these problems occur within families, the families are described as “families with multiple and complex problems”. This paper investigates the separate impacts of parental substance misuse, domestic violence and parental mental health problems. It presents evidence regarding the extent to which these problems co-occur and a discussion of the wider context of exclusion and disadvantage, its causes and its consequences. Finally, it provides an overview of research and theory for working with families with multiple and complex problems. Details: Melbourne: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: NCPC Issues No. 33: Accessed March 21, 2011 at: http://twitemail.com/users/14808835/5/attachment/20101215-%20The%20Safety%20&%20Wellbeing%20of%20Children%20in%20Families%20with%20Multiple%20&%20Complex%20Problems.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 121083

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Sound Advice: A Review of the Effectiveness of Police Powers in Reducing Excessive Noise from Off-Road Motorbikes Summary: New noise laws providing police with greater enforcement powers to target nuisance motorbike riders who create excessive noise when riding in off-road areas were introduced into the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 (Qld) (PPRA) on 1 July 2006. The new laws introduced a three-stage enforcement strategy which built on existing law enforcement powers that police had to respond to complaints about excessive noise from off-road motorbikes: the first stage temporarily stops the noise (for a period of 48 hours) • by the issuing of a noise abatement direction to the rider by police • the second stage restricts how the rider may use the motorbike for a period of up to two years by a noise abatement order obtained from the Magistrates Court • the third stage removes the motorbike from the rider either for a three-month impoundment period or permanently through forfeiture. Our review sought to determine whether the new noise laws have been effective in reducing excessive noise from off-road motorbikes. In making this determination, we considered: • whether the new laws provide effective law enforcement powers • how the new laws have been applied by police and the courts • whether the new laws are being used as they were intended • what impact the new laws have had on the community. We also sought to determine: • whether the new noise laws strike the right balance between the interests of those affected by excessive noise and those involved in off-road motorbike riding • what other steps might be undertaken to ensure the effective management of excessive noise from off-road motorbikes. To answer these questions we examined: • the operation of the new laws (as well as other relevant legislation) • the parliamentary intention for the use of the new laws • the integration of the new laws into the policies and procedures of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) • QPS and local council off-road motorbike noise complaint information • the application of the new laws by police and the courts • the views expressed about the new laws, off-road motorbike riding and noise management, in over 400 submissions and through consultations with stakeholders. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2010. 144p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/29749001271203066024.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Motorcycles Shelf Number: 121206

Author: Jones, Craig Title: Does Forum Sentencing Reduce Re-Offending? Summary: Forum Sentencing is an adult-focussed restorative justice program that operates in two NSW sites: Liverpool and Tweed. Under the scheme, young adults who meet certain eligibility and suitability criteria can have their matter dealt with by way of a community conference rather than being dealt with in a conventional court setting. The aim of the current study was to determine whether offenders who are dealt with by way of a Forum Sentence are less likely to re-offend than those sentenced in the usual way. Forum Sentencing participants were compared with a matched sample of offenders who met the eligibility criteria for Forum Sentencing but who were sentenced in a conventional court. The two groups were compared on four measures: (a) the proportion within each group who were reconvicted of a further offence within one year of being sentenced, (b) the proportion within each group who were convicted for two or more offences within one year of being sentenced, (c) the time to first reconviction and (d) whether, on average, the Forum Sentencing group committed less serious offences than the comparison group. No evidence emerged that Forum Sentencing participants performed better on any of these outcomes. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 129; Accessed April 1, 2011 at: http://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB129.pdf/$file/CJB129.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Conferencing Shelf Number: 121209

Author: Bradford, Deborah Title: An Analysis of Alcohol and Psycho-Stimulant Use from the 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey Summary: The aim of this paper is to examine what proportion of current alcohol consumers are also current consumers of psycho-stimulants in the Australian population. Using population survey data obtained from the 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, this brief considers the proportion of alcohol drinkers who report recent consumption of amphetamines and cocaine. Among the sample of survey respondents 18 years and over results showed that the level of psychostimulant use was low among the population of alcohol consumers. This finding was evident even among those drinkers who reported drinking most frequently and in the most risky manner. For those respondents estimated to be at the highest risk for alcohol-related harm, only 12.9 per cent reported use of amphetamines and 8.6 per cent reported use of cocaine in the 12 months prior to the survey. These findings suggest that in the general population, concurrent use of alcohol and psycho-stimulants is likely to be low. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief: Issue Paper No. 53: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb53.pdf/$file/bb53.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 121222

Author: Victoria (Australia). Auditor General Title: Effectiveness of Victims of Crime Programs Summary: Victoria Police classifies crimes against the person as homicide, rape, assault, sexual assault, robbery and kidnapping/abduction. Between 2000–01 and 2009–10, the annual number of reported crimes against the person increased from 34,092 to 45,385 (33.1 per cent). Over the same period, all recorded offences fell by 19.3 per cent. In 2009–10, police recorded 39,032 people as victims of crime against the person, 2.3 per cent higher than the previous year. This is lower than the number of reported crimes because one person may be the victim of more than one crime. Not all victims report these crimes to the police. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that, depending on the nature of the crime, between 57.5 and 78.2 per cent of victims do not report the crime. Being a victim of crime can affect a person’s health, relationships and quality of life. While some people may have the existing networks and support, others need extra assistance. The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) 2004 Justice Statement obliges the justice system to assist the victim of an offence to recover from its effects. Evidence shows that giving support to victims can help bring an offender to justice, as victims are more likely to act as witnesses if they are supported. The Victims’ Charter Act 2006 was introduced to recognise the impact of crime on victims, and to establish principles to improve, among other things, the treatment of victims of crime by all investigatory agencies, prosecuting agencies and victims’ services agencies. The Victims Support Agency (VSA) was established in 2004 specifically to support victims of crime. VSA administers a range of services to victims, including the Victims of Crime Helpline (the Helpline), the Victims Register, and the Victims Assistance and Counselling Program (VACP). It is also responsible for implementing the Victims’ Charter. In 2009–10, VSA’s budget was $9.98 million. Over half of this, $5.40 million, was used to fund nine not-for-profit community agencies to deliver VACP in eight DOJ regions covering 31 locations across Victoria. The audit examined whether victim support services managed by VSA help victims recover from the effects of crime, and whether VSA and the VACP providers have treated victims in accordance with the Victims’ Charter. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2011. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://download.audit.vic.gov.au/files/20110209-VoC.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Victims of Crime, Services for (Australia) Shelf Number: 121231

Author: Mizzi, Pierrette Title: Sentencing Offenders Convicted of Child Pornography and Child Abuse Material Offences Summary: One of the more difficult sentencing tasks is to sentence an offender convicted of a child pornography offence. This applies whether the offence is a Commonwealth or State offence, or the offender is dealt with summarily or on indictment. This monograph examines the practical difficulties faced by NSW judicial officers at sentence relating to the fact-finding process and the problems that can be encountered in assessing the seriousness of a given offence. Most child pornography offenders are prosecuted in the Local Court and a large proportion of these offenders are prosecuted for offences involving the possession of child pornography. Details: Sydney: Judicial Comnmission of New South Wales, 2010. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph NO. 34: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://www.judcom.nsw.gov.au/publications/research-monographs-1/research-monograph-34/Monograph34.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography (Australia) Shelf Number: 121234

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Setting the Standard: A Review of Current Processes for the Management of Police Discipline and Misconduct Matters Summary: In August 2009, the Queensland Government published a discussion paper, Integrity and Accountability in Queensland, inviting public comment on the state’s accountability framework. The management of police discipline and misconduct matters was a significant focus of the discussion paper, which posed two key questions relating to the conduct of public officers: Are the mechanisms to find unacceptable behaviour [by public officers] sufficient? • Are the sanctions for unacceptable behaviour [by public officers] sufficient? In response to these questions, the Queensland Government received over 100 written submissions, including a significant number expressing concerns about the current discipline processes applying to members of the Queensland Police Service (QPS). In November 2009, the Attorney-General therefore requested the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) ‘to conduct an independent review of current processes for the management of Police discipline and misconduct matters’, and deliver a report on the review to him by 30 June 2010. In conducting the review, the CMC consulted about police discipline processes with QPS officers at various ranks statewide, the Queensland Police Union of Employees (QPUE), interstate police and police oversight agencies. We examined a range of documents and data relating to the QPS since the Fitzgerald Inquiry, police discipline systems more generally, and complaints against police. The review focuses on the processes applying to sworn police officers, not police recruits or civilian staff members of the QPS, in recognition of the fact that the conduct of police officers is the most critical and visible reflection of the professional standards and reputation of the QPS. The primary object of this report is to make and justify recommendations which, if implemented appropriately, will ensure that Queensland has an effective and fair system for ensuring police accountability and integrity. Part 1 provides the background to the review and describes its scope and methodology. Part 2 of the report focuses on the discipline system in principle. It discusses the characteristics of a police discipline system, proposes a model system drawn from an examination of literature detailing the findings of past reviews, and looks at the organisational context, legislative framework and structure of the system currently in place in the QPS. Part 3 discusses the QPS discipline system as it currently operates, illustrated by case studies to highlight particular issues. It examines the gap between the system in theory and its evidence in practice, and makes recommendations for improving the system and closing this gap. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2010. 192p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 4, 2011 at: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/tableOffice/documents/TabledPapers/2010/5310T3791.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Accountability Shelf Number: 121247

Author: Gorta, Angela Title: Minimising Officer Illegal Drug Use: The Impact of Operation Abelia in the 5 Years Since Publication Summary: Illegal drug use by police officers is a concern in many jurisdictions. It is more than five years since the Police integrity Commission published its Operation Abelia report which sought to develop a better understanding of the nature of the problem of illegal drug use by some NSW police officers and what can be done to minimise such illegal drug use. This Research & Issues Paper provides a brief outline of Operation Abelia and then describes the key outcomes arising from some of the Operation Abelia 64 recommendations and the related changes in NSW Police Force policies and practices that have occurred following Operation Abelia. It also outlines future challenges for the NSW Police Force in this area. It does not contain any formal recommendations. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2011. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Issues Papers, No. 6: Accessed April 6, 2011 at: http://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/files/News/Abelia%20Research%20&%20Issues%20Paper.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 121257

Author: Taylor, Monica: Walsh, Tamara, eds. Title: Nowhere to Go: The Impact of Police Move-On Powers on Homeless People in Queensland Summary: The project researched the use and effect of police move-on powers on homeless people in Brisbane. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the law and policies surrounding move-on powers in Queensland. Chapter 2 explores the historical and current policy concerns surrounding the use and effect of move-on powers. Chapter 3 provides a comparative analysis of approaches to move-on powers in other jurisdictions in Australia. Chapter 4 analyses the use and effect of police move-on powers on homeless people from a human rights perspective. Chapter 5 documents the empirical research findings. Chapters 6 and 7 analyse the impact of police-move on powers on two specific vulnerable groups; young people and Indigenous people, and Chapter 8 summarises the report’s recommendations. Details: Brisbane: T.C. Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland and Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic, 2006. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.qpilch.org.au/_dbase_upl/Nowhere%20To%20Go.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Disorderly Conduct Shelf Number: 121263

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Promising Interventions for Reducing Indigenous Juvenile Offending Summary: Indigenous juveniles (those aged 10 to 16 years in Queensland and 10 to 17 years in all other jurisdictions) are over-represented at all stages of the criminal justice system, and their over-representation becomes more pronounced at the most severe end of the system (ie in detention). Recent figures show that Indigenous juveniles are 24 times as likely to be detained in a juvenile correctional facility as non-Indigenous juveniles. A variety of explanations for this over-representation have been proposed, including: • lack of access or disparate access to diversionary programs; • systemic discrimination against Indigenous juveniles (eg police bias against Indigenous juveniles); • inadequate resourcing of Aboriginal legal services; and • genuinely higher levels of offending by Indigenous juveniles. A range of measures (including diversion and juvenile conferencing programs) has recently been implemented to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles in detention, and minimise the contact of juveniles with the formal criminal justice system. Diversionary measures can only have a limited impact, however, and reducing offending and reoffending have been identified as critical factors to address if the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles is to be reduced. While acknowledging that other measures designed to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles are important, this paper reviews the evidence on policies and programs that reduce offending by Indigenous juveniles in Australia. Where relevant, research from comparable jurisdictions, such as New Zealand and Canada, is also discussed. Details: Sydney: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief No. 10: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief010.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Shelf Number: 121267

Author: Australian Institute of Criminology Title: Domestic-Related Homicide: Keynote Papers from the 2008 International Conference on Homicide Summary: In December 2008, the Australian Institute of Criminology held an international conference on homicide with a focus on domestic-related homicide. The conference provided an opportunity to learn about international and national developments in research, policy, and practice. This report includes the papers of keynote speakers, with an emphasis on policy- and practice-relevant research. Topics included: men who murder an intimate women partner; homicide followed by suicide; intimate partner homicide and familicide in Western Australia; homicide among remote-dwelling Australian Aboriginal people; reducing intimate partner homicide rates; and public policy changes over three decades regarding the impact for victims of intimate partner violence and homicide. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2009. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no. 104: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/C/C/3/%7BCC334155-D9E6-4635-84FB-32A81C3A3C69%7Drpp104_001.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Assault Shelf Number: 121269

Author: Gelb, Karen Title: Alternatives to Imprisonment: Community Views in Victoria Summary: Public and political debate about the use of imprisonment is vigorous. Over the past three decades Victoria’s prison population has steadily increased from 1,573 prisoners in 1977 to 2,467 prisoners in 1995 to 4,537 in 2010. Taking into account the growth of the general population, the imprisonment rate has increased by 50.9% over the last twenty years, from 69.9 prisoners per 100,000 adults in 1990 to 105.5 in 2010. In the last decade alone the imprisonment rate has grown by 22.1%. Over this same period the community corrections rate has increased by 19.5%. The increase in imprisonment rate may reflect changes in patterns of offending, in police practices or in the characteristics of people coming before the courts. However, it may also indicate that both parliament and the courts have been responding to perceived community concerns and debates about tougher sentencing. Such debates are not uncommon, with an increasing imprisonment rate being seen as a response that aims to reduce crime, deter would-be criminals and punish offenders both appropriately and in line with ‘community expectations’. Yet there is very little published scientific evidence in Victoria that identifies ‘community expectations’ – that reveals community attitudes to imprisonment and its alternatives. This report attempts to redress this dearth of published evidence on community views by examining the results of a survey of public attitudes to imprisonment and the use of alternatives to imprisonment. The evidence shows that community views are more complex and nuanced than is often characterised: Victorians are willing to accept alternatives to imprisonment as useful sentencing options. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2011 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/alternatives_to_imprisonment_community_views_in_victoria.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 121271

Author: Dillon, Margaret C. Title: Convict Labour and Colonial Society in the Campbell Town Police District: 1820-1839 Summary: This thesis examines the lives of the convict workers who constituted the primary work force in the Campbell Town district in Van Diemen’s Land during the assignment period but focuses particularly on the 1830s. Over 1000 assigned men and women, ganged government convicts, convict police and ticket holders became the district’s unfree working class. Although studies have been completed on each of the groups separately, especially female convicts and ganged convicts, no holistic studies have investigated how convicts were integrated into a district as its multi-layered working class and the ways this affected their working and leisure lives and their interactions with their employers. Research has paid particular attention to the Lower Court records for 1835 to extract both quantitative data about the management of different groups of convicts, and also to provide more specific narratives about aspects of their work and leisure. Local administrative records from the Convict Department, the Colonial Secretary’s Office and the Engineers Department as well as the diaries and letters of colonists, accounts of travellers, almanacks and newspapers have also been used. Some key results proposed in the thesis include the following: Local magistrates had more varied and liberal middle class backgrounds than their contemporaries in New South Wales. They willingly became the governor’s agents of control over the convict work force, accepting his political authority, and remained primarily interested in increasing their wealth. The duties undertaken by convict police were more complex than the literature acknowledges and the claims of corruption and inefficiency made against police by the contemporary press are challenged. Ganged men maintained interactions with the general community outside their gangs, including complex trading and commercial transactions. The scarcity of female convicts caused them to have significant bargaining power and be allocated as a priority to the largest landowners, where they gave satisfactory service as domestic workers and showed little evidence of being unduly promiscuous or difficult to manage. On farm worksites where a mixed work force of assigned men, ticket holders and free men worked, convicts established hierarchies of control of the significant resources such as alcohol and cash and redistributed these amongst themselves by supplying market needs within their own reach. The political economy of the district and the ambitions of the large landowners to acquire wealth rapidly were instrumental in changing the ways they managed their convict workforces, while their convict workers also exploited any opportunities they could find to improve their conditions and retain as much of their freedom and working class culture as possible. On sites where convicts and employers negotiated reasonable working conditions, employers rarely took their workers before the courts on discipline charges. The convict administration was unable to enforce its expectations about the strict control of convicts by free market employers, neither could it fully limit convicts’ movements around rural districts, by stemming the high absconding rates from government gangs or the more limited movements of assigned men and women around the villages or farms where they worked. As an employer, the administration frequently failed to deliver the basic necessities to which its ganged men were entitled by regulation, nor did it always deliver rewards to those who complied with its requirements. Instead it kept men and women at work by sanctioning local magistrates to use harsh punishments like imprisonment, flogging and sentences to road parties and chain gangs for convicts who were charged with disobeying trivial work regulations. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: University of Tasmania, 2008. 299p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.convicthistory.com/entire.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Convict Labor (Australia) Shelf Number: 121290

Author: Jacobs, Keith Title: Making Sense of Partnerships: A Study of Police and Housing Department Collaboration for Tackling Drug and Related Problems on Public Housing Estates Summary: In recent years, interdepartmental partnerships within the public sector have been heralded as effective instruments for addressing complex social problems. For example, it is claimed that they can motivate staff and facilitate innovative practices that lead to improvements in service delivery. However, though partnerships are widely promoted as a panacea within the sector, there is a paucity of research that has looked at them from a critical perspective or examined how they operate in practice. The aim of this project is to explore the realities of partnership working by focusing on collaboration between the police and housing departments to tackle problems associated with illicit drug activity and anti-social behaviour (ASB) on three Australian public housing estates. The rationale for the project is that, though only a small minority of tenants are perpetrators, their actions can seriously blight the lives of their neighbours. Usually it is the housing department that responds to complaints relating to ASB but, in the more serious cases that are deemed criminal, the police also perform a role. Three locations were chosen as case studies. East Devonport in Tasmania and Girrawheen in Western Australia are areas with a large public housing stock. In East Devonport ASB and illicit drug activities are seen as nascent problems while in Girrawheen these problems are viewed as more pervasive, but to date there has been only limited collaboration between the police and housing departments. Collingwood in Victoria includes a large system-built housing estate that has become a location for the buying and selling of drugs. In Collingwood, police and housing departments have, for many years, worked on a series of partnership projects to address the problem and to enhance community wellbeing. The empirical component of the project entailed two stages. The first stage initiated meetings between the police and housing departments in order for them to agree to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on partnership protocols. The second stage reported on existing and new activities undertaken by both departments over a twelve month period. The research methods entailed participant observation, secondary data collection and qualitative interviews with key personnel. The findings from the case studies are structured around three thematic areas: setting up partnerships, the benefits of partnerships, and the obstacles that can impact on partnership working. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2007. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 26: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_26.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 121312

Author: Nicholas, Roger Title: The Impact of Social Networks and Not-for-Profit Illicit Drug Dealing on Illicit Drug Markets in Australia Summary: This paper focuses on some of the dynamics at play in the lowest level of illicit drug retailing in Australia. It is not the purpose of this paper to fully document the functioning of these illicit drug markets. Rather, the aim is to point out some changes that appear to have occurred in the markets in recent years and to highlight some potential gaps in the knowledge base of the law enforcement sector concerning the functioning of these markets. The trafficking and retail sale of illicit drugs is, by definition, an illegal activity. The structure of illicit drug markets is often conceptualised as pyramidal, with a relatively small number of importers or producers of drugs at the top who sell their drugs to intermediaries, who on-sell them in ever decreasing quantities (perhaps involving some cutting of the drugs) until ultimately the drugs are sold at the retail level to consumers. The extent to which the supply pyramids are taller or flatter, and have longer or shorter supply chains, probably varies between different drugs and depends upon the modus operandi of the individuals and organisations involved in this trade. Some drugs such as cocaine, for example, appear to have very short, flat supply chains. Given that the supply of illicit drugs is illegal and can attract severe sanctions, it is reasonable to assume that, for the trade to occur,, there needs to be some combination of three factors present. The first of these is some form of motivation which, in the view of the offender, outweighs the severity of the sanctions which are likely to be imposed in the event of being apprehended for this offence. The second condition is a perception that the likelihood of being apprehended is such that the risk of involvement in the activities is considered reasonable. The third is a perception that the trafficking behaviour has become normalised and is not seen as criminal activity at all, or at least not an action with serious consequences. The most obvious motivation for trafficking and selling drugs is financial gain. This is clearly an important motivation for a large proportion of the (particularly upper level) supply chain. The major focus of this paper is the extent to which this profit motivation applies equally to all levels of the retail drug markets and to all drugs. Specifically, what is at issue are the motivations and dynamics that sit behind the transactions that occur at the lowest or retail level of the supply chain of illicit drugs in Australia. Without a good understanding of the motivations and modus operandi of all levels of the supply chain, it is very difficult for the law enforcement sector to effectively target its efforts. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2008. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed April 12, 2011 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/The%20impact%20of%20social%20networks.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 121316

Author: Burgoyne, Leigh Alexander Title: The Bioprofiling of Illicit Drugs Summary: It has been found that DNA sequences can be extracted and amplified from typical drug seizures. Non-human DNA in seizures was readily compared for similarities, pair-wise, seizure to seizure and this should be applicable to police intelligence almost immediately and court usage after considerable experience and validation. The technology’s limits are explored and future developments are suggested. Drug seizures usually have less DNA than soils but seizures have a potentially useful human content. Even in the relatively small quantities of drug subjected to testing, the human DNA content was sufficient for conventional forensic “trace DNA” techniques to be quite promising. It is suggested that this human content should be treated as a special case of trace DNA. The limited data currently available suggest that in principle the human profiling described in this paper could be conducted by any forensic laboratory around Australia and across most of the world using familiar equipment and techniques. The profiles generated would be compatible with DNA databases such as National Criminal Investigation DNA Database (NCIDD). An application has been made to NDLERF to validate this approach. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2008. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Monography Series No. 30: Accessed April 12, 2011 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_30.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Investigations Shelf Number: 121317

Author: Victoria. Auditor-General Title: Management of Prison Accommodation Using Public Private Partnerships Summary: Since 1996, the private sector has become increasingly involved in owning, operating and managing prisons through public private partnerships (PPP). A PPP is a long-term partnership between the public and private sectors to deliver a major capital asset and/or services. The Department of Justice (DOJ) manages several PPP contracts. When the Port Phillip Prison and Fulham Correctional Centre opened in 1997 the Infrastructure Investment Policy for Victoria (1994) applied. The Metropolitan Remand Centre and Marngoneet Correctional Centre contracts were signed in 2003 under a new policy adopted in 2001 called the Partnerships Victoria Framework. The new Ararat Prison contract was signed in 2010 under a later iteration of this framework, one that complies with the Infrastructure Australia National Guidelines (2008). As two of these PPP prison contracts date back more than 10 years, it is timely to review the operational phase of such long-term contracts. This audit evaluated whether the state is managing PPP prison accommodation services well, whether the services are meeting appropriate standards and whether value-for-money and appropriate risk allocation has been maintained. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2010. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2011 at: http://download.audit.vic.gov.au/files/20101509_Prisons_full_report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration (Australia) Shelf Number: 121329

Author: Indig, Devon Title: 2009 NSW Young People in Custody Health Survey: Full Report Summary: In 2003, the NSW Department of Juvenile Justice (now Department of Human Services - Juvenile Justice, but referred to in this report as Juvenile Justice), with research and clinical support provided by Justice Health (previously known as Corrections Health Service), conducted the first Young People in Custody Health Survey (YPICHS) among 242 young people. The survey highlighted the social disadvantage, poorer physical and mental health and high prevalence of risk behaviours such as alcohol and drug abuse among participants. The findings from the survey were utilised by Juvenile Justice and Justice Health (who became responsible for the health of young people in custody in February 2003) to guide policy and program development, including providing important evidence to support applications for additional funding. Juvenile Justice and Justice Health worked together to repeat the YPICHS survey in 2009. The primary aim of the 2009 YPICHS was to gain a picture of the health status of young people in juvenile detention across NSW, including monitoring trends in health status and risk factors between 2003 and 2009. The 2009 YPICHS included the following components: • Baseline Survey including a health questionnaire, physical health examination (including blood and urine tests), dental examination, offending behaviour and psychological assessment • Follow-up Surveys at 3, 6 and 12 months • Data linkage over five years for key health and offending data collections This report presents main findings for the baseline survey only, with results presented by gender and Aboriginality. Where possible, comparisons are made with indicators collected in 2003. Future reports will include the findings from the followup surveys and the data linkage study. Details: Sydney: Justice Health and Juvenile Justice, 2011. 224p. Source: Internet Resoruce: Accessed April 16, 2011 at: http://www.justicehealth.nsw.gov.au/publications/YPICHS_full.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Health Care Shelf Number: 121371

Author: Djurichkovic, Alexandra Title: Art in Prisons: A Literature Review of the Philosophies and Impacts of Visual Arts Programs for Correctional Populations Summary: This review was commissioned by Arts Access Australia to examine evidence for the value of visual arts programs in Australian prisons and their impact on adult inmates. It considers current philosophies behind art programs, how they are implemented and how ‘success’ is measured, and includes an annotated bibliography of relevant literature. Details: Sydney: Arts Access Australia, University of Technology Sydney, 2011. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2011 at: http://utsescholarship.lib.uts.edu.au/iresearch/scholarly-works/bitstream/handle/2100/1212/ArtinPrisons_Djurichkovic.pdf?sequence=3 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 121377

Author: Victoria (Australia). Office of Police Integrity Title: Talking Together – Relations between Police and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Victoria: A Review of the Victoria Police Aboriginal Strategic Plan 2003-2008 Summary: The broad formal acknowledgment of the unique place occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in contemporary Australia is a relatively recent phenomenon. But the special attention given to the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia’s criminal justice system has been much more long-standing. Since the 1991 Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, Victoria, along with most other Australian jurisdictions, has undertaken a range of strategies aimed at reducing the disproportionate numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people incarcerated in prisons. Because police have significant discretionary powers and play an important role as the point of entry to the criminal justice system, many of these strategies have specifically targeted police practices. But police are only a component of a much broader continuum that influences justice outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Although alcohol abuse and violence were not features of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, they are now predominant themes associated with Koori offending. The underlying factors associated with alcohol abuse and violence in Koori communities are complex. Clearly, the most effective strategies to improve justice outcomes for Koori people are those that achieve a reduction in alcohol abuse and violence. While police may have some role in effective prevention strategies, leadership for developing and implementing strategies for reducing Koori family violence must come from Koori communities themselves and be supported by a whole-of-government approach. Achieving sustained systemic change is a long term goal. It is probable police will continue to have a disproportionally substantial role in the lives of many Kooris for some time. In 2003, one in three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians, many of whom were children, were reported to be the victim, a relative of a victim or a witness to an act of violence. The great majority of these acts of violence were likely to have resulted in a police call-out. But by the time police respond, there may be little they can do, other than use their powers of arrest to extricate an offender and provide for the safety of others. Similarly, police often have few options when responding to concerns about a Koori who is alcohol-affected, other than to take the person into custody for his or her own safety or the safety of others. Although in many cases police may have limited options, how they go about performing their duties is important. Unlike their non-Koori counterparts, many Koori children will have had contact with police from an early age. How police first interact with Koori children can have a strong and lasting impact on how Koori children and young people relate to police as they mature into adulthood. Similarly, the interaction between police and Koori community Elders can influence the outcome of potentially volatile situations. Understanding cultural issues and building relationships based on mutual respect can be the difference between diffusing a situation or escalating it. It is within this context that in 2003 Victoria Police developed a strategic plan for policing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The focus of this Review was to establish how the 2003 Strategic Plan and other Department of Justice initiatives aimed at improving justice outcomes for Kooris have affected local communities. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2011. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2011 at: http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/index.php?i=19 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime and Disorder Shelf Number: 121401

Author: Australia. Family Law Council. Title: Improving Responses to Family Violence in the Family Law System: An Advice on the Intersection of Family Violence and Family Law Issues Summary: This report to the Federal Attorney-General focuses on family violence if and when it becomes visible in the Family Law system in Australia. This visible pattern is only the tip of the iceberg of family violence, alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness which is apparently entrenched in Australia. The Family Law Council report is only one of the multiple studies in progress at present on the causes, effects and responses to family violence in Australia. The report recommends: The definition of “family violence” in the Family Law Act be widened to include a range of threatening behaviour. That the Attorney General establish an expert panel under the direction of the Australian Institute of Family Studies to create an easy-to-understand “common knowledge base” on the known patterns and effects of family violence. This easily accessible information will assist to provide common and up-to-date information to all those involved in the family relationship and legal systems, including parents, relatives, counsellors, mediators, FRCS, legal aid officers, lawyers and courts. The Law Council of Australia and the Family Law Council co-operate to revise the booklet “Best Practice Guidelines for Lawyers Doing Family Law Work” to incorporate detailed information on family violence. A number of reforms take place to improve co-ordination and collaboration between the state and territory child protection agencies, and the federal Family Law Act, including: the transportability of state family violence injunctive orders; the establishment of a national register of family and violence orders ; and the establishment of a network data base which records family violence orders, and a residual family court power to require state Child Protection Agencies to become parties to Family Law Court proceedings about children. A further report be prepared on whether FDRP should be required to provide a report to the Family Law Courts or other bodies in some or all structure where family violence is admitted or suspected. The forms notifying the Family Law Courts about family violence be simplified. Consideration be given on how to educate the Australian public about certain widespread misunderstandings of the Family Law Act including: o Recurrent gossip that notification of family violence may lead to a judicial perception that the notifier is an “unfriendly parent” o Widespread perception that each parent now has a “starting right” to equal time (50/50) with children o Common belief that a parent will receive both substantial time with a child, and equal shared parental responsibility, (similar to historic (“guardianship”), despite a history of poor communication and hostility between parents; and despite the long term health and emotional consequences for children as casualties on such parental battlefields. These recommendations of the Family Law Council will need to be amalgamated with the various reports on family violence emerging in the next year. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Family Law Council, 2009. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2011 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(3273BD3F76A7A5DEDAE36942A54D7D90)~Family_Violence_Report.pdf/$file/Family_Violence_Report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 121451

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Juvenile Justice in Australia 2008-09 Summary: In Australia, around 7,200 young people were under juvenile justice supervision on any given day in 2008-09. Most (90%) were under community-based supervision, with the remainder in detention. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people continue to be over-represented, particularly in detention. This report presents information on the young people under community-based supervision and in detention and the type and length of their supervision. For the first time, detailed information on all community-based orders supervised by juvenile justice agencies is presented, as well as new analyses on the remoteness and socioeconomic status of young people's usual residence. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2011. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series, Number 7: Accessed April 20, 2011 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737418606&libID=10737418605&tab=2 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Shelf Number: 121455

Author: Gorta, Angela Title: Operation Abelia: Research and Investigations into Illegal Drug Use by Some NSW Police Officers. Volume 1: Summary Report Summary: Illegal drug use by police officers is a concern in many jurisdictions. Project Abelia combined research and investigations to develop a better understanding of the nature of the problem of illegal drug use by some NSW police officers and what can be done to minimise such illegal drug use. Volume 1 is a Summary Report which provides an outline of how Operation Abelia was undertaken and describes a selection of findings and observations made. It also provides an overview of the nine-part strategy developed from the Commission’s 64 recommendations for strengthening the NSW Police Force’s approach to minimising illegal drug use by its officers. Details: Sydney: NSW Polite Integrity Commission, 2005. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2011 at: http://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/files/reports/Abelia_Volume_1_%20Summary.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 121394

Author: Grace, Jocelyn. Title: Review of Indigenous Offender Health Summary: This review provides an overview of health issues facing the Indigenous offender population, including some of the social and historical factors relevant to Indigenous health and incarceration. In doing so, it is important to first understand how Indigenous people conceptualise health. Health as it is understood in western society is a fairly discrete category, which differs from the traditional Indigenous perspective of health as holistic. This is made explicit in the 1989 National Aboriginal health strategy that states ‘health to Aboriginal peoples is a matter of determining all aspects of their life, including control over their physical environment, of dignity, of community self-esteem, and of justice’. For this reason, considering health in a justice context is of particular relevance to Indigenous people, as the restrictions imposed upon offenders represent a threat to individual and community health. Some of the sources referred to in this review originally used only the term Aboriginal, even though it is evident that in many, if not most, cases the reporting did not differentiate between Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander people. Population figures reveal that substantial numbers of Torres Strait Islanders or people of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent live in all jurisdictions, except the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Therefore, the term Indigenous has been used throughout this review to refer to both the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander populations. This review is largely structured under key topic headings, such as chronic disease or the social determinants of health. Much of the general information about offenders refers to both men and women, and, in some instances, to some juveniles, but specific sections are also devoted to women and juveniles. Details: Mount Lawley, WA: Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, 2011. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2011 at: http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/uploads/docs/offender_health_review_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 121461

Author: Australian Crime Commission Title: Organised Crime in Australia 2011 Summary: The Organised Crime in Australia 2011 report is the third and largest report of its kind that the Australian Crime Commission has produced since 2008. The latest edition provides the most comprehensive unclassified profile of organised crime in Australia, including the characteristics of those involved, what drives them, the activities they are involved in and the extent and impact of organised crime. Most organised criminal activities in Australia are focused on illicit drug markets, although organised crime groups also engage in a wide variety of associated criminal activity including tax evasion, money laundering, fraud, identity crime and high tech crime. The impact of organised crime in Australia is serious and far exceeds the direct harm caused by the specific offences. In fact, the activities of high-threat serious and organised criminal enterprises result in significant harm to the Australian community. There are significant losses to the economy, including the redirection of resources that might otherwise be invested in legitimate business, reductions in tax revenue and increasing costs of law enforcement and regulation. The widespread impact extends to costs associated with longer-term health and social harm. The activities of organised criminal enterprises can also undermine public confidence in the integrity of key business sectors and government institutions. Details: Canberra: Australian Crime Commission, 2011. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2011 at: http://www.crimecommission.gov.au/publications/oca/_files/2011/oca2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Markets Shelf Number: 121465

Author: Victorian (Australia) Auditor General Title: Problem-Solving Approaches to Justice Summary: This audit examined whether the Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC) at Collingwood and the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP) at the Magistrates' Court's Melbourne, Sunshine and Latrobe Valley sites are reducing reoffending of participants and achieving client and community outcomes. The audit also assessed whether the two programs were based on sound evidence and whether the Department of Justice (the department) and the Magistrates' Court (the court) have effectively managed the programs. While CISP demonstrably reduced reoffending for offenders selected for an evaluation, definitive conclusions cannot yet be made for NJC. This is primarily because the NJC's evauation could only rely on the small number of offenders who had completed the program. The department's public reporting of both programs has not fairly represented the findings from the evaluations. Data collection and analysis also need to be addressed to improve the ability of future program evaluation in this area. While the department developed both programs based on solid evidence and research, its funding submissions could have been clearer about the programs' objectives and performance indicators. The department successfully managed NJC’s implementation overall. In the early implementation of CISP, the performance of the department and the court was mixed. Problems, such as the lack of consultation with the court and inadequate governance arrangements, delayed the CISP's launch. Since the initial difficulties, the court has managed CISP effectively. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2011. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2011 at: http://download.audit.vic.gov.au/files/20110406-Justice.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 121468

Author: Success Works Ptd. Ltd. Title: Sexual Assault Reform Strategy: Final Evaluation Report Summary: The evaluation of the Sexual Assault Reform Strategy (SARS) commenced in August 2008. This report details the findings from the summative evaluation over the entire evaluation period. The Sexual Assault Reform Strategy is made up of a complex web of strategies and processes designed to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system and therefore the experience of sexual assault victim survivors who report a sexual assault to the police. The unwritten assumption is that an improved experience for victim survivors will result in an increased reporting rate of sexual assault which is, as the Victorian Law Reform Commission noted in 2004, the most underreported personal crime in our society. A further unwritten assumption is that an improved reporting rate would represent a more just, equitable and safe society. Based on all of the evidence considered for this evaluation, it is clear that the Sexual Assault Reform Strategy has started to make a real difference for many victim survivors of sexual assault and that the investment in the sexual assault reform is cost effective. However, it is also clear that more still needs to be done to ensure that access to the criminal justice system is equitable for all and that those who manage the process are able to maintain their level of specialisation. This is a journey begun, not a journey ended and now is not the time to ‘take the foot off the accelerator’. The recommendations in this evaluation have been developed to guide the future direction of the strategy. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Justice, 2011. 249p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2011 at: http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/justlib/DOJ+Internet/resources/3/d/3df3cc00468072d18d509d4d58beb1dd/SexualAssaultReformStrategyFinalEvaluationReportJanuary2011.PDF Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 121476

Author: Moffatt, Steve Title: Trends in Assaults After Midnight Summary: The crackdown on violent pubs and clubs instigated after March 2008 has resulted in a large reduction in the number of assaults, not just on licensed premises but on other premises types as well, according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. The Bureau examined trends in assaults occurring between midnight and 5:00 a.m. between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2010. Assaults on all premises types were examined. The Bureau found that in the period between January 2004 and March 2008, assaults on all premises types were increasing by an average of 4.8 extra recorded assaults each month. Since March 2008, this underlying upward trend was reversed by an average decline of 10.4 assaults each month. The downward trend is significant in all premises types other than non-licensed business/ commercial premises. Assaults on licensed premises have been falling at the rate of 2.4 per month since March 2008. An underlying upward trend of 2.4 assaults per month was reversed in outdoor/public places by an average decline of 4.8 assaults per month since March 2008. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief; Issues Paper No. 59: Accessed April 26, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb59.pdf/$file/bb59.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 121500

Author: Newitt, Esther: Tasmania Law Reform Institute Title: Racial Vilification and Racially Motivated Offences Summary: In 2009 and 2010 there was an apparent increase in the number of racially motivated attacks on immigrants and international students in Australia. Whether these incidents were in fact racially motivated or merely opportunistic attacks on those who were vulnerable by reason of shift/late night work and dependence on public transport is a matter of continuing debate. What is clear, however, is that these attacks raised considerable safety concerns among minority groups in Australia and damaged Australia’s reputation as a tolerant multi-cultural society and a safe destination for international students and immigrants from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Against this background, the death of an Asian student studying at the University of Tasmania prompted the Vice-Chancellor of the University to ask the Tasmania Law Reform Institute to undertake a project examining the capacity of Tasmanian laws to address racial vilification and racially motivated offences. In particular, the Vice-Chancellor asked whether there was a need to make changes to the criminal law, such as the enactment of criminal racial vilification offences. At about the same time, the Tasmanian Greens Party wrote to the Attorney-General of Tasmania requesting that the Institute be provided with a reference in relation to extending Tasmania’s antidiscrimination laws to ensure that racial vilification constitutes a criminal offence. The Board of the Institute accepted the Vice-Chancellor’s reference in August 2009. Racial vilification is a broad term that involves more than simply judging others as inferior because of their perceived race or ethnicity, or discriminating against them on such grounds. The term ‘racial vilification’ is generally used to refer to offensive and abusive comments or acts which either express, demonstrate or incite hatred and contempt for individuals on the grounds of their race or ethnicity. Other terms, such as ‘racial hatred’, ‘hate propaganda’ and ‘hate speech’ may be used to describe such behaviour. In this Report, ‘racial vilification’ is intended to cover all possible acts that may fall under any of these terms. This Report reviews the current Tasmanian laws that are relevant to the issues of racial vilification and racially motivated offences, describes the applicable Commonwealth laws and includes a consideration of International Conventions and Declarations and their application to Australian domestic law. The Report also includes a brief survey of the legal changes in other jurisdictions that have been introduced to address the problem of racial vilification and racially motivated offences. The need for reform is then considered and finally the Report recommends which reform options are seen as the most effective and appropriate for Tasmania. In making these recommendations, the Institute has given detailed consideration to all responses to the Issues Paper it received. One of the major issues raised in the Issues Paper was whether Tasmania should make racial vilification a criminal offence, and if so, whether it should introduce new provisions in the existing Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas), the Police Offences Act 1935 or the Criminal Code. In considering this issue, a number of key questions were asked. These questions formed the basis of the majority of responses received by the Institute. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmania Law Reform Institute, 2011. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Final Report No. 14: Accessed April 28, 2011 at: http://www.law.utas.edu.au/reform/documents/RV_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Bias Crimes Shelf Number: 121569

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Evaluating Taser Reforms: A Review of Queensland Police Service Policy and Practice Summary: Tasers were first introduced by the Queensland Police Service (QPS) in 2002, when they were allocated to the service’s Special Emergency Response Team. Following a trial in 2007–08, the QPS expanded their use into the general policing environment. In June 2009, a 39-year-old man in Brandon, north Queensland, died after being tasered by police. In response, the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services, the Hon. Neil Roberts MP, initiated a joint QPS–Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) review to ensure that QPS policy, procedures, training and monitoring processes reflected best practice. The review made 27 recommendations intended to improve policy, training and monitoring practices. It was agreed that the recommendations would be treated as interim recommendations for 12 months, subject to continuous monitoring by the QPS and the CMC. Significant policy changes represented in these recommendations included: restricting the use of Tasers to situations where there is a risk of serious injury to a person • prohibiting officers, unless in exceptional circumstances, from deploying Tasers for multiple or prolonged cycles, and against people who are handcuffed or are of particularly small body mass • emphasising the possible link identified in the literature between Taser deployments and death, particularly where multiple and/or prolonged discharges are involved or where the person has underlying health problems, is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or has already been exposed to oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray. These policy changes were also reflected in new training initiatives. In April 2010, the then Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations, the Hon. Cameron Dick MP, asked the CMC to undertake this independent evaluation. To address our terms of reference, we sought to determine: • whether each of the 27 recommendations from the QPS–CMC review has been implemented • what effects the revised policy and training have had on Taser use • how QPS officers used Tasers in the 10 months after the introduction of the revised policy, particularly in relation to risk factors identified in the literature • whether there are any emerging trends in use, including ‘mission creep’ (the tendency for police to, over time, use Tasers in situations for which they were not intended) • what monitoring and continuous improvement processes are in place in the QPS with respect to Tasers • what recent advances have been made in international best practice, and whether there are any gaps in QPS policy and practices. As the first formal review of QPS Taser use since the introduction of the revised policy and training, the CMC regarded this evaluation as a starting point that would provide baseline data for further monitoring and review. Since the QPS would necessarily be the primary source of data in the first instance, we relied mostly on information from a range of QPS sources, including a formal submission, policies, procedures and training materials, consultations with officers, and QPS Taser usage data. We will consult more widely in future reviews of Taser use in the QPS. Possible limitations of the data used in this evaluation include the potential for inaccuracies and incompleteness in the Taser usage data. The recommendations resulting from the evaluation cover a range of areas including: improving aftercare for people subjected to Taser deployment; decreasing Taser use against Indigenous people and individuals from at-risk groups; and enhancing decision making by QPS review panels ensuring QPS policy, training and procedures fully reflect best practice. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2011. 186p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 29, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/51149001303357290759.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Nonlethal Weapons Shelf Number: 121576

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Alcohol and Assault on Friday and Saturday Nights: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: The Australian Institute of Criminology’s DUMA program presents a unique opportunity to examine the prevalence and nature of alcohol consumption by a sample of offenders detained by the police during times consistent with those targeted through Operation Unite. The findings provide valuable insight into the alcohol consumption patterns of assault offenders, illustrating not only that the majority of assault offenders had been drinking prior to their arrest, but that the quantities of alcohol they had consumed were likely to result in high levels of intoxication. Key findings: The AIC interviewed 170 assault offenders detained on Friday and Saturday nights as part of the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Analysis of questions about alcohol use provides valuable information to support a range of alcohol harm reduction strategies, including Operation Unite; Those charged with assault on Friday and Saturday nights were more likely than those charged at other times to have consumed alcohol in the past 48 hours and attribute alcohol as a factor in their offending; Detainees who had consumed alcohol in the past 48 hours and been charged with assault on a Friday and Saturday night were nearly twice as likely as those charged at other times to have been mixing drinks on the last occasion they drank. This was particularly the case for young males aged 18 to 25 years (48%); Assault offenders consumed substantial amounts of alcohol in the lead up to their arrest. The median number of standard drinks consumed by assault offenders was 14, although this was higher for young males who had been mixing drinks on the last occasion they drank (22 standard drinks); and Of those who had been drinking, half of all assault offenders consumed their last drink at a residential location. Thirty percent had been drinking at licensed premises. Younger males aged 18–25 years were more likely to have been drinking at a licensed premise. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: DUMA Quarterly Report: Research in Practice No. 14: Accessed May 4, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/D/F/%7B6DFDDF7C-7948-4786-AB77-3CA21CF0443B%7Drip14.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 121611

Author: Snowball, Lucy Title: Police Bail and Risk of Re-Offending Summary: This study sought to determine whether the police are remanding offenders with a low risk of re-offending. First a model of juvenile re-offending was developed based on offender characteristics available to the police at the time of the bail decision. This model was then used to predict the probability of re-offending for a sample of 23,667 juveniles, 29.1 per cent of whom had been remand by the police. The others had either been released on bail or unconditionally released. The probabilities were grouped into deciles and compared for the police remand and the non police remand groups. After determining the risk of reoffending for the sample of juvenile defendants, it was clear that on average those held on police remand had a high risk of re-offending. However the police are granting bail to a number of high risk offenders. The study found that there is no evidence that the police are remanding juveniles who are at a low risk of re-offending. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 57: Accessed May 5, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb57.pdf/$file/bb57.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 121619

Author: Holmes, Jessie Title: Re-offending in NSW Summary: Aim: To provide an overview of adult and juvenile re-offending over the longer term in NSW. Method: Descriptive analysis of data from the NSW Re-offending Database (ROD). Results and conclusion: Most offenders convicted in the NSW criminal courts were reconvicted of a further offence within 15 years of their index offence, and this was especially so for juveniles. Those reconvicted tended to be reconvicted for a variety of offences. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 56: Accessed May 5, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb56.pdf/$file/bb56.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (Australia) Shelf Number: 121620

Author: Lind, Bronwyn Title: Screening Cautioned Young People for Further Assessment and Intervention Summary: This study aimed to assess whether it is possible to screen juvenile offenders for recidivism risk from information readily available at the time of cautioning a young offender. Data on all 8,537 juveniles cautioned by police or courts in 2006 were analysed using logistic regression. The dependent variable in the logistic regression model was a binary variable measuring reoffending. The potential predictors included number of previous cautions, conferences or court appearances, jurisdiction issuing the caution (court vs. police), Indigenous status, gender, age at index caution, offence type, offence seriousness, prior violence, remoteness (ARIA) and social and economic disadvantage. The final model included prior contacts, jurisdiction issuing the index caution, Indigenous status and gender as predictors. The c-statistic (area under the ROC curve) when comparing predicted with observed values was 0.767, 95% confidence interval (0.757, 0.777). The model fit was confirmed by comparing predicted values from half the dataset with observed values from the other half. The study concluded that it is possible to screen juveniles for future risk of reoffending from data readily available at the time they are cautioned. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 149: Accessed May 5, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb149.pdf/$file/cjb149.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (Australia) Shelf Number: 121645

Author: Joudo Larsen, Jacqueline Title: The Trafficking of Children in the Asia–Pacific Summary: Children are vulnerable to many forms of abuse and exploitation and have long been victims of trafficking for the purpose of both sexual and labour exploitation. There has been some analysis of trafficking of children in Asia, where trafficking persists despite significant prevention efforts, however, comparatively little is known about trafficking in the Pacific. Given that over one-third of the population in the Pacific region is under 15 years of age, anecdotal reports of circumstances which may amount to trafficking raise concerns for the large youth population in the Pacific Islands. Further, although there have been no prosecutions for child trafficking in Australia, the risk experienced by children within the Asia–Pacific region is relevant to responses in Australia and in supporting the development of improved inter-country responses across the region. This paper examines current definitions of child trafficking, the forms that it is known to take in Asia and the Pacific, the factors which increase vulnerability to trafficking and the mechanisms for the protection of children from this crime. It is clear that greater conceptual clarity in the definition of child trafficking, together with more detailed investigation of trafficking areas that are less well-known (such as the trafficking of boys for sexual exploitation and the vulnerability of refugee and migrant children) will assist in improving the evidence base for child trafficking and inform the development of more effective responses to these crimes in the Asia–Pacific region. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Jsutice, No. 415: Accessed May 5, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/0/1/B/%7B01B01E30-2D3F-44EC-A3F6-713A85400134%7Dtandi415.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Prostitution Shelf Number: 121646

Author: Dwyer, Robyn Title: People who Drink in Public Space in the Footscray CBD Summary: Public drinking produces significant harms to the drinker and can negatively affect public amenity. In response to concern about public drinking in the Footscray Central Business District, in 2003 Maribyrnong City Council enacted a Local law creating an alcohol exclusion zone around the Footscray CBD. Information from drinkers was collected by DASWest in March 2004 about the zone’s likely effects and impact on public drinkers. The aim of the current research was to update the information collected in 2004. To this end information from identified public drinkers in the Footscray CBD was collected within the following domains: · Age, gender, employment and related demographics; · people’s lives - how they live, work, play and interact with one another on a day-today basis and culture; · their community (its cohesion, stability, character, services and facilities); · reasons for using public space; · the extent of the problem of being affected by alcohol and/or other drugs in public places; · links between public drinking / drug use and violence in the Footscray Business Centre and its immediate surrounds, and · ways of better supporting and engaging with individuals engaged in substance misuse and demonstrating problematic behaviour in public places. We observed public drinking in and around the Footscray CBD during the course of the research. While some of this drinking occurred within the exclusion zone, it was generally done discreetly. During the observation phase of the research we identified (and subsequently recruited) drinkers from three main social sets - drinkers who: · drank in Nicholson Street between Paisley and Irving Streets; · primarily drank in Railway Reserve; and · primarily used heroin but also consumed alcohol as they moved around the Footscray CBD. Across the three groups the majority of the sample was male, born in Australia, and self-identified as having Australian ethnicity. Most came from Footscray or its immediate surrounds and had been coming to Footscray for some years. Most of the sample reported coming to Footscray on a daily or near-daily basis. Some of the reasons given by the sample for visiting Footscray included: · social interaction to alleviate boredom and prevent loneliness; · the use of local social services (e.g. Centrelink) and businesses (e.g. cafes); · the use of local health services; · obtaining medications and management of chronic conditions; and · the purchase, or brokering of the purchase, of illicit drugs. The prominence of alcohol and drinking varied across the three social sets interviewed. While alcohol was central to the drinkers from Railway Reserve, with harmful drinking patterns reported, alcohol was an adjunct to the main activities of the other two groups. Similarly, while all groups experienced alcohol-caused harms, these were most frequently reported by the drinkers around Railway Reserve. Reported alcohol-caused violence was typically intragroup - generally oriented towards other members of each drinking group. In spite of reports of sporadic violence, the groups served significant social functions with reports of important shared experiences, trust and reciprocity evident amongst the primary drinkers. Nevertheless, these social connections were confined largely to the public sphere, with structural and personal reasons precluding invitations to one another’s homes or residences. Other public drinking settings such as hotels were generally avoided for a variety of reasons including cost, poor treatment by bar staff as well as the effect of the new smoking bans and preferences for outdoor settings. Most participants were aware of the alcohol exclusion zone, with around two-thirds reporting interactions with police about drinking in the exclusion zone - slightly less than the proportion found in previous research. Reported enforcement responses ranged from moving people on through to the issuing of fines. The effects of these fines, which may accumulate to significant amounts of money over time, on the lives of already - poor and marginalised people need to be considered in relation to the enforcement of the alcohol exclusion zone. The need for additional health and social services, or marketing of available services to the locations in which their drinking took place, was expressed by the drinkers around Railway Reserve. Further, both the observational component of the research and reports from drinkers suggested that the amenity in Railway Reserve could easily be improved through the: 1. installation of public toilets; 2. installation of public drinking fountains; and 3. maintenance of garbage disposal facilities. In general, the findings of this research are consistent with reports of local crime statistics in the year prior to the conduct of the research, which suggested falling rates of crime in Maribyrnong overall. Importantly, no incidents of violence or aggressive behaviours were seen or noted during the conduct of the research. Nevertheless, as indicated above, we have identified several ways of improving the response to public drinking in Maribyrnong. Details: Melbourne: Burnet Institute, Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health Research, 2007. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2011 at: http://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/Files/BurnetInstituteReport-DrinkinginPublicSpaces.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 121652

Author: Goodwin, Vanessa Title: Crime Families: Gender and the Intergenerational Transfer of Criminal Tendencies Summary: While it has been established that there is an intergenerational transmission of criminal behaviour (ie crime can run through generations in families), the role of gender in the intergenerational transfer of criminality has not been fully explored. The impact of a father’s criminality on the subsequent offending of his sons and grandsons has been established, but the impact of a father’s criminality on the offending of his daughter and the impact of a mother’s criminal history on the offending of her sons and/or daughters is less clear. This Tasmanian study of six known criminal families identifies clear differences in the intergenerational transfer of criminality from mothers to their sons and daughters. The influence of paternal (a father’s) criminality on children of both genders is strong, but is particularly strong for male children. The more severe the criminal offending history, the greater likelihood of intergenerational transmission. To prevent the cycle of crime, policymakers should focus their attention on reducing environmental risk through intervention programs targeting children known to be at increased risk of involvement in crime due to the criminality of their parents. Such interventions should incorporate attempts to address the children’s perceptions of themselves as ‘criminals’ in order to reduce the risk of ‘self fulfilling prophecy’. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 414: Accessed May 9, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/7/A/%7BF7A6308F-5486-4A53-9331-80371A373179%7Dtandi414.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Careers Shelf Number: 121658

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Trends in Juvenile Detention in Australia Summary: An overview of key trends in juvenile detention in Australia since 1981 is provided in this paper, based on data contained in the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Juveniles in Detention in Australia Monitoring Program database. In addition, two key trends in juvenile detention in Australia are discussed. First, the substantial increase in the proportion of juvenile detainees that is remanded, rather than sentenced, is identified as a concerning trend. A number of potential drivers for the increased use of remand are outlined in this paper. It is argued that the apparent increase in the use of remand should be a key focus of future juvenile justice research. Second, the over-representation of Indigenous juveniles continues to be an important issue to be addressed. Although rates of Indigenous over-representation have increased steadily, this appears to be due to decreases in rates of non-Indigenous juveniles in detention rather than increases in rates of Indigenous juveniles in detention. It is argued that rather than attempting to determine how juvenile justice policies have failed to keep Indigenous juveniles out of detention, consideration might be given to what has worked in reducing rates of non-Indigenous juveniles in detention. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 416: Accessed May 16, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/401-420/tandi416.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 121721

Author: Burgess, Melissa Title: Understanding Crime Hotspot Maps Summary: The distribution of crime across a region is not random. A number of factors influence where crime occurs, including the physical and social characteristics of the place and the people using the place. Crime mapping can show us where the high crime areas are and help to provide an understanding of the factors that affect the distribution and frequency of crime. This knowledge can help improve crime prevention policies and programs. For example, it can help us to anticipate at-risk places, times and people; direct law enforcement resources; allocate victim services; design the most suitable crime prevention strategies; and so forth. This brief provides a description of how the Bureau’s Local Government Area crime hotspot maps are produced and how they should be interpreted. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper No. 60: Accessed May 16, 2011 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb60.pdf/$file/bb60.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Analysis Shelf Number: 121722

Author: Gorta, Angela Title: Project Manta: Report 2 -- Managing Command Misconduct Risks Summary: One of the Police Integrity Commission’s (the Commission’s) principal functions is to prevent police corruption and other forms of police misconduct. Unlike detecting and investigating misconduct, preventing police misconduct requires intervening before the misconduct occurs. Consistent with this, in 2007 the Commission commenced a project, codenamed Project Manta. In Project Manta, the Commission sought to draw an analogy between Occupational Health and Safety and the task of minimising corruption and other forms of serious police misconduct. Just as Occupational Health and Safety strategies seek to minimise employee accidents and maximise employee safety by identifying and managing workplace hazards and associated risks independent of the particular individuals who occupy the positions, Project Manta seeks to inform strategies to minimise police misconduct by examining how NSW Police Force commands identify, communicate and manage those aspects of policing which may pose integrity hazards or vulnerabilities for misconduct, independent of the particular individuals who occupy the positions. Such integrity hazards or command vulnerabilities and their associated risks (referred to as ‘misconduct risks’ in this report) may arise from the types of work police undertake, staffing profiles and other aspects of the policing environment which may increase the likelihood of some officers engaging in misconduct. This is the second of two reports arising from Project Manta. An earlier report, Project Manta Report 1: Identification and Communication of Command Misconduct Risks (Police Integrity Commission 2009), examined the nature of the misconduct risks faced by individual commands and the identification and communication of these misconduct risks. Amongst other things, this first report considered how differences in policing environments and types of work undertaken might affect the misconduct risks to which commands may be susceptible. It examined strategies that may assist commands identify their most important misconduct risks and communicate these risks to assist their officers to recognise these risks and respond appropriately. This second report concerns the ways that NSW Police Force commands manage or treat their corruption and other serious misconduct risks. In relation to treating corruption and other serious misconduct risks, Project Manta sought to contribute to the prevention of police misconduct by:  examining the misconduct risk treatment, monitoring and review processes in place in a sample of commands to identify strengths, as well as areas for improvement, in current processes  attempting to identify examples of good practice in misconduct risk management and misconduct prevention employed by individual commands that could be disseminated to other commands. Project Manta concentrates on activities at the command level because the NSW Police Force assigns responsibility for misconduct risk management to the commands. Details: Sydney: Police Integrity Commission, 2011. 178p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2011 at: http://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/files/reports/Manta%202%20Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption (Australia) Shelf Number: 121728

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: ‘Knife Crime’ in Australia: Incidence, Aetiology and Responses Summary: The issue of ‘knife crime’ is examined in this paper. A review of the recent Australian data indicates an increase in the use of knives for homicide offences, while their use decreased or remained steady in relation to robbery, sexual assault and kidnapping/abduction. The limited academic research on this issue reveals two discrete groups — young people who carry knives and generally ‘grow out of it’; and an older cohort who are evidenced in crime and hospitalisation data. There were also differences between the knife carriage and use patterns of ‘school’ and ‘street’ youth. A detailed analysis of recent and proposed legislative and policy responses to knife crime in each Australian jurisdiction is presented; this demonstrates a diversity of approaches, especially in relation to penalties. By way of international comparison, the responses in the United Kingdom are considered and the evidence on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at tackling knife crime reviewed. The limited information available on the nature, extent, cause, motivation and possible growth of knife carriage, highlights the need for improved data collection, along with the development of clearer evidence for what works to reduce knife carrying and knife offences. Accordingly, the paper concludes by calling for better data collection, program evaluation and education campaigns. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 45: Accessed May 20, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/3/F/2/%7B3F2788C1-BCCC-49F0-A73F-F71620ABF7A3%7Dtbp045.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Knives and Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 121772

Author: Heseltine, Karen Title: Prison-based Correctional Offender Rehabilitation Programs: The 2009 National Picture in Australia Summary: In recent years, correctional administrators both in Australia and overseas have invested significant resources in the development and delivery of offender rehabilitation programs. These initiatives have occurred in the context of an impressive evidence base, attesting to the notion that such efforts are likely to have a greater impact on recidivism than incarceration alone and perhaps now, more than any time in the last 30 years, there is widespread optimism that such initiatives will help to reduce reoffending and improve community safety. This report provides an updated account of the nature and scope of custodial-based offender rehabilitation programs in Australia. It does this in three ways — first, it describes those programs that are offered to adult offenders in public prisons throughout Australia and highlights changes that have occurred in practice since the first audit of programs was completed in 2004. Second, it identifies areas of programmatic strength in relation to internationally accepted good practice criteria. Third, it describes some of the future developments that are likely to occur in the next few years and discusses some of the possible impediments to developing programs further that may exist. The final report comprises two sections. It begins with a description of the legislative guidance and/or mandate that underpins the delivery of rehabilitation programs in each jurisdiction. This is followed by a description of the custodial-based offender rehabilitation programs that are currently offered in Australia and how these have changed over time. It concludes with a general discussion of the challenges that face service providers in the next few years. The second section provides a more detailed description of programs, reported by jurisdiction. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/5/6/4/%7B564B2ECA-4433-4E9B-B4BA-29BD59071E81%7Drpp112.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs (Australia) Shelf Number: 121773

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: The Ethical Perceptions and Attitudes of Queensland Police Service Recruits and First Year Constables 1995–2008 Summary: Since 1995, the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC)/Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) has been administering police ethics surveys to recruits and first year constables (FYCs) in the Queensland Police Service (QPS). In this time, we have surveyed 1150 recruits and 1463 FYCs at the Oxley and Townsville campuses of the QPS Academy. Our research aims to gauge respondents’ attitudes to and perceptions of a range of issues related to police ethics and misconduct, and to track any changes over time. The ethics survey attempts to overcome some of the limitations of studying police misconduct and corruption by focusing on key issues related to the integrity of the police service as a whole, rather than individual behaviour. In particular, the survey aims to answer the following questions: How informed do recruits and FYCs feel about ethical issues and the QPS complaints and disciplinary process? • How serious do recruits and FYCs regard misconduct and corruption to be? • Do recruits and FYCs perceive a high likelihood of misconduct and corruption being detected in the QPS? • How willing are recruits and FYCs to say that they would report misconduct and corruption? • What do recruits and FYCs say about the culture of the QPS? • How do recruits and FYCs view the QPS’s approach to management and discipline? The main part of the survey is based on a series of misconduct scenarios that police officers may encounter during their careers. Although the survey directly assesses the ethical perceptions of recruits and FYCs only, the results also serve as a useful guide to the overall ethical climate of the QPS. It is envisaged that the answers to the above questions will help the QPS evaluate the success of its ethical awareness programs and inform decisions about the ethics education and training of its officers. More generally, conducting regular ethics surveys has been identified as a potential corruption prevention measure. By answering these questions and identifying attitudes that may predispose police agencies towards unethical behaviour, the results of our ethics survey can assist QPS management to implement strategies to control and prevent misconduct and corruption. The purpose of this report is to describe the results of all of the surveys undertaken by the CMC between 1995 and 2008. It focuses particularly on the overall views of recruits and FYCs about police misconduct, and examines whether these views have changed since 1995. It also considers recruits’ and FYCs’ perceptions of the culture of the QPS and its approach to discipline, management and ethics. The report highlights a number of positive findings and improvements over time, while also identifying some areas that require further attention. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2010. 174p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/25310001288920372445.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 121775

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Knife Crime: Recent Data on Carriage and Use Summary: In this paper, an overview is presented of recent data on the carriage and use of knives. Analysis of the data indicated an increase in the use of knives as a proportion of all homicides, although the number of homicides remained relatively constant. The proportionate use of knives in robberies, by contrast, remained fairly constant, while the number of robberies decreased dramatically. Responses to the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program for 2005–09 indicated that only a small proportion of respondents reported owning or using a knife as a weapon in the previous 12 months. The most common justification given for having a knife was self-defence. These findings have implications for legislation on the sale and carriage of knives, as well as for crime prevention measures. In particular, a better understanding of how and why knives are used in the commission of crime is vital when developing policy responses such as knife amnesties and education campaigns, and legislative measures such as stop and search powers and increased prison sentences. The limited information available on the nature, extent, cause, motivation and possible growth of knife carriage highlights the need for improved data collection, along with the development of clearer evidence for what works to reduce knife carrying and knife offences. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 417: Accessed May 23, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/current%20series/tandi/401-420/tandi417.aspx Year: 0 Country: Australia Keywords: Homicides Shelf Number: 121781

Author: Heseltine, Karen Title: Prison-Based Correctional Rehabilitation: An Overview of Intensive Interventions for Moderate to High-Risk Offenders Summary: Correctional rehabilitation programs are routinely offered to moderate to high-risk offenders in all Australian jurisdictions. The similarities in service provision between states and territories is great; most, if not all, offer programs that are dedicated towards reducing risk in sexual and violent offenders, as well as addressing more general causes of offending. This paper describes some of the changes that have occurred to service provision since the last national review of offenders programs was conducted in 2004. It highlights the trend towards the delivery of high intensity (greater than 100 hour face-to-face contact) programs in Australia and notes some of the differences that exist between the various jurisdictional approaches to offender rehabilitation. These newer programs (rolled out since 2004) are of a generally high standard, are well-embedded within correctional case management systems and are consistent with evidence-based principles of offender rehabilitation. It seems likely that these programs will have a positive impact on recidivism, although rigorous evaluation of program outcomes still needs to occur. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 412: Accessed May 23, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/current%20series/tandi/401-420/tandi412.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs (Australia) Shelf Number: 121783

Author: Mallick, Jane Title: Drugs and Driving in Australia: A Survey of Community Attitudes, Experience and Understanding Summary: Australian efforts to increase road safety, such as initiatives targeting drink driving, speeding and the use of seat belts, have seen considerable reductions in road trauma in the past 30 years. There is recent evidence to suggest that drugs other than alcohol, both licit (for example, pharmaceutical drugs) and illicit (for example, cannabis, methamphetamines and ecstasy) are associated with impaired driving ability and, thus, road trauma. There remain, however, many questions regarding drug driving in Australia. For instance, little is known about the prevalence of drug driving within the general population, or about the attitudes and perceptions of drivers in relation to drug driving. Such information is important to inform the development of effective prevention and road safety countermeasures. Further, although much of the previous research, policy and media attention have focused on illicit drugs, there is increasing evidence that pharmaceutical drugs impair driving ability and thus may be a road safety concern. There is, however, little information regarding the prevalence of driving following pharmaceutical drug use and the community’s attitudes and perceptions towards the use of such drugs and driving. It was the aim of this research to address some of the gaps in the knowledge by exploring the Australian community’s attitudes, experience and understanding of drugs and driving, in relation to alcohol, illicit drugs and pharmaceutical drugs. The ultimate aim was to inform the development of effective policy, and information and education campaigns, targeting drug driving. The research consisted of three stages: a review of the literature regarding drug driving; in-depth interviews with 20 key stakeholders from the Australian drug and alcohol and/or road safety sectors; and an Internet survey of Australian drivers (N=6801). The focus of the data collected from these three sources was on the prevalence of drug driving in Australia; the driving impairment associated with drug use; the attitudes and perceptions of drivers towards drugs and driving; and the road safety countermeasures adopted to address drugs and driving. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Australian Drug Foundation, 2007. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 24, 2011 at: http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/attachments/400_Drugs_and_Driving_in_Australia_fullreport.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Shelf Number: 121792

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Alcohol and Assault on Friday and Saturday Nights: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: The Australian Institute of Criminology interviewed 170 assault offenders detained on Friday and Saturday nights as part of the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Analysis of questions about alcohol use provides valuable information to support a range of alcohol harm reduction strategies, including Operation Unite. • Those charged with assault on Friday and Saturday nights were more likely than those charged at other times to have consumed alcohol in the past 48 hours and attribute alcohol as a factor in their offending. • Detainees who had consumed alcohol in the past 48 hours and been charged with assault on a Friday and Saturday night were nearly twice as likely as those charged at other times to have been mixing drinks on the last occasion they drank. This was particularly the case for young males aged 18 to 25 years (48%). • Assault offenders consumed substantial amounts of alcohol in the lead up to their arrest. The median number of standard drinks consumed by assault offenders was 14, although this was higher for young males who had been mixing drinks on the last occasion they drank (22 standard drinks). • Of those who had been drinking, half of all assault offenders consumed their last drink at a residential location. Thirty percent had been drinking at licensed premises. Younger males aged 18–25 years were more likely to have been drinking at a licensed premise. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 14: Accessed June 27, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/D/F/%7B6DFDDF7C-7948-4786-AB77-3CA21CF0443B%7Drip14.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 121826

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Alcohol and Disorderly Conduct on Friday and Saturday Nights: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) interviewed 161 offenders detained for disorderly conduct offences on Friday and Saturday nights as part of the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Analysis of new questions about alcohol use provides valuable information to support a range of alcohol harm reduction strategies, including Operation Unite. • Those charged with disorder on Friday and Saturday nights were more likely than those charged at other times to have consumed alcohol in the past 48 hours and attributed alcohol as a factor for their offending. • Detainees who had consumed alcohol in the past 48 hours and were charged with disorder on a Friday and Saturday evening were nearly twice as likely as those charged at other times to have been mixing drinks on the last occasion they drank (37% versus 27%). This was particularly the case for young males aged 26 to 35 years (44%). • Disorder offenders consumed substantial amounts of alcohol in the lead up to their arrest. The median number of standard drinks consumed was 15, although this was higher for males aged 26 to 35 years who had been mixing drinks on the last occasion they drank (29 standard drinks). • Of those who had been drinking alcohol, 40 percent of all disorder offenders consumed their last drink at a licensed premise. Thirty-nine percent had been drinking at a private residential location. Younger males aged 18–25 years were more likely to have been drinking at a licensed premise. • Disorder offenders charged on a Friday and Saturday night were more likely than those assault offenders charged in the same time period to have consumed their last alcoholic drink at a licensed premise. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 15: Accessed June 27, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/6/6/%7BF6652BFD-09C0-4FB5-BC9B-01D2A65EEBBF%7Drip15_001.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 121827

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence in Australia Summary: Children’s ‘witnessing’ or exposure to domestic violence has been increasingly recognised as a form of child abuse, both in Australia and internationally. Although it is difficult to accurately assess the scope of the problem, research has demonstrated that a substantial amount of domestic violence is witnessed by children. As this paper outlines, witnessing domestic violence can involve a range of incidents, ranging from the child ‘only’ hearing the violence, to the child being forced to participate in the violence or being used as part of a violent incident. In this paper, current knowledge about the extent of children’s exposure to domestic violence in Australia is described, along with the documented impacts that this exposure can have on children. This includes psychological and behavioural impacts, health and socioeconomic impacts, and its link to the intergenerational transmission of violence and re-victimisation. Current legislative and policy initiatives are then described and some community-based programs that have been introduced in Australia to address the problem of children’s exposure to domestic violence are highlighted. The paper concludes that initiatives focused on early intervention and holistic approaches to preventing and responding to children’s exposure to domestic violence should be considered as part of strategies developed to address this problem. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 419: Accessed June 27, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/1/D/%7B41D5F5FD-2EE9-42C8-8796-1FB4B964806D%7Dtandi419.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse Shelf Number: 121831

Author: Nasser-Eddine, Minerva Title: Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Literature Review Summary: This report consists of a literature review and analysis of the existing research concerning ‘countering violent extremism’. This multifaceted report demonstrates the complexity of understanding Violent Extremism and best strategies to Countering Violent Extremism. This has been undertaken with the broader analysis of radicalisation and social cohesion theories, models and government policies and how they may impact on or contribute to best practice and policy in countering violent extremism. Details: Edinburgh, South Australia: Australian Department of Defence, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Counter Terrorism and Security Technology Centre, 2011. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2011 at: http://dspace.dsto.defence.gov.au/dspace/bitstream/1947/10122/1/DSTO-TR-2522%20PR.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 121836

Author: Gorta, Angela Title: Preventing Corruption: Lessons from Occupational Health and Safety Summary: Unlike detecting and investigating corruption, preventing corruption requires intervening before the corrupt conduct occurs. However, the best ways to intervene are not always clear. This Research and Issues Paper illustrates practical ways of intervening to prevent or minimise corrupt conduct before it occurs by considering the similarities between the task of minimising corruption and the task of minimising workplace accidents. It identifies ten lessons from Occupational Health and Safety strategies for those who wish to prevent corruption and other forms of serious misconduct. While not a panacea, comparing corruption prevention strategies with Occupational Health and Safety strategies provides a useful way of both thinking about and communicating how to prevent corrupt conduct. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2011. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Issues Papers, No. 8: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: http://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/News.aspx?NewsId=49 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 121875

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Fraud in the 'Outback': Capable Guardianship in Preventing Financial Crime in Regional and Remote Communities Summary: The Australian Institute of Criminology previously estimated the cost of fraud in Australia in 2005 to be approximately $8.5b (Rollings 2008). Fraud risks affect all sectors of society extending from those who provide government services, to those who receive benefits, as well as private sector businesses such as primary producers, and those who buy and sell goods and services online. In this paper, the specific risks of financial crime that arise in and subsequently affect those in remote and regional communities in Australia are explored. The risk of fraud is increased because of the difficulties that arise in ensuring adequate levels of ‘capable guardianship’ in non-urban locations which are often disadvantaged in terms of money and knowledge of fraud risks, as well as the ability to avoid them. Examples of recent fraud cases from regional and remote Australia are used to highlight the risks associated with fraud in these places and to indicate where the absence of guardianship may have increased risks. It is concluded that capable guardianship, as a whole, needs to be enhanced outside major cities in order to reduce the level of fraud experienced by government, businesses and individuals each year. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 413: Accessed June 28, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/1/6/7/%7B167998BB-D3E8-4F2E-9E3A-F6CE673CE0D6%7Dtandi413.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Capable Guardianship Shelf Number: 121876

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Regulating Prostitution: A Follow-Up Review of the Prostitution Act 1999 Summary: This 2011 review aimed to update the picture of the prostitution environment in Queensland, by finding out: (1) which recommendations from the CMC’s previous review have been implemented and what their effect has been what changes, if any, have occurred in the achievement of the Act’s underlying principles since the last review; and (2) what new and emerging issues are facing the industry in Queensland, and in comparable jurisdictions, which could affect the achievement of these principles. The review found that the position in Queensland has remained relatively stable, and that the legislative objectives are generally being achieved. It identified that licensed brothels: have minimal impact on community amenity show no evidence of corruption and organised crime (other than illegal prostitution) have access to exit and retraining programs for sex workers who may wish to leave the industry provide a safe workplace and a healthy environment in which to carry out prostitution. However, as a result of the review, the CMC called on the government to action two previous recommendations, which although supported are yet to be fully implemented. They relate to the establishment of an inter-agency Ministerial Advisory Committee to address issues facing Queensland’s prostitution industry, and a tightening of the legislation linked to advertising to prevent illegal operators masquerading as legal enterprises. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2011. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/15385001309241014238.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Corruption Shelf Number: 121952

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: An Alternative To Pursuit: A Review of the Evade Police Provisions Summary: The ‘evade police’ provisions introduced into the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act in 2006 were designed to reduce the number of police pursuits and the associated risks to community safety in Queensland. They do this by giving police the option to allow a fleeing vehicle to ‘escape’, knowing that they have the power and investigative tools to identify the offending driver at a later stage. Under the Act, the CMC is required to review how police are using these powers. The evade police provisions have improved community safety — they are among a range of factors that have contributed to a substantial and sustained decline in police pursuits since 2006. Because the provisions rely on the police being able to serve a notice on the registered owner of a vehicle, they are not effective in all situations where drivers flee police (e.g. if the offender is driving a stolen or unregistered vehicle). Police are under-using the powers. In most cases, they choose to commence a pursuit if this is permitted by the policy. Factors contributing to this include weaknesses in the legislation, and police dissatisfaction with court outcomes. The CMC’s 13 recommendations aim to make the provisions a more effective investigation and prosecution tool in situations where they can be applied. Coupled with improvements to the police policy and training framework, this will go some way to ensuring that the provisions are more often used instead of pursuits. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2011. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/72918001309240925348.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Policies and Procedures Shelf Number: 121953

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Operation Tesco: Report of an Investigation into Allegations of Police Misconduct on the Gold Coast Summary: Operation Tesco was a CMC investigation into allegations that certain police officers on the Gold Coast were involved in inappropriate associations with criminals, drug use, misuse of confidential police information and resources, and acceptance of gratuities. It also examined police leadership and supervision in the Gold Coast area Although the investigation focussed only on three police officers, its significance lay in its exposure of the environment and attitudes that gave rise to their behaviour. It also put a spotlight on the conduct of other officers in the policing district — their use of police vehicles as private taxis, and their acceptance of free alcohol from local establishments. As well as drawing attention to the quality of supervision and the ability of local managers to recognise and deal with potential misconduct, the investigation also revealed some concerning policy gaps. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2011. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/14049001308722893463.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 121922

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Technical and Background Paper: Measuring Juvenile Recidivism in Australia Summary: This study is a step towards having national data on juvenile recidivism that are both meaningful and comparable across Australia's jurisdictions. Performance measurement (the use of empirical indicators to measure outcomes that government services are supposed to achieve) has emerged in recent years as a strategy to assist governments assess the impact of their operations, improve service provision and effectively target resources. In the criminal justice sector, recidivism is often used as a measure of the performance of government agencies, such as correctional services and juvenile justice agencies. Recidivism has, however, been identified as a limited and problematic measure of performance, for a range of reasons. It has been argued, for example, that many factors influence whether an offender recidivates, some of which are not within the control of government agencies. Recidivism is a particularly problematic measure of the performance of juvenile justice agencies, as offending peaks during adolescence. As such, juveniles might be expected to recidivate at a higher rate than adults, irrespective of interventions provided by juvenile justice agencies. Recidivism nonetheless remains one important measure of the performance of juvenile justice agencies, albeit one that should be cautiously interpreted. This report presents the findings of a literature review and consultations with key stakeholders in each of Australia’s jurisdictions on measuring juvenile recidivism. It outlines the limitations of using recidivism as a measure of performance for juvenile justice agencies and presents a range of options for better conceptualising and measuring juvenile recidivism. The report also provides four international examples of recent efforts to adopt more robust and meaningful measures of juvenile recidivism. Finally, 13 principles are proposed that could be used to inform and enhance the measurement of juvenile recidivism in Australia. Clearly, measuring juvenile recidivism is a challenging task. This study is an important step towards having national data on juvenile recidivism that are both meaningful and comparable across Australia’s jurisdictions, and that would contribute towards the development of more effective juvenile justice interventions across Australia. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 44: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/1/B/1/%7B1B1FAF61-B45D-42A4-B93B-E655C4CA078E%7Dtbp044.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (Australia) Shelf Number: 121925

Author: Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives. Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Title: Doing Time - Time for Doing: Indigenous Youth in the Criminal Justice System Summary: Indigenous juveniles are 28 times more likely than non-Indigenous juveniles to be incarcerated, despite Indigenous peoples representing only 2.5 percent of the Australian population. Indigenous social and economic disadvantage have contributed to the high levels of Indigenous contact with the criminal justice system. the Committee found there is intergenerational dysfunction in some Indigenous communities which presents a significant challenge to break the cycle of offending, recidivism and incarceration. The Committee examined current policy arrangements for overcoming Indigenous disadvantage and found it concerning that the Council of Australian Government’s (COAG’s) Closing the Gap Strategy did not include a National Partnership Agreement dedicated to the Safe Communities Building Block, nor did it include specific targets relating to justice. The Committee found this concerning in view of the weight of evidence it received during the inquiry that linked unsafe communities to the development of negative social norms and increasingly high rates of juvenile offending. The Committee has made 40 recommendations to Government and believes that to effect change in the area of Indigenous disadvantage and disproportionate incarceration rates, the following principles must be applied: 􀂄 engage and empower Indigenous communities in the development and implementation of policy and programs 􀂄 address the needs of Indigenous families and communities as a whole 􀂄 integrate and coordinate initiatives by government agencies, non-government agencies, and local individuals and groups 􀂄 focus on early intervention and the wellbeing of Indigenous children rather than punitive responses, and 􀂄 engage Indigenous leaders and elders in positions of responsibility and respect. Details: Canberra: Australian Parliament, 2011. 378p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/atsia/sentencing/report/fullreport.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 121926

Author: Bradford, Deborah Title: Modelling Supply Rates of High-Strength Oxycodone Across New South Wales Summary: The objective of this research was to develop a statistical methodology for identifying areas with aberrantly high supply levels of 80mg oxycodone controlled-release (CR) tablets, a prescription medicine that is currently a target for illicit diversion in Australia. The intention in developing this methodology was to provide assistance to the Pharmaceutical Services unit of the New South Wales Department of Health in monitoring supply and prescribing of high-strength prescription opioids. Statistical analysis focused on modelling variations across New South Wales (from 2006 to 2009) in wholesale supply rates of 80mg oxycodone CR tablets while controlling for relevant demographic and public health characteristics of each area. This analysis identified a number of Local Government Areas with supply levels of 80mg oxycodone CR tablets that were significantly higher than that predicted by the statistical model. In contrast to analysis of raw unadjusted supply counts of this medicine, which were highest in areas with large populations, statistical modelling identified mainly regional areas as those with unexpectedly high supply rates of 80mg oxycodone CR tablets. The current findings highlight the importance of controlling for relevant population level characteristics related to indications for opioid prescribing when evaluating trends in supply of these medicines. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 148: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB148.pdf/$file/CJB148.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 121929

Author: Burgess, Melissa Title: The Association Between Alcohol Outlet Density and Assaults On and Around Licensed Premises Summary: The aim of this research was to estimate the proportion of assaults occurring on or around licensed premises, determine whether assaults are more likely to happen around licensed premises than elsewhere and estimate the effect of additional alcohol outlets (outlet density) on the incidence of assault. Clusters of licensed premises in the Sydney Local Government Area (LGA) were identified. The proportion of recorded assault incidents within 20, 50, 100 and 200 metre buffer zones around the licensed premises was calculated and compared with the proportion of land area covered by the buffer. The incidence of recorded assaults as a function of increasing counts of alcohol outlets was also examined. Assaults were found to be highly concentrated around licensed premises. Assaults tend to cluster around George Street in the central business district (CBD), Darlinghurst Road in Kings Cross, Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, King Street in Newtown and Glebe Point Road in Glebe. The highest concentrations of assault are in Kings Cross, Oxford Street in Darlinghurst and along George Street in the CBD. More than half of the assaults recorded by police in the Sydney CBD occur within 50 metres of a liquor outlet. Only 3 per cent of the Sydney LGA is within 20 metres of a liquor outlet, yet 37 per cent of assaults in Sydney LGA occurred in this space. The results suggest that each additional alcohol outlet per hectare in the Sydney LGA will result, on average, in 4.5 additional assaults per annum. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 147: Accessed June 30, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB147.pdf/$file/CJB147.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 121930

Author: Kirsch, Nadja Title: Corruption Risks Associated with the Execution of Search Warrants: A Review of Compliance with NSW Police Force Policies and Guidelines Summary: This paper examines how well the NSW Police Force is managing the corruption risks associated with search warrants. The PIC reviewed a sample of 98 search warrants to assess the extent to which officers are complying with NSW Police Force Standing Operating Procedures – Search Warrants. The paper contains recommendations for improving compliance with key aspects of the Standing Operating Procedures, in particular the filming of searches and record-keeping. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Police Integrity Commission, 2011. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Issues Paper, No. 07: Accessed July 1, 2011 at: http://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/files/News/OstaraFinal.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 121935

Author: Jackson, Martin Title: Acquired Brain Injury in the Victorian Prison System Summary: This research set out to gain an understanding of the prevalence of acquired brain injury (ABI) among Victorian prisoners and to test an ABI screening tool to assist with identification of brain injury in this population. The study employed a three-stage process of initial screening, clinical interview and comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. One hundred and ten adult male prisoners and 86 adult female prisoners took part in the initial screen, with 74 males and 43 females completing the neuropsychological assessment. Individuals with an ABI appear to be substantially overrepresented in the Victorian prison population. Comprehensive neuropsychological assessment indicated that 42 per cent of male prisoners and 33 per cent of female prisoners from Stage Three had an ABI. This compares with an estimated prevalence of ABI among the general Australian population of two per cent (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2007). Of prisoners assessed as having an ABI, six per cent of males and seven per cent of females were rated as having a severe ABI, which is consistent with figures for the general population. Drug and alcohol use appeared to be the main cause of ABI among prisoners, while in the general population traumatic head injury is the most common cause. Prisoners also reported substantially higher rates of drug and alcohol use than are typically reported in the community, as well high rates of co-morbid psychiatric conditions. These findings point to the need for a coordinated and multi-disciplinary approach to addressing the therapeutic needs of prisoners with an ABI. The nature of cognitive deficits identified in the current study also suggests that prisoners with a severe ABI are likely to have difficulty functioning in a prison environment, and may require specific assistance from correctional staff as well as altered approaches to the delivery of offending behaviour programs. In light of the study findings, Corrections Victoria is currently developing a comprehensive service model and has also implemented a specialist, multifocused pilot across part of the prison and community correctional service to work with offenders with an ABI. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Justice, 2011. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Corrections Research Paper Series, Paper No. 04: Accessed July 1, 2011 at: http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/justlib/DOJ+Internet/resources/9/b/9b711080468f099b99d59d4d58beb1dd/Acquired_Brain_Injury_in_the_Victorian_Prison_System.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addition Shelf Number: 121945

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Does Imprisonment Deter? A Review of the Evidence Summary: Deterrence can be described as the prevention of crime through the fear of a threatened – or the experience of an actual – criminal sanction. General deterrence is aimed at reducing crime by directing the threat of that sanction at all potential offenders. Specific deterrence is aimed at reducing crime by applying a criminal sanction to a specific offender, in order to dissuade him or her from reoffending. Deterrence is only one of the purposes of sentencing in Victoria, determined by section 5(1) of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic). The other purposes are: punishment, denunciation, rehabilitation and community protection (incapacitation). The scope of this paper is limited to examining the sentencing purpose of deterrence only – it does not present an analysis of the evidence of imprisonment’s effectiveness in regard to other sentencing purposes. There is an overlap in some studies when measuring deterrence and incapacitation; however, the paper does not draw conclusions on the effectiveness of imprisonment as a means of reducing crime through incapacitation. Deterrence theory is based upon the classical economic theory of rational choice, which assumes that people weigh up the costs and benefits of a particular course of action whenever they make a decision. Deterrence theory relies on the assumption that offenders have knowledge of the threat of a criminal sanction and then make a rational choice whether or not to offend based upon consideration of that knowledge. Rational choice theory, however, does not adequately account for a large number of offenders who may be considered ‘irrational’. Examples of such irrationality can vary in severity – there are those who are not criminally responsible due to mental impairment, those who are drug affected or intoxicated and those who simply act in a way that is contrary to their own best interests. Research shows that the majority of offenders entering the Victorian criminal justice system have a history of substance use that is directly related to their offending. That people are not perfectly rational and do not always make decisions that are in their own best interests is supported by studies in behavioural economics. Behavioural economic theory proposes that individuals make decisions on the basis of mperfect knowledge by employing ‘rules of thumb’, rather than strict logic, and are subject to limits on their willpower. People are also subject to a great number of patterns of deviation in judgment that occur in particular situations (known as ‘cognitive biases’), which influence decision-making in predictable – but often irrational – ways. The evidence from empirical studies of deterrence suggests that the threat of imprisonment generates a small general deterrent effect. However, the research also indicates that increases in the severity of penalties, such as increasing the length of terms of imprisonment, do not produce a corresponding increase in deterrence. It has been suggested that harsher penalties do not deter because many crimes are committed in circumstances where it is difficult to identify when, or if, offenders have considered the consequences of their criminal behaviour. In addition, otherwise rational individuals are more strongly influenced by the perceived immediate benefits of committing crime and individuals ‘discount’ the cost of future penalties. A consistent finding in deterrence research is that increases in the certainty of apprehension and punishment demonstrate a significant deterrent effect. Perceptions about the certainty of apprehension, for example, may counter the ‘present bias’ and reinforce the potential cost of committing crime. This result is qualified by the need for further research that separates deterrable from non-deterrable populations. Research into specific deterrence shows that imprisonment has, at best, no effect on the rate of reoffending and often results in a greater rate of recidivism. Possible explanations for this include that: prison is a learning environment for crime, prison reinforces criminal identity and may diminish or sever social ties that encourage lawful behaviour and imprisonment is not the appropriate response to many offenders who require treatment for the underlying causes of their criminality (such as drug, alcohol and mental health issues). Harsh prison conditions do not generate a greater deterrent effect, and the evidence shows that such conditions may lead to more violent reoffending. The empirical evidence on the effectiveness of imprisonment as a deterrent to crime suggests that the purposes of sentencing should be considered independently – according to their own merits – and that caution should be exercised if imprisonment is to be justified as a means of deterring all crimes and all kinds of offenders. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Sentencing Matters: Accessed July 5, 2011 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/does_imprisonment_deter_a_review_of_the_evidence.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Deterrence Shelf Number: 121964

Author: Wan, Wai-Yin Title: The Relationship Between Police Arrests and Correctional Workload Summary: The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of a 10 per cent increase in arrests on (a) the number of male and female offenders sentenced to full-time prison terms (FTP) and (b) the number of offenders given community-based supervised orders (SO). Three pairs of time series (arrests and SO, male arrests and male FTP, female arrests and female FTP) were constructed from counts of male and female arrests, male and female FTP and SO over the 153 months from January 1998 to September 2010. Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models were used to examine the impact of changes in the number of arrests on the outcome (SO, male FTP and female FTP). The study found that a 10 per cent increase in police arrests results in a 2.3 per cent increase in the number of SOs one month later. If the 10 per cent change persists, the increase in SO is estimated to be 4.1 per cent in the long term. A 10 per cent increase in the number of male arrests produces an immediate (same month) 3.3 per cent increase in the number of male FTP. If the 10 per cent change persists, the increase in male FTP over the long term is estimated to be 4.0 per cent. A 10 per cent increase in female arrests produces a 4.6 per cent increase in female FTP one month later. If the increase in female arrests persists, the increase in female FTP over the long term is estimated to reduce to 3.7 per cent. The short-run costs of a 10 per cent increase in police arrests are $2.6 million (supervised orders), $18.7 million (male FTP) and $2.2 million (female FTP), spread over 11 months for supervised orders and male full-time imprisonment and over 8 months for female full-time imprisonment. Changes in arrest rates have significant and rapid impacts on demand for correctional services. Central agencies need to pay close attention to the downstream impact of policies that are likely to result in an increased arrest rate. Correctional agencies need to closely monitor arrest rate trends. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 150; Accessed July 5, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb150.pdf/$file/cjb150.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Arrest and Apprehension (Australia) Shelf Number: 121965

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Improving Victoria Police Discipline and Complaint Handling Systems: A Progress Report Summary: This report reviews Victoria Police’s implementation of OPI’s previous recommendations for the Victoria Police complaints and discipline systems. The report outlines progress so far and provides an updated model for continued improvement in the areas of police discipline and complaints management. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2011. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/ Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Discipline (Australia) Shelf Number: 121971

Author: Indig, Devon Title: 2009 NSW Inmate Health Survey: Aboriginal Health Report Summary: The 2009 NSW Inmate Health Survey: Aboriginal Health Report is the first report to provide an Aboriginal-specific focus on inmates of NSW. The report complements the findings of the 2009 NSW Inmate Health Survey: Key Findings Report and provides greater insights into the health of Aboriginal people in custody. Mental health problems, drug and alcohol dependence, and blood borne viruses are all highly prevalent among Aboriginal inmates. Smoking rates remain high at 83% among men and 88% among women. Half of Aboriginal women and one third of Aboriginal men demonstrated signs of moderate to severe depression and multiple risk factors for chronic diseases. This survey shows that the health needs of Aboriginal people in custody are growing. The prevalence of mental health issues, chronic disease and high risk alcohol use (by Aboriginal men) has increased since previous surveys. Aboriginal women in particular reported poorer general health; 23% reported fair to poor health in 1996 compared to 32% in 2009. This disparity in health for Aboriginal people in custody cannot be explained by socio-economic disadvantage alone. This population is most often affected also by structural disadvantage such as lower educational attainment, higher unemployment, poor or overcrowded housing, geographic isolation and barriers to accessing health services. High rates of hazardous alcohol and drug use, violence (both victims and perpetrators) and mental health and well-being problems are both a cause and effect of health inequality. The complexities of these issues present ongoing challenges for Justice Health and our key stakeholders. Adding to the health burden is the increasing number of Aboriginal people coming into custody and staying for longer periods. Details: Sydney: Justice Health, 2010. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.justicehealth.nsw.gov.au/publications/Inmate_Health_Survey_Aboriginal_Health_Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Health Care Shelf Number: 121972

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Indigenous Women's Offending Patterns: A Literature Review Summary: This report is a literature review on Indigenous women’s offending patterns and therefore provides an important contribution to understanding an often neglected area of criminal justice. The report presents information on Indigenous women as offenders and prisoners, as well as considering the issue of over-policing, including for juvenile Indigenous females. Data are also presented on community corrections and periodic detention and the under-utilisation of juvenile diversion. The majority of information in the report relates to Indigenous women as prisoners, including information on imprisonment rates and numbers. Significantly, the rate of imprisonment of Indigenous women across Australia rose from 346 to 369 per 100,000 between 2006 and June 2009. In addition, Indigenous women outnumbered Indigenous men as a proportion of the relevant prison population in almost all jurisdictions. Indigenous women generally serve shorter sentences than their non-Indigenous counterparts, which suggests that Indigenous women are being imprisoned for more minor offences, especially public order offences. Indigenous women are also more likely to be on remand than non-Indigenous women. The characteristics of Indigenous female prisoners are considered in this report, with particular reference to the comparatively high rates of hospital admissions for mental disorders and post-release mortality rates. Examination of Indigenous women’s role as mothers and carers highlights the need for further research and relevant services. Policing, court and corrections data provide an overview of the types of offences committed by Indigenous women, with particular reference to the offences of public drunkenness, assault and homicide. The relationship between Indigenous women’s offending patterns and their exposure to family violence is explored and highlights the need for further examination. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series 107: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/4/0/%7BF400B08D-7ECB-43EE-BB6E-38B2C3580A46%7Drpp107.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Inmates Shelf Number: 121973

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Ths Status of Laws on Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in Australia. Second Edition. Summary: This paper sets out the laws in Australia governing organised crime and, in particular, outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs). It presents an overview of each jurisdiction's current and proposed legislative framework, as well as proposals to coordinate legislative responses. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice Report No. 2: Accessed July 6, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rip/1-10/~/media/publications/rip/rip02_v2.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Motorcycle Gangs (Australia) Shelf Number: 121983

Author: Fitzgerald, Jacqueline Title: The Changing Nature of Objects Stolen in Household Burglaries Summary: The Bureau examined the pattern of goods stolen between 2001 and 2010. During this period the number of recorded household burglaries in NSW fell by 50 per cent. The goods targeted by burglars also changed dramatically. In 2001 a video or DVD player was the third most popular item stolen in household burglaries, being taken in 19 per cent of incidents. In 2010, however, they were stolen in only six per cent of break-ins and had fallen to the 18th most stolen object. Stereo equipment, overwhelmingly CD players, were the sixth most common object type stolen in 2001, and were targeted in 13 per cent of burglaries. Ten years on they were the 33rd most stolen object taken in only three per cent of break-ins. Video cameras were the 17th most stolen object type in 2001, stolen in six per cent of break-ins. In 2010, video cameras had fallen to the 27th most stolen object taken in four per cent of break-ins. Power tools, such as drills, power saws and angle grinders, were the tenth most stolen object type in 2001 In 2010, a power tool was taken in one in 20 burglaries and they were the 19th most targeted item. More portable targets of theft have greatly increased in popularity. For example, while money was the most common object stolen in both 2001 and 2010, the percentage of incidents where cash was stolen has increased from 23 per cent of household burglaries to 31 per cent of break-ins. In 2001, a wallet/handbag/purse was reported stolen in 10 per cent of break-ins (the 11th ranked object type). By 2010 this had risen to 14 per cent (the 6th most stolen object type). In 2001, laptop computers were ranked 21st among stolen items and were stolen in just over one in twenty burglaries. In 2010, laptops were the second most stolen object type in household burglary incidents with a laptop being taken in one in four break-ins. According to the Bureau, the best ways to reduce the risk of burglary are better household security, property marking, restrictions on pedestrian access to residential property (e.g. restrictions on laneway access), and arresting repeat offenders. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 62: Accessed July 7, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB62.pdf/$file/BB62.pdf Year: 0 Country: Australia Keywords: Break and Enter Shelf Number: 121996

Author: Blagg, Harry Title: Problem-Oriented Courts Summary: This paper addresses a number of issues linked to the emergence of problem-oriented courts. Problem-oriented courts form part of an emerging judicial sphere where the traditional focus on legal process is balanced with concern for therapeutic outcomes. Expressed simply, problem-oriented courts seek to use the authority and structure of the courts to further therapeutic goals and enhance the performance of agencies involved in delivering court mandated services. Problem-oriented courts attempt to facilitate a team approach and encourage close collaboration between agencies involved in the justice process. The problem-oriented court acts as the ‘hub’ connecting various ‘spokes’, such as drug and alcohol treatment agencies, community based corrections, probation services and domestic violence agencies, forming a holistic and integrated approach. This approach encourages magistrates and judges to take a pro-active and overtly leading role in the creation of better, well coordinated services for clients. Supporters of problem-oriented courts maintain that such courts sit outside the traditional punishment paradigm, being more concerned with treatment and rehabilitation outcomes. The orientation of the court is neatly encapsulated in the notion of ‘forward looking’ as opposed to ‘backward looking’ forms of justice – that is, sentencing practices should be geared towards encouraging positive future behaviour rather then simply punishing past actions. The future impact of problem-oriented courts on the ways the criminal justice as a whole deals with offending linked to issues such as drug and alcohol use, mental health, homelessness and social exclusion could prove to be far reaching. Moreover the problem-oriented approach – and the philosophies of therapeutic jurisprudence and, to a lesser extent, restorative justice that inform the approach – may influence the orientation of mainstream courts. The approach is largely in its infancy in Australia. There is no settled theory (although a number of theories vie for relevance) and no unified template describing how a problem-oriented court should operate. Working practices vary according to the nature of the problem the court has been developed to deal with. The long-term benefits of the problem-oriented approach and its implications for the criminal justice system remain the subject of debate, both within the judiciary and within the network of agencies a problem-oriented approach binds together to work collectively on a particular problem. Problem-oriented courts can include community or neighbourhood courts, family and domestic violence courts, mental health courts, drug courts and alcohol courts. However, the problem-oriented approach is also being used by some magistrates in general courts when dealing with particular groups of offenders. This is particularly the case where a magistrate’s court has become the site for specialist treatment and diversionary services, such as Western Australia’s courtbased drug diversion initiatives. This paper excludes discussion of Aboriginal Courts which have been extensively considered by the Law Reform Commission as part of its Aboriginal Customary Law Project. Problem-oriented courts have not emerged in a vacuum, but in response to the challenges posed by a number of seemingly intractable urban social problems (drug use, alcohol, family and domestic violence, mental illness, anti-social behaviour, fear of crime, and problems associated with ‘hyper-marginalised’ groups) apparently impervious to traditional remedies and solutions. They also reflect frustration with the often fragmented and ad hoc response of traditional justice structures, cultures and processes. Some courts, such as community or neighbourhood courts, have emerged in response to claims that the courts are out of touch with the concerns of local communities and have been mandated to directly involve local people in the delivery of justice. Problem-oriented courts have been influenced by the philosophies of restorative justice and therapeutic jurisprudence. While, as will be demonstrated later, the two philosophies cannot simply be collapsed together, they do share a common commitment to ‘humanising’ the justice process, closely integrating concerns for individual and social change into the legal process, and providing ‘forward looking’ rather than ‘backward looking’ justice outcomes. This latter concern in particular represents a paradigm shift in the way justice is conceived: less concerned with simply judging past actions than with affecting change in individuals and social contexts to ensure crime and victimisation is prevented in the future. Besides the various philosophies vying for influence in the courts, the problem-oriented court has become the site for new hybrid techniques for engaging with the needs and problems of offenders. Since the focus of problem-oriented courts extends beyond applying the law, there is a need for behavioural techniques and treatments suited to the new environment. Intervention techniques such as motivational interviewing and brief interventions, discussed later, borrowed from addiction counselling, are emerging as intervention tools within problem-oriented courts because they claim positive results within a short timeframe. Problem-oriented courts are not simply a new type of specialist court. Details: Perth: Law Reform Commission of Western Australia, 2008. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Project 96: Accessed July 7, 2011 at: http://www.lrc.justice.wa.gov.au/2publications/reports/P96-BlaggRP.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Courts Shelf Number: 121998

Author: Western Australia. Law Reform Commission Title: Court Intervention Programs: Final Report Summary: This final report is divided into six chapters. Chapter One explains the Commission’s approach to reform, in particular, the need for legislative and policy reform to support the continued operation of court intervention programs and the Commission’s guiding principles for reform. Chapter Two (which contains the majority of the Commission’s recommendations) deals with the legal and policy issues that are relevant to all court intervention programs. Specific recommendations dealing with court intervention programs addressing drug and alcohol dependency are discussed in Chapter Three. Chapter Four considers recommendations in relation to mental impairment court intervention programs and Chapter Five considers recommendations in relation to family violence court intervention programs. Finally, recommendations in relation to general court intervention programs are contained in Chapter Six. The Final Report is intended to be read in conjunction with the Commission’s Consultation Paper, which describes how various court intervention programs operate and provides the research and analysis that support the Commission’s final recommendations. In order to avoid unnecessary duplication, the Final Report sets out the Commission’s conclusions and fi nal recommendations without repeating all of the descriptive material in the Consultation Paper. The Commission has made a total of 37 recommendations for reform in this Final Report. A list of recommendations is contained in Appendix A. For ease of reference, a list of recommendations that require legislative amendment is set out in Appendix B. Details: Perth: Law Reform Commission of Western Australia, 2009. 152p. Source: Internet Resource: Project No. 96: Accessed July 7, 2011 at: http://www.lrc.justice.wa.gov.au/2publications/reports/P96-FR.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Reform Shelf Number: 121999

Author: Hovane, Victoria Title: Closing the Gap on Family Violence: Driving Prevention and Intervention Through Health Policy Summary: Family violence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities remains a significant social issue with far-reaching implications for service provision in the health arena, with impacts including: physical injuries; depression, trauma and anxiety; sexually transmitted disease; and substance use. Despite these significant health consequences, family violence has generally not been prioritised in health policy or responses. Instead, policing, legal/judicial and women’s policy approaches have become the key responses to addressing family violence in Australia, as in many western countries. Given that the health system often deals directly with the consequences of family violence, it is ideally placed to play an important role in preventing and responding to family violence. The paper examines the potential for health policies, like the Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes strategy, to better engage with the issue of family violence and, thereby, address a major contributor to poor health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2011. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 21: Accessed July 7, 2011 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/IssuesPaper_21.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 122002

Author: Australia. Parliament. Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety Title: High-Wire Act: Cyber-Safety and the Young Summary: The online environment is an integral part of modern economic and social activities, and a vast resource of education, information, communication and entertainment. Further, the evolution of new technologies is diversifying the ways in which Australians connect with each other and the world. This report focuses on how young people can be empowered and connect to the Internet, and use new technologies with confidence, knowing that they can use them safely, ethically and with full awareness of risks and benefits. The facilitation of safer online environments requires government, industry and the broader community to work together to realise the benefits of the online environment while also protecting Australians from dangers and enabling them to use existing and emerging tools to mitigate risks. Details: Sydney: Australian Parliament, 2011. 601p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2011 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jscc/report.htm Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 122009

Author: Ness, Alex Title: Patterns of Mephedrone, GHB, Ketamine and Rohypnol Use Among Police Detainees: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: In recognition of the need for ongoing monitoring of new or less common drug types, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), as part of the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, interviewed 824 police detainees about their knowledge of and experience with mephedrone, GHB, Ketamine and Rohypnol. Mephedrone was the least known of the four drugs, with only 221 detainees (27%) reporting knowledge of the drug. Only six detainees (<1%) had used the drug in the previous 12 months, while 30 detainees (4%) knew of someone dealing mephedrone at the time they were interviewed. Detainees in East Perth were the most likely to have reported knowledge of mephedrone. GHB was known to more than half of all detainees interviewed (53%) and had been used in the 12 months prior to interview by 23 detainees (3%). More detainees had been offered GHB (8%), or knew of a dealer selling GHB (6%), than any of the other four drug types. Ketamine was known to 43 percent of detainees and had been used by three percent. The prevalence of Ketamine use was equal with GHB, however, knowledge of a current Ketamine dealer was lower (4%). Rohypnol was the most widely known of the four drug types (59%), however, use of the drug in the 12 months prior to interview was lower than for GHB or Ketamine (1%). Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 16: Accessed July 11, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/0/6/0/%7B0605DBE8-C4C4-46C6-807E-042F849D1826%7Drip16_003.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 122020

Author: Prenzler, Tim Title: Welfare Fraud in Australia: Dimensions and Issues Summary: This paper examines anti-fraud measures currently operating in Australia’s welfare system, administered by the government agency, Centrelink. Using official data, an examination is made of the operations and rationales of different strategies and their impacts, including estimated savings. The paper covers nine strategies, including data-matching, public tip-offs, media campaigns, stepped-up investigations and recovery action. The findings indicate that Centrelink has adopted international best practice measures to combat fraud and appears to be particularly successful at detecting and stopping fraud. At the same time, the main challenge appears to lie in the area of finding and demonstrating more effective primary prevention measures. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 421: Accessed July 11, 2011 at: Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Commercial Crimes Shelf Number: 122021

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Police Interviews with Vulnerable Adult Suspects Summary: In this paper, some of the key issues police are likely to encounter when dealing with vulnerable adult suspects are considered and an overview of the Australian legislation and police policies governing police interviews in such circumstances is presented. This paper is concerned with vulnerable adults interviewed by the police as suspects. It is acknowledged, however, that many of the observations about good practice when interviewing witnesses continue to apply — perhaps to an even greater extent — when interviewing suspects. For example, interviewers’ questions need to be matched to respondents’ communicative abilities and suggestive/leading questions and other coercive practices should be avoided. Smith and Tilney (2007), and Bull (2010) have described the following steps as a means of achieving the best evidence when dealing with vulnerable witnesses: • establish good rapport, including establishing the ground rules and advising the interviewee that it is acceptable to say if they do not understand or know the answer; • obtain as much free narrative as possible, encouraging the interviewee with prompts and open-ended questions such as ‘tell me more about that’ and ‘what happened next?’; • ask questions of the right type in the right order. For example, open questions should precede specific questions and then closed questions. Leading questions should only be used as a last resort; • have meaningful closure, including a summary of the interviewee’s evidence and providing them with an opportunity to correct any errors; and • evaluate the interview, in terms of both the information obtained and the interviewer’s performance. This paper does not consider issues relating to court processes and the admissibility of evidence; nor does the paper explore the literature in relation to child witnesses or the specific issues of vulnerable witnesses as victims, for example, in the context of sexual assault matters, although these are all important linked areas of research. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Research In Practice, No. 21: Accessed July 13, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/7/9/%7B67994F7E-4598-4CA8-A1A6-A003B4102D0B%7Drip21_001.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Interviewing in Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 122042

Author: Hutchings, Alice Title: Review of Computer Chip Identification Systems Summary: This paper reviews the key literature relating to embedded computer chip identification systems such as those used in smartcards and ePassports. It identifies social, policy and legal issues associated with their use, particularly as they relate to the Australian context. Computer chip identification systems, while offering many benefits, may contain valuable personal data and/or provide access to restricted areas. Therefore, the use of this technology has potential implications for the commission of offences such as identity theft, identify fraud and even terrorism. Embedded computer chip identification systems are considered to be a countermeasure against identity theft as they include additional security measures compared to their predecessors (e.g. magnetic strip cards). However, due to the nature of the records that may be stored on the chip, including identification information and biometric data, they are valuable to offenders and breaches of their security may actually facilitate this type of offence. Choo, Smith and McCusker (2007, p. xiii) predict that “the future will also see new hardware devices and software programs that seek to compromise the quality of data-protection mechanisms used in smartcards”. This paper provides an overview of computer chip identification systems, discusses potential vulnerabilities relating to the misuse of this technology, and the regimes for data protection and privacy, including the technical standards that apply in Australia and internationally. Details: Nathan, QLD: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper, Issue 1: Accessed July 20, 2011 at: http://www.ceps.edu.au/files/file/No_%201%20Alice%20Hutchings.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes (Australia) Shelf Number: 122117

Author: Legrand, Tim Title: Infrastructure Vulnerability and the Coordination of Government Responses Summary: The security of Australia’s national infrastructures is of critical importance to its continued economic prosperity and social well being. Yet, the volatility of Australia’s climates and the threat of terrorism present Australia’s national infrastructures with a set of challenges almost unique in the world. Within the past five years, Australia’s towns and cities have encountered tropical cyclones, droughts, catastrophic flooding and destructive bush fires. Into the future, Australia’s transport, energy, food, water, and communications systems (amongst many others) face severe and continuing natural and human-induced hazards. The Australian Government’s Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy (2010) and the accompanying supplement sets out the Government’s ongoing commitment to maintaining and continuing to build partnerships with the owners and operators of critical national infrastructures. The Strategy documents outline existing challenges and articulate the importance of risk mitigation and resilience enhancement for infrastructures. Against this backdrop, The Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security (CEPS) coordinated and hosted a one-day workshop with partner organisations and researchers to identify joint research priorities for a stream of work strengthening the resilience of critical national infrastructures. Soon after the workshop, the Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy documents were published. The objective of the workshop was to identify and agree areas where academic research could strengthen the knowledge and expertise on infrastructure vulnerability and the coordination of government responses. this briefing paper provides a synopsis of themes and research questions identified at the CEPS Research Workshop held in Canberra on the 14th May 2010 which drew together senior policy makers, practitioners and scholars to discuss resilience and vulnerable infrastructures. Details: Nathan, QLD: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed July 20, 2011 at: http://www.ceps.edu.au/files/file/Tim%20Legrand%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Critical Infrastructures (Australia) Shelf Number: 122118

Author: Westera, Nina Title: Improving Rape Investigations: Does Interview Format Matter? Summary: Sexual violence is a pervasive and devastating crime affecting many adults and children in Australia. Historically under-reported, this crime has been a site of significant reform both in terms of the rules of evidence and procedures governing police investigation. This briefing paper charts some of the progress made in establishing a ‘best practice’ for investigative interviews of complainants that preserves both the quality and quantity of memory recall. The research demonstrates the considerable forensic value of video recording complainant interviews, though notes that these new technologies are perceived by practitioners to be resource intensive. Ultimately, notwithstanding increased costs, the use of video-recording of complaint interviews enhances not only the quality of evidence but also guards against complainants being revictimised by the legal process itself. Details: Nathan, QLD: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2010. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper, Issue 3: Accessed July 20, 2011 at: http://www.ceps.edu.au/files/file/Nina%20Westera%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Investigations Shelf Number: 122119

Author: Mazerolle, Lorraine Title: Key Findings of the Queensland Community Engagement Trial Summary: The international research community has spent the last twenty years developing a comprehensive understanding of public perceptions of police legitimacy and how the dynamics of police-citizen encounters explain variations in public perceptions of satisfaction, cooperation, compliance, trust in police and the capacity of police to maintain order, regulate and solve community problems. The Queensland Community Engagement Trial (QCET) is a world-first randomized field trial, conducted to investigate the effects of legitimacy policing through procedural justice and community engagement. The idea that legitimate policing can have positive impacts on police-citizen relations, community engagement and crime is not disputed and is clearly not new. However, never before have researchers used randomised field trial methods to directly test whether or not police can effectively and efficiently promote police legitimacy (and perceptions of police legitimacy) through procedural approaches, particularly in ethnically diverse communities where perceptions of legitimacy may be especially low. Accordingly, in December 2009, researchers from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security (CEPS) – in collaboration with the Queensland Police Service (QPS) – launched the Queensland Community Engagement Trial (QCET) in the Metropolitan South Region of Brisbane, Australia. This paper describes the QCET project and the key findings in terms of procedural justice and legitimacy. Details: Nathan, Qld: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2011. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed July 20, 2011 at: http://www.ceps.edu.au/files/file/FINAL%20Key%20Findings%20of%20the%20Queensland%20Community%20Engagement%20Trial.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Legitimacy Shelf Number: 122122

Author: O'Donnell, Kate Title: Infrastructure Vulnerability and the Coordination of Government Responses Information Technology Systems – Security and Risk Summary: Technological advances often outstrip governmental capacity to regulate, creating infrastructure vulnerabilities and opportunities for criminal exploitation and wrongdoing. These emerging threats and risks are compounded by the fact that new technologies (such as cloud computing) transcend borders. This environment poses serious challenges for policy makers and practitioners alike. On 30 June 2010, the Australian Government released its Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy which recognised ‘the importance of engaging with the research sector to ensure policies and approaches remain responsive to change and identify and mitigate knowledge gaps identified by critical infrastructure stakeholders. The Government will foster a stronger relationship between the owners and operators of critical infrastructure and the research community to ensure the research needs of critical infrastructure stakeholders on a range of security issues are being met.” This Briefing Paper profiles the CEPS workshop on Information Technology Systems – Security and Risk held in early 2011. stimulated a rich set of ideas, as well as forging new partnerships. Bringing together the public and private sectors in a discursive forum, the workshop identifed a range of emerging issues for the purpose of the framing future research agendas within CEPS. This Briefing Paper is a tangible outcome of that forum, and an example of new levels of engagement between the government, private and research sectors that will assist in deepening our knowledge of the risks to infrastructure, and identify effective strategies of promoting resilience and risk mitigation. Details: Nathan, QLD: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper: Accessed July 20, 2011 at: http://www.ceps.edu.au/files/file/Information%20Technology%20Systems%20.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Critical Infrastructure Shelf Number: 122123

Author: Goodwin, Vanessa Title: The Concentration of Offending and Related Social Problem in Tasmanian Families Summary: This briefing paper presents preliminary findings from research examining the extent to which offending and related social problems are concentrated in six Tasmanian families. The main aim of the research is to identify ways to break the cycle of intergenerational crime and better respond to the needs of families with multiple problems. Details: Hobart: Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, 2008. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 8: Accessed July 20, 2011 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/tiles/publications_and_reports/briefing_papers/briefing_papers_pdf/Briefing_Paper,_No_8.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Intergenerational Crime (Tasmania) Shelf Number: 122127

Author: Gelb, Karen Title: Predictors of Punitiveness: Community Views in Victoria Summary: This Sentencing Matters paper examines the predictors of punitiveness among a sample of Victorians. The paper is based on the Victorian component of a national survey of public attitudes to sentencing. This report shows that, in response to abstract questions about sentencing, members of the Victorian public are moderately punitive. Some people are more punitive than others, with several factors underlying punitive attitudes. Beliefs about the courts and sentencing, and perceptions of increasing crime, bear the strongest relationships with levels of punitiveness. Greater punitiveness is also more evident among those who use commercial/tabloid media as their main source of information on crime and punishment, as well as those with less education and those who attest to being politically conservative. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Sentencing Matters: Accessed July 26, 2011 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/predictors_of_punitiveness_community_views_in_victoria.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Public Opinion Shelf Number: 122162

Author: Gelb, Karen Title: Purposes of Sentencing: Community Views in Victoria Summary: This Sentencing Matters paper considers people's preferences for the main purposes of sentencing for offenders in a range of case studies. The paper is based on the Victorian component of a national survey of public attitudes to sentencing. The report shows that views on the purposes of sentencing are complex and nuanced. Participants in this study do not focus solely on punishment as a purpose of sentencing, but also see rehabilitation as an important purpose of sentencing in certain instances. These findings show that people rate prior offending as a significant aggravating factor. Indeed, members of the community who responded to this survey clearly appreciate the complexities of sentencing for different types of offender and offence. This appreciation and understanding has important implications for sentencers. Judges and magistrates are required to balance the various purposes of sentencing for every offender who comes before them. At the same time, they have to consider community concerns and expectations of what sentencing should achieve. This report provides evidence that, like the judges and magistrates themselves, people adopt an individualised approach to sentencing, tailoring their preferences for the main purpose of sentencing to the circumstances of each specific case before them. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Sentencing Matters: Accessed July 26, 2011 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/purposes_of_sentencing_community_views_in_victoria.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Public Opinion Shelf Number: 122163

Author: Stewart, Felicity Title: Aggravated Burglary: Current Sentencing Summary: The offence of burglary involves entering a premises as a trespasser with the intention to steal anything in the premises or to commit an offence involving assault or property damage. The offence has a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. To be guilty of the offence, it is sufficient to enter the premises with the relevant intention. The offence is committed even if, once inside the premises, the person does not actually carry out the additional intended offence involving theft, assault or property damage. Aggravated burglary occurs if, at the time of the burglary, the offender either carried a weapon or knew that a person was in the premises (or was reckless as to the presence of a person in the premises). The aggravated form of the offence has a much higher maximum penalty of 25 years – the second highest level of maximum penalty available in Victoria after life imprisonment. Both burglary and aggravated burglary are preparatory offences, because they involve an act (entering property) with the intention to commit a further offence. If, once the person has entered the premises, he or she actually commits the intended offence involving theft, assault or property damage, he or she would be charged and sentenced separately for both the offence of burglary and that further offence. Although aggravated burglary is a preparatory offence, in terms of the maximum penalty, it is ranked among the most serious offences in Victoria. Yet procedurally aggravated burglary is ranked with much less serious offences, as it is triable summarily in the Magistrates’ Court. Approximately 40% of aggravated burglary cases are sentenced in that court. The longest term of imprisonment that can be imposed by that court for any single charge is two years’ imprisonment. When sentencing a person for an offence, one of the factors that Victorian courts are required to consider is current sentencing practices for that offence. This is particularly difficult to do for aggravated burglary. The preparatory nature of the offence is one reason for this, because the gravity of a particular aggravated burglary will be affected by the nature of the offence that the person entering the premises intended to commit once inside. For example, did they break into the premises intending to steal cash while being aware that someone may have been asleep upstairs? Or did they break in knowing that a woman was alone at home and intending to rape her? The prevalence of aggravated burglary, combined with the unusually wide range of sentences imposed and the difficulty of identifying current sentencing practices for it, prompted the Sentencing Advisory Council to undertake a detailed study of sentencing practices for this offence. The study relies on details set out in written remarks made by judges when delivering their sentences. Because such comments are only available in the higher courts, this study does not include sentences imposed in the Magistrates’ Court other than the broad statistical sentencing patterns. The study is also limited to the variables that could be extracted consistently and reliably from the sentencing remarks. The study examines sentences imposed in 2008–09. The sentences imposed for these charges ranged from adjourned undertakings and fines to imprisonment for seven years. An immediate custodial sentence was the most frequently imposed sentence (55.2%). The median imprisonment term was two years. A wholly suspended sentence was the second most common sentence type (28.2% of charges) and the median term was two years. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council (Victoria), 2011. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2011 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/aggravated_burglary_current_sentencing_practices_0.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Burglary Shelf Number: 122176

Author: Hoisington, Caroline Title: Rough Trade: How Australia's Trade Policies Contribute to Illegal Logging in the Pacific Region Summary: The Australian Government is not doing enough to ensure that Australian imports of forestry products are consistent with the goals of Australian aid programs and stated commitments to reduce greenhouse gases. Australian aid includes programs and projects to help Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Island nations to better manage their forestry resources for long-term sustainability, maximum socioeconomic benefit for their citizens and to participate in REDD (reduced emissions from deforestation and forest destruction), the innovative program rewarding carbon sequestration. Illegal logging in these countries is more extensive than generally understood and it is a serious impediment to achieving the goals of Australian aid programs. Illegal logging is a major cause of deforestation and environmental destruction; it undermines nations’ efforts to manage forest resources for a sustainable industry, destroys the livelihood of forest-dwellers and costs governments large sums in lost revenue. It fosters corruption and is associated with organised crime and violence. It undercuts the international and Australian domestic markets for wood products from legally managed forestry by being cheaper. Deforestation is responsible for about 20 per cent of global greenhouse-gas emissions, and illegal logging is responsible for a large part of the deforestation. Continued illegal logging demonstrates that governments cannot protect their forest resources and it undermines their credibility for participation in the REDD mechanism. Ultimately, illegal logging is market-driven and a significant part of the demand is international. Australia inadvertently contributes to these problems by importing timber and wood products, including wooden furniture, without adequate controls in place to ensure that the wood is legally sourced. The lack of legal mechanisms available to Customs for the control of illegal wood imports is inconsistent with the goal of Australia’s aid program, environmentally sound management of natural resources among neighbouring countries and at home. It may benefit the importers of certain products by keeping prices low but those artificially low prices undercut Australia’s own forestry and forestry-based industries. Several specific measures are recommended to ensure that timber and wood-product imports are legally sourced. Details: Bruce, ACT, AUS: The Australia Institute, University of Canberra, 2010. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Institute Paper No. 5: Accessed July 27, 2011 at: www.tai.org.au Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Logging (Australia) Shelf Number: 122177

Author: Migrant Information Centre, Eastern Melbourne Title: Family violence Within the Southern Sudanese Community: Project Evaluation Report Summary: Settling in Australia can be a long and difficult process for refugee families. Many people from refugee backgrounds have experienced repeated exposure to traumatic events prior to their arrival in Australia, including torture, time spent in dangerous refugee camps and loss or separation from close family members. In addition to this, the process of settlement and adjustment to a complex and unfamiliar society is often a baffling and stressful experience for families. This places huge demands on families who are also struggling with coming to terms with a different set of societal and cultural rules. Such pressures can contribute to family conflict and relationship breakdown. The Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne) (MIC) received funding from the Australian Government, Office for Women to develop and implement a project to draw on the knowledge and strengths of the Southern Sudanese community around issues of family violence. As a newly arrived refugee community, the Southern Sudanese have identified family breakdown as a significant issue that is impacting on family relationships within the community. Coupled with this is the apparent lack of understanding amongst some members of the Southern Sudanese community around Australian laws and practices and community services available to assist with family conflict and family violence. Through the development and implementation of the project, both prevention and intervention approaches to working with the Southern Sudanese community were piloted between August 2007 and November 2008. This paper evaluates the processes taken to develop the various aspects of the project and the effectiveness of the approaches taken through their implementation. The MIC acknowledges that these approaches are a contribution to the learning within the field in Australia, building on the knowledge to overcome family violence within the Southern Sudanese community. Details: Melbourne: Migrant Information Centre, 2008. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2011 at: http://www.miceastmelb.com.au/documents/PROJECTEVALUATION(pdf).pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 122179

Author: Webbe, Simone Title: Simple, Effective, Transparent, Strong: An Independent Review of the Queensland Police Complaints, Discipline and Misconduct System Summary: The Queensland police complaints, discipline and misconduct system is dysfunctional and unsustainable. Complainants and police are subjected to a complex, administratively burdensome, overly legalistic and adversarial process that is dishonoured by chronic delays, inconsistent and disproportionate outcomes. This is not news. Many reviews over decades before this one have found police discipline entrapped by a system malaise that produces the perfect paradox, which is that despite the priority concern of individual ethical police officers for a quick and fair response to complaints made against them personally, the organisation formed by majority of those same officers tends to overcook investigations, oblige protracted delays and unnecessary complexity, and operationalise injustice as it surrenders to the rules and expectations of a system that serves no one well. Genuine organisational attempts and commitment to address the problems such as the recent hopeful trials for Project Verity have only served to increase frustration by their failure to progress a solution. There is an intimidating gap between the current police complaints, discipline and misconduct system and the ideal model that is 'simple, effective, transparent and strong' that was recommended recently by the Crime and Misconduct Commission in its report, Setting the Standard. Subsequently, the Premier called for this Independent Review to consider the big picture for a better system anchored by a requirement to also deliver the operational detail - and promote public confidence. The objective of the devolution policy implemented under the Crime and Misconduct Act 2001 was to effect quicker remedial responses to complaints through police management taking responsibility. In the decade since, neither remedial nor timely objective has been achieved. Implementation was flawed in essential respects because although the legal responsibilities and rationale moved to a capacity building intent for police to manage police conduct, the legislative and procedural complaints system itself remained an outdated and ineffectual dominant orthodoxy of discipline and punishment. Public confidence was compromised by more 'police investigating police'. Public trust was undermined by long legalistic processes for possible retribution that excluded admissions, apologies, individual and organisational learnings. This Review concludes that the police complaints, discipline and misconduct system in Queensland needs to correct its fundamental structural inconsistency with the policy objective of remedial intent; manage risk according to circumstances; and incorporate solutions beyond discipline and punishment such as a more responsive consideration of the needs of the complainant and restorative justice principles. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet, 2011. 160p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2011 at: http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/publications/categories/reviews/assets/independent-review-of-qld-police-discipline-system.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Complaints Against Police Shelf Number: 122190

Author: Bull, Melissa Title: Building Trust: Working with Muslim Communities in Australia: A Review of the Community Policing Partnership Project Summary: The Community Policing Partnerships Project (CPPP) was one of eight projects implemented under the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Community Partnerships for Human Rights (CPHR) program. The CPHR’s central goal was to increase social inclusion and to counter discrimination and intolerance towards Australia’s Muslim and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Under the CPPP, police and communities worked together to plan and administer 38 projects across Australia. This report provides a review of the outcomes of these projects and provides some key findings and learnings for future community policing initiatives. Evidence from the CPPP projects suggests that the individual experiences of many police and community participants were positive and beneficial. Establishing trust and building relationships between Muslim young people and local police officers was a key focus of many of the projects under the CPPP. Often this was achieved by providing opportunities for positive interaction between police and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and by providing information regarding the support available to young people (Office of Multicultural Interests, 2009, p. 26). Many of the CPPP projects broke down stereotypes, improving previously tense relationships. However, projects such as those under the CPPP will need to reach deep into police organisations and communities involved to bring about significant and lasting change in the nature of police–community relationships. This report discusses some of the key learnings from the CPPP and other community policing initiatives. This report finds that in addressing social inclusion, countering discrimination and intolerance, and building mutual trust and respect, community policing initiatives need to address the: •complex underlying social conditions when tackling core issues such as social inclusion, to optimise relationships between police and communities •adversity faced by young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds by increasing the factors that mitigate risks they face, and so facilitate their ability to contribute to the local economy in the future •danger of defining problems in terms of communication and awareness, which can at times gloss over real, deep-seated, underlying conflicts and sources of tension •potentially adverse practical consequences that may flow from using the concept of ‘community’ in the context of community policing initiatives. There is a risk that community policing initiatives may perpetuate or exacerbate the very problem they are attempting to defuse by the manner in which they define or name the problem. The most effective approaches will focus more directly on the dynamics of police–youth relationships rather than on overemphasising ethnic or religious background. Community policing initiatives must also: •avoid overemphasising the formal education of minority community members about their rights and responsibilities. For community members, these may be articulated as concerns about informal belonging, respect, recognition, fair treatment and dignity •acknowledge that the concept of ‘community’ is often not inclusive of those most affected by policing. The consensual overtones of community can hide the fact that a few select voices and interests—often those of the most respectable and powerful—can often come to represent the whole community •be realistic about the possibilities, limitations, challenges and pitfalls of community policing programs, which can be affected by the priority, resources and planning they receive. It is important that projects such as those implemented under the CPPP are integrated into other ongoing police and community activities and are guided by a long-term view of the issues. This necessarily involves evidence-based planning, policy and research that takes a long-term view and is informed by how immigration shapes the dynamics of social and community change and the implications of such change for social cohesion and policing issues. This report finds that in the absence of a broad, long-term view police services and other criminal justice agencies may be left to deal, reactively, with failings in other areas of public policy; that, if ignored, complex social problems may translate into problems of law and order; and that simplistic causal explanations may prove ineffective and counterproductive. This report demonstrates the need for a more concerted government response and a strategic research, policy and planning framework if maximum benefit is to be derived from community policing initiatives such as the CPPP. Details: Sydney: Australian Human Rights Commission, 2010. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2011 at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/publications/police/2010building_trust.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Policing Shelf Number: 122234

Author: Gauthier, Kate Title: No Place for Children: Immigration Detention on Christmas Island Summary: Detaining children violates their basic human rights. But when they are housed in locked facilities such as Christmas Island, it is the responsibility of the government and its contractors, in this case Serco Asia Pacific (“Serco”), to take the very best care of the children. Serco is contractually bound by its Detention Services Contract with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to provide services to people in immigration detention. Many children in detention have fled active war zones, and depriving them of liberty does not promote their recovery from such experiences. As the mental health section of this report shows, detention compounds trauma. Australia's mandatory detention regime has been found to be arbitrary. For all people who do not hold a valid visa, it is the first, not last, resort. This is its ultimate point of failure: the system is fundamentally flawed. While it imprisons children as a first resort and for indefinite periods of time, it contravenes international law and common sense morality. Children should not be locked up. Ultimately the government must recognise this and legislate to prevent the implementation of policies that breach Australia‟s legal and moral obligations. Details: Neutral Bay, NSW, AUS: ChilOut - Children Out of Immigration Detention, 2011. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2011 at: http://www.chilout.org/web_images/No%20Place%20for%20Children%20-%20Final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Immigrants Shelf Number: 122257

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Report of Investigation into Victoria Police Crime Records and Statistical Reporting Summary: Crime statistics are used by Governments and the community as an important indicator of police performance. The demand for statistical data on crime management is driven by an assortment of needs, including measuring the effectiveness of national and local crime reduction strategies and determining the allocation of resources. Public confidence in crime data collection processes and the accuracy of published crime statistics is integral to public confidence in the policing services delivered by Victoria Police. This investigation examines the way data is recorded on Victoria Police’s Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP), particularly as it relates to crime clearance rates. Director of Police Integrity, Michael Strong, commissioned the investigation in August 2009, following a referral from Ombudsman Victoria relating to an allegation that some police were involved in the falsification of police records relevant to crime clearance rates and finilisation of crime records. The investigation initially focused on one of the processes that result in a crime being recorded as ‘cleared’ - the Intent to Summons process. Although the investigation revealed evidence some police were using the process inappropriately to clear crime, the evidence does not establish that this was done corruptly to falsify crime clearance rates. Nevertheless, the investigation exposed that the Intent to Summons process used by Victoria Police is open to manipulation. Signifi cant flaws in the system are exacerbated by a lack of clear policies and instructions and inadequate monitoring processes. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2011. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2011 at: www.opi.vic.gov.au/file.php?239 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics (Australia) Shelf Number: 122263

Author: Pink, Grant William Title: Environmental Enforcement Networks: A Qualitative Analysis Summary: This study discusses the utility of environmental enforcement networks (networks). It considers the viewpoints of eight senior managers, from environmental enforcement agencies (EEAs), who represent seven countries and collectively are involved in fourteen networks. Using a predominantly qualitative approach the study examined questionnaire and interview data relating to; the utility of sub-national, national, regional and global networks, and the strategies used by EEAs in order to increase the benefits derived from networks. The study established that there is utility in networks across the countries and networks studied. It also identified that there are a range of strategies and activities used by EEAs to maximise the benefits of network engagement. The study concludes with a number of recommendations that network members and their respective governing bodies may consider in an effort to maximise network benefits. Details: Wagga Wagga, AUS: Charles Sturt University, 2010. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Master's Thesis: Accessed August 5, 2011 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1803179 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Environmental Law Shelf Number: 122311

Author: Moore, Michael Title: Balancing Access and Safety: Meeting the Challenge of Blood Borne Viruses in Prison Summary: PHAA was engaged by the ACT Government to investigate and report on models for the implementation of a Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC). The project included an assessment of barriers to implementation of an NSP into the prison, and undertook broad consultations with key stakeholders. The PHAA Report was commissioned in response to the Government’s commitment to investigate a trial needle and syringe program at the AMC in response to recommendation 69 of the Burnet Report entitled External component of the evaluation of drug policies and services and their subsequent effects on prisoners and staff within the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Part of PHAA’s process in developing the report was extensive consultation with key stakeholders. This included prisoners and families; custodial staff and representatives; ACT Health Directorate staff; community health and related service providers, and stakeholder workshops and focus groups conducted during the project. The Report makes 7 recommendations related to: legislative changes to assist the implementation of a needle and syringe program in the AMC; establishing clear rules and procedures; an implementation plan designed to ensure optimal health and safety outcomes for prison staff and the broader community, as well as prisoners; and supportive measures related to the recruitment of an Aboriginal Health Worker for the NSP, secure syringe disposal bins, and monitoring developments in retractable syringe technology. Details: Curtin, ACT, AUS: Public Health Association, 2011. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2011 at: http://www.health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=sendfile&ft=p&fid=1311820623&sid= Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment Shelf Number: 122347

Author: Quixley, Suzi Title: The Right to Choose: Enhancing Best Practice in Responding to Sexual Assault in Queensland Summary: This report proposes an evidence-based, holistic response to sexual assault in Queensland. It advocates a system designed to enable Queensland to move toward the reduction, and ultimate elimination, of sexual violence. This requires viewing sexual assault as primarily a social, rather than an individual or medical, problem. Details: Brisbane(?): Queensland Sexual Assault Services, 2010. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.communitydoor.org.au/sites/default/files/Right%20to%20choose%20final%20pdf%20with%20covers.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 122360

Author: McGregor, Catherine Title: Prescription Drug Use Among Detainees: Prevalence, Sources and Links to Crime Summary: This report is the first of its kind in Australia to examine the self-reported use of illicit pharmaceuticals among a sample of police detainees surveyed as part of the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. In all, 986 detainees were interviewed, of which 19 percent reported having recently used pharmaceutical drugs for non-medical purposes in the past 12 months — nearly five times as high as reported by the general Australian population. Non-medical prescription drug use was found to be substantially higher in the detainee population by comparison with the general community. Among the detainees surveyed, more prescription drug users were unemployed, derived their income from welfare or benefits, considered themselves drug dependent, were currently on a drug-related charge and had been arrested or imprisoned in the previous 12 months by comparison with non-users. Most pharmaceuticals were sourced from family and friends or from the person’s usual doctor and pharmacy. There was little support for the view that pharmaceuticals are commonly obtained through script forgery or over the internet. Benzodiazepines, followed by opioids, were the most commonly used pharmaceuticals for non-medical purposes in this sample of police detainees. This paper provides policymakers with valuable information about the reasons for use and the methods by which pharmaceuticals are typically accessed for non-medical purposes. Further research to investigate the methods of obtaining illicit pharmaceuticals from within the general community is needed. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 423: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 122361

Author: Grech, Katrina Title: Trends and Patterns in Domestic Violence Assaults: 2001 to 2010 Summary: Recent estimates suggest that close to 1.8 million Australians have been victims of domestic violence (Access Economics, 2004) and that nearly a quarter of all recent assaults are related to domestic violence (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Although we now have fairly accurate estimates of the prevalence of domestic violence, it is difficult to fashion effective prevention strategies without an understanding of when, where and in what circumstances domestic violence occurs. Six years ago the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research published a report examining trends and patterns in domestic violence in NSW (People, 2005). The aim of this report is to update and extend People’s (2005) analysis. Section 1 of this report begins by describing trends and patterns of domestic assault in NSW between 2001 and 2010. A descriptive analysis of incidents of domestic assaults recorded by police in 2010 then follows. This includes information on the premises types on which incidents occur, temporal variation in incidents by time of day and day of week and the involvement of alcohol. Where relevant, details on nondomestic assault are included as a comparison. Section 1 also provides new information on regional variation in domestic assault. In Section 2, we explore characteristics of both victims and offenders involved in domestic assault. Key factors explored are the age, gender and Indigenous status of both the victim and the offender, as well as the victim-offender relationship. Section 3 then compares the general characteristics of victims who reported the most recent incident of domestic assault to the police with those who did not. For this last part of the analysis we used data from the regular crime victimisation survey collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 61: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB61.pdf/$file/BB61.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Victimization Shelf Number: 122362

Author: Larsen, Jacqueline Joudo Title: Crimes Against International Students in Australia: 2005-09 Summary: With the growth in global student mobility, almost three million students travel to English-speaking countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, in pursuit of tertiary education. The number of international students in Australia has grown substantially since 2005 — this is attributed to the establishment of private sector Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses. It is now the case that more than 300,000 international student visas are currently granted each year to enable foreign nationals to study within Australia. As a result, the international education sector has become the third largest export industry in Australia, generating approximately $18.3b per annum in recent years. The sector also plays a critical role in fostering stronger international links and developing diverse skills in Australia and overseas. In 2009 and 2010, a series of media reports of crimes against Indian international students led to growing concern over the safety of international students in Australia. In response to these concerns, and the lack of existing police data to quantify the size of the problem, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), sought ways to quantify the nature and extent to which Indian students were the victims of crime compared with other international student groups and the Australian population. This report represents the culmination of the AIC’s research into crimes against international students. Using administrative and pre-existing survey data sources, detailed findings are provided from what is the most comprehensive student victimisation study conducted to date, based on an analysis of DIAC international student visa records for more than 400,000 students matched with police crime victimisation records. In addition, supplementary analysis of the AIC’s National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) database, as well as the Australian component of the 2004 International Crime Victimisation Survey (ICVS), are used to provide additional context to the AIC’s investigation. Primarily, this research was designed to provide the best available estimation of the extent to which international students have been the victims of crime during their time in Australia and a determination of whether international students are more or less likely than an Australian comparison population to have experienced crime. While the study has also provided some evidence of some of the factors that may increase the risk for student victimisation, the nature of the available data does not enable specific analysis of racial motivation. This is because policing databases do not consistently collect motivation data for all offences reported or investigated. Determining the motivation for offending would best be achieved by the development and implementation of a large-scale crime victimisation survey of international students and other Australian migrant populations more broadly. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 172p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/5/C/2/%7B5C2C2F3E-584B-498E-A694-A25FC8FC7C86%7Dcaisa.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Bias Crimes Shelf Number: 122364

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Managing Conflict of Interest in Victoria Police Summary: This report uses case studies based on OPI investigations to highlight a recurring theme underlying much of our work – a persistent failure by some within Victoria Police to properly identify and appropriately deal with conflict of interest. Conflict of interest can arise in many ways for those in positions of power, especially police. Because of their broad powers and the variety of their work, it is likely that the work of many police will at times intersect with their personal interests. However, police must never allow personal interest to affect their police work. They must be impartial and must never be seen to act in a way that is motivated by personal interest rather than professional duty. Compounding the challenge for police is the risk they will be perceived as being biased or unfair, even when they themselves feel sure of their own integrity. To maintain community confidence, police must not only act impartially; they must ensure that a reasonable observer would not be able to infer any improper influence. OPI has investigated cases where failure to recognise and deal with conflict of interest caused police to make mistakes which they then lied about and covered up. Covering up a mistake arising out of a conflict of interest heightens the perception of deliberate wrongdoing, when the individual involved may simply have been struggling to manage a genuinely difficult situation. Sometimes a conflict of interest cannot be avoided. The existence of a conflict is not in itself wrong. Rather than pretending a conflict doesn’t exist or, worse still, ignoring it and covering it up, police should focus on recognising, acknowledging and managing it. The case studies in this report are provided as cautionary tales. These and other OPI investigations have shown that a number of police – even those who recognise conflict of interest – are not sufficiently equipped with strategies to deal with it. An improved understanding and application of Victoria Police values will benefit many who find themselves in difficult but sometimes unavoidable situations. Integrity, with its emphasis on fairness; professionalism, with its emphasis on transparency; leadership, which entails guidance for less experienced police; and support, which requires care for the well-being of colleagues – these values are at the heart of conflict of interest management. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2010. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2011 at: http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/index.php?i=19&m=12&t=1 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Ethics (Australia) Shelf Number: 122404

Author: Snowball, Lucy Title: The Profile of Offenders Receiving Suspended Sentences Summary: The aim of this study was to determine whether the profile of those receiving suspended sentences (of any length) changed over the 10-year period from 2000 to 2009 and whether those receiving suspended sentences have different characteristics from those receiving a full-time custodial sentence of the same length (in this case six months). The first question was answered by analysing the distribution of certain characteristics of interest over the 10-year period from 2000 to 2009 amongst offenders who had been given a suspended sentence. The second question was examined by looking at the bivariate relationship between sentence type and offender characteristics and then building a logistic regression model comparing the characteristics of offenders receiving a suspended sentence to those receiving a full-time custodial sentence. The study found that over the period 2000 to 2009, there has been a reduction in the proportion of suspended sentences imposed on property offenders and an increase in the proportion of suspended sentences imposed on persons convicted of driving and traffic and ‘other’ offences. Offenders are more likely to receive a suspended sentence (than a full-time custodial sentence of six months or less) if they are female, older than 35 years of age, have been convicted of an offence that does not involve serious violence, theft or breaching an order, do not have concurrent convictions, do not have prior convictions and are not legally represented. Courts do not appear to reserve suspended sentences for offenders who would otherwise have gone to prison. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 63: Accessed August 18, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb63.pdf/$file/bb63.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Imprisonment Shelf Number: 122425

Author: Larance, Briony Title: The Diversion and Injection of the Pharmaceutical Opioids Used in Opioid Substitution Treatment: Fidings from the Australian Post-Marketing Surveillance Studies of Buprenorphine-Naloxone, 2006-2008 Summary: Opioid substitution treatment (OST) is effective in treating opioid dependence, and results in significant reductions in the negative health consequences and adverse effects on public order. In Australia, OST is highly regulated: it is available only with an individual patient authority, there is licensing of doctors, and a strong focus on supervised administration of medication. Adherence with OST is important for maximising a range of positive treatment outcomes, but is especially important in preventing injection, "leakage" of prescribed medication to the illicit market, overdose and mortality. The introduction of an opioid agonist-antagonist formulation in Australia was a new approach that was hoped to result in lower levels of injection of the medication. By deterring injection, buprenorphine-naloxone (registered as Suboxone) may reduce its attractiveness in illicit markets. Post-marketing surveillance of the diversion and injection of Suboxone was required as a condition of the product's registration in Australia. Reckitt Benckiser approached the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre to conduct the study independently, by way of an untied educational grant. 1.1. Terminology Post-marketing surveillance studies are usually observational in design and monitor the safety of new medications being used in real-life applications. Pre-marketing (clinical) studies usually involve detailed protocol constraints and small sample sizes, and although they may suggest which medications are likely (or not likely) to be misused, they are limited in their ability to detect and quantify actual misuse. Diversion is used in this report to describe the unsanctioned supply of regulated pharmaceuticals from legal sources to the illicit drug market, or to a user for whom the drugs were not intended. Adherence is used to describe the taking of medication in accordance with prescription directions and the meeting of all the specified conditions of treatment (e.g. consumption of the dose under supervision, attendance at designated dosing times, meeting requests for urinalysis, etc). Non-adherence is, therefore, any use of a medication by the individual to whom it was prescribed where the medication was not taken exactly as directed. This includes (but is not limited to) removing all or part of a supervised dose from the dosing site for personal use or diversion to illicit markets, splitting doses, stockpiling doses, taking more or less than the prescribed dose, and injection of prescribed medication(s). This report seeks to answer the following questions: (i) Is there injection of the agonist-antagonist formulation - buprenorphine naloxone - following its large-scale introduction into treatment programs for opioid dependence? (ii) To what extent is buprenorphine-naloxone injected compared to existing OST formulations, and in particular compared to the mono-buprenorphine product, among those receiving treatment and among out-of-treatment injecting drug users (IDU)? (iii) Is diverted buprenorphine-naloxone less attractive in illicit markets? (iv) What influences the diversion and/or injection of buprenorphine-naloxone? Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2009. 143p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical Report No. 302: Accessed August 22, 2011 at: http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/NDARCWeb.nsf/resources/TR+298-302/$file/TR+302.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 122461

Author: Baidawi, Susan Title: Older Prisoners -- A Challenge for Australian Corrections Summary: Corrections statistics in Australia indicate a clear trend towards increased numbers of older prisoners and the growth of this inmate group is paralleled in prisons in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand. Older prisoner populations present a number of challenges for governments, correctional administrators, healthcare providers and community agencies. This paper looks at the issue of defining the older prisoner and explores the rise in older inmate populations throughout Australia — both at the national level and across the states and territories. The concerns pertaining to the management of older prisoners are examined, including the costs of responding to rising healthcare needs, as well as issues surrounding accommodation and correctional programs for older prisoners. Various solutions and strategies that have been adopted internationally in various correctional settings are also discussed, including the establishment of special needs units for older prisoners and the employment of specialist staff. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of the rise in older prisoner numbers for corrections policymakers and researchers in the Australian context. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 426: Accessed August 23, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/C/5/%7BFC556827-B995-497B-AE69-D2C2B85922C2%7Dtandi426_001.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Elderly Inmates (Australia) Shelf Number: 122464

Author: Rushworth, Nick Title: Policy Paper: Out of Sight, Out of Mind: People with an Acquired Brain Injury and the Criminal Justice System Summary: Local and international surveys both of head injuries with loss of consciousness and chronic substance abuse in adult corrections and juvenile justice indicate very high rates of acquired brain injury (ABI). As many as 60 per cent of offenders report histories of ABI. This rate would account for 17,900 - out of 29,700 - adult prisoners in Australia. This paper examines the research evidence for an association between ABI and subsequent, sometimes violent, offending. While problems people may experience with thinking and behaviour the result of their ABI place them at the highest risk of re-offending and re-incarceration, the disability receives low recognition throughout the criminal justice system. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) claims as one of its "current commitments" under the National Disability Strategy ―court diversion programs for people with disability…designed to address the mental health or disability needs of defendants and their offending behaviour. This paper demonstrates that people with an ABI are ordinarily ineligible for such programs due to restrictive legislation or access criteria. Whether in courts' considerations of granting bail or “fitness to be tried”, or in sentencing, or referral to specialist tribunals of “therapeutic jurisprudence”, programs of diversion from the criminal justice system are narrowly targeted, commonly at people with an intellectual disability or mental illness. "While these population groups certainly face significant problems in the criminal justice system and ought to be priorities for action, the pre-occupation with these groups to date must not be allowed to obscure the equally serious problems facing other impairment groups, including persons who are deaf, deafblind, persons with severe communication impairments, and persons with acquired brain injury." Details: Ryde, NSW: Brain Injury Australia, 2011. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2011 at: http://www.braininjuryaustralia.org.au/docs/CJSpolicypaperFINAL.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Adults with Disabilities Shelf Number: 122465

Author: Kevin, Maria Title: Addressing Prisoner Drug Use: Prevalence, Nature and Context. 3rd Collection of a Biennial Survey of Prisoners in New South Wales Summary: The extent and severity of drug-related problems among inmate populations presents significant challenges to correctional administrators. Inmates presenting with drug problems are among the most difficult to care for and manage. The current findings suggest an encouraging trend in the rate of drug-related offending and drug-related morbidity in the NSW inmate population. Despite an increase in the NSW prison population in 2003, there has been a decrease in drug-related offending and heavy-end drug use by inmates both before and during imprisonment. Encouragingly, inmates also indicated a greater awareness of the risks associated with drug use when compared with the findings of prior collections in this series. Even though this trend is positive, the levels of drug-related morbidity remain sufficiently high to maintain this as a priority area. The findings from this data collection series provide factual data to improve policy and strategy for this high need and high risk population. This data collection also provides a valuable and unique insight into prison life that can be used in the development of further effective management and rehabilitation programs. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Department of Corrective Services, 2005. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 47: Accessed August 26, 2011 at: http://csa.intersearch.com.au/csajspui/bitstream/10627/122/2/RP047.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment Shelf Number: 108596

Author: McHutchison, Judy Title: Outcomes for NSW Periodic Detention Orders Commenced 2003 - 2004 Summary: A periodic detention order is a sentencing option available to NSW courts which authorises the sentencing of offenders to a two day a week detention period for terms up to three years. The aim of this study was to use electronically available data to measure outcomes (i.e., successful completion or revocation) for periodic detention orders commenced in 2003-4. Periodic detention orders can be revoked if an offender is convicted on another matter and sentenced to a period of full-time custody greater than a month. Orders can also be revoked if offenders otherwise fail to comply with their obligations under an order including: 􀂃 non-attendance on three or more occasions 􀂃 offences in custody. The majority of data analysed in this study was extracted from the NSW Department of Corrective Service’s (NSWDCS) Offender Integrated Management System (OIMS) on the 30th May 2006. At this date 925 orders had been completed (13 orders remained unfinalised and these were not included in this study). Details: Sydney: New South Wales Department of Corrective Services, 2006. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 48: Accessed August 26, 2011 at: http://www.correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au/_media/dcs/information/research-and-statistics/research-publication/RP048.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Imprisonment Shelf Number: 122555

Author: McHutchison, Judy Title: Indigenous Deaths in NSW Corrective Services Custody 1996-97 to 2006-07 Summary: This study seeks to establish the prevalence and causes of the deaths of Indigenous offenders in the full-time custody of the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services between 1996/97 and 2006/07. The study also describes the characteristics pertaining to the deceased Indigenous offenders. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Department of Corrective Services, 2008. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 49: Accessed August 26, 2011 at: http://www.correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au/_media/dcs/information/research-and-statistics/research-publication/RP049.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 122556

Author: Bailey, Brenda Title: No Exit Into Homeless Still a Dream? The Housing Needs of Women Leaving Prison Summary: This discussion paper is a response to the experience of women participating in the WIPAN Mentoring Program, that matches mentors from the community with women exiting prison. Program participants reported the most difficult issue when trying to reintegrate into the community was the lack of access to suitable, long term housing. This personal experience is matched by what is known about the factors that support women reintegrating into the community – that housing is one of the most important factors. Without suitable supported housing options, women releasees are at an increased risk of cycling in and out of prison. Details: Sydney: Women in Prison Advocacy Network, 2011. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed September 1, 2011 at: http://www.wipan.net.au/publications/WIPAN_Housing_Discussion_Paper.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Ex-Offenders, Female Shelf Number: 122584

Author: Meehan, Andrew Title: Report on Pre and Post-Release Housing Services for Prisoners in NSW Summary: The purpose of this paper is to review recent literature in the area of housing for pre and post-release prisoners and to analyse the gaps in current NSW policy and practice. In doing so, it is hoped that this report will further inform community housing providers so that the housing needs of ex-prisoners are understood and considered as part of their policy and project development. The emphasis is on highlighting how affordable and appropriate housing is fundamental to prisoners’ reintegration into the community. In this way, the report contends that ex-prisoners are a high needs group for which community housing has an important role to play. This paper will draw on literature both nationally and internationally with an emphasis on that which is found in Victoria. The emphasis on Victorian policy is for two reasons. Firstly, local conditions for policy affecting prisoners in Victoria are similar to those of NSW. Secondly, housing policy in particular for pre and post-release prisoners in Victoria appears to be further developed than that of NSW and, as such, may offer a suitable model for NSW. Specifically, this paper will offer a comprehensive literature review that includes a summary of research findings on the issue of housing for pre and post-release prisoners, a review of other policy responses and a review of current NSW policy and practice relevant to the issue. Further, it will identify the shortcomings of current NSW policy and practice as part of a broad analysis of the issue. Although it is not in the scope of this paper to offer any comprehensive policy response to the issue it is hoped it will provide an overview from which to do so. Details: Sydney: Community Housing, 2002. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2011 at: http://www.communityhousing.org.au/Publications/Reports_by_Fed/Full_Rpts/Research%20Reports/prisoners%20report.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Australia Keywords: Ex-Offenders, Housing (Australia) Shelf Number: 122610

Author: Ross, Stuart Title: Risk Factors for Advance Fee Fraud Victimisation Summary: Fraud is Australia’s most costly form of crime with the Australian Institute of Criminology estimating that in excess of $8.5b was lost to fraud in 2005 (Rollings 2008). Consumer fraud alone has been found to cost Australians almost $1b each year (ABS 2008c). Most types of consumer fraud entail the use of so-called ‘advance fee’ techniques in which individuals are tricked into paying money — an ‘advance fee’ — upfront in order to secure an anticipated financial or other benefit at a later date. However, the promises of wealth are false and victims invariably lose their payments in full. Such scams have had a huge impact globally, with Ultrascan (2008) estimating that US $4.3b was lost to advance fee fraud in 2006. To date, however, there has been only limited research on how and why people respond to such unsolicited invitations and become victims. This paper examines the characteristics of a sample of victims of advance fee frauds to determine how their behaviour and personal circumstances might have contributed to their willingness to respond to unsolicited invitations and to their subsequent loss of money or personal information. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 420: Accessed September 2, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/2/1/1/%7B21101BFB-1F54-4BC5-B9A8-A837E41DE7BB%7Dtandi420.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud Shelf Number: 122618

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Victimisation and Fear of Crime Among a Sample of Police Detainees: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: This study examines the self-reported victimisation and fear of victimisation for three crime types — physical assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft — using data collected from 816 adult police detainees interviewed as part of the AIC’s DUMA program. Specifically, data were collected from alleged offenders who were detained and interviewed (but not yet convicted) during the second quarter of 2010 (April–June) at any one of the following eight DUMA data collection sites—Bankstown, Parramatta, Brisbane, Southport, East Perth, Adelaide, Footscray and Darwin. For each of the three offence types, detainees were asked to indicate the number of occasions they had been a victim in the past 12 months and whether they considered it likely or very likely that they would be a victim of the offence in the next 12 months. For those who reported being victims, questions were also designed to ascertain the victim’s knowledge of their offender and their willingness to report their victimisation to the police. To identify the extent to which police detainees reported higher or lower rates of victimisation when compared with the general population, comparative analysis was conducted using data from the Australian component of the 2004 ICVS. However, as the detainee population was predominately male and aged under 35 years, and because victimisation experiences are likely to vary by age and gender, weighting the data was necessary to ensure accurate and reliable comparisons. To this end, the ICVS data were weighted in proportion to the age and gender profile of the DUMA detainees. There are a number of limitations that should be considered when interpreting these results. First, it is important to note that DUMA is a voluntary self-report survey of alleged offenders detained by the police and as with all self-report surveys, the quality of the data is dependent on the truthfulness and reliability of the respondents. Second, the ICVS data used for comparative analysis was collected in 2004, some six years earlier than the data collected from police detainees. Although other more recent victimisation surveys have been conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), data with sufficient disaggregation by age and gender to allow for detailed data weighting and analysis are not available to the public. Further, unlike ICVS, the ABS surveys do not include comparable questions on the fear or expectations of victimisation; see Sweeney and Payne (forthcoming) for further methodological information about the DUMA program. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 17: Accessed September 2, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/9/3/%7B8933D211-6500-4622-A82F-39AD291FE76E%7Drip17_001.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Fear of Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 122623

Author: Day, Andrew Title: Assessing the Social Climate of Australian Prisons Summary: Although in some ways communities appear to be increasingly more risk aversive and punitive in their attitudes toward offenders, the development and proliferation of a range of rehabilitation programs that aim to address the problems that lead to offending represents an important component of contemporary criminal justice policy in Australia. This research is based on the premise that the social climate of a prison will exert a profound influence on rehabilitative outcomes. In this paper, the authors present their validation of the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES) measure of prison social climates and the findings offer further support for measuring and identifying the means by which a prison’s social climate can be assessed. It is proposed that the measure be routinely used to audit the social climate of a prison or prison unit on an annual basis. This would enable changes over time to be assessed, standards and targets set, and the need for additional resources or interventions identified and responded to. Further research is required to establish how a social climate might be modified or changed in a way that would enhance rehabilitative outcomes. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no. 427: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/2/2/D/%7B22D2E61A-6308-4F18-AF3D-285723ED618E%7Dtandi427.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 122613

Author: Larney, Sarah Title: Opioid Substitution Treatment in Prison and Post-Release: Effects on Criminal Recidivism and Mortality Summary: Heroin dependence is a chronic condition associated with significant health and social harms. The most effective treatment for heroin dependence is opioid substitution treatment (OST), in which long-acting opioid medications such as methadone or buprenorphine are prescribed with the goal of reducing heroin use and associated harms. Internationally, OST is rarely available in prisons, despite the high proportion of heroin users among prisoners. Furthermore, limited research attention has been given to examining how prison-based OST can reduce the harms of heroin dependence. This thesis reports on two systematic literature reviews and three data linkage studies on the effects of prison-based and post-release OST. The first systematic review found that there is good evidence that prison OST reduces heroin use and needle and syringe sharing among prison inmates. The second review found that the evidence relating to the effects of prison OST on post-release outcomes is inconsistent and has limitations. As such, four data linkage studies were undertaken to assess incarceration, offending and mortality outcomes for a cohort of 375 male heroin users recruited in prisons in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, in 1996-7. Data were linked for the nearly ten-year period 1 June 1997 – 31 December 2006. The first data linkage study assessed whether the baseline data for the cohort could be linked to other databases with sufficient sensitivity and specificity to obtain reliable and valid results regarding episodes of OST. Results showed that maximum sensitivity and specificity were achieved when participants’ aliases were included as identifiers during the linkage process, and that enrolment in OST during the observation period had been reliably ascertained by linkage. The second data linkage study demonstrated that exposure to OST while in prison did not in itself reduce risk of re-incarceration; rather, it was continuation of treatment as the individual returned to the community that reduced the risk of returning to prison. Among participants who remained in OST post-release, risk of re-incarceration was, on average, 80% that of participants not in OST. The third study, assessing re-offending, did not find a relationship between OST exposure and criminal convictions; however, there were indications of bias in the analysis as a result of informative censoring. The fourth data linkage study analysed mortality outcomes for the cohort. Participant mortality was six times that seen in the age-, sex- and calendar-adjusted NSW population, but was moderated while in OST and while in prison. Although mortality was elevated in the 28 days immediately after release from prison in comparison to all other time at liberty, this difference was not statistically significant; a larger sample size may have resulted in a significant finding in this regard. Although OST has been studied extensively, few studies have employed data linkage to examine long-term treatment outcomes, particularly in relation to treatment participation while in prison. The evidence presented in this thesis provides support for the provision of OST in prisons, and for programs that facilitate prisoners’ access to post-release OST. Integration of prisoner healthcare into public health systems may assist in improving continuity of OST as well as general standards of care. Future research should explore how the duration of pre-release treatment affects post-release outcomes and how OST can be combined with therapeutic approaches that address other risk factors for offending. Further follow-ups of the cohort would provide insights into the course and consequences of heroin use in Australia. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2010. 192p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed September 3, 2011 at: http://www.idpc.net/sites/default/files/library/OST-in-prison-and-post-release-effects-on-criminal-recidivism-and-mortality.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment Shelf Number: 122636

Author: Gelb, Karen Title: Predictors of Confidence: Community Views in Victoria Summary: This report is the fourth in a series1 on community views about crime, courts and sentencing. It presents evidence about the predictors of confidence in the courts and sentencing in a random sample of 1,200 Victorians. This report shows that members of the Victorian public are moderately confident in their courts and in judges’ ability to impose appropriate sentences. Some people are more confident than others, with several factors underlying confidence in the courts and sentencing. People who are less punitive, who are more accepting of information presented by the media and who do not perceive crime to be increasing have the highest levels of confidence in the courts and sentencing. Higher levels of confidence are also evident among those with a higher income and younger respondents. The prominence of the attitudinal factors highlights the connections among confidence in sentencing, punitiveness and knowledge of crime. These connections have implications for the ways in which the courts and the criminal justice system more generally tackle the question of public confidence. Public confidence in the criminal justice system is a high priority for governments in many western countries, with public education and information campaigns, court media liaison officers, accessible websites, large national conferences and public surveys all contributing to efforts to promote confidence in the administration of justice. Understanding the drivers of confidence in the courts and sentencing is another important facet of these efforts. With greater understanding come greater opportunities for developing initiatives to improve public confidence. Given the strong constellation of factors identified in this report, any attempt to improve public confidence in the courts will, of necessity, need to consider levels of public punitiveness and people’s perceptions of crime as well. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Sentencing Matters Series: Accessed September 6, 2011 at: http://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/predictors_of_confidence_community_views_in_victoria_0.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 122648

Author: Begg, Fiona Title: Serving Time on the Outside: A Survey of Visitors to Correctional Centres in the Wacol Region, Queensland Summary: In researching the issues and experiences of families of prisoners or visitors to correctional centres (prisons) in Australia it would appear that this has been a relatively limited research area to date. However with an average of 21 138 people held each day in Australian prisons one is talking about a considerable number of individuals and families throughout this country who are directly affected by the issue of imprisonment. “ For most inmates who face a prison term, their families will also begin a sentence: of physical, social, and psychological hardship. They will do so, in most instances, with a minimum of resources to draw upon and with little power to meet the additional demands on their trouble-plagued lives” (Jorgensen, Hernandez and Warren (1986:47) ACRO is a social justice organisation committed to the development of a safe and caring society. As such the organisation has been involved in delivering support services to prisoners and their families for over thirty years. In 1988 the organisation conducted surveys with visitors to the now closed and somewhat infamous Boggo Rd Goal as part of a submission process for a government review into the prisons system of the day. Four hundred and eighty (480) respondents completed surveys. A wide range of recommendations were included in the subsequent report, including a complete overhaul of the manner and methods by which prisons were run and the ways in which prisoners and their families were treated. Significant changes were introduced across a wide range of areas in corrections in this State as a result of that inquiry. In 2001 ACRO surveyed visitors to correctional centres in the Wacol area of Queensland. A total of eighty four (84) respondents completed the questionnaire. Surveys were undertaken at the ACRO Family Centre with persons visiting the following correctional centres : · Arthur Gorrie Remand and Reception Centre · Wolston Correctional Centre · Brisbane Womens Correctional Centre · Sir David Longland Correctional Centre (SDL) · Moreton B (since closed) This Report provides a snapshot of the experience of persons visiting correctional centres in the Wacol region; a region with the largest concentration of correctional centres in the State. In addition it provides background information about visitors such as their age, gender, income base and housing situation, enabling a general profile to be drawn. Added to this, the Report also provides a comparative analysis from survey work conducted with the same client group (persons visiting prison) in 1988. It is clear from the results of the present survey that for families/visitors of prisoners a number of key issues remain unaddressed, issues which cause significant levels of difficulty and stress for people already in a difficult and stressful situation. It is the intention of this Report to provide a window for persons involved in visiting a correctional centre to be able to view that experience in the context of being one of a significant number of people undergoing that experience; to reflect their views and opinions about their experiences, and for persons who have never experienced the corrections system directly to gain some insight as to the experience of visitors. Details: Lutwyche, Queensland: ACRO Australian Community Safety & Research Organisation Incorporated, 2002. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2011 at: http://www.acro.com.au/Reports/Serving%20Time%20Outside.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Australia Keywords: Families of Inmates Shelf Number: 122653

Author: Cozens, Paul Title: The Relevance and Importance of Designing Out Crime to Design Schools and Design Companies in Australia Summary: This research was an enquiry into ‘the state of play’ concerning the knowledge and use of product design in Australia to reduce crime via Designing Out Crime approaches. The objectives of the research were to: · evaluate current knowledge and awareness of Designing Out Crime ideas in the product design arena in Australian product design companies and design schools to establish background information on which future work could be based, and; · organise a national design competition in which participants designed products to reduce crime using Designing Out Crime principles to gain understanding of the cutting edge of Designing Out Crime activity, and to promote Designing Out Crime and the work of the WA Office of Crime Prevention in reducing crime via product design. The research involved four stages: 1. A literature review involving the collection and analysis of published information about the status of Designing Out Crime policies, projects and programs in Australia and the UK. This provides a resource and basis for comparative assessment of DOC understanding and skills in Australia using the UK as a reference. 2. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to design companies identified by their web presence, the Yellow Pages and the Design Institute of Australia. The survey was also distributed to University design schools across Australia. The questionnaire was used to investigate the level of awareness, practice and enthusiasm for DOC in Australia. 3. A brief analysis of products vulnerable to theft and vandalism. 4. A design competition (the Design Out Crime Awards’08) and website (www.docawards.org) were created to gather some examples of the current ‘state of play’ in DOC, to manage the entry process and to promote Designing Out Crime approaches across Australia. The research adds to the body of knowledge by investigating whether Designing Out Crime is known, understood, practiced and taught to any meaningful extent in Australia. The findings are significant because they provide the Office of Crime Prevention with an overview of the current state of play to guide crime prevention strategies, policy and practice and future research. They help target the best opportunities for funding research to reduce crime, for example, for reducing the opportunities for crime for specific products. Details: Perth: Western Australia Office of Crime Prevention, 2009. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2011 at: http://www.designoutcrime.org/publications/DOC-Product%20DesignReport.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention (Australia) Shelf Number: 122678

Author: New South Wales. Law Reform Commission Title: Cheating at Gambling Summary: This Report follows on from our consultation paper, Cheating at Gambling (CP12), in which we identified the inadequacy of existing criminal laws to deal with cheating at gambling. Since the release of CP12, there has been a remarkable number of instances of match-fixing internationally. There has also arisen an acceptance of the need for an urgent and unified response to the problem. Most relevantly, in Australia, the Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS) has released the Report of its Anti-Corruption Working Party; a National Policy on Match-Fixing in Sport was announced following a meeting of the Australian Sports Ministers; and the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General has agreed to establish a Standing Council of Law and Justice working group to develop a proposal and timetable for a nationally consistent approach to criminal offences relating to match-fixing. Sports betting has become a major industry in Australia. Cheating at sports betting, including by match-fixing, undermines the integrity of the sports in question, can involve significant fraud, and has the potential to cause disruption to a significant economic activity. Details: Sydney: NSW Law Reform Commission, 2011. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 130: Accessed September 12, 2011 at: http://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lrc/ll_lrc.nsf/vwFiles/R130.pdf/$file/R130.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Cheating Shelf Number: 122719

Author: Fisher, Geoff Title: Causing Serious Injury – Recklessly and Intentionally Current Sentencing Practices Summary: This report focuses on intentionally causing serious injury and recklessly causing serious injury and examines data collected from sentencing remarks on 228 cases sentenced in the higher courts in 2008–09. Key features of causing serious injury offences were: Punching was the most common action used by offenders (49.8% of charges) and kicking to the head was the least common (7.8%). The offender used a weapon in nearly two-thirds of charges (63.7%). Injuries sustained by victims were most likely to be cuts or lacerations (59.8%) and were least likely to be a permanent disability (3.9%), while one in five suffered head injuries (21.1%) and nearly one-quarter suffered loss of consciousness (23.4%). The victim was more likely to be known to the offender (55.2%) than a stranger (40.2%), but very unlikely to be a partner or ex-partner (7.0%). The vast majority of offenders pleaded guilty to the offence (89.8%). Over one-quarter of offenders had served an imprisonment sentence prior to sentencing, and two-thirds had committed a previous offence as an adult (65.8%). Nearly four in five offenders had at least one personal background factor mentioned in sentencing remarks (79.4%), nearly two-thirds had a substance abuse issue and one-quarter suffered abuse or neglect as a child (27.2%). The report examines the extent to which characteristics of causing serious injury cases influence sentencing outcomes. Statistical modelling finds that criminal history, namely prior imprisonment and prior offending, is the primary factor determining whether an offender receives an immediate custodial sentence. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2011. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2011 at: http://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/causing_serious_injury_recklessly_and_intentionally_current_sentencing_practices.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 122733

Author: Queensland. Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Title: Views of Young People in Detention Centres Queensland 2011 Summary: This report details the Commission’s third Views of Young People in Detention Centres Survey. The survey provides an opportunity for young people in Queensland’s youth detention centres to share their views and experiences of detention and the youth justice system, particularly on matters that affect their safety and wellbeing. This survey is one of many ways the Commission is monitoring the safety and wellbeing of Queensland’s most vulnerable children and young people. It is part of the Commission's Views of Children and Young People Survey series – an ongoing body of research that gathers the views and experiences of children and young people in foster and kinship care, residential care and youth detention. The Views Survey series is the largest repeated cross-sectional longitudinal study of its kind involving the direct participation of children and young people in state care. The Commission conducts these surveys so that the views and experiences of children and young people in state care can be heard and seriously considered in processes to continuously improve the safety, quality and effectiveness of Queensland's child protection and youth justice systems. Details: Brisbane: The Commission, 2011. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed September 16, 2011 at: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/resources/publications/Views-of-Young-People-in-Detention-Centres-Queensland-2011.html Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 122741

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Enabling a Flexible Workforce for Policing in Victoria Summary: In October 2009 OPI commenced a review of Victoria Police work practices. The aim of the review was to determine whether Victoria Police will be able to deliver an ethical and professional workforce that will meet the future needs of the Victorian community. In April 2010, OPI released an Issues paper, Flexible work practices for policing. The Issues paper identified the following key areas that would be the focus of the review: recruitment and training; transfer and promotion; professional development; movement of staff return to work; exiting employment with Victoria Police. Since the release of the Issues paper, OPI has undertaken widespread consultation with rank and file police, the Victoria Police Executive, the Police Association, the Police Appeals Board and others. OPI will table a report in Parliament with the outcome of the review in the second half of 2011. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Office of Police Integrity, 2011. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2011 at: http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/index.php?i=132&m=222&t=1 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Accountability (Australia) Shelf Number: 122774

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Misuse of the Non-Profit Sector for Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Summary: The manner in which terrorist organisations finance their activities became a policy focal point after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Non-profit organisations, and charities in particular, were identified as potentially significant contributors to terrorism financing. This premise was based on known links between charitable giving and prominent terrorist groups, and the vulnerabilities of the non-profit sector to misuse. Money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) risks to the Australian non-profit sector are thought to be low. However, the impact of such misuse is inevitably high. One of the underlying premises in combating non-profit misuse has been the application of a response proportionate to risk. Australia has based its response on education, sector outreach and peak body codes of conduct, alongside more conventional forms of regulatory control. This paper examines vulnerabilities to ML/TF misuse and the publicly available evidence for actual misuse. It is suggested that the Australian response could incorporate a more uniform commitment from the sector to adopting risk-based strategies, with government providing education for the sector that is based on the identification of specific points of vulnerability. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no.424: Accessed September 20, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/current%20series/tandi/421-440/tandi424.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crimes Shelf Number: 122788

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Personal Stress, Financial Stress and Violence Against Women Summary: This study explores the association between financial stress, personal stress, social support and violence against women. Method: The study used data from the General Social Survey, a large nationally representative sample survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2006. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between financial stress, personal stress, social support and violence against women. Results: The risk of actual or threatened violence was significantly higher for women who lack social support or who in the last 12 months have experienced financial stress or personal stressors such as divorce or separation, death of a family member/close friend, serious illness, serious accident, mental illness, serious disability, inability to get a job, involuntary loss of job and gambling problems. The risk of actual or threatened violence for a woman at the lowest levels of financial and social stress was 4 per cent. At the upper end of the financial stress distribution (but the lowest end of the personal stress distribution), that risk jumped to nearly 15 per cent. At the upper end of the financial and personal stress distributions, the risk of actual or threatened violence was 36 per cent. These effects held up after controlling for age, being a sole parent, having alcohol and/or drug problems, level of social support and level of personal autonomy. Conclusion: Financial stress, personal stress and lack of social support are strong independent correlates of violence against women. Further research is necessary, however, to determine whether these factors are causes or consequences of violence against women. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 151: Accessed September 23, 2011 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB151.pdf/$file/CJB151.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 122809

Author: d'Abbs, Peter Title: An Evaluation of the Katherine Alcohol Management Plan and Liquor Supply Plan Summary: This report is an evaluation of the Katherine Alcohol Management Plan (AMP): a set of measures developed initially by the Katherine Region Harmony Group and given official endorsement in November 2007 by the NT Licensing Commission when it approved an application by Katherine Town Council to have the town of Katherine declared a ‘Dry Zone’ – that is, an area in which public consumption of alcohol was prohibited. The Dry Zone declaration took effect on 21 January 2008. While no such formal commencement date applies to any of the other measures that make up the AMP, we have taken this date as marking the commencement of AMP implementation for evaluation purposes. The evaluation was conducted by a team from the Menzies School of Health Research for the NT Department of Justice. The evaluation methodology used is outlined in Section 3 of this report. Section 4 outlines the social and historical context in which the Katherine AMP evolved. Section 5 is a ‘process evaluation’, describing steps taken to implement the AMP. This is followed (Section 6) by an analysis of outcomes – using indicators of alcohol-related harm – that followed implementation of the AMP. Section 7 presents findings from a survey conducted to gauge the extent of support for, or opposition to, the AMP in Katherine, while Section 8 presents our conclusions and recommendations. Details: Casuarina NT, Australia: Menzies School of Health Research, 2010. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed September 28, 2011 at: http://www.menzies.edu.au/sites/menzies.edu.au/files/file/Katherine%20AMP%20Evaluation_Final.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 122929

Author: d'Abbs, Peter Title: Managing Alcohol in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory: An Evaluation of the Tennant Creek Alcohol Management Plan and Related Measures to Reduce Alcohol-Related Problems Summary: This report documents the implementation of two sets of measures taken to address alcohol problems in the town of Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, and assesses the impact of both sets of measures. The first is an Alcohol Management Plan (AMP) which took effect from August 2008 and which remains in place at the time of writing this report (May 2010). The second consists of changes to the licence conditions governing liquor outlets in Tennant Creek which were imposed two years prior to commencement of the AMP, in July 2006. Central to these changes was the revocation of a ban on takeaway sales from major outlets, widely known as ‘Thirsty Thursday’, which had been in place since the mid-1990s. Details: Casuarina, NT, Australia: Menzies School of Health Research, 2010. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed September 28, 2011 at: http://www.menzies.edu.au/sites/menzies.edu.au/files/file/research%20pages/101021_TC_evaluation_revised_final.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 122930

Author: Daly, Kathleen Title: Conventional and Innovative Justice Responses to Sexual Violence Summary: Despite 30 years of significant change to the way the criminal justice system responds to sexual violence, conviction rates have gone down in Australia, Canada, and England and Wales. Victim/survivors continue to express dissatisfaction with how the police and courts handle their cases and with their experience of the trial process. Many commentators and researchers recognise that the crux of the problem is cultural beliefs about gender and sexuality, which dilute and undermine the intentions of rape law reform. These beliefs affect victims adversely, but at the same time, increased criminalisation and penalisation of offenders is not likely to yield constructive outcomes. This paper reflects on the limits of legal reform in improving outcomes for victim/survivors. Given the extent of reform to procedural, substantive, and evidentiary aspects of sexual assault legal cases, we may have exhausted its potential to change the response to sexual assault. We may need to consider innovative justice responses, which may be part of the legal system or lie beyond it. Details: Melbourne: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, 2011. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Issues No. 12: Accessed September 29, 2011 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/issue/i12/i12.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Sex Offenses Shelf Number: 122955

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Illicit Drug Use in Queensland A Survey of Households 2002–05 Summary: The procurement, use and misuse of illicit drugs is a serious problem facing society today. In 1998, for example, it was estimated that the social and health costs associated with illicit drug use in Australia totalled $6.1 billion (Collins & Lapsley 2002). Illicit drug use has been linked with several forms of violence and predatory street crime (Makkai & Payne 2003), sexual exploitation (Johnson 2004) and a host of social problems including family dysfunction and poor educational outcomes (Prichard & Payne 2005). For those involved in drug use, there are health risks such as disease transmission through needle sharing and problems associated with anxiety, aggression and depressed mood (Loxley, Toumbourou & Stockwell 2004). Given the relevance of illicit drug use to law enforcement, operational activities, strategic research and policy development, the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) undertakes a range of monitoring activities to assess illicit drug use patterns in Queensland. These monitoring activities include discrete projects such as reviewing and analysing data about detainees in watch-houses (CMC DUMA report, in press), individual research projects about drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines, and the inclusion of questions about illicit drug use in the annual household survey conducted by the Office of Economic and Statistical Research (OESR). The subsection of the household survey conducted for the CMC is referred to as the Queensland Household Illicit Drug Use Survey (QHIDUS). Questions included in the QHIDUS seek population-level information about: the prevalence of illicit drug use (cannabis, amphetamines, heroin, ecstasy, hallucinogens and sleeping pills/tranquillisers used for non-medical purposes) patterns of drug use (age of first use, frequency of use, recent usage) perceptions of the health risks associated with drug use perceptions of the ease of obtaining illicit drugs various socio-demographic factors that may be associated with drug use. Although population-level research usually underestimates the true level of illegal or hidden activities such as drug use, it can provide a valuable source of information which can, in turn, be compared with survey results of other populations and triangulated with qualitative research, to provide a detailed overview of current and changing drug-use patterns. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2007. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2011 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/data/portal/00000005/content/87421001161922260587.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Survey Shelf Number: 107701

Author: Australia. Family Law Council Title: Improving Responses to Family Violence in the Family Law Aystem: An Advice on the Intersection of Family Violence and Family Law Issues Summary: This report to the Federal Attorney-General focuses on family violence if and when it becomes visible in the Family Law system in Australia. This visible pattern is only the tip of the iceberg of family violence, alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness which is apparently entrenched in Australia. The Family Law Council report is only one of the multiple studies in progress at present on the causes, effects and responses to family violence in Australia. The report recommends: The definition of “family violence” in the Family Law Act be widened to include a range of threatening behaviour. That the Attorney General establish an expert panel under the direction of the Australian Institute of Family Studies to create an easy-to-understand “common knowledge base” on the known patterns and effects of family violence. This easily accessible information will assist to provide common and up-to-date information to all those involved in the family relationship and legal systems, including parents, relatives, counsellors, mediators, FRCS, legal aid officers, lawyers and courts. The Law Council of Australia and the Family Law Council co-operate to revise the booklet “Best Practice Guidelines for Lawyers Doing Family Law Work” to incorporate detailed information on family violence. A number of reforms take place to improve co-ordination and collaboration between the state and territory child protection agencies, and the federal Family Law Act, including: the transportability of state family violence injunctive orders; the establishment of a national register of family and violence orders ; and the establishment of a network data base which records family violence orders, and a residual family court power to require state Child Protection Agencies to become parties to Family Law Court proceedings about children. A further report be prepared on whether FDRP should be required to provide a report to the Family Law Courts or other bodies in some or all structure where family violence is admitted or suspected. The forms notifying the Family Law Courts about family violence be simplified. Consideration be given on how to educate the Australian public about certain widespread misunderstandings of the Family Law Act including: o Recurrent gossip that notification of family violence may lead to a judicial perception that the notifier is an “unfriendly parent” o Widespread perception that each parent now has a “starting right” to equal time (50/50) with children o Common belief that a parent will receive both substantial time with a child, and equal shared parental responsibility, (similar to historic “guardianship”), despite a history of poor communication and hostility between parents; and despite the long term health and emotional consequences for children as casualties on such parental battlefields. These recommendations of the Family Law Council will need to be amalgamated with the various reports on family violence emerging in the next year. Details: Barton, ACT, Australia: Australia Attorney-General's Department, Family Law Council, 2009. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2011 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(3273BD3F76A7A5DEDAE36942A54D7D90)~Family_Violence_Report.pdf/$file/Family_Violence_Report.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 118821

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: The Health of Ausstralia's Prisoners 2010 Summary: The health of Australia’s prisoners 2010 is the second report relating to the National Prisoner Health Indicators, which were developed to help monitor the health of prisoners, and to inform and evaluate the planning, delivery and quality of prisoner health services. The indicators presented in this report are aligned to the National Health Performance Framework. The results in this second report build on the baseline information from the first National Prisoner Health Census, and this time include some state and territory comparisons. Prisoners in Australia have high rates of mental health related issues. In 2010, 31% of prison entrants reported having ever been told that they had a mental health illness and 16% of prison entrants reported that they were currently taking mental health related medication. On entry to prison, almost one-fifth of prison entrants were referred to the prison mental health services for observation and further assessment following the reception assessment. Almost 1 in 10 prisoners in custody visited the clinic for a psychological or mental health issue, and 1 in 5 prisoners in custody was taking mental health related medication. When looking at the type of medication, 18% of all repeat medication was for depression/mood stabilisers, 9% for antipsychotics, 2% for anti-anxiety medication and 1% for sleep disturbance. Prison entrants in Australia reported previously engaging in various risky health behaviours, such as smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol at extreme levels and using illicit drugs. Four in five prison entrants reported being a current smoker, and three in four reported being a daily smoker. More than half of prison entrants reported drinking alcohol at levels that placed them at risk of alcohol-related harm, while less than twenty per cent reported that they did not drink. Further, two-thirds of prison entrants reported illicit drug use in the previous 12 months. These rates are all substantially higher than in the general community. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prison entrants were significantly over-represented in the entrant’s sample, with 43% being Indigenous, compared with 2.5% of the general population. Indigenous prison entrants reported poorer health behaviours than non-Indigenous prison entrants, and were more likely to be current smokers (89% compared with 79%) and to have consumed alcohol at levels considered to place them at risk of alcohol-related harm (73% compared with 48%) in the previous 12 months. However, Indigenous prison entrants reported lower level of mental health related issues (23% compared with 38%), use of mental health medication upon entry to prison (12% compared with 19%), and chronic conditions. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2011. 206p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2011 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737420111&tab=2 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Medical Care Shelf Number: 123007

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Inquiry Into Service Provision to the Bourke and Brewarrina Communities Summary: The over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in the child protection and juvenile justice systems is of significant concern. This report examines the provision of community and child protection services in Bourke and Brewarrina, in particular, the adequacy of the response to vulnerable children in these communities. While the report focuses on the experiences for the Bourke and Brewarrina communities, its recommendations are relevant to rural and regional communities across the State. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2010. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 18, 2011 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR_ServiceProvisionBourke_Dec10.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 123037

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Addressing Aboriginal Disadvantage: The Need To Do Things Differently Summary: This report details our audit of the implementation of the NSW Interagency Plan to Tackle Child Sexual Assault in Aboriginal Communities 2006 - 2011 (Interagency Plan). The report seeks to bring together what we have said over a number of years publicly - as well as to agencies directly - about the systemic reforms that are needed to address Aboriginal disadvantage in NSW. It also builds on the findings and recommendations contained in our December 2010 report about service delivery to the Bourke and Brewarrina communities. The report highlights the importance of taking bold approaches to the priority areas of education, building economic capacity and protecting vulnerable children in Aboriginal communities. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Ombudsman, 2011. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 18, 2011 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR_Aboriginal%20disadvantage%20report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 123038

Author: Smith, Lance Title: Policing Licensed Premises in the Australian Capital Territory Summary: There is an old joke that says that an Australian’s definition of a drinking problem is being in a situation where you can’t get a drink. This reflects Australia’s well-established reputation for being a community where the consumption of alcohol, frequently at excessive and harmful levels, is associated with many forms of entertainment and participation in social events. In other words, the association between alcohol consumption and the enjoyment of social activity is a deeply embedded cultural phenomenon. However, the evidence relating to the range of individual and social harms associated with alcohol misuse is strong. In 2007, one in four Australians were a victim of alcohol-related verbal abuse, 13 percent were put in fear and 4.5 percent of Australians aged 14 years or older had been physically abused by someone under the influence of alcohol (AIHW 2008). The rates of physical and verbal abuse by a person affected by alcohol are more than twice the rate for other drug types. Alcohol-related crime and disorder also has a significant adverse impact upon the perceptions of safety among the broader community. At the same time, Australia also has a substantial reputation for developing and implementing innovative policy approaches to trying to reduce the harms associated with excessive alcohol use and violence in particular. Many of these initiatives have been focused on regulatory responses that target licensed premises and liquor outlets. Licensed premises are a high-risk setting for alcohol-related violence, with a large proportion of assaults occurring in or within very close proximity to hotels and nightclubs. Furthermore, both patrons and staff of licensed premises are at a heightened risk of becoming involved in a violent incident compared with other locations. Over the years, police and liquor regulatory authorities, often in partnership with liquor licensees, have committed significant effort and resources to efforts to improve the overall safety of drinking venues and the overall amenity of the nearby community. Unfortunately, often what has been missing from such efforts has been any systematic assessment of their relative effectiveness and methods for sharing the lessons learned. This report is part of an attempt to redress this knowledge deficit. Undertaken in close partnership with Australian Capital Territory Policing (ACTP), the project was a detailed study of the effectiveness of a series of policing measures implemented by the ACTP over several months to reduce and prevent alcohol-related violence in and around licensed premises and entertainment precincts in the ACT. As with similar studies previously conducted here and overseas, the project found mixed results in relation to effectiveness. However, the project was able to help identify and explain what things were working and why, thereby providing a series of evidence-based recommendations for future policing in this area, many of which it is pleasing to note have already been adopted by ACTP. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 48: Accessed October 18, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp048.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 123049

Author: Beaton-Wells Title: The Cartel Project: Report on a Survey of the Australian Public Regarding Anti-Cartel Law and Enforcement Summary: Amongst the Australian public, there is substantial majority support for the view that cartel conduct is unacceptable in the sense that it should be against the law. This view is associated with a positive attitude towards competition as healthy. It is also associated with pre-existing awareness of cartel-related topics, such as the ACCC and price fixing. However, less than a majority support the view that cartel conduct should be a criminal offence and less than a quarter support the view that individuals should be jailed for it. There are few associations between views on whether cartel conduct should be a criminal offence or conduct for which individuals are jailed and demographic attributes such as age, education, work status and political affiliation. However, men are less lenient in their views than women in that they are more likely to consider that cartel conduct should be a crime and that individuals should go to jail for it. Insofar as there is support for treating cartel conduct as a criminal offence, that support is based on a wide range of reasons that encompass its economic effects, its moral character and the instrumental characteristics of the criminal law as a mechanism for deterrence and punishment. There is almost no support for the view that cartel conduct is behaviour for which either companies or individuals alone should be sanctioned; rather, there is almost universal support for the view that sanctions should attach to both. There is substantial majority support for the view that companies and individuals involved in cartel conduct should be publicly named and shamed and that they should be fined. There is clear majority support for the view that the fine imposed on a company for cartel conduct should at least disgorge the company of the illegal profits and strong (one third) support for basing the fine on treble the profits derived from the conduct. There is a significant gap between public opinion about the appropriate level of corporate fines for cartel conduct and the actual level of fines that have been imposed over the last decade in Australia. Opinion is divided on the level of the fine that should be imposed on an individual for cartel conduct as reflected in the fact that maxima of AU$10,000 and AU$500,000 attract similar levels of support.  There is relatively less but still majority support for other legal consequences for corporate and individual offenders, such as the requirement that compensation be paid or compliance programs be implemented or, that in the case of individuals, disqualification orders be made. There is low support for the view that immunity from sanctions for cartel conduct should be available in return for being the first to report the conduct to the authorities even if, without such a report, the authorities are unlikely to have detected the conduct. There is thus a clear misalignment between enforcement policy with respect to immunity and public opinion. Cartel conduct is clearly regarded as serious insofar as it is seen as behaviour that:  should be treated as illegal, if not criminal;  should attract fines that, for companies at least, are considerable and public naming and shaming of those involved; and  should not be readily excused on grounds relating to the nature of the companies involved, the reasons for the conduct, or its effects. For those members of the public who consider that it should be a criminal offence, cartel conduct is seen as just as serious as a range of long-standing or well-established criminal offences such as theft, fraud, tax evasion, breach of directors’ duties and insider trading. Consistent with findings generally in crime seriousness research, offences involving physical harm or the risk of such harm to other persons (including consumer protection offences involving misrepresentations over product safety) are seen as more serious than cartel conduct. The seriousness of cartel conduct is viewed generally by the public more in moral terms than in terms of its economic effects, as reflected in:  the fact that the reasons for treating such conduct as a criminal offence that attract greatest support are reasons relating to moral characterisations of the conduct as dishonest and deceptive (as distinct from characterizations based on economic effects);  the high level of support for publicly naming those involved in the conduct, suggesting this is conduct seen as warranting the stigma of community disapproval;  the low level of support for allowing an offender to escape penalties in return for reporting the conduct, a response that sits more comfortably with a moral rather than an instrumental approach;  majority support for the view that cartel conduct should be seen as just as serious regardless of its effects or circumstances, that is, even if prices do not increase as a result of the conduct, the conduct would prevent factories from closing and would save jobs, or the companies involved are small businesses;  substantial majority support for the view that the conduct should be regarded as more serious when it has elements that make it less acceptable from a moral perspective, namely when it involves coercion of another company to join the cartel or where elaborate steps are taken to conceal the conduct from authorities. There are no significant differences in views on the legal treatment and seriousness of different types of cartel conduct, except to the extent that the public appears to take a more lenient view of market allocation than of price fixing or output restriction. Business people who have roles that make the anti-cartel laws relevant to them have quite a low degree of knowledge of the fact that cartel conduct is a criminal offence. They also have low knowledge of the fact that jail is available for individuals for engaging in cartel conduct:  less than one quarter of the business respondents are aware that jail is available as a penalty for individuals for cartel conduct;  less than half are aware that cartel conduct is a criminal offence;  two thirds know that cartel conduct is a civil contravention but one third are either unsure or think it is not a civil contravention;  less than half are aware that a fine is available as a penalty for cartel conduct (whether they believe it is a civil contravention or criminal offence). This same group of business people also perceive the likelihood of enforcement action against cartel conduct as fairly low. They rate the likelihood of being caught for engaging in cartel conduct, being subject to legal action for cartel conduct, and being sentenced to jail (if found guilty of a criminal offence of cartel conduct) as all fairly low.  Business respondent perceptions of the likelihood of being caught or of being subject to legal action both increase modestly when they know that cartel conduct is a criminal offence. However: o being caught is still considered unlikely even when business people know cartel conduct is a criminal offence; o the likelihood of a person being subject to legal action once caught is perceived as a little higher than being caught in the first place, but it is still not seen as very likely, even when criminal sanctions apply. Even though perceptions of the likelihood of enforcement do increase when business respondents are told that cartel conduct is a criminal offence, overall the survey results suggest that many business people do not know (without being told) that cartel conduct is a criminal offence. Some do not even know it is a civil contravention. This low level of knowledge suggests that in real life many business people will tend to perceive the likelihood of enforcement against cartel conduct as low. Business respondents generally rate the likelihood of a hypothetical third person or themselves actually engaging in cartel conduct as fairly low, but there are still substantial numbers who report that engaging in cartel conduct would be likely in certain circumstances. In particular: o half of the business respondents report that a hypothetical person would be likely or very likely to engage in cartel conduct where only civil sanctions are available, and nearly one third still see cartel conduct by a hypothetical person as likely where criminal sanctions are available; o almost one in ten business respondents report that they themselves would be likely to engage in cartel conduct if the opportunity presented itself – even where criminal sanctions are available. Business people’s ratings of the likelihood of themselves or another person engaging in cartel conduct are lower when the respondent knows the conduct is criminal than when they know it is only a civil contravention. But, as mentioned above, the survey also shows that knowledge that cartel conduct is a criminal offence is in fact quite low. Therefore many business people might still have a tendency to engage in cartel conduct if the opportunity arises, not knowing that it is a criminal offence. Preliminary analysis of the survey results suggests that business people are more likely to engage in cartel conduct when they are under economic pressure to do so, even though they know that criminal sanctions are available for such conduct. That is, knowing about criminal sanctions and the availability of jail may not outweigh economic pressure to engage in cartel conduct. Further analysis is necessary to test the robustness of this result. Not surprisingly, business respondents are more likely to rate another person as likely to engage in cartel conduct, than they are to rate themselves as likely to engage in such conduct. It is likely, however, that to some extent at least respondents’ ratings of what another person is likely to do in fact reflect their own tendencies. Moreover business respondents see other business people as influenced by deterrence (that is the likelihood of enforcement) in making decisions about engaging in cartel conduct. They do not see themselves as influenced by likelihood of enforcement in deciding whether to engage in cartel conduct to the same extent as other people. It therefore seems likely that business people like to think of themselves as making decisions about engaging in cartel conduct on an ethical basis (in relation to the morality or harm of the conduct), rather than making a calculated decision about the costs and gains of non-compliance with anti-cartel law (on the basis of perceptions of the likelihood of deterrence). This is consistent with the survey findings that suggest that members of the public generally view cartel conduct through a moral rather than an economic lens. Details: Melbourne: University of Melbourne, School of Law, 2010. 374p. Source: Internet Resource: Legal Studies Research Paper No. 519; Accessed October 22, 2011 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1743268 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Business Cartels Shelf Number: 123117

Author: Seib, Charrlotte Title: Health, Well-being and Sexual Violence among Female Sex Workers: A Comparative Study Summary: Prostitution has been documented in most societies, although the context in which it occurs may vary greatly. In Queensland, Australia, sex workers can operate from legal brothels or privately but all other sectors of the sex industry are prohibited. It is assumed that regulation of the sex industry through legalization leads to better health and social outcomes for sex workers and their clients. However, this assumption has rarely been subjected to empirical scrutiny. This research examined the occupational health and safety of female sex workers in Queensland and explored the relationship between legislative change, workplace violence, mental health and job satisfaction. Sex workers interviewed in 2003 (after legalisation) were compared to a prior study of this population conducted in 1991 (before official regulation of the sex industry). Further, in-depth analysis of the 2003 cohort compared sex workers employed in legal and illegal sectors, to assess violence, health status and job satisfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional, convenience sampling was used to collect data from female sex workers in 2003. This data was compared with data collected earlier (in 1991) and explored differences in the two samples using bivariate analysis. Similar recruitment strategies on both occasions were used to recruit women from all known sectors of the Queensland sex industry. The 1991 comparison sample (Boyle et al. 1997) included 200 women (aged between 16 and 46 years), and in 2003, 247 women (aged 18 to 57) participated. The 2003 sample included workers from legal brothels (n=102), private sole-operators (n=103) and illegal street-based sex workers (n=42). Using data collected in 2003, this study assessed the relationship between physical and mental health and job satisfaction and two main independent variables, i.e., current work sector and recent workplace violence. Bivariate analysis of physical health and independent variables showed no significant relationships and therefore further analysis was not undertaken. However, analysis of mental health and job satisfaction showed complex interactions between multiple variables and therefore linear modeling was performed to adjust for confounding. Results: Analysis of the 1991 and 2003 samples showed little apparent change over time in self-reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There were substantial changes over time in the types of sexual services being provided to clients, with the 2003 sample more likely to provide 'exotic' services. Violence experienced ever in their lifetime differed; in 1991, 29% reported having ever been raped compared with 42% in 2003 (p= <0.01). In 2003, 50% of illegal sex workers reported having ever been raped by a client compared with 12% of private sex workers and 3% of brothel-based sex workers (p=<0.01). Overall, the sex workers reported roughly equivalent job satisfaction to Australian women. A desire to leave the sex industry was most strongly correlated with reduced job satisfaction (p=<0.01). Satisfaction was also relatively low among those whose family was not aware of their sex work (p=<0.01). Similarly, the mental and physical health of this sample was comparable to age-matched women from the general population. Wanting to leave the sex industry was most strongly associated with poor mental health (p=<0.01), as was recent sexual or physical assault by a client (p=0.06) and the woman's main work sector (p=0.05). Illegal sex workers reported substantially lower mental health scores than their counterparts in legal sex work. Conclusions: Self-reported STI diagnosis was high in these samples but the prevalence appears not to have changed over time. Comparing 2003 to 1991, there were trends towards safer and more diverse sexual practices. It is likely the sex industry has 'professionalized' and now includes more sex workers providing specialist, 'exotic' services. This sample of female sex workers reported high rates of violence, with those working illegally at greatest risk. Analysis suggests a complex interaction between variables contributing to mental health and job satisfaction. In general, it appears that the majority of sex workers enjoyed at least as much job satisfaction as women working in other occupations. It also appears that this sample had equivalent mental health to women from the general population, although the sub-group of illegal workers generally had poorer health. Job satisfaction and the extent of workplace hazards (especially risk of violence) were also strongly associated with different sectors of the sex industry. It is probable that legalisation has benefited some (perhaps most) but there are health and safety concerns for those outside the legal framework. Legislative reform should focus on violence prevention, promoting reporting of violent events to police, and further exploration of the impact of legislation on the health of workers in the sex industry. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, 2007. 254p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 25, 2011 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/16398/1/Charlotte_Seib_Thesis.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Prostitutes Shelf Number: 123124

Author: Leal, Nerida Title: Illegal Street Racing and Associated (Hooning) Behaviours Summary: In an Australian context, the term hooning refers to risky driving behaviours such as illegal street racing and speed trials, as well as behaviours that involve unnecessary noise and smoke, which include burn outs, donuts, fish tails, drifting and other skids. Hooning receives considerable negative media attention in Australia, and since the 1990s all Australian jurisdictions have implemented vehicle impoundment programs to deal with the problem. However, there is limited objective evidence of the road safety risk associated with hooning behaviours. Attempts to estimate the risk associated with hooning are limited by official data collection and storage practices, and the willingness of drivers to admit to their illegal behaviour in the event of a crash. International evidence suggests that illegal street racing is associated with only a small proportion of fatal crashes; however, hooning in an Australian context encompasses a broader group of driving behaviours than illegal street racing alone, and it is possible that the road safety risks will differ with these behaviours. There is evidence from North American jurisdictions that vehicle impoundment programs are effective for managing drink driving offenders, and drivers who continue to drive while disqualified or suspended both during and post-impoundment. However, these programs used impoundment periods of 30 – 180 days (depending on the number of previous offences). In Queensland the penalty for a first hooning offence is 48 hours, while the vehicle can be impounded for up to 3 months for a second offence, or permanently for a third or subsequent offence within three years. Thus, it remains unclear whether similar effects will be seen for hooning offenders in Australia, as no evaluations of vehicle impoundment programs for hooning have been published. To address these research needs, this program of research consisted of three complementary studies designed to: (1) investigate the road safety implications of hooning behaviours in terms of the risks associated with the specific behaviours, and the drivers who engage in these behaviours; and (2) assess the effectiveness of current approaches to dealing with the problem; in order to (3) inform policy and practice in the area of hooning behaviour. Study 1 involved qualitative (N = 22) and quantitative (N = 290) research with drivers who admitted engaging in hooning behaviours on Queensland roads. Study 2 involved a systematic profile of a large sample of drivers (N = 834) detected and punished for a hooning offence in Queensland, and a comparison of their driving and crash histories with a randomly sampled group of Queensland drivers with the same gender and age distribution. Study 3 examined the post-impoundment driving behaviour of hooning offenders (N = 610) to examine the effects of vehicle impoundment on driving behaviour. The theoretical framework used to guide the research incorporated expanded deterrence theory, social learning theory, and driver thrill-seeking perspectives. This framework was used to explore factors contributing to hooning behaviours, and interpret the results of the aspects of the research designed to explore the effectiveness of vehicle impoundment as a countermeasure for hooning. Variables from each of the perspectives were related to hooning measures, highlighting the complexity of the behaviour. This research found that the road safety risk of hooning behaviours appears low, as only a small proportion of the hooning offences in Study 2 resulted in a crash. However, Study 1 found that hooning-related crashes are less likely to be reported than general crashes, particularly when they do not involve an injury, and that higher frequencies of hooning behaviours are associated with hooning-related crash involvement. Further, approximately one fifth of drivers in Study 1 reported being involved in a hooning-related crash in the previous three years, which is comparable to general crash involvement among the general population of drivers in Queensland. Given that hooning-related crashes represented only a sub-set of crash involvement for this sample, this suggests that there are risks associated with hooning behaviour that are not apparent in official data sources. Further, the main evidence of risk associated with the behaviour appears to relate to the hooning driver, as Study 2 found that these drivers are likely to engage in other risky driving behaviours (particularly speeding and driving vehicles with defects or illegal modifications), and have significantly more traffic infringements, licence sanctions and crashes than drivers of a similar (i.e., young) age. Self-report data from the Study 1 samples indicated that Queensland’s vehicle impoundment and forfeiture laws are perceived as severe, and that many drivers have reduced their hooning behaviour to avoid detection. However, it appears that it is more common for drivers to have simply changed the location of their hooning behaviour to avoid detection. When the post-impoundment driving behaviour of the sample of hooning offenders was compared to their pre-impoundment behaviour to examine the effectiveness of vehicle impoundment in Study 3, it was found that there was a small but significant reduction in hooning offences, and also for other traffic infringements generally. As Study 3 was observational, it was not possible to control for extraneous variables, and is, therefore, possible that some of this reduction was due to other factors, such as a reduction in driving exposure, the effects of changes to Queensland’s Graduated Driver Licensing scheme that were implemented during the study period and affected many drivers in the offender sample due to their age, or the extension of vehicle impoundment to other types of offences in Queensland during the post-impoundment period. However, there was a protective effect observed, in that hooning offenders did not show the increase in traffic infringements in the post period that occurred within the comparison sample. This suggests that there may be some effect of vehicle impoundment on the driving behaviour of hooning offenders, and that this effect is not limited to their hooning driving behaviour. To be more confident in these results, it is necessary to measure driving exposure during the post periods to control for issues such as offenders being denied access to vehicles. While it was not the primary aim of this program of research to compare the utility of different theoretical perspectives, the findings of the research have a number of theoretical implications. For example, it was found that only some of the deterrence variables were related to hooning behaviours, and sometimes in the opposite direction to predictions. Further, social learning theory variables had stronger associations with hooning. These results suggest that a purely legal approach to understanding hooning behaviours, and designing and implementing countermeasures designed to reduce these behaviours, are unlikely to be successful. This research also had implications for policy and practice, and a number of recommendations were made throughout the thesis to improve the quality of relevant data collection practices. Some of these changes have already occurred since the expansion of the application of vehicle impoundment programs to other offences in Queensland. It was also recommended that the operational and resource costs of these laws should be compared to the road safety benefits in ongoing evaluations of effectiveness to ensure that finite traffic policing resources are allocated in a way that produces maximum road safety benefits. However, as the evidence of risk associated with the hooning driver is more compelling than that associated with hooning behaviour, it was argued that the hooning driver may represent the better target for intervention. Suggestions for future research include ongoing evaluations of the effectiveness of vehicle impoundment programs for hooning and other high-risk driving behaviours, and the exploration of additional potential targets for intervention to reduce hooning behaviour. As the body of knowledge regarding the factors contributing to hooning increases, along with the identification of potential barriers to the effectiveness of current countermeasures, recommendations for changes in policy and practice for hooning behaviours can be made. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, 2010. 339p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 25, 2011 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/43350/ Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Driving Shelf Number: 123125

Author: Carcach, Carlos Title: An Economic Approach to Motor Vehicle Theft Summary: Motor vehicle theft costs dearly to the Australian economy. Conservative estimates have put the annual cost of this form of illegal activity at 654 million during 1996. A number of initiatives aimed at reducing the incidence and cost of car theft have been implemented in recent years, yet statistics indicate that car theft is on the increase. Several authors have proposed an integrated approach to the regulation of markets for stolen property. Understanding property crime as a market is central to identifying approaches to its control. This paper discusses an industry model of crime and develops it on Australian data. Our model is an adaptation of one originally proposed by Vandeale (1978). It considers a production sector that uses inputs from a market of illegal labour to generate a supply of illegal goods that are traded in a product market. These sectors interact with each other and with a criminal justice sector. The model is applied to the analysis of car theft in Queensland. Details: Berkeley, CA: Latin American and Caribbean Law and Economics Association (ALACDE) Annual Papers, Berkeley Program in Law and Economics, UC Berkeley, 2010. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Latin American and Caribbean Law and Economics Association (ALACDE) Annual Papers: Accessed October 29, 2011 at: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/0r72d6sz Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 123178

Author: Anderson, Jessica Title: Considering Local Context When Evaluating A Closed Circuit Television System in Public Spaces Summary: Closed circuit television‘s (CCTV) popularity as a solution to local crime problems continues to gain traction. Its broad community support and visibility as a tangible response to crime problems suggests that the demand for CCTV is unlikely to abate. However, many agencies have difficulty locating information on the practical considerations for implementing a CCTV system and only become aware of the real cost of CCTV after installing the system. Therefore, measures need to be taken to ensure knowledge of good practice in CCTV implementation is shared. In addition, agencies need to be aware of the different factors that can influence CCTV delivery. Such information could add further value by being considered when developing evaluations of CCTV. In this paper, a description is provided of the lessons learned by local agencies when implementing a CCTV system that was administered through a grants program. Such experiences, if adequately disseminated, can assist agencies to implement CCTV systems and assist in the development of evaluation strategies. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 430: Accessed October 31, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/3/6/C/%7B36CB7AC1-0AFD-4D0B-925D-F7D3D5D7A562%7Dtandi430.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: CCTV Shelf Number: 123180

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Is the Assault Rate in NSW Higher Now Than It Was During the 1990s? Summary: The rate of police-recorded assault more than doubled in NSW between 1990 and 2007. This bulletin investigates whether the increase was due to a genuine increase in violence or an increase in the amount and/or type of violent behaviour coming to police attention. Trends and patterns in police-recorded assault from 1995 to 2007 are supplemented with crime victim survey data, hospitalisations data and a selection of narratives for assault incidents. Over the period, rates of assault increased for both males and females and for all age groups. Increases occurred in both aggravated and common assault, assault with a weapon and without, in all statistical divisions and premise types. These trends in police-recorded assault, supported by increases in hospitalisation and victim survey data, suggest a real increase in violence. However, less serious police-recorded assaults (e.g. common assault and assault without a weapon) have increased at a greater rate than more serious assaults, and more recent assault narratives included a greater proportion of assaults with less serious actions. In addition, the increase in hospitalisations for assault was small in comparison to increases in police-recorded assault and crime survey victimisation rates. Thus, it is likely that the increase in assault was due not only to an increase in violence, but also to an increase in public awareness of assault and the increased willingness of victims and third parties to report, and/or police willingness to record, incidents as assault. Published by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 127; Accessed November 2, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb127.pdf/$file/cjb127.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults (Australia) Shelf Number: 123215

Author: Vignaendra, Sumitra Title: Recent Trends in Legal Proceedings for Breach of Bail, Juvenile Remand and Crime Summary: Between 2007 and 2008, the juvenile remand population in New South Wales (NSW) grew by 32 per cent, from an average of 181 per day to 239 per day. This bulletin examines two factors that may have influenced the upward trend: police enforcement of bail laws and changes to the Bail Act 1978 that restricted the number of applications for bail that can be made. It also examines the question of whether the upward trend in the number of juveniles on remand is helping to reduce property crime. The findings show that both factors are contributing to the growth in the number of juveniles remanded in custody. There is no evidence, however, that the growth in the size of the juvenile remand population is helping to reduce property crime. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 128: Accessed November 2, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb128.pdf/$file/cjb128.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail, Juveniles Shelf Number: 123216

Author: Lulham, Rohan Title: Change in Offence Seriousness Across Early Criminal Careers Summary: Aim: To investigate whether the crimes committed by offenders early in their criminal careers change in severity over consecutive offence episodes. Methods: Offence seriousness was measured across conviction episodes for a cohort of people born in NSW in 1994. We examined the relationship between offence seriousness and conviction episodes using two techniques. The first analysis involved stratifying offenders by total number of episodes and then using non-parametric tests to compare offence seriousness between and across episodes. The second analysis involved using group based trajectory modelling to investigate if there were groups of offenders who had different trajectories of offence seriousness over their first three conviction episodes. Results: Across all offenders, non-parametric tests showed no consistent relationship between offence seriousness and conviction episode. In contrast, group based trajectory modelling provided evidence for four offence seriousness trajectory groups: (1) an escalating group (16.1% of sample), (2) a low stable group (32.7% of sample), (3) a high stable group (26.0% of sample), and (4) a de-escalating group (25.2% of sample). Discussion: Group based trajectory modelling provided evidence that the relationship between offence seriousness and conviction episodes varies for sub-groups of offenders. Potential implications for understanding and informing the prevention of serious crime are highlighted. Limitations of this study and challenges for future research are discussed. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2010. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contempoary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 141: Accessed November 7, 2011 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB141.pdf/$file/CJB141.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Trajectories Shelf Number: 123253

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre: Meeting the Challenges Summary: The NSW Ombudsman's office has a long standing interest in the operation of Kariong and we have undertaken a number of significant pieces of work concerning the facility. It opened in 1991 as a detention centre for adolescent boys operated by Juvenile Justice. In March 2000 we tabled a report to Parliament of our investigation into events surrounding four serious disturbances at the centre in 1999. The report criticised many aspects of the operation of the centre at that time, including the failure to provide appropriate programs and activities for what was a difficult and challenging group of detainees and a lack of individual case management. In December 2004 the then government transferred responsibility for Kariong to the adult correctional system and the Juvenile Offenders Legislation Amendment Act 2004 became law. The Act established Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre as well as classification and transfer arrangements for young offenders. At the same time as these changes were being made, we were conducting a legislative review of the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Amendment (Adult Detainees) Act 2001 which we concluded in November 2005. In our report of the review we made a number of recommendations concerning the management of inmates at Kariong. We have continued to conduct regular visits to Kariong as part of our visits program to custodial facilities, both when it was operated by Juvenile Justice and since its transfer to Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW). During these visits we take complaints from inmates, speak with staff to resolve issues and observe conditions and routines. Our ongoing work and interest in the centre means we have a detailed knowledge of Kariong’s operation under both Juvenile Justice and CSNSW management. Both agencies have experienced challenges in delivering appropriate programs and specialised services to such a small population and both agencies have had to contend with the site’s physical shortcomings. While CSNSW did significant capital works on the centre when it took over its operation in 2004, the fundamental design of the site is difficult to alter. The centre is built on the side of a hill and inmates are accommodated in one three storey building that overlooks the administration area. The conclusions of our current investigation indicate that CSNSW is managing a number of significant challenges at Kariong. Inmates are adolescent boys and young men aged between 16 and 21 years old. They are all maximum security inmates, on the basis either of their offence or their poor behaviour and are admitted to Kariong directly from the community or from Juvenile Justice. The centre can accommodate a maximum of 48 inmates in a total of four units and commonly has a population in the mid 30s. Of this number, some will be on remand and some will be sentenced. Some will have significant behavioural issues, others will be well behaved but have committed serious offences. There is considerable turn-over in a proportion of the population, with some inmates staying only a matter of days or weeks. Some will become eligible to return to Juvenile Justice or for transfer to an adult correctional centre but others will remain at Kariong for years. Providing appropriate programs and services to a group of adolescents with such diverse needs is particularly challenging in an environment where the numbers are so small. This is further exacerbated by the fact some inmates will be unable to associate with others for reasons to do with their offence or their history in custody. Getting the management of inmates’ right at Kariong is important, not just for the inmates but for the wider community. The occupants of Kariong are at an age and stage of offending where without significant intervention they may well continue into the adult criminal justice system, at both considerable personal cost to themselves and cost to the community. Their time in Kariong should be seen as an opportunity. Their incarceration presents what may be a final chance to work intensively with some of the most serious young offenders to try to divert them from what could be a lengthy criminal career. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2011. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2011 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR_Kariong%20Juvevile%20Correctional%20Centre.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Shelf Number: 123263

Author: Victoria (Australia). Office of Police Integrity Title: Crossing the Line: Report of an investigation into the conduct of a member of Victoria Police undertaking secondary employment as a Ministerial Adviser and his relationship with a Deputy Commissioner of Victoria Police Summary: This report is presented to Parliament in accordance with section 28(2) of the Police Integrity Act 2008. It details the outcome of an investigation begun in May 2011 into: Certain activities of (then) Detective Leading Senior Constable Tristan Weston while undertaking secondary employment as a Ministerial Officer in the Office of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Certain communications between Mr Weston in his capacity as a Ministerial Office and (then) Deputy Commissioner Sir Ken Jones QPM. This report outlines evidence gathered in the course of the investigation, draws conclusions from such evidence and makes recommendations. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2011. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2011 at: www.opi.vic.gov.au/file.php?292 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 123266

Author: Cassell, Erin Title: Assault-Related Injury Among Young People Aged 15-34 Years that Occurred in Public Places: Deaths and Hospital-Treated Injury Summary: This report presents an analysis of deaths, hospital admissions and emergency department presentations extracted from the National Coroners Information System (NCIS), the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED) and the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (EMD) respectively over the decade 2000/01 to 2009/10. Of the four major scenarios for violence against young people in public places (that covered 94% of fatal assaults), violence instigated/perpetrated by males after intimate relationship breakdowns, or less commonly, during domestic/family disputes accounted for 21% of fatalities recorded over the decade. Details: Melbourne, Vic.: Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit, Monash University Accident Research Centre 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Hazard (Edition, No. 73): Accessed November 10, 2011 at: http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/research-areas/home-sport-and-leisure-safety/visu/hazard/haz73.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 123303

Author: Palk, Gavan Rogert Mark Title: Parliamentary Inquiry into Alcohol-Related Violence Summary: Alcohol consumption has been a popular leisure activity among Australian since European Settlement. Australians currently consume 7.2 litres per capita pure alcohol and Australia in regards to alcohol consumption is ranked as the 22nd highest country of 58 countries. Although the alcohol industry has provided leisure, employment and government taxes, alcohol use has also become associated with chronic health problems, crime, public disorder and violence. Drunken and disorderly behaviour is commonly associated with Pubs, Clubs and Hotels, particularly in the late night entertainment areas. Historically, drunkenness and disorderly behaviour has been managed by measures such as floggings, jail and treatment in asylums. Alcohol has also been banned in specific areas and restrictions have applied to hours and days of operation. In more recent times alcohol policies have included extended trading hours, restricted trading hours and bans in some Aboriginal communities in order to reduce alcohol-related violence. Community and business partnerships in and around licensed premises have also developed in order to address the noise, violence and disorderly behaviour that often occurs in the evenings and early mornings. There is an urgent need for the government to be more robust about implementing effective alcohol control policies in order to prevent and reduce the harmful effects of alcohol. Details: Brisbane: Law, Justice and Safety Committee, Queensland Parliament, 2009. 160p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2011 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/41651/ Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 123350

Author: Wilkinson, Emma Title: Maribyrnong Respect and Equity: Preventing Violence Against Women Summary: Violence against women is widely recognised as a global problem and the most widespread violation of human rights. Violence against women takes many forms and affects all communities, irrespective of class, race or culture. Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15–44 (VicHealth 2006). Locally and internationally there is growing momentum to respond to and prevent violence against women. Local governments are increasingly recognising the key role they have to play. The project is guided by the VicHealth Preventing Violence Against Women: A Framework For Action (VicHealth 2009). The framework recommends a range of mutually reinforcing strategies across societal, organisational and individual levels and in various community settings. Local government is recognised as having a profound ability to influence social and community change through leadership, coordination, service delivery, infrastructure, networks and partnerships and direct engagement with the community. The Victorian government ten year strategy to prevent violence against women also identifies the crucial role of local government and present the work of Maribyrnong City Council as a case study. Respect & equity project objectives  Consolidate and strengthen the activities undertaken within the Maribyrnong Preventing Violence Against Women (PVAW) Action Plan 2007-2008  Embed and drive cultural change by incorporating the determinants of gender violence into local government policy, planning, strategy, programs and action plan development  Increase awareness and understanding of violence against women issues across settings with the broader community  Document and disseminate the learning and challenges of the primary prevention activities implemented across a local government area. Preventing violence against women requires a coordinated, long-term approach, which recognises the gendered nature of violence, responds to and engages with the evidence and integrates a range of mutually reinforcing strategies across the Council and community. These strategies need to address the determinants of violence against women using an ecological approach to understanding and responding to violence. The key themes for action guide activities and provide the most potential for positive impact and change:  Support and promote equal and respectful relationships between women and men  Support and promote non-violent, gender equitable, inclusive norms within the organisation and community culture  Improve structural supports to uphold this culture, enhance social connection and encourage women's full participation in life. Details: Melbourne: VicHealth, 2011. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2011 at: www.vichealth.vic.gov.au Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 123363

Author: Poljski, Carolyn Title: On Her Way: Primary Prevention of Violence Against Immigrant and Refugee Women in Australia Summary: Violence against women is a significant public health issue worldwide. It impacts negatively on women's and children's physical and mental wellbeing, and limits their access to human rights. It is also multi-dimensional- occurring in the home, general community, workplaces, educational institutions, or at the hands of the State. Violence against immigrant and refugee women in Australia can be prevented. However, the complexity of women's experiences of violence highlights the need for culturally-appropriate strategies that address the core issue of gender equality by working to improve the status of women. In this regard, it is equally important that violence prevention efforts address the specific and diverse situations of women from immigrant and refugee communities, within the cultural, religious and socio-economic contexts of their lives. In recent years, there has been a shift towards the primary prevention of violence against women. Primary prevention targets whole populations and/or high-risk groups with the aim of preventing violence before it occurs. This approach is the ideal form of prevention-albeit the most challenging and time-consuming-as it cultivates a safe environment for women, a world where violence against women is not an option because women are valued, respected and treated equally. The Multicultural Centre for Women's Health has prepared a comprehensive publication, On Her Way, based on extensive research and consultation, which provides an overview of the various groups of immigrant and refugee women in Australia that should be considered in violence prevention efforts, the nature of violence perpetrated against these women, and the factors that may increase women's exposure to violence. On Her Way also features violence prevention strategies that have been, and could be implemented in efforts to prevent violence against immigrant and refugee women. Good practice principles for strategies are also highlighted. Details: Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: Multicultural Centre for Women's Health, 2011. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2011 at: http://www.mcwh.com.au/downloads/2011/On_Her_Way_Final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 123365

Author: Stoové, Mark Title: External Component of the Evaluation of Drug Policies and Services and their Subsequent Effects on Prisoners and Staff within the Alexander Maconochie Centre Summary: Meeting the health and wellbeing needs of our detainees presents distinct challenges. Most of our detainees have complex health histories - 91 percent of surveyed inmates reported a lifetime use of illicit drugs, with two-thirds of those having a heroin addiction. Three quarters of respondents reported that their current prison sentence was related to drugs and 79 per cent reported that they were affected by drugs when they committed the relevant offence. While the Report acknowledges that the ACT Corrections Health Program and Forensic Mental Health counselling services are providing effective services and activities for the inmates, it also demonstrates that there is more work to be done. Details: Melbourne: Burnet Institute, 2011. 197p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2011 at: http://www.health.act.gov.au/c/health?a=sendfile&ft=p&fid=1302161190&sid= Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment Shelf Number: 123367

Author: Women's Health Goulburn North East Title: BSAFE Pilot Project 2007-2010 Summary: Bsafe is a personal alarm system and risk management option primarily for people escaping family violence and sexualised assault perpetrated by intimate partners. Bsafe utilises VitalCall / Chubb Security who supply two types of products - a water-proof pendant that operates via the home telephone line that can be activated within the area of the victim‟s home and garden, and a „mobile unit‟ which is similar to a mobile phone. The mobile unit is used where there is mobile coverage and allows Bsafe clients increased autonomy and security when out in the community. When either device is activated an alarm is sent to the 24 hour VitalCall1 response centre that immediately alerts 000 for a police response while continuing to monitor and record the call and what is happening in the home. Such recordings can later be used as evidence for court proceedings. The option of a prepaid mobile phone is available to clients without a phone to assist referral agencies in maintaining contact with them. The Emergency Safety Kit, now known as Bsafe, was a Victoria Police initiative developed within the Benalla Family Violence Prevention Network. During a Rotary study exchange trip to Sweden in 2003, Victoria Police Sergeant Peter Milligan observed a model where safety kits were being utilised by family violence victims still at risk of further violence. Believing that the concept could effectively operate within the Victoria Police, in 2006 the Benalla Family Violence Prevention Network trialled the emergency safety kit in Benalla Rural City. Four women escaping intimate partner violence were involved in the trial with 23 accompanying children. The trial showed that the women and their children were able to remain in their own homes. The women reported that having the kit provided them with an extra sense of security; they felt reassured that their concerns for their safety were being taken seriously and that the response by police would be timely. Women also reported that their perceptions of safety significantly increased once they had access to the kit. 6 Following the success of the trial, in 2007 Women‟s Health Goulburn North East, in partnership with the Victoria Police, secured three year funding from the National Community Crime Prevention Programme for a Bsafe pilot in the Hume region. As the regional women‟s health service with clearly established relationships with the integrated family violence service system, Women‟s Health Goulburn North East was ideally placed to coordinate the project in partnership with the Victoria Police. Details: Wangaratta, VIC: Women's Health Goulburn North East, 2010. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2011 at: http://www.whealth.com.au/documents/work/Bsafe_final_report_2011.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Battered Women Shelf Number: 123366

Author: Australia. Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre Title: Money laundering in Australia 2011 Summary: Money laundering in Australia 2011 presents a consolidated picture of current money laundering - the indicators and activities involved, the sectors and professions which are vulnerable, a range of new threats which are emerging, and the general framework of regulations and actions necessary to identify and prevent this crime. By contributing to greater public and industry knowledge about money laundering, this report better positions government, industry and the community to work together to develop and strengthen preventative strategies against money laundering and the critical risk which it poses to Australia. Details: Chatswood, NSW: AUSTRAC, 2011. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 22, 2011 at: http://www.austrac.gov.au/money_laundering_in_australia_2011.html Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crimes Shelf Number: 123421

Author: Ball, Rochelle Title: Australia’s Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme: Managing Vulnerabilities to Exploitation Summary: As part of the Australian Government’s response to trafficking in persons, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has undertaken preliminary research to assess the risks and protective factors for labour trafficking and to identify matters for priority research. In this context, a literature review is presented of Australia’s Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme (PSWPS), which is designed to enable Pacific Islanders to temporarily work in the horticultural sector and following a recent announcement, to also allow East Timorese access to tourism work in Australia. The paper is informed by literature relating to the longer running New Zealand Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) Program, supplemented with targeted stakeholder consultations conducted between 2008 and 2010 in the Pacific. At this early stage, the PSWPS is regarded as a positive development in the legal sourcing and use of overseas temporary labour but its planned growth will nonetheless be challenging. The RSE may provide valuable lessons for the recently announced expansion of the PSWPS and other temporary workers schemes for Pacific Islanders. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 432: Accessed November 22, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/E/0/C/%7BE0C1EEB4-B893-489E-98F3-8FF9BAF3E8C9%7Dtandi432.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking Shelf Number: 123428

Author: Breen, Courtney Title: Alcohol-Related Crime: Finding a Suitable Measure for Community-Level Analyses Using Routinely Collected Date Summary: Alcohol misuse causes substantial public health harm. Strategies have been proposed to reduce alcohol-related harm at the community-level, which requires suitable community-level measures to monitor changes over time and between communities. For alcohol-related crime, certain offences occurring at certain times that often involve alcohol have been used as a proxy measure. There is currently no adequate empirical rationale for identifying the most reliable proxy measure of alcohol-related crime. This report examines the suitability of three measures of alcohol-related crime. Police records of reported incidents from twenty communities in NSW, Australia, that were involved in a community-wide randomised controlled trial to reduce alcohol-related harm were examined. Three measures were derived; i) serious assaults only, ii) a broader range of assaults and iii) assaults and public nuisance offences. Hierarchical linear models (HLM) account for various sources of variability and correlation of longitudinal data and were used to determine reliability estimates for model parameters and in the calculation of the intraclass correlations (ICC). The broadest measure of alcohol-related crime (assaults and public nuisance offences) was found to have the highest reliability estimates between communities at a given time point and over time. This measure also had the highest ICC, indicating relatively more variability in the measure can be attributed to differences between towns rather than changes over time. The HLM approach gives more accurate reliability estimates than could be assessed using a repeated measures ANOVA. For the communities from where these data derive, the broadest measure is the most reliable for comparing rates of alcohol-related crime between them, and for assessing intervention effects over time. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2011. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical Report No. 317: Accessed November 23, 2011 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/all/shared_files/ndarc/resources/TR.317.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 123433

Author: Jones, Craig Title: Intensive Judicial Supervision and Drug Court Outcomes: Interim Findings from a Randomised Controlled Trial Summary: Aim: To assess whether intensive judicial supervision (IJS) during the early stages of drug court reduces drug use and sanctioning rates. Method: The study employed a non-blinded randomised controlled trial to test the effect of IJS on early-phase substance use and sanctioning rates. All participants accepted onto the Parramatta Drug Court program between March 2010 and March 2011 were randomly allocated into either an IJS or supervision as usual (SAU) condition. The IJS group had phase 1 of their program extended from three to four months and appeared before the judge two times per week during phase 1. The SAU group appeared once per week for three months during phase 1. Results: Participants in the IJS group were significantly less likely to return positive urinalysis tests and had a significantly greater number of episodes of abstinence than participants in the SAU group. IJS participants were less likely to accrue sanctions than participants in the SAU group. There was no significant difference in the odds of having sanctions waived or having to serve sanctions in prison between the two groups. Conclusion: These interim findings provide strong evidence that intensively supervising drug court participants in the early phases reduces early-phase substance use and sanctioning rates. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau o0f Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 152: Accessed January 10, 2012 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB152.pdf/$file/CJB152.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Courts Shelf Number: 123544

Author: White, Rob Title: Key Vulnerabilities & Limitations in the Management of Hazardous Waste and Its Disposal Summary: This paper outlines the process of developing a matrix to assess overall environmental regulatory performance, in the context of key vulnerabilities and limitations in the management of hazardous waste and its disposal. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: School of Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania, 2011. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 3: Accessed January 13, 2012 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/sociology/CRU/Briefing_Paper_3_Key_Vulnerabilities_and_Limitations_in_the_Management_of_Hazardous_Waste_and_its_Disposal.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Hazardous Waste Shelf Number: 123603

Author: McFerran, Ludo Title: Safe at Home, Safe at Work? National Domestic Violence and the Workplace Survey (2011) Summary: This report is product of a comprehensive national survey of over 3,600 employees, conducted by the Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse in conjunction with Micromex in accordance with University of New South Wales ethics approval. It provides clear evidence of the prevalence of domestic violence as it affects the Australian workforce and a focussed assessment of impacts of domestic violence on workers and workplaces. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2012 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Domestic_violence_and_work_survey_report_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 123641

Author: Costello, D. Title: Drink or Drunk: Why Do Staff at Licensed Premises Continut to Serve Patrons to Intoxication Despirte Current Laws and Interventions? Final Report Summary: Addressing drinking behaviours, intoxication and the resultant behaviours from intoxication in Australia is influenced by several issues—the social acceptability of intoxication, the acceptance of licensed venues as places where intoxication happens and a general belief that violence and aggression at licensed venues is inevitable. Over the past 20 years, Australia has made significant moves to address issues of alcohol-related harm and violence through server regulations such as RSA training, State and Territory liquor controls, security legislation and through localised liquor management plans and accords. Despite such interventions and media attention around the risks associated with unsafe drinking habits, intoxicated people continue to be able to easily access alcohol and be served in licensed venues. The aim of the current study was to gain an understanding of why staff at licensed premises continue to serve patrons to intoxication and the factors that increase this, despite current laws and interventions. Motivating factors for continuing alcohol service and the different perspectives of both bar staff and venue owners and managers are investigated in this project. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2011. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Monography Series No. 38: Accessed January 17, 2012 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_38.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 123646

Author: Day, Andrew Title: Review of Programmes in Youth Training Centres. Part 2: Consultation and Recommendations Summary: Over the last five years there has been much discussion in South Australia, and other parts of the country, about the ways in which government agencies can, and should, respond to the needs of those young people who are considered to be at risk, particularly those who are considered to be at risk of offending or re-offending. It is well known and widely accepted that young people who are categorised in this way are likely to have particularly high levels of unmet need across multiple areas of functioning, with ongoing difficulties related to substance use, mental health, family functioning, educational attainment, as well as specific needs in relation to their offending behaviour. The development of age and culturally appropriate services to meet this diverse range of needs in a timely manner presents a considerable challenge to government agencies and other service providers. Each Australian state and territory manages young offenders in a slightly different way. In South Australia, responsibility for the provision of juvenile justice services (remand, detention and the administration of all youth justice dispositions from the court) lies with the Department for Families and Communities, and specifically Families SA. There are two youth training centres in South Australia, Cavan and Magill, accommodating children and young people from the ages of 10 through to 18. In 2006-07 there were 1011 admissions to secure care representing 500 young people. Families SA has the lead responsibility for the provision of programmes to young offenders, through the relatively recently established Youth Justice Directorate. Since its inception the Directorate has shown a strong commitment to the delivery of interventions that are both needs focused and effective in preventing re-offending in the context of meeting its obligations to young people under the 1993 Young Offenders Act. This report has been prepared at the request of the Guardian for Children and Young People in South Australia. This is a statutory position that reports to the Minister for Families and Communities, and has a mandate for intervention that extends to all children and young people under guardianship or custody orders, including those in secure care on youth justice orders. The Guardian has an important role to play in informing the development of services in this area, and thus commissioned this review of programmes offered in youth training centres in South Australia. The need to review and develop programmes has, however, also been identified by the Youth Justice Directorate as a key improvement area in the Training Centre Action Plan, and by others such as the Social Inclusion Unit, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Youth Justice System (SA). Part 1 of this report is dedicated to a comprehensive review of the scientific literature relating to theories and practice in youth justice. This review has been written to provide an up to date account of the current status of evidence relating to programmes that are offered to clients of the Directorate that are intended to reduce the risk of further offending. In any organisation that aims to be ‘evidence-based’, it is important that decisions around the structure, management, and delivery of programmes are made in the light of what is currently known about programme effectiveness. Evidence can take two forms: theories and models about how to understand the reasons why young people offend, and hence their likely need for intervention; and evaluations and trials of programmes that have been used with juvenile justice clients. Developmental theories of crime consistently suggest that antisocial behaviour is the strongest underlying causal factor for criminal behaviour. These theories stress the socialisation process and subsequent social bonds that the young person forms as being paramount to the development of pro-social behaviour and, in our view, are particularly appropriate theories for accounting for juvenile offending. Part 2 of the review reports the findings of a series of consultations with a range of stakeholders, both government and non-government, about the current provision of services and programmes to youth justice clients. Representatives from a range of services and agencies (identified through discussion with the Guardian and the reference group) were invited to take part in the review. These included the Families SA Directorate of Youth Justice, Kumangka Aboriginal Youth Services, Victim Support Services, Social Inclusion Unit Department for Premier and Cabinet, Justice Strategy Unit Department of Justice, Breaking the Cycle (Families SA), Central Community Legal Services, Youth Affairs Council of SA, and Service to Youth Council. In addition focus groups were conducted with residents of both the Cavan and Magill Training Centres, and centre staff members were invited to respond to a questionnaire about the social climate of the centres. Whilst the primary focus of the consultations was on the provision of programmes and services within the youth training centres, it was immediately apparent that broader issues relating to the availability of community programmes, the legal context underpinning any work in youth justice, and the range of services offered by external agencies, were all of direct relevance to the types of programmes that might be both possible and appropriate within the centres. The term ‘programme’ as used in this report requires some clarification. It is used to refer to specific forms of intervention which aim to meet particular objectives, particularly those relating to the reduction in risk of re-offending. Programmes are therefore distinguished from ‘activities’ which are not necessarily goal directed. This definition is somewhat narrower than that proposed by Families SA in its draft Subprogram Development and Implementation Guidelines (November, 2007) which describes programmes as those services provided or coordinated by the agency as a result of the requirements of the juvenile justice system (although we note that one of the aims identified in the Training Centre Action Plan is to ‘engage children and young people in programmes and interventions which challenge and reduce their offending’). Details: Adelaide: Guardian for Children and Young People, 2008. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2012 at: http://www.sapo.org.au/pub/pub10623.html Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Shelf Number: 123692

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Uses and abuses of crime statistics Summary: Large sections of the media habitually distort, misrepresent and exaggerate the facts on crime, argues this paper. Between 2000 and 2009, the Australian national murder rate fell by 39 per cent, the national robbery rate fell by 43 per cent, the national burglary rate fell by 55 per cent, the national motor vehicle theft rate fell by 62 per cent and all forms of other theft fell by 39 per cent. Australia is now into its 11th straight year of falling or stable crime rates. Property crime rates in some States are lower than they’ve been in more than 20 years. You might think this a cause for celebration but the vast majority of Australians still think crime is going up. The reason for this is fairly clear. Most people get their information about crime from the media—and large sections of the media habitually distort, misrepresent and exaggerate the facts on crime. The abuse of crime statistics is so common it has in some quarters engendered great skepticism about them. The saying there are ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ is probably nowhere more frequently uttered than in the context of crime statistics. Yet whether we like them or not, crime statistics are here to stay. We have to make judgments about the prevalence of crime, about trends in crime, about the distribution of crime and about the impact of Government efforts to prevent and control crime. We cannot base these judgments on personal experience and anecdote. They have to be based on statistical information. The challenge facing those who produce and use crime statistics is how to do so in a way which is not misleading and which helps rather than hinders our understanding of crime. This bulletin is designed to help those unfamiliar with crime statistics to understand their uses and abuses. Details: Australia: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin No. 153. Internet Resource: Acceessed on January 22, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB153.pdf/$file/CJB153.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Courts Shelf Number: 123729

Author: Bandaranaike, Suniti Title: Graffiti Hotspots: Physical Environment or Human Dimension? Summary: Graffiti is a prominent icon in contemporary urban landscapes with some areas being more dominant or hotspots, than others. This research examines whether the occurrence and characteristics of graffiti are related to the underlying physical environment or is it a consequence of the demographic [human] dimension or both? Land use types and urban design features were utilised as surrogate measures of the physical environment. The research used intensive field surveys carried out in Townsville between 1998 and 2002 to locate characteristics of graffiti at each location including type of graffiti, frequency, mode, medium used, lighting and visibility. These were correlated with specific land use types to assess patterns and frequency of graffiti. The hotspots were geo-coded and spatially mapped and the physical characteristics of each space identified. The research also uses population data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to correlate graffiti hot spots with underlying demographic and socio-economic characteristics of these same regions. This research highlights the relevance of using field audits and local governments taking into consideration the multiple factors in both the physical and human landscapes when formulating and implementing strategies on graffiti in the urban landscape. Details: Paper presented at the Graffiti and Disorder Conference convened by the Australian Institute of Criminology in conjunction with the Australian Local Government Association and held in Brisbane, 18-19 August 2003. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2003/~/media/conferences/2003-graffiti/bandaranaike.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Graffiti (Australia) Shelf Number: 123736

Author: Cockram, Judith Title: Equal Justice? The Experiences and Needs of Repeat Offenders with Intellectual Disability in Western Australia Summary: This study aimed at enhancing the understanding of factors that contribute to re-offending by people with intellectual disability in Western Australia. The aims of the study were to: (1) examine both the individual experiences of repeat offenders with intellectual disabilitiy in Western Australia and the systemic context in which the experiences are located; (2) investigate the characteristics and factors that might influence re-offending; (3) identify the key issues that will need to be addressed to overcome the high rate of recidivism, including the gaps and barriers to the provision of more effective support; and (4) identify strategies or approahces that could be considered for developing effective responses to identified needs and issues. Details: Wembley, Western Australia: Acriv Foundation, 2005. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2012 at: http://www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au/_files/about-us/statistics-publications/students-researchers/equal-justice.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Intellectual Disabilities (Australia) Shelf Number: 123740

Author: Taplin, Stephanie Title: Child Protection and Mothers in Substance Abuse Treatment Summary: This report presents the major findings from the Child Protection and Mothers in Substance Abuse Treatment study, a three-year study funded by NSW Community Services, Department of Family and Community Services, and the University of New South Wales. Parental substance use has received particular attention as a child protection concern in recent years, but it is an area in which there has been little research and in which a number of research questions remain unanswered. Evidence has shown that parental substance misuse is associated with high rates of child maltreatment, but substance use by a parent does not necessarily mean that they are abusing or neglecting their children. Research from overseas has also found that families in which alcohol or other drug use is present are more likely to come to the attention of child protection services, more likely to be re-reported, more likely to have children removed from their care, and more likely to have them remain in out-of-home care (OOHC) for long periods of time, than are families with the same characteristics but no substance use. A small number of overseas studies have also found that, among substance-using mothers, factors other than the severity of substance use are associated with child protection involvement. The applicability of these overseas studies to the child protection system in Australia is, however, unknown. This study provides an enhanced understanding of parenting issues and child protection involvement among women with a history of illicit drug use in Australia. Details: Sydney, Australia: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2011. 82p. Source: Technical Report Number 320. Internet Resource: Accessed on January 23, 2012 at Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protective Services Shelf Number: 123754

Author: Blakemore, Clare Title: Locked into Remand: Children and Young People on Remand in New South Wales Summary: This paper considers the increasing number of children and young people in New South Wales who are being held on remand. A child or young person is considered to be on remand when they are in detention but have not yet been sentenced. A number of factors are contributing to the rise in children and young people held in detention on remand. These include current difficulties in finding suitable accommodation for children and young people awaiting trial, changes to the Bail Act 1978 and restrictive bail conditions that are closely monitored by police. This situation affects disadvantaged children and young people throughout New South Wales. Children and young people in out-of-home care, Indigenous children and young people, and children and young people from regional areas are all over-represented in the Juvenile Justice system and are most likely to be affected by an inability to access appropriate accommodation and by restrictive bail conditions (Nyman 1997). In 2005 “30 percent of juvenile offenders have been or are presently in the care of the Minister for Community Services” and in 2007 37.8% of all children and young people on remand were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Select Committee on Juvenile Offenders 2005, p.107; NSW Auditor-General 2007). This paper will examine the different factors that have contributed to an increase of children and young people on remand, especially the lack of suitable accommodation and support for children and young people who are trying to meet bail conditions. It will argue that there are serious consequences of holding young people on remand, including increasing the rate of recidivism. Possible solutions to address the increase in the number of children and young people on remand in New South Wales are discussed in the final section of this paper. Details: Parramatta, NSW: UnitingCare Burnside, 2009. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Background Paper: Accessed January 27, 2012 at: http://www.childrenyoungpeopleandfamilies.org.au/info/social_justice/submissions/social_policy_papers_and_briefs//?a=61347 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail, Juveniles Shelf Number: 123789

Author: UnitingCare Burnside Title: Releasing the Pressure on Remand: Bail Support Solutions for Children and Young People in New South Wales Summary: An increasing number of children and young people in New South Wales are being held on remand in the state's Juvenile Justice Centres. This is due to current policies that make it unnecessarily difficult for children and young people to access bail and result in children and young people remaining in detention on remand when they should be on bail. This position paper was developed in response to the Roundtable on Keeping Children and Young People out of Remand that was convened by the Council of Social Service of NSW on 26 March 2009. The paper highlights the key issues and solutions that were discussed at the Roundtable meeting. Details: Parramatta, NSW: UnitingCare Burnside, 2009. 17p. Source: Internet Resoruce: Accessed January 27, 2012 at: http://www.ncoss.org.au/resources/091028-Releasing-the-pressure.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail, Juveniles Shelf Number: 123790

Author: Elliott, Lorraine Title: Transnational Environmental Crime: Applying Network Theory to an Investigation of Illegal Trade, Criminal Activity and Law Enforcement Reponses Summary: In his National Security Statement to Parliament in December 2009, the Australian Prime Minister observed that "transnational crime – [including] the illegal exploitation of resources – will remain a continuing challenge" (Office of the Prime Minister of Australia, 2009). According to Sandro Calvani, the Director of UNICRI – the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute – governments face multiple challenges in dealing with the illegal exploitation of resources. Those challenges include "scarce awareness and knowledge of the phenomenon, … insufficient regulation, … growing involvement of organized crime … high profits [and] … scarce international cooperation" (Calvani 2009, p. 14). While this illegal exploitation, captured in the concept of transnational environmental crime (TEC), has become a matter of growing concern for Australian and international security, environmental and criminological policy, the nature and extent of the associated illegal trade and criminal activity remains under-researched. Nor has there been a comprehensive and critically-informed analysis of the nature and extent of international cooperation on policy, compliance and enforcement in response to TEC. This research project therefore has three key objectives: to advance our understanding of the ways in which environmental commodities that are either sourced illegally or destined for illegal markets are traded; to draw on International Relations theories of networks to develop and apply conceptual tools that can aid in understanding the organizational structures of TEC networks and the political, social and economic assets that sustain illicit chains of custody; to examine and analyse existing transnational policy and operational law enforcement responses, particularly those that function through network arrangements, to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the ways in which governments and other actors are responding to the challenges of TEC. This short working paper provides an overview of the background to this research project, expands on these three key themes, canvasses the conceptual framework that informs the research, and introduces the methodologies that will guide our investigations. Details: Canberra, Australia: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Department of International Relations, School of International, Political and Strategic Studies, The Australian National Library, 2011. 17p. Source: Transnational Environmental Crime Project, Working Paper 1/2011: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 28, 2012 at http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/ir/tec/publications/TEC_Working_Paper_1_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Environmental Crime Shelf Number: 123849

Author: Office of Police Integrity, Victoria Title: Report on the 'Kit Walker' investigations Summary: "Origins of this investigation: On 12 February 2007, the ABC program Four Corners broadcast 'The Culture', an investigation into allegations made involving the Victorian Police Association. The matters discussed in the broadcast included allegations made by departing Police Association Executives against Police Association Secretary Paul Mullett and an anonymous email campaign directed against President Mitchell, with the sender Detective Sergeant Peter Lalor using the pseudonym 'Kit Walker'." After the Office of Police Integrity (OPI) discovered that the ESD investigation was suspended following a meeting between Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon, Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius and Police Association Secretary Paul Mullett where Mullett made allegations about the appropriateness of the ESD investigation, the OPI commenced its own investigation as a matter of public interest. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Office of Police Integrity, Victoria, 2007. 29p. Source: Parliamentary paper (Victoria), Session 2006-2007, No. 57: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 28, 2012 at Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption (Victoria) Shelf Number: 123852

Author: Attorney-General's Department, Australian Government Title: National Youth Policing Model Summary: On 2 July 2010, Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O’Connor, welcomed agreement from all Australian police ministers to reduce, prevent and respond to youth violence and anti‑social behaviour through a National Youth Policing Model. The Model will support and enhance effective programs already in place through six high-priority strategies for youth policing. Under the Model, jurisdictions will have the flexibility to adapt responses to youth policing issues to suit local environments. The National Youth Policing Model supports the National Strategy for Young Australians, which identified youth violence and anti-social behaviour as key issues of concern for young people. Details: Australia: Attorney-General's Department, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed on January 28, 2012 at http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(966BB47E522E848021A38A20280E2386)~National+Youth+Policing+Model.PDF/$file/National+Youth+Policing+Model.PDF Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Shelf Number: 123856

Author: Hutchings, Alice Title: Computer Security Threats Faced by Small Businesses in Australia Summary: The internet is an affordable and effective place for small businesses to sell and promote their goods and services. However, the internet also provides opportunities for fraudulent behaviour and unauthorised access to business and client data. Attacks on the computer system of a business can have immediate and ongoing effects, such as targeting customers for identity crimes or infecting website visitors with malicious software. It is contended that small businesses in Australia have been slow to implement security technology and policies that may protect their information systems, making them vulnerable to current and future threats. In this paper, an attempt is made to educate small business owners about the risks that they face and the mitigation strategies they could employ to make their organisation safer. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 433: Accessed February 7, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/1/0/%7BF1072721-F83E-4D19-9100-95E539507A70%7Dtandi433_001.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 124001

Author: Sutherland, Rachel Title: Driving Behaviours Among People Who Inject Drugs in South Australia, 2006-2011 Summary: Key findings: • The prevalence of drug driving among PWID remained high across 2006-2011, whilst the frequency dropped more than threefold to a median of 24 occasions in a six month period (once a week). • There were few significant predictors of drug driving. A higher frequency of heroin use, and having completed any courses after school, were positively associated with drug driving; whilst those who had recently suffered from drug induced psychosis were less likely to have engaged in drug driving. • The use of cannabis prior to the last drug driving occasion decreased significantly from 2007-2011, whilst in 2011 the use of heroin increased. • There was a downward trend in the use of all pharmaceutical drugs prior to driving, with significant declines observed for morphine, methadone and subutex. • Across 2007-2011 the majority of drug drivers continued to report that the use of drugs prior to driving had no impact upon their driving ability. Participants who had used methamphetamine prior to driving were more likely to believe that this had improved their ability to drive, whilst those who had used heroin and subutex were more likely to report that their driving ability had impaired by the use of such drugs. • Drink driving was comparatively low among PWID, with less than 10% of recent drivers reporting that they had driven whilst over legal blood alcohol concentration limit. Younger participants, and those that were male, were more likely to have engaged in drink driving. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2011. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Trends Bulletin, December 2011: Accessed February 10, 2012 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/idrs-bulletin-december-2011-driving-behaviours-among-people-who-inject-drugs-south Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence (South Australia) Shelf Number: 124037

Author: Sullivan, Clare Title: Trade-based money laundering: Risks and regulatory responses Summary: This report examines a form of money laundering based on the trade of goods and services, commonly known as trade-based money laundering. Although the global response to trade-based money laundering has been limited so far, more research needs to be conducted into the nature and impact of trade-based money laundering before avenues for reform are pursued in Australia. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 42p. Source: AIC Reports, Research and Public Policy Series 115: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/A/0/3/%7BA03716CB-BFD3-46B3-93EC-66FD9D9029A7%7Drpp115.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: International Crime Shelf Number: 124041

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Money laundering and terrorism financing risks to Australian non-profit organizations Summary: The exploitation of the non-profit sector for money laundering and, in particular, the financing of terrorism, is understood to have been a long-established practice. However, the methods and sources used by terrorist organisations to finance their activities became a key policy focal point after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and subsequent (predominantly government) examinations of terrorism funding substantiated the position that non-profit organisations were at an elevated risk of criminal exploitation. The vulnerability of non-profit organisations was related to their social purpose, the cash-intensive nature of their activities and the generally minimal form of regulatory oversight applied to their operations. Adding to this risk was the provision of services that relied on financial contributions and the good will of its supporters, the often regular transmission of funds between jurisdictions and less rigorous forms of administrative and financial management. This report examines the risks to the Australian non-profit sector of money laundering and terrorism financing and describes the regulatory changes that could minimise risk. The report uses information derived from government, non-government and peer-reviewed literature, case law and regulator reports, and observations made by representatives from the non-profit sector, law enforcement and key regulatory agencies, and academia that were consulted for the study. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 83p. Source: AIC Reports, Research and Public Policy Series 114: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/7/3/9/%7B73997C4D-79B3-46B1-8D09-4AFC93E675F5%7Drpp114.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Money Laundering (Australia) Shelf Number: 124043

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Poly drug use among police detainees Summary: Offenders with complex drug dependencies involving two or more drug types comprise a substantial proportion of drug court and drug diversion clients, yet evaluation studies have demonstrated that these offenders often have poorer retention rates and higher post-program reoffending rates. Poly drug use also has implications for police and law enforcement agencies, as users are potentially a more diversified group whose varied patterns of use makes them more resilient to illicit drug market fluctuations. For these reasons, understanding the nature and extent of poly drug use, especially among those who come into contact with the criminal justice system, will help agencies develop more targeted programs and policing strategies that seek to minimise the impact of drug use in their communities. Using data from Australia’s most comprehensive survey of drug use among detainees, the 2009 collection of the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, it was shown that nearly a third of detainees reporting using two or more drugs in the 30 days prior to being detained. Cannabis was the primary drug used by 48 percent of detainees, followed by heroin (19%) and amphetamines (17%). Binary logistic models show that poly drug users are almost twice as likely as single drug users to self report the receipt of income from both drug dealing and other illegal sources, irrespective of any differences between frequency and type of drug used. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 8p. Source: Trends & issue in crime and criminal justice, No. 425: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/A/0/4/%7BA047429D-813B-48E5-B2DE-027A209AE899%7Dtandi425.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 124068

Author: Carragher, Natacha Title: What are the Options? Pricing and taxation policy reforms to redress excessive alcohol consumption and related harms in Australia Summary: Increasing community and political concern about excessive alcohol consumption and related harms in Australia has prompted calls for the introduction of tighter regulatory controls. From an evidence-based, research perspective, measures which increase alcohol prices and taxes, in particular, are considered most effective for reducing alcohol consumption and related harms. Accordingly, this report presents a review of pricing and taxation policy levers that have been considered and/or implemented nationally and internationally. These policies include: alcohol taxation and differential price by beverage; special/additional taxation on alcopops; minimum pricing; and bans on price discounts and promotions. Industry response to these policy initiatives is discussed, in addition to the role of public opinion in policy-making, and the issue of substitution and complementarity with other drugs. This review is designed to inform policymakers of useful taxation and pricing policy levers to redress alcohol-related harm in the Australian community. We conclude that each policy holds some promise, and it appears that they would be more successful when used in combination than as individual uncoordinated strategies. Details: Sydney, Australia: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Attorney General's Department, 2011. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/R59a.pdf/$file/R59a.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 124089

Author: Australia. VicHealth. Title: Preventing violence against women in Australia. Addressing the social and economic determinants of mental and physical health Summary: While the overall health of world populations is improving, there are significant factors that continue to impact on our mental and physical health. How much you earn, your social position, your level of education and your capacity to be involved in activities that help connect you to others in your community are important factors in determining your health status (VicHealth 2009). In acknowledgement of the social and economic factors affecting the health of the population and sub-populations, VicHealth has established a focus on increasing social and economic participation as a key priority area for action during 2009–13. Our objectives in this area are to: 1. increase participation in physical activity; 2. increase opportunities for social connection; 3. reduce race-based discrimination and promote diversity; 4. prevent violence against women by increasing participation in respectful relationships; 5. build knowledge to increase access to economic resources. This research summary presents a synopsis of the latest published research examining violence against women in Australia and its prevention. This summary focuses on: the extent of violence against women; population groups at risk; the health, economic and other consequences of the problem; factors that underlie and contribute to violence against women; themes for action to prevent violence against women from happening in the first place. Details: Australia: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, 2011. 12p. Source: Research summary. Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/~/media/ResourceCentre/PublicationsandResources/PVAW/VH_VAW%20Research%20Summary_Nov2011.ashx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Services Shelf Number: 124093

Author: Rawnsley, Terry Title: Dynamics in Repeat Imprisonment: Utilising Prison Census Data Summary: One of the goals of any correctional system is to reduce the number of prisoners who are repeatedly imprisoned. A period of imprisonment may reduce an individual’s willingness to consider re-offending and therefore being imprisoned again. However, due to a number of underlying variables, a period of imprisonment may in fact increase the probability of future imprisonment. In this context, prisoners with multiple imprisonment episodes pose a problem worth investigating. This paper reports analysis of aspects of prisoners with multiple prison spells based on the Prison Census. The Prison Census extracts selected information from administrative data maintained by corrective services agencies in each state in Australia. The Prison Census collects social and sentencing information. Time series of micro data exist from 1993 to 2001. By combining the Prison Censuses across this period, a longitudinal dataset can be constructed. Analysis of this dataset can help explain the dynamics affecting individuals who are repeatedly imprisoned. This work is the result of a joint project between the Australian Bureau of Statistics Analysis Branch and the National Centre for Crime and Justice Statistics. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2003. 24p. Source: ABS/AIC Conference Presentation, Evaluation in Crime & Justice: Trends & Methods: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2003/~/media/conferences/evaluation/rawnsley.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Statistics Shelf Number: 124095

Author: Matthew-Simmons, Francis Title: Estimating the street value of a cannabis plant in Australia Summary: We do not know the value of the cannabis market in Australia. ‘Per plant’ estimation of the street value of cannabis is a helpful measure – if we can derive an estimate of the value for one cannabis plant, then we can measure the value of a seizure of many plants; and estimate the overall value of the Australian market based on cannabis crops. The purpose of this bulletin is to provide estimates of the ‘street value’ of an individual indoor, hydroponic cannabis plant, taking street price and yield into consideration. Details: Sydney, Australia: Drug Policy Modelling Program Bulletin Series, National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, 2010. 2p. Source: Drug Policy Modelling Program Bulletin No. 19: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at http://www.dpmp.unsw.edu.au/DPMPWeb.nsf/resources/BULLETIN4/$file/DPMP+Bulletin+19.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis (Australia) Shelf Number: 124099

Author: Walters, Julie Title: Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing across the globe: A comparative study of regulatory action Summary: Most developed countries across the globe have enacted legislation to proscribe acts of money laundering and financing of terrorism, and to enable the proceeds of crime to be recovered from offenders. Such legislation reflects the principles developed by the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF-GAFI) 40 plus Nine Recommendations to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism (FATF-GAFI 2004) to varying degrees. FATF-GAFI was established in 1989 as an international body to examine techniques employed by criminals to launder the proceeds of crime and the approaches taken internationally to counteract such activities, as well as to identify policies to impede money laundering and the financing of terrorism. FATF-GAFI issued 40 Recommendations to combat money laundering in 1990 and expanded these to deal with the problem of financing of terrorism after the 11 September 2001 attacks by adding a further Nine Special Recommendations on terrorism financing. Details: Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 119p. Source: AIC Reports, Research and Public Policy Series 113: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2012 at Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 124104

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of the Risk/Needs Assessment Process for Community-Based Offenders Summary: The objectives of this study were (1) to explore the effects of applying a screening tool to determine who is administered the Level of Service Inventory – Revised (LSI-R); and (2) to examine the predictive utility of including LSI-R subscale scores along with standard risk factors in a model of recidivism. Method: Aim (1) was addressed by developing a screening tool using routinely collected data. Predicted probabilities of re-offending were obtained from this tool. Alternative thresholds of predicted probabilities required for an LSI-R assessment were then applied. The effect of screening was examined in terms of whether those who went on to re-offend were predicted to do so, having met the applied screening tool and LSI-R risk category criteria. Aim (2) was addressed by constructing and comparing logistic regression models with and without LSI-R subscale scores to assess whether models which included LSI-R subscale scores in addition to routinely collected data were better at discriminating those who re-offended within 12 months from those who did not. Analyses were conducted separately for males and females. Results: Aim (1): By administering the LSI-R to those with a predicted probability of re-offending of at least .15, 80 per cent of male and 71 per cent of female recidivists would have been identified as being likely to re-offend, using LSI-R risk level criteria of at least low-medium. Aim (2): For males and females, after controlling for standard risk factors, the LSI-R subscales education/employment and attitudes/orientation were associated with re-offending. Further, criminal history, alcohol/drugs and accommodation subscales were associated with re-offending in males, and the companions subscale was associated with re-offending in females. Conclusion: More efficient identification of those at higher risk of re-offending could be achieved by using a screening tool based on routinely collected data to determine who the LSI-R is administered to. Further, the inclusion of LSI-R subscale scores in models of recidivism could improve the predictive accuracy of models developed for evaluation purposes. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 154: Accessed February 13, 2012 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB154.pdf/$file/CJB154.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Offenders Shelf Number: 124112

Author: Green, T.J. Title: Compliance Program Evaluation and Optimisation in Commercial and Recreational Western Australian Fisheries Summary: This project describes work undertaken in the field of fisheries compliance. The word “compliance” in this work always refers to conformity with regulations, sometimes it expresses a quantitative measure of that conformity, at other times it refers more generally to the subject of delivering services to ensure compliance. Compliance (in either sense) has received relatively little formal study from the sciences, which is, perhaps, surprising, when considering how integral compliance is to the normal functioning of human society. Formal studies of compliance are most likely to be encountered in the fields of taxation, environmental law and governance, but any agency with enforcement responsibilities will tend to use the term compliance in its sense of delivering compliance services. In the field of natural resource management, fisheries management in particular, it is increasingly necessary to establish frameworks that restrict exploitation rates to limits that can be tolerated indefinitely by the entire system being considered, as part of a wider quest for sustainability. The resources required for ‘policing’ these frameworks are expensive, especially in a fisheries context where the areas to be policed are extensive, the platforms required specialised and there is potential for large-scale offences to go entirely undetected. Most measures of compliance are expressions of the number of offences detected out of the number of inspections. Such an approach may be flawed because many compliance inspections target areas where non-compliance is likely to be found, especially if voluntary compliance is the norm and compliance resources are scarce. The number of offences detected from such targeted inspections will likely be higher than those that would be detected from a random inspection program, yielding a disproportionately large number of detected offences per inspection. This project examines the design, implementation and uptake of a simple reporting system that can be established to capture details of fisheries compliance patrol activity, and some selected data from it. From the data captured, the number of detected offences are linked with the number of fishers contacted to provide non-compliance rates for entire individual fisheries. These non-compliance rates can help managers and researchers assess whether the levels of illegal fishing within a fishery are acceptable or not. The enforcement arm of the agency can use these non-compliance rates as clear performance measures that can be scrutinised by themselves and others, and in an operational environment where priorities often have to be adjusted in the light of unforeseen circumstances, such measures provide accountable tools to assist with making changes that have the most positive impact overall. Fisheries management is always a balancing act, but using the data systems described in this project, some of the guesswork should be replaced by informed decision-making based on quantitative data. Details: North Beach, Western Australia: Western Australia Department of Fisheries, 2009. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Fisheries Research Report No. 195: Accessed February 14, 2012 at: http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/frr/frr195/frr195.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Fishing (Australia) Shelf Number: 124127

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: A model performance framework for community-based crime prevention Summary: This paper examines a series of performance measurement frameworks to assist crime prevention organisations, communities, and local governments measure, in a systematic way, the implementation of crime prevention programs. The framework will help identify problems that may impact on the programs’ effectiveness. The framework was developed in conjunction with the Western Australian Office of Crime Prevention and uses International and Australian standards of performance measurement . It reveals a number of principles in effective performance measurement such as consultative management, practical resources and technical support for communities. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 96p. Source: AIC Reports, Technical and Background Paper 40: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/B/D/9/%7BBD9D5686-84DE-4914-ADFC-E9F4D6C3CE36%7Dtbp040.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Participation Shelf Number: 124134

Author: Ng, Simon Title: Pharmaceutical Drug Use Among Police Detainees Summary: In light of increased concern regarding the illegal use of prescription medication and the extent of the diversion of pharmaceuticals into the black market, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) incorporated a set of new questions into its Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program in 2011. Analysis showed that one in three (36%) of 825 adult police detainees self-reported using either buprenorphine, methadone, morphine, benzodiazepines or dexamphetamine at least once in the past 12 months. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly used pharmaceutical drug among police detainees (25%), followed by morphine (12%), buprenorphine (8%), methadone (7%) and dexamphetamine (4%). Of those detainees who had used pharmaceuticals, as many as two in three (63%) reported obtaining them from at least one of a number of illegitimate sources. This equates to a prevalence of 23 percent across all detainees interviewed. A larger proportion of detainees (16%) were classified as illegitimate benzodiazepine users than illegitimate morphine (9%), buprenorphine (5%), methadone or dexamphetamine users (3%, respectively). The most common method for obtaining pharmaceutical drugs illegitimately was to receive them from family or friends without paying. Overall 14 percent of all detainees reported doing so at least once in the past 12 months. Despite obtaining pharmaceutical drugs predominantly from family or friends, the vast majority of self-reported users said that they were “easy” or “very easy” to obtain on the street (without a prescription). Benzodiazepines were most frequently reported as easy or very easy to obtain on the street (86%), followed by buprenorphine and morphine (76%, respectively). More than half of those detainees using buprenorphine (59%) and morphine (53%) knew of someone dealing the drug at the time of their arrest. This was the case for 47 percent of dexamphetamine users, 42 percent of benzodiazepine users and 38 percent of methadone users. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, DUMA, No. 23: Accessed February 17, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/2/0/1/%7B201F4B72-265D-40FD-AF41-F6787C226396%7Drip23_001.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Black Market Shelf Number: 124148

Author: Ferrante, Anna Title: The Disqualified Driver Study: A Study of Factors Relevant to the Use of License Disqualification as an Effective Legal Sanction in Western Australia Summary: The purpose of this study is to investigate key factors that determine the degree to which licence disqualification is an effective sanction against traffic offences and nonpayment of fines. In particular, the study aims to: describe trends in the use of licence disqualification and the frequency of the offence of driving while disqualified; identify the main characteristics of disqualified drivers and the subset of those who drive while disqualified; understand the social and situational circumstances of disqualified drivers and those who drive while disqualified; and assess the knowledge of, and attitudes to, enforcement and justice procedures by disqualified drivers and those who drive while disqualified. Details: Australia: Crime Research Centre, University of Western Australia, 2003. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2012 at http://www.law.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/118543/The_Disqualified_Driver_Study.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Driver's License Suspension (Australia) Shelf Number: 124155

Author: Clark, Belinda Title: Disqualified Drivers in Victoria: Literature Review and In-Depth Focus Group Study Summary: This report outlines a two phase project into disqualified drivers in Victoria. The first phase of the project comprised a review of the literature related to license disqualification and explored the feasability of conducting an in-depth study of disqualified drivers in Victoria. The second phase of the project, which resulted from the feasability study, involved conducting an in-depth investigation into the behaviors and attitudes of disqualified drivers, including contributing family and social influences. Forty disqualified drivers participated in seven focus group discussions and 13 partners/parents of disqualified drivers participated in three separate focus group discussions. The results showed the approximate 60% of the driver participants continued to drive during disqualification. The following factors were found to have a key influence on the decision to drive during disqualification: negative attitudes towards sanction; denial of the risk of one's own driving behaviours; very low perceptions of the risk of detection; personal and vicarious experiences of punishment avoidance; and negative attitudes towards alternatives. The most common reason provided for the decision to continue driving was to maintain one's employment, although driving for family and social reasons was also commonly reported. Most participants described personal hardships caused by the sanction, with this impact being greatest for those who adhered to the sanction and stopped driving. The majority of partners/parents also reported being negatively affected, as the sanction resulted in extra burdens for them and often created relationship tensions. Many partners/parents expressed concern about their partners'/children's dangerous driving behaviours and the ineffectiveness of the sanctions in deterring illegal driving behaviours. The findings of the present study were consistent with previous research. Recommendations were made for further research into Victorian Registration and Licensing data and Victorian crash data to quantify the number of disqualified drivers and the extent of the risk they pose on the road. Recommendations were also made for publicity campaigns to raise the perceived risk of detection, improvements in enforcement (e.g., increased checking of licenses at RBT sites, possible extension of compulsory carriage of license legislation), and the design and implementation of best practice rehabilitation programs. Details: Victoria, Australia: Accident Research Centre, Monash University, 2008. 141p. Source: Report No. 274: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2012 at http://www.monash.edu.au/miri/research/reports/muarc274.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Evaluative Studies Shelf Number: 124156

Author: Watson, Barry Title: The Road Safety Implications of Unlicensed Driving: A Survey of Unlicensed Drivers Summary: This report documents the findings of a survey of 309 unlicensed driving offenders interviewed at the Brisbane Central Magistrates Court. A wide range of offenders participated in the study including disqualified and suspended drivers, expired licence holders, drivers without a current or appropriate licence, and those who had never been licensed. The results indicate that unlicensed drivers should not be viewed as a homogenous group. Significant differences exist between offender types in terms of their socio-demographic characteristics, whether they were aware of being unlicensed or not, their behaviour while unlicensed, and the factors contributing to their behaviour. Among some offenders, unlicensed driving appears to be indicative of a more general pattern of non-conformity and illegal behaviour. While many offenders limited their driving while unlicensed, others continued to drive frequently. Moreover, almost one-third of the sample continued to drive unlicensed after being detected by the police. One of the strongest predictors of both the frequency of unlicensed driving and continued driving after detection was whether the offenders needed to drive for work purposes when unlicensed. While there was some evidence that offenders attempted to drive more cautiously while unlicensed, this was not always reflected in their reported drink driving or speeding behaviour. The results highlight the need to enhance current policies and procedures to counter unlicensed driving. In particular, there is a need to examine current enforcement practices since over one-third of the participants reported being pulled over by the Police while driving unlicensed but not aving their licence checked. Details: Queensland, Australia: Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety, Queensland University of Technology, 2003. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2012 at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/publications/2001/pdf/surv_unlic_3.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Evaluative Studies Shelf Number: 124157

Author: Bateman, Sam Title: Staying the course: Australia and maritime security in the South Pacific Summary: This report, authored by Sam Bateman and Anthony Bergin, argues that we should develop a comprehensive approach to replace Australia’s Pacific Patrol Boat Program. Australia has supplied twenty-two boats to twelve island countries for maritime security. The vessels will start reaching the end of their service lives from 2018. But Australia’s future plans for Pacific maritime aid remain opaque. Details: Australia: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), 2011. 19p. Source: ASPI Strategic Insights 52: Internet Resource: Accessed February 19, 2012 at http://www.aspi.org.au/publications/publication_details.aspx?ContentID=295 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Programs Shelf Number: 124206

Author: Wall, Liz Title: The many facets of shame in intimate partner sexual violence Summary: Sexual assaults are less likely to be reported to the police than physical assaults, while sexual assaults by a current partner are the least likely of all to be reported, even compared to other types of sexual assaults. Despite indications of a high prevalence rate of spousal sexual violence, there seems to be more reluctance on the part of victim/survivors to report or discuss spousal sexual violence compared to other types of sexual assaults. There is also reluctance to disclose sexual violence even when physical violence may be identified. This means that sexual assault may remain a hidden aspect of abuse in relationships, even where physical assaults are disclosed. The Australian Bureau of Statistics personal safety data also indicated that sexual assaults are less likely to be reported to the police than physical assaults, while sexual assaults by a current partner are the least likely of all to be reported, even compared to other types of sexual assaults. Details: Melbourne: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2012. 10p. Source: Research Summary: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2012 at http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/researchsummary/ressum1/ressum1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 124220

Author: Senior, Kate Title: Moving Beyond the Restrictions: The Evaluation of the Alice Springs ALcohol Management Plan Summary: As part of the Northern Territory Government's Alcohol Framework, an Alcohol Management Plan (AMP) was developed in 2006 for the regional outback town of Alice Springs. The Plan had the three key strategies of reducing supply, reducing harm, and reducing demand. In 2008 the Menzies School of Health Research was commissioned to evaluate what strategies had been implemented in Alice Springs, and whether these were effective. This is the report of the evaluation, and features sections on: The Alice Springs context; Best Practice in addressing alcohol related problems; Recommendations from previous evaluations in Alice Springs; Implementation; Alcohol services and their coordination; Measuring impact; Community perspectives and responses; Community readiness; Liquor industry responses; Developing community involvement; and Developing evaluation framework and a minimum data set. The authors note that like previous evaluations from the 1970s onwards, any strategies require an investment in community change, for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the community, with a fundamentally different way to address alcohol issues and extensive community consultation. Details: Casuarina, N.T.: Menzies School of Health Research, 2009?. 197. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2012 at http://www.nt.gov.au/justice/licenreg/documents/liquor/reports/MSHR%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Alice%20Springs%20Alcohol%20Restrictions.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 124226

Author: Nicholas, Roger Title: Responding to Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Problems in Australia: A Matter of Balance Summary: A National Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Strategy (NPDMS) is being developed at the request of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (MCDS). This literature review was prepared as part of the development of the NPDMS. Its purpose is to inform and guide the development of the Strategy. Specifically, the review examines the extent and nature of the existing evidence base of relevance to the NPDMS. The literature review focuses primarily on opioids, benzodiazepines and codeine-containing analgesics as the Strategy, at the request of the MCDS, focus on these drugs. The review is structured in several parts, as follows. First some broader frameworks, strategies, policies, initiatives, perspectives and paradigms which impact upon the development of the Strategy are considered. This is followed by an examination of the Australian situation and then the international situation. The review then examines issues surrounding the quality use of opioids and benzodiazepines. Next issues surrounding medication shopping are considered. Finally, the review examines some of the potential responses to pharmaceutical misuse. Details: Adelaide: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, 2011. 194p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2012 at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/zanran_storage/www.nceta.flinders.edu.au/ContentPages/2438891316.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Australia) Shelf Number: 124295

Author: Australia. Office of Crime Statistics and Research Title: Common Performance Measures for the Evaluation of Specialist Court Programs - Discussion Paper Summary: This report was produced for the ABS Boards of Management of the Statistical Units for Courts, Crime and Corrective Services. Using Australian drug court programs as the primary example, the report identifies a common set of quantitative elements that could be used for the evaluation of diversionary/specialist courts nationally. The report also includes a summary of drug court and Indigenous court program elements within each jurisdiction and the measures used to assess their effectiveness. Details: Adelaide, South Australia: Office of Crime Statistics and Research; Policy, Planning and Legislation Division, 2010. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2012 at http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/research_reports/CPM-Specialist_Court_Programs_Discussion_Paper.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 124304

Author: Amnesty International Title: Amnesty International Australia Detention Facilities Visit 2012, Findings and recommendations Summary: The initial findings of Amnesty International’s recent detention centre visits, reiterate the organisation’s long held position that the indefinite and prolonged detention of asylum seekers in Australia is a failed policy that contravenes human rights standards. The most serious and damaging conditions faced by asylum seekers in immigration detention are the length of time and the indefinite nature of their imprisonment. Among the asylum seekers who had been in detention for extended periods, self harm and attempted suicides were talked about as a fact of life. The use of sleeping pills and other medication was also widespread. The Christmas Island Northwest Point Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) is overwhelmingly and unacceptably prison-like. The facility is too harsh to house people who have not committed a crime. Adding to the restrictive environment is the new behaviour management regime in the White compound. The Curtin IDC in Western Australia should be immediately closed for immigration detention purposes. The remote and isolated location of the centre, as well as the extremely hot and dusty physical conditions, exacerbates the existing problems with detaining asylum seekers. Findings documented from Perth IDC, Northern IDC, Wickham Point IDC, Phosphate Hill APOD and Darwin Airport Lodge APODs 1, 2 and 3, are all illustrative of a failed system. Given the human rights abuses inherent in indefnite detention, and the excessive costs of transporting basic infrastructure, supplies and staff to such extremely inaccessible locations, Amnesty International remains appalled that this policy has continued for so long. Details: Australia: Amnesty International, 2012. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2012 at http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/news/Amnesty-International-Australia-DetentionFacilitiesVisit-2012-FINAL.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Shelf Number: 124310

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: Gun violence: an update Summary: Over the past year, there have been a large number of shootings, including drive-by shootings, in South-Western and Western Sydney. This has given rise to great concern in the community. NSW Police have set up a special taskforce to tackle gun violence. In addition, on 14 February 2012, the NSW Government announced a number of legislative reforms. The NSW Opposition, the NSW Greens, and the Shooters and Fishers Party, have also proposed reforms. This e-brief updates (in part) a 2004 briefing paper on firearms restrictions.1 After a brief history of firearm laws, the e-brief outlines trends in shooting incidents since 1995, and refers to data on the prosecution of firearm offences. Next, the paper examines the sources of firearms used in crime, including theft. Finally, it refers to recent law enforcement action and proposals for law reform. This e-brief focuses on shooting incidents and does not cover armed robbery. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Parliamentary Library Research Service, 2012. 14p. Source: e-brief 5/2012: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2012 at http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/7CB135532A6EF7C1CA2579A50018533C/$File/e-brief.gun+violence.feb12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drive-By Shootings Shelf Number: 124311

Author: Whelan, Stephanie Title: CREATING PERSPECTIVE A Blueprint for Crime Prevention and Community Safety by the Community for the Community. An ACRO Report of Experiences and Attitudes Toward Crime and Crime Prevention on the Gold Coast Summary: Traditional approaches to crime have focused upon the response to an offense once it has been committed and rely upon detection of crime, apprehension and detention of those responsible for crime as the tools to hopefully reduce future crime occurrences. There is scant evidence that these reactive measures have an anticipated preventive affect on future crime. A more intelligent direction in the debate on crime has seen the development of reduction of opportunity and reduction of desire approaches. The former of these seeks to restrict the ability for crime to occur by eliminating (or reducing) targets for crime (commonly referred to as ‘target hardening’), the latter of which seeks to reduce the likelihood of crime through social development measures. Specific groups within communities are historically identified as experiencing and reporting greater fear or concern about crime. Women, older members of the community and previous victims of crime are groups that are identified as exhibiting heightened levels of concern about crime. This concern is viewed, by the authors, as legitimate in the context of the perceived severity of consequences from possible victimisation and the vulnerability that these groups experience. The authors have adopted a simple definition for crime prevention that is not driven by philosophy nor politics: “any act that prevents crime from occurring is an act of crime prevention”, and further, “that crime prevention is not defined by its intentions but by its consequences”. This research has sought to provide perspective for the Gold Coast in relation to social issues of real concern to individual members and in the knowledge that others share these common concerns. This Research was undertaken on the premise that effective crime prevention requires the activation of community-based partnerships to deal with the causes of crime from a social justice perspective. That is, crime is influenced by issues such as family dysfunction, unemployment, economic disadvantage (to name a few) and that crime and fear of crime can only be dealt with in tandem with efforts to minimize risk factors occasioned by these other matters. The current research further proceeded on the premise that a whole-of-Council, whole-of-government and whole-of-community response is necessary to deal with the complexities of social constructs that contribute to the commissioning of crime and the escalation of concern of crime within the community. Finally, this research was premised upon the notion that effective community and government based partnerships require information about the community in which the partnership is to operate and that the community should actively participate in the work of any crime prevention partnerships to ensure ownership of the process. Details: Lutwyche, Qld. : ACRO Australian Community Safety &​ Research Organisation, 1998. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2012 at: http://www.acro.com.au/Reports/Gold%20Coast%20Report.pdf Year: 1998 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Partnerships Shelf Number: 124335

Author: Kirkwood, Debbie Title: Behind Closed Doors: Family Dispute Resolution and Family Violence Summary: Under the new family law system in Australia it is compulsory for separating parents to attempt family dispute resolution (FDR) prior to taking their parenting dispute to court. Although there is an exception for family violence cases, many women who have experienced such violence will undertake FDR either because the violence is not detected or because it is not seen to impact on their capacity to participate. Some women who have experienced family violence may choose to engage in FDR given the limited alternatives available in the family law system. DVRCV and other services are concerned about the impact of the new system on victims of family violence. In this Discussion Paper, DVRCV outlines these concerns, including the potential for the emphasis on FDR to push family violence further ‘behind closed doors’ to be dealt with in the private arena of FDR. Taking a pragmatic approach to these issues at a practice level, the paper then attempts to address the following questions: How can FDR services effectively identify and respond to victims of family violence? Under what conditions should services proceed with providing FDR to separating couples when family violence has been identified? A range of complex practice dilemmas and issues are discussed, including: the pros and cons of using FDR; the risks with using FDR in family violence cases; ways in which FDR services can identify and respond to family violence; issues in screening and risk assessment for family violence; the potential benefits of specialised FDR formats (such as shuttle mediation or co-mediation) for family violence clients; recommendations for policy and practice in this area. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre, 2007. 79p. Source: Discussion Paper No. 6: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2012 at http://www.dvirc.org.au/PublicationsHub/BehindClosedDoorsDVIRCDiscussionPaper2007.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Dispute Settlement (Australia) Shelf Number: 124389

Author: Fish, Ellen Title: 'Bad Mothers and Invisible Fathers': Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence Summary: For a perpetrator of domestic violence, one of the most effective ways to hurt and control his partner is to undermine her mothering. This Discussion Paper reviews the research on mothering and fathering in the context of domestic violence. It finds that women are often held responsible for the effects of their partner’s domestic violence on their children, while the behaviour of the violent man as a father remains invisible. It considers: • What tactics do perpetrators of domestic violence use to undermine women’s mothering? • What effects does this have on a woman’s parenting and her relationship with her children? • What kind of fathering is provided by men who perpetrate domestic violence? • Why do courts and services assume that a perpetrator of domestic violence will still be a good father? • How can services develop an understanding that children’s wellbeing is the responsibility of both parents, and hold perpetrators accountable for the effects of their behavior on their children? Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Resource Centre, Victoria, 2009. Source: Discussion Paper No. 7: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2012 at Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 124390

Author: Southwell, Jenni Title: Family Violence and Homelessness: Removing the Perpetrator from the Home Summary: Women and children who are subjected to family violence are vulnerable to homelessness. The traditional focus of social policy responses has been on supporting them to leave situations of family violence, through funding a network of emergency and transitional accommodation. More recently, there is increased policy interest in identifying strategies to assist victims of family violence to remain safely in their homes, while the perpetrator of the violence is removed. DVIRC’s Discussion Paper presents suggestions as to how policy can be directed to removing violent men from the family home, evaluates the two main legal interventions that exist in Victoria to enable this to happen, and discusses obstacles typically faced by those who pursue these legal interventions. The paper also explores some of the strategies and initiatives that have emerged elsewhere to address the problems identified, and recommends ways of making positive change. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre, Melbourne, 2002. Source: Discussion Paper No. 3: Internet Resource, Accessed March 6, 2012 at http://www.dvrcv.org.au/wp-content/uploads/DVIRC3v1.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 124391

Author: Australia. State Services Authority. Title: Inquiry into the command, management and functions of the senior structure of Victoria Police Summary: Events immediately preceding the announcement of the Inquiry highlighted a perception that the effectiveness of the senior command of Victoria Police was compromised by dysfunctional relationships of those in senior command positions. On 6 May 2011, the then Chief Commissioner Mr Simon Overland directed that Deputy Commissioner Sir Ken Jones take leave, effective from close of business on 6 May 2011. Sir Ken Jones had, previously, on 2 May 2011 announced his intention to resign from Victoria Police, with the resignation to take effect on 5 August 2011. The resignation of Sir Ken Jones, and the direction that he take leave, was preceded by many weeks of speculation in the media about tensions between members of the senior command of Victoria Police. Mr Overland was appointed Chief Commissioner of Police in March 2009. He resigned on 16 June 2011. His resignation followed the release of a report by the Ombudsman earlier that day, Investigation into an allegation about Victoria Police crime statistics. On 27 October 2011, the Office of Police Integrity released a report Crossing the Line that further highlighted the history of disunity in senior command in the months before the resignations of Sir Ken Jones and Mr Overland. This history, combined with a succession of reports, both internal and external, identifying chronic and costly mismanagement across important sections of the administration of Victoria Police, brought into question the effectiveness of the senior command structure and administration of Victoria Police and its ability to deliver best practice policing. The Inquiry was established in the light of this background. Details: Melbourne: State Services Authority, 2011. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2012 at http://www.ssa.vic.gov.au/images/stories/product_files/290_Police_Management_Structure.PDF Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Administration (Australia) Shelf Number: 124392

Author: Birdsey, Emma M. Title: The Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model: A follow-up study Summary: The primary aim of the current study is to examine whether domestic violence police and court outcomes have hanged since the commencement of the Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model (DVICM). Logistic and Poisson regression models were used to determine whether the DVICM resulted in the following: an increase in the proportion of persons of interest charged with a domestic violence offence; an increase in the proportion of domestic violence matters finalised on a plea of guilty; a decrease in the proportion of matters finalised on a dismissal; an increase in the proportion of penalties of bonds with supervision; an increase in the proportion of penalties of imprisonment; a decrease in the time from first court appearance to finalisation in court; an increase in the proportion of matters finalised with a plea of guilty within three weeks of first court appearance; and an increase in the proportion of matters finalised within 12 weeks of the police event date. The test sites were Campbelltown, Macquarie Fields, and Wagga Wagga Local Area Commands. The rest of NSW was used as the control group. The DVICM increased the proportion of persons of interest charged in Macquarie Fields but not in Campbelltown or Wagga Wagga Local Area Commands. It reduced the time taken to finalise domestic violence matters in Campbelltown and Wagga Wagga Local Courts. The DVICM did not affect the proportion of matters finalised on a plea of guilty; the proportion of matters finalised on a dismissal; the proportion of penalties of bonds with supervision; nor the proportion of penalties of imprisonment. The DVICM was successful in achieving some but not all of its aims. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 16p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin, Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 155: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2012 at http://www.sheriff.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/Corporate/ll_corporate.nsf/vwFiles/060312_BOCSAR_CJB155.pdf/$file/060312_BOCSAR_CJB155.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 124398

Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: NSW Court Referral of Eligible Defendants into Treatment (CREDIT) pilot program: An evaluation Summary: Aims: To describe CREDIT’s (Court Referral of Eligible Defendants into Treatment) key operating characteristics and satisfaction of participants and key stakeholders. Methods: Descriptive analyses were conducted on data held in the CREDIT database, and interviews were conducted with 122 program participants and 54 stakeholders. Results: Over the two-year pilot period, CREDIT received 719 referrals, conducted 637 assessments and had 451 participants. Most defendants referred for treatment had their referral accepted. Almost all participants interviewed were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with both the support they received from CREDIT staff and with their own progress on the program; 95.9% reported that their life had changed for the better by being on the program. Stakeholders’ opinions of the pilot program were positive. Their recommendations included an extension of the program, an enhancement of relevant services, programs and transport options in the catchment areas and clarification of the relationship between CREDIT and other court-based programs. Conclusion: The CREDIT program is strongly supported by stakeholders and participants. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 24p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin, Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 159: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2012 at http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB159.pdf/$file/CJB159.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Courts (Australia) Shelf Number: 124399

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: Evaluation of the Local Court Process Reforms (LCPR) Summary: Aim: To assess whether the Local Court Process Reforms (LCPR) are associated with: (i) shorter police time preparing Briefs of Evidence; (ii) longer hearing times for defended cases, (iii) more court adjournments and; (iv) longer court delay/ finalisation times. Method: A quasi-experiment where Manly Local Court returned to the non-LCPR arrangements in relation to Briefs of Evidence (BOE). These offenders were compared with a baseline group of offenders from Manly Local Court under the LCPR arrangements. Mt Druitt Local Court was used as the control group whereby they remained under the LCPR system. Results: Changing to the non-LCPR system in Manly Court did not result in an increase in the percentage of Table 1 (T1) offenders who had briefs prepared. Table 2 (T2) and non-specified summary offenders had a lower mean number of police statements in their briefs during the LCPR period compared with the non-LCPR period. There was no change in the mean hearing time for defended cases in Manly Court during the non-LCPR period, nor in the mean number of adjournments. In Manly Local Court the average finalisation time for all offenders was shorter during the LCPR period compared with the non-LCPR period. In the control Mt Druitt Local Court, there was no change in finalisation times for the baseline and intervention LCPR groups of offenders. Conclusion: The LCPR arrangements resulted in shorter briefs for T2 and non-specified summary offenders with fewer police statements. However, the non-LCPR requirement of briefs for all T1 offenders in Manly Local Court did not occur. Rather than resulting in longer finalisation times, the LCPR system had shorter finalisation times in Manly Local Court. The LCPR system did not have more local court adjournments compared with the non-LCPR system, nor longer defended hearings. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 20p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin, Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 156: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2012 at http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB156.pdf/$file/CJB156.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Delays (Australia) Shelf Number: 124400

Author: Ungerer, Carl Title: Beyond bin Laden: Future trends in terrorism Summary: This Strategy report examines the shifting patterns of global terrorism. It provides a comprehensive assessment of the geographic, operational and ideological trends that are driving the current wave of jihadist terrorism around the world. In the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death, those trends point to the increasing diversification of the threat, as a new generation of terrorist leaders in South Asia, North Africa and the Arabian peninsula adapt and reinterpret al-Qaeda’s ideology. The report argues that with or without al-Qaeda as a coherent organisation at the forefront of the global Islamist movement, religiously-motivated terrorism is set to continue for many decades to come. Despite the obvious splintering and factionalisation within al-Qaeda and between al-Qaeda and its various franchises and affiliates around the world, there is little evidence that ‘al-Qaedaism’ as a motivating ideology is going to dissolve any time soon. Although many contemporary jihadist groups, especially in Southeast Asia, reject al-Qaeda’s methods, and most appear disconnected from the current Egyptian- and Saudi-dominated al-Qaeda leadership, the local and global manifestations of Islamist terrorism are in fact converging. For Australia, these trends will require a more agile and effective counter-terrorism response. In particular, counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation strategies will need to focus more closely on those areas at home that are most at risk from the spread of ‘al-Qaedaism’—individuals, institutions and the internet. Details: Barton, Australia: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), 2011. 52p. Source: ASPI Strategy: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2012 at Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: al Qaeda Shelf Number: 124424

Author: Rosevear, Lisa Title: The impact of structural ageing on crime trends: A South Australian case study Summary: Official crime statistics suggest that young people aged 24 years and under make the greatest contribution to a population’s overall crime levels. A decline in the proportion of the population aged 24 years or under should therefore reduce the population’s crime levels. Yet the impact of structural ageing—the shift in population age structure from ‘young’ to ‘old’—in Australia is ‘one frequently overlooked influence on long-term crime trends’ (Weatherburn 2001: 2). This paper is one of two AIC publications (see also Rosevear forthcoming) that investigates the impact of structural ageing on crime patterns. A case study of the South Australian population is provided; a state where the relevant data was available to investigate how the declining proportion of younger people and increasing proportion of older people in the population has reduced past crime levels and should reduce future crime levels. While the South Australian population is ageing at a greater rate than some other jurisdictions, this paper has national relevance as the populations in all states and territories are ageing to some degree and as this occurs, the impact on crime levels should be evident throughout Australia. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 6p. Source: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 431: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/C/C/3/%7BCC330E33-7A6A-4308-B3C9-F761924518EC%7Dtandi431_001.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Ageing Offenders (Australia) Shelf Number: 124429

Author: Rosevear, Lisa Title: The association between birth cohort size and fluctuating crime levels: A Western Australian case study Summary: Official Australian crime statistics indicate that individual offence levels peak around 15–24 years of age and decline thereafter (eg see AIC 2011). Change in this general age–crime trend could be expected to coincide with change in age-related demographic phenomena (South & Messner 2000). This paper is one of two by this author that investigate the impact of structural ageing on crime patterns. A case study of the South Australian population (Rosevear 2011) confirmed that total crime levels declined in that state when the proportion of young people in the population declined. In this paper, another aspect of the association between crime and demography is considered—age-specific offence rates and birth cohorts. Australia has experienced waves of differently sized birth cohorts (Jackson 2001; McDonald & Kippen 1999), yet the impact of these waves on long-term crime trends is frequently overlooked. This paper uses a case study of the Western Australian population to illustrate the extent to which Australia’s largest (‘baby bust’) cohort have engaged in higher levels of criminal activity compared with smaller birth cohorts. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 7p. Source: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 434: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/0/0/5/%7B005BF246-B350-401E-8260-455B99217E90%7Dtandi434.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Rates Shelf Number: 124442

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Decrease in use of ecstasy/MDMA Summary: Recent data from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program indicate a decrease in the use of ecstasy among police detainees. Specifically, only five percent of police detainees in 2010 and 2011 reported using ecstasy; 50 percent lower than in 2009 when ecstasy use peaked at 11 percent. Key findings Recent data from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program indicate a decrease in the use of ecstasy among police detainees. Specifically, only five percent of police detainees in 2010 (n=187) and 2011 (n=170) reported using ecstasy; 50 percent lower than in 2009 (n=428) when ecstasy use peaked at 11 percent. Self-report data also indicate that ecstasy was considered by users to be lower in quality and harder to obtain in 2011 compared with earlier years. Ecstasy users also reported a decrease in the number of people selling the drug. The decline in ecstasy use coincides with a reported increase in methamphetamine use (Macgregor and Payne 2011) and the findings are consistent with data recently released by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (Sindicich & Burns 2011) and in the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) report (AIHW 2011). Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 4p. Source: DUMA Research in Practice No. 26: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/9/C/%7B89C0AB4B-1F28-4CA8-8483-1CE90142BC25%7Drip26.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 124443

Author: Barbour, Bruce: NSW Ombudsman Title: Keep Them Safe? A Special Report to Parliament under s31 of the Ombudsman Act 1974 Summary: The statutory child protection system in NSW has long struggled to cope with demand. For close to a decade, the system has undergone extensive reform aimed at improving the capacity to respond to children1 for whom serious safety concerns exist. Throughout this period, and in line with this office’s statutory role to oversight the child protection system, we have monitored the extent to which these reforms have improved the safety of vulnerable children. Stemming from recommendations made by the 2008 Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW (the Wood Inquiry), the former government’s reform program - Keep Them Safe: A shared approach to child wellbeing - represents a significant shift in the way that child protection and early support services are delivered in this state.2 Keep Them Safe aims to make child protection a shared responsibility across government and between government and non-government agencies, and to limit the statutory role of Community Services to children ‘at risk of significant harm’. Keep Them Safe also comprises a strong investment in universal and early intervention services, with the expectation that, over time, this will lead to a reduction in the number of children requiring statutory protection and out-of-home care services. In addition, the Wood Inquiry and Keep Them Safe recognise the need for the non-government sector to become a more significant partner in the delivery of child protection services, including a commitment to transfer responsibility for delivering most out-of-home care services from the government to the non-government sector. In keeping with the strong focus of the Wood Inquiry on improving service delivery to Aboriginal children and their families, Keep Them Safe also contains specific actions to enhance the capacity of service delivery to Aboriginal people, including responses to Aboriginal families in contact with the child protection system. It is now over 18 months since Keep Them Safe commenced. It is timely to document and discuss the progress that has been made, and some of the challenges currently facing the service sector. An important starting point for this work is analysing data from Community Services about the agency’s current operating environment. That data illustrates that significantly fewer child protection reports are coming into the statutory child protection system as a result of changes implemented under Keep Them Safe. However, the data - which relates to the first 12 months of operation of the new system - does not appear to reflect a corresponding increase in the recorded capacity of Community Services staff to undertake more face-to-face work with families. Given that a key objective of Keep Them Safe was to limit the number of child protection reports being made to Community Services so it could focus on those children most at risk of serious harm, we questioned whether this objective is being met. For this reason, we initiated an inquiry under section 11 of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993 to examine whether Community Services’ capacity to adequately respond to children assessed as being at risk of significant harm has improved as a result of changes to the child protection system introduced through Keep Them Safe. This report examines this, and related issues, and makes a range of findings and recommendations. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2011. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2012 at http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/publication/PDF/specialreport/SR%20to%20Parliament%20-%20keep%20them%20safe.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 124444

Author: Moore, Elizabeth Title: The use of police cautions and youth justice conferences in NSW in 2010 Summary: Aim: To assess whether the philosophy of the Young Offenders Act (YOA) is being adhered to in respect to the nature of offences being diverted and the use of the hierarchical approach to sanctioning. Method: The aim will be addressed by describing the use of police cautions, youth justice conferences (YJCs) and proven Children’s Court appearances among a cohort of young people in NSW in 2010. The data were drawn from the NSW Re-offending Database (ROD). Results: Overall, the results were in the expected direction when the hierarchy of sanctions under the YOA are considered (i.e. from police caution to YJC to proven court appearance). Very few young people in this cohort received more than three police cautions and/or YJCs. Additionally, no young person was given a YJC for homicide related offences that are excluded under the Young Offenders Act 1997 (YOA). Juvenile offenders, however, were much more likely to receive a caution or be referred to court than to be referred to a Youth Justice Conference. Conclusion: The philosophy of the Act has largely been adhered to, at least insofar as the gradation of sanctions and the types of offences being diverted are concerned. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 5p. Source: Issue paper no. 73: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2012 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Diversion (Australia) Shelf Number: 124445

Author: Moore, Elizabeth Title: Youth Justice Conferences versus Children's Court: A comparison of time to finalisation Summary: Aim: To compare police-referred youth justice conferences (YJCs), court referred YJCs and Children’s Court matters on the time to finalisation (i.e., the number of days from referral/charge date to conference/court finalisation date), and assess the contribution of index offence- and/or offender-related characteristics as potential confounders. Method: The study utilised data from the NSW Re-Offending Database (ROD) for three cohorts of young people: those with a court-referred YJC held in 2010 (C-YJC), those with a police-referred YJC held in 2010 (P-YJC), and those with a proven Children’s Court (CC) appearance finalised in 2010. Negative binomial regression models were fitted to determine index offence- and offender-related characteristics associated with time to finalisation. Results: The C-YJC cohort had a significantly longer time to finalisation compared to the CC cohort and the P-YJC cohort, even after controlling for confounders. In addition, the CC cohort had a significantly longer time to finalisation compared to the P-YJC cohort. Older age, being Indigenous, having a case dealt with in a Metropolitan region, and having more concurrent index offences remained significant predictors of an increase in number of days to finalisation in the adjusted model. Conclusion: The findings suggest that police should be encouraged to refer eligible matters to a YJC given the time-related efficiency identified via this pathway. The findings suggest it may be appropriate to consider further revising the legislated time-frames as there may be legitimate reasons for why delays occur. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 8p. Source: Issue paper no. 74: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB74.pdf/$file/BB74.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Case Processing (Australia) Shelf Number: 124446

Author: Begg, Clive Title: Attitudes, Perceptions and Community Safety: The Final Report of the Mulgrave Community Safety Attitudes Survey Summary: This Report summarises the results of the Mulgrave Community Safety Attitudes Survey. This research was proposed in an attempt to gain an accurate, current and comprehensive understanding of local perceptions of crime and safety which followed much public comment on Law and Order issues in the Region. A Working Group of voluntary members was established to oversight the research project which included representatives from the Mulgrave Shire Council (Councillors and Staff), the business sector, the Queensland Police Service and ACRO, A Community Safety & Research Organisation Incorporated. Goals of the Working Party were to survey all households and High School students in the Mulgrave Shire to assess: attitudes towards crime and safety; levels of victimisation; priorities for future program development and implementation. This was achieved via a self-report Survey which was letterboxed, one per household throughout the Shire and a "census" style Survey conducted at the various High Schools in the region. It was expected that results of this research would guide the future development of Community Safety programs in the Region. Useable Surveys were obtained from 7327 persons by the close of the Survey period (2965 from students and 4362 from adults). The timeline for the Project was three months. Given the relatively small crime problem in the Mulgrave Shire the researchers have been able to demonstrate that the fear of crime experienced by respondents is far in excess of actual crime statistics. The authors refer to this phenomenon as the "crime of fear" which is undermining the quality of life for ordinary citizens. It is imperative that future investigations consider those factors that shape beliefs about crime. It is clear from the current Research that our fear of crime is not mediated via the actual experience of crime but may be explained by media and social contact. Additional research must focus on the type of information being provided by these sources and the relative importance given them by respondents. Such matters are of vital importance to policy makers and others to ensure that information given to the general population does not have unintended negative residual effects, such as fear and intolerance - that it not be sensationalised, but that it must be accurate. Results of the analyses which are presented in detail in the Results section of this Report indicate that the majority of respondents feel safe from crime in their own home and neighbourhood. Feelings of safety are reduced however when shopping, when in the Cairns City Place at night and when approached by strangers. Significant numbers of respondents indicated that they had been a victim of crime at some stage in their life and a smaller percentage indicated that they had been a victim of crime within the last twelve months. More people reported having been the victim of a property related crime than reported been the victim of a violent crime. Of those who had been victims, the minority had reported the matter to the police or to their school. Levels of satisfaction with outcomes amongst those who reported crimes were low. Large numbers of respondents also indicated that they had witnessed crimes occurring in the last twelve months. Again, it seems that few of these were reported. The responses of men and women across most of the issues considered were highly similar, as were those of the different adult age categories considered and the different grades of High School students. Marked differences were however detected between adults and students. Although students were more likely to report having been the victim of, or witnessing, most types of violent crime than were adults, they reported feeling significantly safer across all situations than did adults. We also examined respondents beliefs about crime generally and about the contributors to crime. On these issues adults and students tended to respond in similar ways though adults were generally more confident of their beliefs. Priorities to improve feelings of safety, for future Council action, issues of importance within the Region, leisure issues and services to be improved were also examined. Differences existed between the priorities of youth and adults and between the various Suburbs. These differences are reported in detail in the Results section. This Final Report makes recommendations that supplement those advanced in an Interim Report which was published on August 31, 1994 and adopted at a meeting of the Mulgrave Shire Council on September 5, 1994. Details: Lutwyche, Australia: ACRO, 1994. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2012 at http://www.acro.com.au/Reports/crimeoffear.pdf Year: 1994 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Safety (Australia) Shelf Number: 124448

Author: Jones, Craig Title: The effect of arrest and imprisonment on crime Summary: Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which the probability of arrest, the probability of imprisonment and imprisonment duration impact on property and violent crime rates in New South Wales, Australia. Method: A dynamic panel data model with fixed Local Government Area and time effects was adopted to explore this, while adjusting for potential confounders of the relationship between arrest, imprisonment and crime. The first-differenced generalised method of moments was used to estimate the model parameters. Results: One per cent increases in arrest rates for property and violent crime are estimated to produce 0.10 per cent and 0.19 per cent decreases in property and violent crime, respectively. If the one per cent increase in arrest rates is sustained, the long-run effect is estimated to be 0.14 and 0.30 per cent decreases for property and violent crime, respectively. The short-run elasticities for imprisonment probabilities were smaller, (-0.09 and -0.11), as were the long-run elasticities (-0.12 and -0.17), for property and violent crime, respectively. There was no evidence that increases in the length of imprisonment has any short or long-run impact on crime rates. Conclusion: The criminal justice system plays a significant role in preventing crime. Some criminal justice variables, however, exert much stronger effects than others. Increasing arrest rates is likely to have the largest impact, followed by increasing the likelihood of receiving a prison sentence. Increasing the length of stay in prison beyond current levels does not appear to impact on the crime rate after accounting for increases in arrest and imprisonment likelihood. Policy makers should focus more attention on strategies that increase the risk of arrest and less on strategies that increase the severity of punishment. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 20p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 158: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb158.pdf/$file/cjb158.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Arrests (Australia) Shelf Number: 124519

Author: The Defence Committee, Department of Defence, Australian Government Title: Pathway to Change: Evolving Defence Culture - A Strategy for Cultural Change and Reinforcement Summary: The Australian Defence Organisation (Defence) has a long and honourable history of service in the defence of the nation and support of its interests. In doing so, we have won Australians’ admiration and respect over many decades. Core to much of our success has been the strength of our culture, collectively and within each of the Services. Our culture binds us as an organisation and shapes the way that we operate every day. On most occasions and in most circumstances we perform admirably, and in many situations we excel. However, as is evident from Force 2030, we have strategic challenges ahead that require us to be even better in our approach to work and in our dealings with each other. The Strategic Reform Program (SRP) and associated initiatives will deliver more focused effort and expenditure as well as improved internal governance. It is not possible to achieve our reform goals through technical and structural changes alone; each initiative has a human dimension requiring a shift in attitude and behaviour too. This in itself provides ample motivation for cultural change in Defence. But there is a further imperative. Recent events and a suite of Reviews remind us that we need to ensure our people demonstrate exemplary behaviour commensurate with the nation’s expectations, in and out of uniform, on and off duty. Despite our great strengths as an organisation, it is all too apparent that we are not uniformly good. We and Australia rightly expect that Defence will deliver to consistently high standards, whether in theatres of operations, capability development, support to our operations, our everyday personal behaviour or in how we treat our colleagues. We have learnt, to our cost, that we do not consistently meet these high standards and, more worryingly, that our culture has tolerated shortfalls in performance. Most of these failures are personal, but our inability to consistently address them quickly points to flaws and gaps in Defence’s processes and the need to reshape aspects of our single Service and whole of Defence culture. Put simply, we cannot be entirely satisfied with all aspects of our current culture; there are parts that serve us poorly, which limit our performance, hurt our people and damage our reputation. We are therefore determined to build on important initiatives such as New Generation Navy, the Adaptive Army and Air Force’s Adaptive Culture Program and take further actions to ensure that Defence remains a great and critical Australian asset. Pathway to Change: Evolving Defence Strategy is Defence’s statement of cultural intent and our strategy for realising that intent. Our work in implementing this strategy starts with accepting individual responsibility for one’s own behaviour, assisting others to live the culture, and putting the onus on leaders to be exemplars of positive and visible change at all times. It also involves amending policies and processes that do not align with our cultural intent. Details: Canberra: Department of Defence, 2012. 60p. Source: Response to the Defence Culture Reviews and Reform Directions: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2012 at http://www.defence.gov.au/culturereviews/docs/120302%20Pathway%20to%20Change%20-%20Evolving%20Defence%20Culture%20-%20web%20version%20with%20covers.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Homeland Security (Australia) Shelf Number: 124521

Author: Rumble, Gary A. Title: Report of the Review of allegations of sexual and other abuse in Defence: Facing the problems of the past - Volume 1 General findings and recommendations [Extracts] Summary: The Review has had before it specific allegations within scope from 847 different people (sources). Many of these sources have more than one allegation within scope. We have allegations across every decade from the 1950s to date. The earliest date of alleged abuse is 1951 (on a 13 year old boy, now a man in his 70s). We have allegations of events during 2011. The allegations which have been raised with the Review are incredibly diverse. They are made by men and women in respect of conduct by men, women and groups. They involve minors and adults. They span 60 years. They come from diverse geographical locations. They come from different parts of the Defence organisation. They relate to the full range of possible involvement in the ADF—training, normal duties, deployment, hospitalisation and so on. The incidents range from extremely serious to (relatively) minor. The behaviour complained of ranges from that which has never been acceptable nor tolerated, to that which, whilst not acceptable, has in the past been tacitly tolerated. It is not possible to summarise the nature of the allegations as a group. Each allegation has been considered in accordance with its circumstances. Details: Australia: Department of Defence, 2011. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2012 at http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/files/2012/03/Report-of-the-Review-of-allegations-of-sexual-and-other-abuse-in-Defence.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Military (Australia) Shelf Number: 124522

Author: Hudson, Nina Title: Sentencing Appeals in Victoria: Statistical Research Report Summary: The Court of Appeal plays a crucial role in sentencing in Victoria. It reviews sentences imposed by judges of the County Court and the Trial Division of the Supreme Court and determines whether an error has been made in the sentencing process. In giving its reasons for judgment, the Court of Appeal may also provide guidance to sentencing judges about the correct approach to sentencing. Despite the importance of sentence appeals, there is little published research in Victoria on the broader operation of sentence appeals and patterns of decision-making in sentence appeal cases heard by the Court of Appeal. A number of concerns have been expressed in recent years in relation to sentence appeals in Victoria. In 2009 the President of the Court of Appeal and in 2010 the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (which includes the Court of Appeal) respectively expressed concerns about what was then a large and growing backlog of criminal appeals in the Court of Appeal. Questions have also been raised about the number of Crown appeals against sentence as well as the principles that apply to such appeals. Other concerns raised relate to more substantive issues in sentence appeals, including errors found by the Court of Appeal to have been made in the sentencing process and resentencing outcomes in successful sentence appeals. At the same time a number of reforms have also been made to the laws governing sentence appeals and to the practices and procedures that apply to sentence appeals. One such reform has been the introduction of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 (Vic), which has changed the law in relation to Crown and offender appeals. Another significant reform has been the introduction by the Supreme Court of an ‘intensive management’ model of criminal appeal cases based on the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. The purpose of this reform is to reduce the backlog of criminal appeals and reduce delay in the hearing and determination of criminal appeals. Other changes to practice and procedure include the adoption of two-judge sentence appeal hearings (rather than a bench of three), the delivery of judgments on the same day as hearings where possible and more stringent monitoring of compliance with procedural timetables. The creation of a new Judge of Appeal position in 2009 has taken the number of Judges of Appeal from 11 to 12 (including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the President of the Court of Appeal). An increase in the number of judges sitting as Judges of Appeal has also been facilitated by the constant sitting of at least two trial judges as acting Judges of Appeal. Pursuant to its statutory functions of providing statistical information on sentencing and conducting research and disseminating information on sentencing matters, the Sentencing Advisory Council (‘the Council’) has undertaken this project, which aims to describe and analyse data on sentence appeals in Victoria in the context of Victorian sentencing law and practice. The purpose of this report is to address the absence of data available on the operation of sentence appeals and to provide analysis to assist in continued discussions of the concerns that have been raised. Details: Melbourne, Victoria: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2012. 160p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2012 at https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/sentence_appeals_in_victoria_statistical_research_report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Appellate Court (Australia) Shelf Number: 124523

Author: Smith, Nadine Title: Youth Justice Conferences versus Children's Court: A comparison of re-offending Summary: Aim: To compare re-offending between young people processed in NSW with a Youth Justice Conference and those eligible for a conference but processed in the Children’s Court. Method: Using propensity score matching, young persons whose offending was allocated to be dealt with by a Youth Justice Conference in 2007 were matched to those who were eligible for a conference but who were referred to Children’s Court in 2007. These samples were then compared on various re-offending outcomes both without and with adjustment for potential covariates. Both intention-to-treat and as-treated analyses were conducted. For the intention-to-treat analyses, all young persons allocated a conference not just those who completed their conference outcome plan where included in the conference group. While for the as-treated analyses only young persons who completed their conference outcome plan where included in the conference group. Inverse probabilities of treatment weightings were also applied to estimate the effect of conferencing on re-offending. Results: After adjusting for other factors in the intention-to-treat analyses, no significant differences were found between conference and court participants in the proportion re-offending, the seriousness of their re-offending, the time to the first proven re-offence or the number of proven re-offences. Non-significant results were obtained regardless of whether the definition of re-offending included or excluded justice procedures offences. In the as-treated analyses, the results were similar. Conclusion: The evidence strongly suggests that the conference regime established under the NSW Young Offenders Act (1997) is no more effective than the NSW Children’s Court in reducing juvenile re-offending among young persons eligible for a conference. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 24p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin, Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 160: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb160.pdf/$file/cjb160.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Courts (Australia) Shelf Number: 124553

Author: New South Wales. Audit Office Title: Responding to domestic and family violence Summary: Domestic and family violence damages too many people in our community. In 2010, NSW Police responded to over 126,000 incidents involving domestic and family violence. It is also present in 50 per cent of households where children are abused, and contributes to nearly 20 per cent of homelessness. Australian studies indicate that domestic and family violence contributes to death, ill health and disability amongst women under 45 years of age more than any other single factor, including smoking or obesity. Domestic and family violence is estimated to cost the NSW economy more than $4.5 billion each year. The NSW Government recognises that domestic and family violence requires a coordinated response, particularly from the NSW Police Force (Police), Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS), NSW Ministry of Health and the Department of Attorney General and Justice (DAGJ). This audit assessed how well government and funded non-government organisations work together to respond to domestic and family violence. We use the words ‘organisation’, ‘health’ and ‘human services’ to refer to both government and non-government sectors unless specified otherwise. NSW Health is used to describe health services operated by the NSW Government. Organisations generally work together to improve the safety of victims when there is an overt and serious crisis, particularly when children are involved. After the crisis, there is some coordinated follow-up in a growing number of locations. These initiatives operate in isolation without common oversight or a plan to extend them across the State. Organisations fail to respond to most of the domestic and family violence that occurs largely because it is not reported. They are not providing a solution that works or lasts for many victims and perpetrators. Apart from Police and DAGJ, government organisations do not know how much their day to day operations are affected by domestic and family violence. Organisations do not have a strategy for working together across the State in response to domestic and family violence. There is no shared understanding between organisations of each others roles in providing a more responsive system that encourages people to seek help and provides them with support when they do so. Two in three victims of violence do not go to the Police and we found no progress in reducing this high level of under-reporting. There was no significant increase in the amount of domestic and family violence reported to Police between 2006 and 2010. On average, domestic and family violence kills 36 people each year, but only one in ten victims were known by Police to be in an abusive relationship in the year before their deaths. Nearly half of the 92,215 victims and 81,772 perpetrators, who came to the attention of Police in 2010 over family and domestic violence incidents, had a history of such incidents over the preceding five years. Twelve per cent (10,680) of victims had been victimised five or more times and 16 per cent (12,980) of perpetrators had been identified as perpetrators five or more times. Domestic and family violence generates a significant amount of work for Government including nine per cent of police call-outs, 13 per cent of persons charged in Local Courts and significant health and welfare activity. Better information about the effect of domestic and family violence on organisations could help set priorities and drive a more balanced and strategic response to domestic and family violence. There are no standard ways to access services for victims and perpetrators that might help prevent ongoing violence. Unlike Victoria, Western Australia and parts of England, New South Wales does not have a common framework to identify domestic and family violence, assess risk, prioritise need and refer people to services. The lack of coordination is a particular problem for repeat victims and perpetrators, many of whom have complex mental health, drug and alcohol problems and are difficult to work with. New South Wales has trialled a range of projects to improve the way that organisations work together to support vulnerable people in particular communities. Many of these projects have been evaluated, found to help and continue to be funded. Some have been expanded to other communities, but there is no plan to consolidate or mainstream these approaches across the State. The response to domestic and family violence remains fragmented and access to help depends on where you live. Government and non-government staff dealing with domestic and family violence at the State and local level told us the biggest challenges they faced were a lack of the following: coordination, an effective way to refer people, safe accommodation for victims and children, training and perpetrator programs. In its current form the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Action Plan does not provide an adequate framework for coordination. There is no implementation plan, no performance indicators for monitoring progress and no comprehensive mapping of available services. Details: Sydney: Audit Office of New South Wales, 2011. 48p. Source: http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/143/Responding_Performance Audit: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2012 at to_Domestic_Family_Violence_Full_Report.pdf.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 124580

Author: Australia. Commonwealth Ombudsman Title: Christmas Island immigration detention facilities: Report on the Commonwealth and Immigration Ombudsman's oversight of immigration processes on Christmas Island October 2008 to September 2010 Summary: In September 2008, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship requested, and the Commonwealth Ombudsman agreed, to take on an oversight role of the non statutory refugee assessment process for asylum seekers at the Christmas Island immigration detention facilities. Ombudsman staff have since made eight visits to the Christmas Island immigration detention facilities and have observed all the processes conducted from the time asylum seekers are brought to the wharf at Flying Fish Cove until their refugee status is determined, and they are advised that the Minister will allow them to apply for a visa or that they are likely to be removed from Australia. When visiting the island, Ombudsman staff have also taken the opportunity to undertake inspections of the immigration detention facilities and accept complaints from detainees. In the period since our first visit in October 2008, there have been many changes affecting the processing of asylum seekers and the circumstances of the people detained on the island. Most obviously the number of people passing through the non-statutory process has grown significantly and this has adversely affected conditions of detention. In October 2008 there were only 31 people in detention. In June 2010, 2454 people were detained on Christmas Island, including 270 children. By 1 September 2010, this had further increased to 2603, significantly exceeding the detention capacity by more than 500 people. The challenge that management of the Christmas Island detention facilities has posed for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship should not be underestimated. Impressions taken from our initial visit in October 2008 were that whilst the Department was clear about its own objectives, the planning process may not have given sufficient attention to co-ordination with and between other agencies, as well as internal to the Department itself. However, our office’s experience has been that the Department has been responsive to comments made in the reports we have provided to them after each visit and been willing to accept advice, learn from mistakes and make improvements. We have observed and made in all six recommendations on a number of issues core to the effective and appropriate operation of the Christmas Island detention facilities. Additional to improving cooperation and communication amongst agencies, we made recommendations to DIAC for a thorough review of the non-statutory Refugee Status Assessment (RSA) process as well as the processes for relocation of persons with a positive assessment to more appropriate community detention. Recommendation is also made on the appropriate numbers and use of interpreters, which has over time been a matter contributing to anxiety amongst detainees. The vexing issue of unaccompanied minors or families with children is one of key concern to this office. The Ombudsman welcomes recent announcements about changed procedures that will facilitate processing of their claims on the Australian mainland. It is our office’s view that pending the outcome of RSA claims and security clearances, that they (families and children) should be placed in community detention. The Ombudsman’s office has noted the clearance of the heavy backlog of torture and trauma cases requiring professional attention. Nevertheless, with the increasing number of detainees, tremendous pressure remains on the facilities and resources available at the Christmas Island detention facilities. Our office continues to receive complaints about a variety of issues, including processing delays and detention times, and the lack of services and facilities. We have recommended the expedition of movement of detainees to the Australian mainland so as to address overcrowding, as well as the need to address the shortage of facilities and services, in particular mental health services. Based on observations during the past two years, Ombudsman considers that the Department has on the whole managed the operation as well or better than could be expected. However, the Ombudsman considers that the stage has been reached where the current scale of operations on Christmas Island is not sustainable. At the time of this report, people detained at the Christmas Island detention facilities were 2757, a further increase from that in September 2010 and in excess of the operation’s Contingency Accommodation Capacity (CAC) of 2584. The Christmas Island detention facilities have a nominal operation capacity of 744. Simply put, there are too many people detained at the combined Christmas Island immigration detention facilities. Whether the solution is to make use of facilities on the Australian mainland is a policy decision for Government to make. However, the Ombudsman is concerned that attempting to manage more facilities by utilising the existing level of resources in geographically diverse areas potentially brings with it other problems not least of which is ensuring the presence of adequate infrastructure and mental health services. Details: Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth Ombudsman, 2011. 23p. Source: Report No. 02-2011: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2012 at http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/files/christmas_island_immigration_detention_facilities_report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Shelf Number: 124588

Author: Kevin, Maria Title: Evaluation of the Drug and Alcohol Addiction and Relapse Prevention Programs in Community Offender Services: One Year Out Summary: Community Offender Services (COS), NSW Department of Corrective Services (NSW DCS) is responsible for the management of offenders serving community-based sentences across 60 offices in NSW. The Drug and Alcohol Addiction (DAAP) and Relapse Prevention (RPP) programs were designed to be delivered by Probation and Parole Officers (PPOs) who supervise the offenders. These new programs formed part of a Drug and Alcohol Intervention strategy that aimed to enhance the range of options that PPOs may use to assist community-based offenders under supervision in breaking the cycle of drug1 dependency and crime. COS received NSW Drug Summit funding to develop and implement these programs and to evaluate their effectiveness in terms of program outputs and participant outcomes. This report covers the first year of the program to end September 2006. Details: Sydney: Corporate Research, Evaluation & Statistics, NSW Department of Corrective Services, 2008. 24p. Source: Research Bulletin No. 24: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2012 at Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 124619

Author: Graffam, Joseph Title: Strategies to enhance employment of Indigenous ex-offenders after release from correctional institutions Summary: Employment is an important element of successful integration within one’s community. Across Australia, nearly two-thirds of prisoners were unemployed when they committed the crimes for which they were incarcerated. For Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners alike, there are numerous benefits associated with employment. They include benefits related to the individual (for example, increased earning capacity, improved prospects for sustained employment, increased social contact, improved self-esteem and confidence, improved financial conditions, and less idle time) and to their family (for example, greater self-sufficiency, better lifestyle, provision of financial assistance to family networks), as well as wider system benefits, including reduced likelihood of reoffending and reimprisonment. This resource sheet discusses the issues surrounding employment of Indigenous ex-prisoners, existing support programs, and strategies to employ more ex-prisoners after their release from correctional institutions. To be effective, programs and strategies need to acknowledge the social and cultural origins of disadvantage for Indigenous offenders. We give an overview of what works in overcoming Indigenous disadvantage and focus on regional and urban programs that help Indigenous offenders gain employment. Details: Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australina Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 13p. Source: Resource sheet no. 11 produced for the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2012 at http://www.aihw.gov.au/closingthegap/documents/resource_sheets/ctgc-rs11.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections (Australia) Shelf Number: 124634

Author: Wilcox, Karen Title: Family Law and Family Violence: Research to Practice Summary: The last ten years have seen a growth in the knowledge base around children's need for safe, stable and secure environments. There is a deepening understanding of the harm and damage that occurs when safety and security are compromised, and children are exposed to threats and fear. Yet, responses to families experiencing violence and abuse have not always kept pace with these advances in research. The laws, systems and services with which families engage can fail to provide or support the factors necessary to enable children to thrive. They may instead undermine the work of protective and safe parents who are attempting to create such environments. At their worst, bureaucratic and legal interventions can become the catalysts that lead to increased or ongoing harm or trauma. It is in the interests of all practitioners and professionals whose work has an impact on families, therefore, to ensure that they do not exacerbate the damage faced by children exposed to violence, instead that their work supports the circumstances that enable children to heal, thrive and grow. This Research into Practice Brief considers how practitioners can use the evidence base to better understand and improve the experiences of children and their protective parents when they engage with family law systems, post-separation from the abuser. The paper aims to provide discussion points and practice reflections for family law sector professionals working at the intersection of these two fields, and to better equip domestic violence sector workers to engage with this sector around their shared concerns. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of New South Wales, 2012. 14p. Source: Research & Practice Brief No. 2: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2012 at http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Research_&_Practice_Brief_2.pdf?zbrandid=2039&zidType=CH&zid=2561317&zsubscriberId=503577326&zbdom=http://aracy.informz.net Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 124638

Author: Bradford, Deborah Title: Illicit Drug Use and Property Offending among Police Detainees Summary: Aim: The primary objective of the current study was to examine whether the frequency of recent illicit drug use is related to higher levels of offending among police detainees in Australia. In particular, the study investigated whether the frequency of property offending escalates with offenders’ self-reported illicit drug use. Method: Data from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program were analysed for a national cohort of 9,453 arrestees interviewed between 2008 and 2010. Statistical analysis examined whether the number of property offences recorded at arrest was related to self-reported frequency of illicit opioid and amphetamine consumption in the 30 days prior to arrest, while controlling for other relevant drug use and demographic factors. Results: Results showed a high level of illicit drug use among police detainees. Outcomes from regression modelling revealed that heavy users of illicit opioids and amphetamines, who reported at least 16 days of use in the month prior to arrest, had significantly more property charges recorded at arrest than both less frequent (moderate) users and nonusers. Compared to non-users, heavy opioid users had 57 per cent more property charges recorded at arrest while heavy amphetamine use was associated with a 53 per cent increase in property charge counts. Higher rates of property offending were also related to younger age, being unemployed and having reported illicit use of benzodiazepines in the 30 days prior to arrest. Conclusion: These outcomes clearly demonstrate that heavy drug use, of either amphetamines or opioids in the 30 days prior to arrest, is associated with frequency of property offending. This has important implications for the treatment of drug using offenders within the criminal justice system. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime and Statistics Research, Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 12p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin, Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 157: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2012 at http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB157.pdf/$file/CJB157.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Australia) Shelf Number: 124643

Author: Haigh, Yvonne Title: Urban Renewal and Crime Prevention Strategies: A Case Study in Phoenix Rise Summary: Urban redevelopment is a challenge for all levels of government and the community involved in the renewal process. The spaces in which people live, whether in public housing or in private tenure, impact on personal identity and provide linkages between the personal and the community. That redevelopment in many urban areas includes demolition, refurbishment and the subsequent moving of people into alternative accommodation raises many questions about the role of public housing in modern democracies. While the benefits associated with redeveloping older and out-dated designs have been documented in terms of crime reduction (Gans 1961), addressing social exclusion and accessing public space (Peel 1996; Wilson 1987, 1991, 1997), the perceptions of residents experiencing a redevelopment project have not been well documented. This project acknowledges that urban renewal does not constitute a ‘quick fix’ for past design errors or policies that established purpose-built state housing estates. It also acknowledges that the Department for Housing and Works (Western Australia) and the City of Cockburn are working with the community to bring about change that aims to provide the basis for resilient, sustainable and diverse communities. The body of this report discusses the following issues: • An overview of literature that addresses urban renewal • The policy nexus that encompasses urban renewal, crime prevention and community development • An outline of the demographics of Phoenix Rise (Southwell) • Statistical analysis of three survey waves conducted in the Phoenix Rise locality from January 2006 to February 2007 • Factors identified from community members that pertain to developing a safe living environment • A discussion of the unintended consequences of the new Living Project • Recommendations for the policy nexus The body of the report also makes several specific findings: • Statistical analysis of the survey data does not identify, in general, a significant trend in the residents’ perceptions of Phoenix Rise as either improving or declining during the New Living Project • Statistical trends have been identified in the following areas: an increase in feeling unsafe at night; a decrease in the perception of community consultation; and people perceive it is safer in winter than in summer • Unintended consequences refer to an initial loss of social networks especially in the area of young children and older citizens • The residents of Phoenix Rise do not have information regarding the aspects of the redevelopment project that aim to reduce/prevent criminal activity Factors that impact on safety and quality of life: • A significant proportion of the residents view ‘target hardening’ through high fencing, security systems, visible policing and security guards as primary forms of providing a safe living environment • Reducing the level of obvious vandalism in the area • Targeting vacant houses during the redevelopment period with appropriate security measures • More effective street lighting is required as residents perceive night time to be more unsafe than daylight hours • Further landscaping on verges and in parks Recommendations • At a policy level, work needs to be undertaken to develop benchmarks for effectively evaluating redevelopment projects. This must include, but is not limited to a range of indicators including an analysis of crime statistics, 4 pre, during and post redevelopment, surveys of residents’ perceptions of the changes, interviews with people leaving and moving into the area; interviews with key government stakeholders to ascertain how standards are developed and the manner in which new housing criteria are implemented • At the level of crime prevention, a pamphlet that outlines the crime prevention characteristics of the urban renewal project needs to be developed and distributed to the residents in the locality • Community development support systems require more visibility, especially during the early and middle stages of the renewal project, to deal with the initial loss of social networks for younger school age children and older citizens • Ensure community consultation and information is continued throughout the entire project Overall this project has identified that the New Living Project implemented in Phoenix Rise is still undergoing transition. Residents’ perceptions of the locality and the changes taking place have not significantly altered over the study period in either positive or negative terms. Details: Perth, Western Australia: Murdoch University, Centre for Social and Community Research, 2008. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2012 at: http://www.cscr.murdoch.edu.au/_docs/urbanrenewal.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention (Australia) Shelf Number: 124758

Author: Douglas, Heather Title: Law Enforcement and Khat: An Analysis of Current Issues Summary: Khat is regulated in Australia through a complex regime of overlapping and differing Commonwealth, state and territory laws. In some states possession of khat is strictly prohibited and carries heavy penalties, whereas in others possession of khat appears to be legal (at least for personal use). This study drew upon focus group discussions with communities known to use khat, principally the Somali community. The researchers also interviewed police officers. The key concerns raised by police were about identifying khat and knowing of current law. Summaries of current law, along with clear photographs, are included at the back of this monograph in Appendixes 1 and 2. Many police and focus group participants were uncertain about current law relating to khat. Chapter 3 discusses current law. Some police indicated interest in knowing more about the cultural issues associated with khat. Chapter 6 discusses khat and Islam and a summary is provided in Appendix 3. Focus group participants showed a significant misunderstanding of the health issues associated with khat use. A discussion of these issues is included in Chapter 5. Focus group members were particularly concerned about the relationship between using khat and driving, in particular the question of whether khat is safe to use, or be under the influence of, while driving. This issue is discussed in Chapter 11. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2012. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 40: Accessed March 30, 2012 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_40.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 124770

Author: Victoria (Australia). Office of Police Integrity Title: Information Security and the Victoria Police State Surveillance Unit Summary: This report deals with the outcome of a review that was commissioned under section 44 (1)(c) of the Police Integrity Act 2008 regarding the information security practices, procedures and policies in place at the Victoria Police State Surveillance Unit. The review was commissioned following the discovery in 2008 that the State Surveillance Unit was the probable source of the unauthorised release of a 68-page document, containing highly sensitive law enforcement data. The purpose of the review was to identify what, if any, measures need to be taken to prevent future unauthorised disclosure of law enforcement data from the Victoria Police State Surveillance Unit. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer, 2010. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2012 at: http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/index.php?i=16&m=8&t=1 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Information Security Shelf Number: 117582

Author: David, Fiona Title: Organised Crime and Trafficking in Persons Summary: The public tends to assume that trafficking in persons is associated with the forced recruitment of women for sexual exploitation by highly organised, criminal gangs. In reality, the modus operandi and individuals involved in trafficking crimes are diverse. Trafficking in persons can and does occur in a range of industries and sectors, and it affects women, men and children. Furthermore, this crime can and has been perpetrated by relatively unsophisticated offenders, including individuals acting alone or with one other person, such as a spouse. All of these factors have implications for prevention, detection and prosecution. In this paper an overview is provided of the existing research on the organisation of human trafficking internationally and in Australia. It begins with an examination of the key concept: precisely what is organised crime? This is followed by an examination of the Australian and international literature on trafficking offending, a review that confirms the paucity of primary research on this subject. This paper is the first publication of a larger research project investigating the nature and characteristics of trafficking offending, with a particular focus on the Australian context. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 436: Accessed April 3, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/F/3/2/%7BF32BB053-07A7-4698-BED7-47DA99F09BBD%7Dtandi436_001.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking Shelf Number: 124801

Author: Moore, Elizabeth Title: Restorative Justice Initiatives: Public Opinion and Support in NSW Summary: Aim: To measure public opinion and support for restorative justice initiatives for theft/vandalism and assault offences across NSW in 2011. Method: An independent market research company completed 2,530 telephone interviews with NSW residents over a 4-week period. Results: There was widespread support for restorative justice initiatives. Most respondents agreed that offenders’ sentences should include unpaid work in the community (85.9%); and that victims should be given the opportunity to inform offenders of the harm caused (87.3%), and have a say in how the offender can make amends for that harm (73.8%). While the restorative justice initiatives of ‘making amends to victims’ and ‘unpaid work in the community’, were viewed as less effective in preventing crime and disorder compared to ‘better supervision of young people by parents’ or ‘better mental health care’, they were viewed as more effective than receiving ‘a prison sentence’. Women, regional dwellers, those with lower educational attainment, crime victims and those displaying more punitive attitudes tended to be more supportive of restorative justice principles. Conclusion: The results suggest that the principles underpinning restorative justice initiatives are well supported by the community. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 77: Accessed April 3, 2012 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB77.pdf/$file/BB77.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 124802

Author: Australia. Anti-People Trafficking Interdepartmental Committee Title: Trafficking in Persons: The Australian Government Response, January 2004 - April 2009 Summary: People trafficking is a complex, transnational crime which may have a traumatic and lasting effect on victims. Fortunately, the number of people trafficked into Australia is low compared to many other countries in the world. Nonetheless, the Australian Government is committed to combating all forms of people trafficking, including trafficking for sexual servitude and labour exploitation. Between January 2004 and April 2009, the Australian Federal Police undertook over 270 investigations and assessments of allegations of trafficking-related offences, leading to 34 people being charged and seven convictions. There are five trafficking related matters before the Australian courts. Australia provides a comprehensive range of support services for suspected trafficking victims who are able and willing to assist in a criminal investigation or prosecution. One hundred and thirty-one people have received assistance through the Support for Victims of People Trafficking Program since its inception in January 2004. Most victims of trafficking identified in Australia have been women working in the sex industry. Australia’s anti-people trafficking strategy, which was established in 2003, is founded on three equally important needs: to do as much as we can to prevent people trafficking; to prosecute offenders; and to provide support to victims of trafficking, including by protecting their human rights. Over five years has passed since Australia implemented its anti-people trafficking strategy. The strategy now incorporates the work of around ten Commonwealth Government agencies, including the Australian Federal Police, the Office for Women, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, led by the Attorney-General’s Department as Chair of the Anti-People Trafficking IDC. The Government has implemented a range Details: Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2009. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2012 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/Documents/IDC%20Annual%20Report_WEB.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 119340

Author: Beacroft, Laura Title: Community Night Patrols in the Northern Territory: Toward an Improved Performance and Reporting Framework Summary: This paper summarises the results of a project funded by the Australian Government Attorney- General’s Department’s (AGD). The project aimed to clarify the contribution of the community night patrol program in the Northern Territory (NT) to improving the community safety of Indigenous communities, and in this context, recommend an improved framework for monitoring performance and reporting. Community night patrols (also known as street patrols, night patrols, foot or barefoot patrols, mobile assistance programs and street beats) have a long history in the NT. Emerging in Tennant Creek in the late 1980s as a community initiative in the face of ‘under-policing’ and later in Yuendumu to stem the adverse contact Indigenous people were having with the criminal justice system, there are 80 patrols today funded by the AGD in the NT. With a budget of $69 million over three years (2009-2010 to 2011-2012), the AGD’s community night patrol program is the largest community night patrol program in Australia. Patrols are not defacto police, rather they are non-coercive, intervention strategies to prevent anti-social and destructive behaviours through the promotion of culturally appropriate processes… in conjunction with contemporary law enforcement measures. They have a long and continuing history of being regarded by the communities they serve as essential, and the support of key local persons and groups in the community, such as elders, women and cultural leaders, is critical to their success. However, there is limited up-to-date literature, information, data and evaluations about the operation and impact of community night patrols. This project involved four steps: • a review of the literature on community night patrols • consultation with key stakeholders and visits to patrols to conduct observations • the development of Program Logic Models, and • the development of a revised performance framework and reporting guide. The project highlighted four issues in the operating environments of patrols that needed to be considered in order to develop the performance and reporting framework: • separating the roles of community night patrols and roles of police; • responding to challenging service environments where not all essential complementary services in all communities are present and/or effective; • recruiting appropriate local staff, and retaining and training them; and • working in diverse situations in regard to governance and community cohesion. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 47: Accessed April 9, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/C/4/3/%7BC43E61E9-5F6F-45AD-9774-80C5CA5A1DAB%7Dtbp47_001.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Safety Shelf Number: 124890

Author: Putt, Judy, ed. Title: Community Policing in Australia Summary: The genesis of this report was a conference on policing in New Zealand in 2008, at which three of the report’s contributors gave presentations. In several subsequent meetings, it was agreed that their knowledge and experience should be brought together into a compilation of chapters on different aspects of community policing. Reflecting the background and interests of the contributors, the perspectives and content of the chapters vary, but all of the contributors share one thing in common; they have all worked closely and collaboratively with police—in education and in the development of policing practice and community engagement, in policy and program management or on research projects. This experience lends itself to an appreciation and questioning of what is ‘really happening’ and to question and examine ‘how it should happen’. This interest is the thread that binds together the report, despite the chapters ranging from the theoretical to the practical, with some primarily relying on, or referring to, research and academic debate and several based on applied experience. The collection is not a systematic review of literature and research, with an explicit methodology—instead, it seeks to provide an overview of what is currently known about community policing in Australia and to encourage further research and analysis of the issues and challenges highlighted in the report. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Policy Policy Series 111: Accessed April 9, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/0/4/F/%7B04F19D1A-19B1-4C6F-9EC0-A38F1B3DDF38%7Drpp111_002.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Policing (Australia) Shelf Number: 124893

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing Children and Young People in Victoria Summary: This report aims to fill the gap in publicly available data on the Children’s Court and the sentencing of young offenders (aged from 10 to 17 years) in Victoria. The report provides contextual material on the operation, functions and philosophy of the Criminal Division of the Children’s Court, with particular emphasis on the sentencing principles applicable under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic). It presents a statistical profile of offences heard and sentence outcomes, and identifies and analyses changes over a ten-year period (2000–09) in the types of offences sentenced by the court, demographics and sentence outcomes. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2012. 232p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2012 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/sentencing_children_and_young_people_in_victoria.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Courts Shelf Number: 124937

Author: Snow, Pamela Title: Youth (In)Justice: Oral Language Competence in Early Life and Risk for Engagement in Antisocial Behaviour in Adolescence Summary: Youth offenders can be complex and challenging for policymakers and practitioners alike and face higher risk of long-term disadvantage and social marginalisation. In many cases, this marginalisation from the mainstream begins in early life, particularly in the classroom, where they have difficulty both with language/literacy tasks and with the interpersonal demands of the classroom. Underlying both sets of skills is oral language competence—the ability to use and understand spoken language in a range of situations and social exchanges, in order to successfully negotiate the business of everyday life. This paper highlights an emerging field of research that focuses specifically on the oral language skills of high-risk young people. It presents evidence from Australia and overseas that demonstrates that high proportions (some 50% in Australian studies) of young offenders have a clinically significant, but previously undetected, oral language disorder. This raises important questions about how young offenders are engaged in forensic interviews, whether as suspects, victims or witnesses. The delivery of highly, verbally-mediated interventions such as counselling and restorative justice conferencing is also considered in the light of emerging international evidence on this topic. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 435: Accessed April 12, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/A/E/%7B4AEA498D-5669-4E48-93B2-D08BFAB96548%7Dtandi435.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior, Juveniles (Australia) Shelf Number: 124938

Author: Taussig, Isabel Title: Sentencing Snapshot: Homicide and Related Offences Summary: This briefing paper describes sentencing outcomes for adult offenders convicted of the offence of homicide and related offences between 2009 and 2010 in the NSW Criminal Courts. Aim: To describe the penalties imposed on convicted homicide offenders. Summary: The average age of an adult offender convicted of homicide in NSW during the years 2009 to 2010 was 35 years. Of these, 84.1 per cent were male, and 59.5 per cent had no prior convictions in the previous five years. The most common penalty imposed on homicide offenders was a full-time prison sentence. Among those that received prison sentences, the average minimum term was just over 8.5 years and the average aggregate sentence was 11.8 years. Of those who committed a murder, 100 percent received a prison sentence, with an average minimum term of 20 years and an average aggregate sentence of 25 years. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 76: Accessed April 12, 2012 at: Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Homicides Shelf Number: 124943

Author: Little, Hilary Title: Review of the Victorian Adult Parole System Report Summary: This report sets out a package of recommendations in response to a request for advice on the Adult Parole System. The Council's recommendations seek to retain the strengths of the existing parole system, while enhancing decision-making guidance for the Adult Parole Board and improving the transparency, consistency and accuracy of its processes and decisions. The recommendations also aim to ensure that there is adequate inter-agency coordination and information sharing around the management of parolees. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2012. 144p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2012 at https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/review_of_the_victorian_adult_parole_system_report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Adult Offenders Shelf Number: 124974

Author: Bretteville-Jensen, Anne Line Title: Decriminalization and Initiation into Cannabis Use Summary: The central question faced by policy makers contemplating decriminalization of cannabis is whether such a move will lead to an increase in use, and if so, by whom and by how much. We address this question by investigating the impact of decriminalization on the decision to start using cannabis. Our analysis is based on individual level information from a general population in Australia. Australia provides an interesting case study for examining this issue because it has decriminalized the use of cannabis in half of its states and territories. In modeling cannabis uptake, we use a discrete-time hazard model and account for unobserved dierences between states that decriminalize and those that do not. We find that decriminalizing cannabis shifts the age distribution of uptake towards younger age groups while leaving the proportion of those who will start using cannabis unchanged. This suggests that decriminalization effects when individuals start using cannabis, rather than whether or not they start. Details: Melbourne: University of Melbourne, Department of Economics, 2011. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper Series; Research Paper Number 1130: Accessed April 30, 2012 at: http://www.economics.unimelb.edu.au/MicroEco/downloads/decriminalization%20and%20initiation%20into%20cannabis%20use.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 125101

Author: Jiggens, John Lawrence Title: Marijuana Australiana : Cannabis Use, Popular Culture and the Americanisation of Drugs Policy in Australia, 1938-1988 Summary: The word 'marijuana' was introduced to Australia by the US Bureau of Narcotics via the Diggers newspaper, Smith's Weekly, in 1938. Marijuana was said to be 'a new drug that maddens victims' and it was sensationally described as an 'evil sex drug'. The resulting tabloid furore saw the plant cannabis sativa banned in Australia, even though cannabis had been a well-known and widely used drug in Australia for many decades. In 1964, a massive infestation of wild cannabis was found growing along a stretch of the Hunter River between Singleton and Maitland in New South Wales. The explosion in Australian marijuana use began there. It was fuelled after 1967 by US soldiers on rest and recreation leave from Vietnam. It was the Baby-Boomer young who were turning on. Pot smoking was overwhelmingly associated with the generation born in the decade after the Second World War. As the conflict over the Vietnam War raged in Australia, it provoked intense generational conflict between the Baby-Boomers and older generations. Just as in the US, pot was adopted by Australian Baby-Boomers as their symbol; and, as in the US, the attack on pot users served as code for an attack on the young, the Left, and the alternative. In 1976, the 'War on Drugs' began in earnest in Australia with paramilitary attacks on the hippie colonies at Cedar Bay in Queensland and Tuntable Falls in New South Wales. It was a time of increasing US style prohibition characterised by 'tough-on-drugs' right-wing rhetoric, police crackdowns, numerous murders, and a marijuana drought followed quickly by a heroin plague; in short by a massive worsening of 'the drug problem'. During this decade, organised crime moved into the pot scene and the price of pot skyrocketed, reaching $450 an ounce in 1988. Thanks to the Americanisation of drugs policy, the black market made 'a killing'. In Marijuana Australiana I argue that the 'War on Drugs' developed -- not for health reasons -- but for reasons of social control; as a domestic counter-revolution against the Whitlamite, Baby-Boomer generation by older Nixonite Drug War warriors like Queensland Premier, Bjelke-Petersen. It was a misuse of drugs policy which greatly worsened drug problems, bringing with it American-style organised crime. As the subtitle suggests, Marijuana Australiana relies significantly on 'alternative' sources, and I trawl the waters of popular culture, looking for songs, posters, comics and underground magazines to produce an 'underground' history of cannabis in Australia. This 'pop' approach is balanced with a hard-edged, quantitative analysis of the size of the marijuana market, the movement of price, and the seizure figures in the section called 'History By Numbers'. As Alfred McCoy notes, we need to understand drugs as commodities. It is only through a detailed understanding of the drug trade that the deeper secrets of this underground world can be revealed. In this section, I present an economic history of the cannabis market and formulate three laws of the market. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, Centre for Social Change Research, 2004. 294p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed April 30, 2012 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/15949/ Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 125108

Author: Australian National Audit Office Title: Fighting Terrorism at its Source Summary: The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) administration of the Fighting Terrorism at its Source (FTAS) initiative and related measures. The audit examined individual elements of the initiative and the overall program of activity, to determine whether:  policy and program direction is considered within an established governance framework that promotes alignment with overarching policy and integration of related measures, and that key stakeholders are engaged;  planning and delivery of individual measures and packages of measures is thorough, with objectives and outcomes agreed to and key risks identified and managed, and implementation was efficient, effective and in accordance with better practice principles; and  outcomes are monitored and evaluated with appropriate oversight, and feedback to stakeholders informs ongoing administration. The ANAO examined a broad range of measures and activities relating to regional counter‐terrorism engagement by the AFP and focused the audit on those programs and activities which are closely aligned or integrated with the key components of the FTAS initiative. The activities examined include both front‐line activities (primarily based in regional host countries but including some domestic activities) and enabling activities (generally Australia‐based although including some deployable elements). In the course of fieldwork, the ANAO conducted site visits, reviewed documents and held discussions with key stakeholders in Canberra, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. While a modest expansion of the AFP’s international counter‐terrorism liaison network was funded from the FTAS initiative, the general administration of this network has not been included within the scope of the audit. The administration of the domestic Community Liaison Teams, although funded through the 2009 renewal of the FTAS initiative, were also outside of the scope of this audit as they form an element of the Government’s broader policy on countering violent extremism. The Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC), established in 2004, was included within the scope of the audit only to the extent that it supports the identification, delivery and evaluation of training aimed at building regional counter‐terrorism capacity. In conducting this audit, the ANAO necessarily held discussions and reviewed documents which reflected matters which are sensitive from a national security, operational or international relations perspective. In line with previous practice, these matters are not discussed in detail in this report. Details: Canberra: Australian National Audit Office, 2012. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: ANAO Audit Report No.30 2011–12: Accessed May 1, 2012 at: http://www.anao.gov.au/~/media/Uploads/Audit%20Reports/2011%2012/201112%20Audit%20Report%20No%2030.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 125113

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Baseline Sentencing Report Summary: This report is the Sentencing Advisory Council’s response to the Attorney-General’s request for advice on the introduction of baseline sentences for specified offences. The Council was requested to provide advice on the following matters: a. the levels of baseline sentence to be legislated for offences to which the baseline sentencing regime will apply; b. whether offences additional to those committed to by the government should be included, either in the initial introduction of baseline sentences or subsequently; c. whether the legislation should provide for different levels of baseline sentence for a particular offence to be applicable in different circumstances, or for certain offences to be redefined to achieve better applicability of baseline sentences in different circumstances; d. how baseline sentences should best apply in cases involving multiple offences; e. the amendments required to relevant legislation to introduce baseline sentencing; f. the likely effects of recommendations and options put forward by the Council on sentencing levels for the relevant offences and on the numbers of persons serving custodial and non-custodial sentences; and g. any other matters the Council considers relevant. This report contains recommendations relating to proposed baseline levels as well as recommendations about how these levels should be applied in practice. The Council has formulated these recommendations in accordance with the policy objectives and intent of the terms of reference. The recommendations are closely interrelated and are all based on the implementation of the recommended baseline model. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2012. 236p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2012 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/baseline_sentencing_report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Punishment Shelf Number: 125132

Author: de Fontenay, Catherine Title: The Relocation of Crime Summary: We add a new sector called Crime to a traditional two-sector two-input Heckscher-Ohlin model of trade between countries. Trade is found to increase crime in the resource-rich country and to reduce crime in the resource-poor country by an equal amount. The negative externality from increased crime can be strong enough to cancel out the gains from trade for the resource-rich country. The paper also explores the impact of aid, capital flows, and migration on crime rates, and how crime shapes the degree of specialization in each economy. Details: Carlton, Australia: University of Melbourne, 2011. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2012 at http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=catherine_de_fontenay Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Economics and Crime Shelf Number: 125614

Author: Kevin, Maria Title: Corrections Treatment Outcome Study (CTOS) on Offenders in Drug Treatment: Results from the Drug Summit Demand Reduction Residential Programs Summary: This report documents program activity and outcomes of offenders who participated in the suite of Drug Summit-funded treatment programs in NSW correctional centres over a three and a half year period to December 2010. This evaluation forms part of a broader initiative, the Corrections Treatment Outcome Study (CTOS), within Corrective Services NSW. The CTOS methodology sought to examine the short and medium term cognitive and behavioural outcomes of program participants, identify factors affecting program success and explore the view of staff and participants involved. In addition to program entry and exit assessments, objective measures were derived from official records on offences in custody, detected drug use in custody and recidivism post-release. Details: Sydney: Corrective Services, NSW, 2011. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Bulletin 31: Accessed May 8, 2012 at: http://www.correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/366484/corrections-treatment-outcome-study.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 125176

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Community Attitudes to Offence Seriousness Summary: The Community Attitudes to Offence Seriousness report presents key findings from community panels conducted by the Council throughout Victoria. The report outlines the 244 participants’ judgments of offence seriousness and how they weighed the factors that render different offences more or less serious. The research was conducted as part of the Maximum Penalties project, a review by the Council of the maximum penalties for 250 offences to be included in a new Crimes Bill. The findings indicate that community members have divergent views about the relative seriousness of offences. The judgment of offence seriousness is subjective and can be influenced by a range of factors. Judgments of offence seriousness by individual members of the community can vary according to each person’s experiences, perceptions and views. If the views of this group of respondents are representative of community thinking, it appears the community does not share a single set of common attitudes towards relative offence seriousness. However, despite the variation in attitudes to offence seriousness for some offences, there was consensus among participants that offences involving direct harms to people are considered the most serious. In particular, there was a high level of agreement among participants that offences involving the deliberate infliction of harm, sexually violent offences and sexual offences against children are among the most serious offences. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessede May 8, 2012 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/community_attitudes_to_offence_seriousness.pdf Year: 0 Country: Australia Keywords: Offense Seriousness Shelf Number: 125181

Author: Australia. Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre Title: Suspicious matter reporting - Market Participants in the securities and derivatives sectors Summary: All reporting entities under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (AML/CTF Act) have obligations to report suspicious matters to AUSTRAC through the submission of suspicious matter reports (SMRs). These reports are a critical source of intelligence in combating serious criminal activity, including organised crime, terrorism financing and tax evasion. In July 2010 AUSTRAC conducted a survey of reporting entities that are Market Participants1 in the securities and derivatives sectors. The survey gathered information about how Market Participants have understood and addressed their SMR and related obligations under the AML/CTF Act. The survey included questions about staff training, transaction monitoring and enhanced customer due diligence (ECDD). This report presents the results of the survey, including aggregated data and analysis. It is a snapshot of organisational capacity and readiness among Market Participants to identify matters that may be reportable to AUSTRAC as SMRs. There are 16 key findings and five areas of ‘outlier behaviour’ that warrant highlighting. Where the report states that a respondent exhibited ‘outlier behaviour’, this indicates that the respondent’s behaviour diverged from that exhibited by their peers, and that they were yet to develop fully effective AML/CTF programs, systems or processes. The report’s findings will be directly relevant to Market Participants. The findings will also be of interest to the broader regulated population, compliance professionals, industry peak bodies, professional associations and academics. Details: West Chastwood, Australia: Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), 2010. 35p. Source: AUSTRAC survey series no. 2: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2012 at http://www.austrac.gov.au/files/surveyseries_market_participants.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Business Crimes Shelf Number: 125219

Author: Poynton, Suzanne Title: Apprehended Personal Violence Orders - A Survey of NSW Magistrates and Registrars Summary: Under Section 18 of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act a person(s) who is in need of protection from someone with whom they do not have a domestic relationship can personally apply for an APVO through the Local Court or the police can apply for an APVO on their behalf. For an APVO to be granted, the court must be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the person(s) in need of protection has reasonable grounds to fear and in fact fears that the defendant will engage in violence, stalking or intimidation against them. If an APVO is granted, the court can prohibit or restrict the defendant from approaching the protected person; prohibit or restrict the defendant’s access to the protected person’s home or place of work; and prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms or other weapons by the defendant. If a defendant knowingly breaches conditions of an APVO order then he or she can be imprisoned for up to two years. In order to assess the frequency with which APVOs are sought for frivolous or vexatious reasons, the Bureau conducted an online survey of 210 NSW magistrates and registrars. Of the 207 respondents who dealt with APVOs in the last 12 months, 121 (58.5%) indicated that they occasionally or sometimes dealt with frivolous or vexatious APVOs. Nearly 30 per cent indicated that they rarely dealt with frivolous or vexatious APVOs and five respondents reported they never dealt with these types of matters. Only 21 respondents (10.1%) reported that more than half of the APVOs that they deal with are frivolous or vexatious in nature. Magistrates and registrars reported that frivolous or vexatious APVO applications typically involve trivial/insignificant matters or a single act of harassment. Neighbours and acquaintances/former friends are most often the parties involved in frivolous or vexatious APVOs, with 64 per cent of respondents reporting that neighbours are frequently, usually or almost always involved in these types of matters, and 42 per cent reporting that acquaintances/former friends are frequently, usually or almost always the disputing parties. Disputes between public housing authorities/tenants were the next most frequent category of response, with nearly one-third of respondents stating that frivolous or vexatious APVOs frequently, usually or almost always involve disputes between these parties. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 13p. Source: Internet Resoruce: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 161: Accessed May 9, 2012 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB161.pdf/$file/CJB161.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 125221

Author: Ward, Tony Title: Long-Term Health Costs of Extended Mandatory Detention of Asylum Seekers Summary: This report urges Australians to consider the long-term consequences of asylum policies. Current approaches do not take into consideration many hidden costs associated with mandatory detention of asylum seekers. The report highlights that in addition to the high costs of maintaining detention facilities, there are significant additional costs as a result of prolonged detention for the long-term healthcare of former asylum seekers once they are released into the community. The national tax summit, held on 4 and 5 October 2011, received many submissions stressing the importance of careful long-term costings of policies. In a similar vein, this report estimates the Long-term health costs of extended mandatory detention of asylum seekers. For the first time in Australia, it does so by applying innovative costing approaches developed in the Netherlands. It is now well established that lengthy periods in detention cause significant mental health problems for asylum seekers. The Howard Government recognised this in 2005, when it agreed that 25 of the 27 detainees then remaining on Nauru should be brought to Australia. This was after doctors had diagnosed serious mental health conditions. More generally, a study of detained asylum seekers in Australia found that more than one third of those detained for more than two years had new mental health problems in 2006-07. This was ten times the rate of mental health problems for those detained for less than 3 months. There is good evidence This report urges Australians to consider the long-term consequences of asylum policies. Current approaches do not take into consideration many hidden costs associated with mandatory detention of asylum seekers. The report highlights that in addition to the high costs of maintaining detention facilities, there are significant additional costs as a result of prolonged detention for the long-term healthcare of former asylum seekers once they are released into the community. The national tax summit, held on 4 and 5 October 2011, received many submissions stressing the importance of careful long-term costings of policies. In a similar vein, this report estimates the Long-term health costs of extended mandatory detention of asylum seekers. For the first time in Australia, it does so by applying innovative costing approaches developed in the Netherlands. It is now well established that lengthy periods in detention cause significant mental health problems for asylum seekers. The Howard Government recognised this in 2005, when it agreed that 25 of the 27 detainees then remaining on Nauru should be brought to Australia. This was after doctors had diagnosed serious mental health conditions. More generally, a study of detained asylum seekers in Australia found that more than one third of those detained for more than two years had new mental health problems in 2006-07. This was ten times the rate of mental health problems for those detained for less than 3 months. There is good evidence This report urges Australians to consider the long-term consequences of asylum policies. Current approaches do not take into consideration many hidden costs associated with mandatory detention of asylum seekers. The report highlights that in addition to the high costs of maintaining detention facilities, there are significant additional costs as a result of prolonged detention for the long-term healthcare of former asylum seekers once they are released into the community. The national tax summit, held on 4 and 5 October 2011, received many submissions stressing the importance of careful long-term costings of policies. In a similar vein, this report estimates the Long-term health costs of extended mandatory detention of asylum seekers. For the first time in Australia, it does so by applying innovative costing approaches developed in the Netherlands. It is now well established that lengthy periods in detention cause significant mental health problems for asylum seekers. The Howard Government recognised this in 2005, when it agreed that 25 of the 27 detainees then remaining on Nauru should be brought to Australia. This was after doctors had diagnosed serious mental health conditions. More generally, a study of detained asylum seekers in Australia found that more than one third of those detained for more than two years had new mental health problems in 2006-07. This was ten times the rate of mental health problems for those detained for less than 3 months. There is good evidence that such trauma causes long-term mental health problems. This report estimates the lifetime health costs of such trauma. On conservative estimates – that trauma sufferers will have lifetime mental health costs 50% more than the average – the report shows this will cost an additional $25,000 per person. In recent years, more than 80% of detained asylum seekers have eventually been successful in settling in Australia. This means that such extra health costs have to be met by the Australian health system, and Australian taxpayers have to pick up the tab. The Australian immigration system already has extensive health checks for migrants seeking to come to this country. One of the key reasons is to protect public expenditure on health and community services. It is strange that another current element in current immigration policy – mandatory detention of asylum seekers – has the direct effect of increasing public expenditure on health and community services. Details: Melbourne: Yarra Institute for Religion and Social Policy, 2011. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2012 at: http://www.yarrainstitute.org.au/Portals/0/docs/Ward.long-term%20costs%20v12Oct.2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum (Australia) Shelf Number: 125222

Author: Burn, Jennifer Title: Hidden Exploitation: Women in Forced Labour, Marriage and Migration: An Evidence Review Summary: This report exposes gaps in knowledge and services relating to the labour of women in Australia. Along with an assessment of the needs, it provides suggestions for a way forward in terms of possible partnerships for developing knowledge, services and advocacy. The gaps considered include labour force, forced labour, forced migration and forced marriage. Labour Force and Forced Labour While women have over the long term been overrepresented in part-time or casual employment, the increased use of precarious forms of employment is leaving many women, especially those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds at risk. There is a need for more legal protection as well as culturally and linguistically appropriate resources for community education on rights and services. While it appears that exploitation of children through work is not happening on a significant scale in Australia, it is important that a means of keeping a national watch on this is found. There is a clear history of exploitation of Indigenous women by way of overwork or government control of work or earnings. The situation of disadvantage in work remains in place for many today. Indigenous women are overrepresented among the unemployed and discouraged workers. Through the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) many are in effect underpaid for highly skilled work and long hours. The status of CDEP participants needs to be established so that more equitable outcomes can be put in place. In Australia employment legislation and instituted monitoring and intervention via the Fair Work Act, Fair Work Australia and the Fair Work Ombudsman provide protection for workers. However, those in employment other than full time, permanent work are still relatively unprotected. Improvements are needed in relation to the relevant aspects of immigration law and anti-discrimination law and the anti-trafficking legislation needs a review. In addition, services (including language resources and education) are needed to improve access to protection and legal assistance for vulnerable workers, especially Indigenous women and women from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds or CALD backgrounds. The report outlines the definitions in international and Australian laws of “people trafficking”, “slavery” and “forced labour” and makes the case for criminalising forced labour. Forced migration Migrant women as a group tend to be vulnerable to varying degrees when it comes to work, because of factors including financial stress, language, lack of education or qualifications, social isolation or child care responsibilities. Among the most vulnerable are those people on temporary work or student visas who suffer from a lack of affordable housing and poor access to information about work rights. Being without a valid visa adds another dimension. Forced marriage For foreign partners of Australian citizens, family violence may mask forced or servile marriage, so education of community workers is needed for the full protection of the women concerned. All of these situations are complex legally and culturally, so community consultation is critical and the safety of each woman needs to have priority. The many opportunities for further work include research, community consultation, awareness raising, service provision and advocacy. Details: Abbotsford, VIC: Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, 2012. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2012 at: http://www.goodshepherd.com.au/sites/default/files/files/0556%20GOOD%20SHEPHERD%20HIDDEN%20EXPLOITATION%20EXECUTIVE%20SUMMARY%20FINAL%20ONLINE%5B1%5D%5B2%5D.pdf (executive summary) Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Labor Shelf Number: 125224

Author: Victorian Law Reform Commission Title: Sex Offenders Registration Summary: The Commission delivered the Sex offenders registration: Final report to the Attorney-General on 22 December 2011. In April 2011, the Attorney-General asked the Commission to review laws governing the registration of sex offenders and the use of information about registered sex offenders by law enforcement and child protection agencies. The Victorian Ombudsman recommended this review in his recent report to Parliament about problems with the management of the sex offenders' registration scheme. The purpose of the review is to ensure that the legislative arrangements for the collection and use of information about registered sex offenders enable law enforcement and child protection agencies to assess the risk of re-offending, prevent further offences, and protect children from harm. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Law Reform Commission, 2012. 199p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2012 at: http://www.lawreform.vic.gov.au/projects/sex-offenders-registration/sex-offenders-registration-final-report Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Sex Offender Registration Shelf Number: 125226

Author: Nicholas, Roger Title: Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Problems in Australia: Complex Issues, Balanced Responses Summary: This review was prepared by NCETA as part of the process of developing Australia’s National Pharmaceutical Drug Misuse Strategy (NPDMS). The Strategy was developed during 2011 at the request of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (MCDS) and the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs and was funded through the MCDS Cost Shared Funding Model. The work was undertaken by a consortium led by the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA) at Flinders University and overseen by the Victorian Department of Health. The review examines the extent and nature of the evidence base concerning this issue and primarily focuses on: • prescription opioids • benzodiazepines • codeine-containing analgesics. The review and broader strategy development process identified the need to implement approaches that enhance the quality use of these medicines. Accordingly, it is important to ensure their continued availability for therapeutic purposes and to maximise their appropriate use, while minimising opportunities for misuse. As these medicines are highly beneficial to many individuals, it is important to ensure that their clinically appropriate supply is maintained and their use is in no way stigmatised. A central goal in the development of the NPDMS was to ensure a balance among diverse perspectives and interests. There was also a need to have measures in place to minimise harm from any unsanctioned use of these medications. This includes use by persons other than those for whom the drugs are prescribed, or at doses, or via routes of administration, that were unintended by the prescriber. The review is structured into three parts, as follows. PART A Part A examines the extent and nature of pharmaceutical drug misuse problems in Australia and internationally, including issues surrounding the quality use of opioids and benzodiazepines. This part describes the spectrum of individuals who are misusing pharmaceutical drugs. This ranges from those who intentionally misuse these medicines to experience their non-therapeutic benefits or to on-sell them for profit, through to those who unintentionally misuse them in response to inappropriate prescribing. Pharmaceutical drug misuse problems are increasing in Australia. Evidence emanating from general population surveys, surveys of illicit drug users, drug treatment data and data concerning offenders points to this increase. Part A also describes the rapid increase in the utilisation of certain prescribed opioids, in particular morphine and oxycodone, as well as changes in the patterns of benzodiazepine prescription, particularly the increase in alprazolam prescribing. The increase in opioid prescribing and changes in benzodiazepine prescribing are not necessarily problematic. But unfortunately they have been associated with an increase in harms, such as poisonings, injection-related problems, the illicit sale of pharmaceuticals and related demand for treatment. The misuse of over the counter codeine-containing medicines is also leading to harms such as codeine dependence and illnesses associated with exposure to high levels of ibuprofen and paracetamol found in these medicines. A range of systemic factors impacting on patterns of pharmaceutical misuse are described in Part A. These include: • the availability of multiple formulations of opioids • current hospital discharge planning arrangements leading to patients continuing to use medications beyond the period of time for which they are clinically indicated • difficulties in accessing pain management and drug treatment programs • recent national registration arrangements for health practitioners whereby prescriptions written in one jurisdiction can be filled in another • lack of availability of certain non-opioid pain treatment medicines on the PBS which increases the likelihood of opioid prescribing • intimidation of prescribers by patients leading to inappropriate prescribing. Important demographic changes such as the ageing of the population are likely to increase demand for opioids and benzodiazepines. Clients receiving opioid substitution therapy (OST) are also ageing and will therefore have particular needs in the future as a result of their longer-term exposure to opioids. Australia is not alone in experiencing an increase in the prescribing of, and the harms associated with, opioids. The United States and Canada in particular are also experiencing a range of similar problems, albeit of greater severity. Australia is well placed to intervene at this relatively early stage of the trajectory of problems before they reach the level being experienced in these countries. There appears to be a significant evidence-practice gap in the prescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines in Australia. The role of prescription opioids in OST, the treatment of serious acute pain and malignant pain is relatively uncontroversial. It appears, however, that opioids are increasingly prescribed for less serious acute pain and for chronic non-malignant pain, for which the evidence of efficacy has not been established. Similarly, benzodiazepines should not be a front-line treatment for the treatment of anxiety or insomnia and nor is their use indicated for the longer-term treatment of these conditions. Benzodiazepines are, at times, prescribed in a manner inconsistent with quality use. This can result in inadvertent misuse. The extent of medication shopping in Australia is unclear. Evidence is not readily available on this issue from Medicare Australia and even if it were it would only include data on PBS-subsidised medicines. Available evidence suggests that this is a significant issue. Part B Part B outlines key stakeholders, paradigms, strategies and activities of relevance to pharmaceutical drug misuse problems and responses in Australia. It highlights the importance of adopting a systems approach and of utilising principles associated with effective prevention programs in responding to pharmaceutical drug misuse challenges. The social determinants which impact on a range of aspects of the health of Australians also affect levels of pharmaceutical drug-related harm. There is, for example, evidence that pharmaceutical overdose deaths are more common among socially disadvantaged groups in the community and those living in rural areas. The injection of pharmaceutical drugs is also more common in rural, compared with urban, areas. This requires targeted approaches to address this inequity. Part B also contains an outline of other national strategies and the ways in which they interact with Part C Part C discusses potential responses to pharmaceutical misuse problems. The first of these are infrastructure, research, monitoring and systems issues. Foremost in this regard is the need for a Coordinated Medication Management System in Australia which provides on-line, real time information for prescribers, pharmacists and regulators concerning the medication prescription and dispensing histories of patients. This is important to minimise misuse and to ensure that, as a result of increasing levels of pharmaceutical misuse, prescribers do not lose confidence in prescribing these medicines to patients for whom they would be of therapeutic benefit. There is a range of gaps in our understanding of the extent and nature of pharmaceutical drug misuse in Australia. Consequently, there is a need to enhance data collection and research processes. The second area of response concerns changes to clinical practices. The potential roles of general practitioners and other prescribers, pharmacists, the alcohol and other drug sector are described. Also discussed is the important role that psychological therapies can play in responding to conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety and insomnia. In many cases, these therapies are more effective and have more sustained benefits than pharmacological approaches. Next a range of potential workforce development strategies are described to enhance prescribing practices. Evidence suggests that only modest returns are available from practices such as audit and feedback, educational outreach visits, educational meetings and educational materials such as guidelines. Nonetheless, these tools may have some clinically beneficial effect on improving the quality of prescribing, especially if tailored to practitioners identified as over-prescribing and address individual barriers to change. Harm reduction responses are also needed. Measures are required to reduce the harm to those who use these medicines in unintended ways or dosages. This could include disseminating information to problematic misusers and providing access to injecting equipment such as filters to reduce harms associated with the injection of medications that are not intended to be injected. Consumer-oriented responses are also required. Strategies are required that address unrealistic expectations that consumers may have about the efficacy of medicines and therefore enhance levels of health literacy1 among the population. The standardisation of medication labelling is also important as are awareness raising programs among the general public about the risks of exceeding therapeutic doses of over the counter (OTC) medications. Enhances in technology can also assist with reducing pharmaceutical drug-related harm. Potential approaches include the introduction of tamper-resistant technologies for medicines, methods of tracking medicines from production to patient and measures to reduce tampering with, or forgeries of, prescriptions. Finally, Part C contains an examination of issues surrounding the marketing of medicines in Australia. The marketing of pharmaceuticals is an important way in which companies stimulate demand and generate turnover. Prescribers are the key targets of pharmaceutical marketing in Australia because direct-to-consumer advertising is prohibited and because doctors have the power to prescribe medicines. This marketing and promotion occurs under a self regulatory code of conduct administered by Medicines Australia, the peak body for the pharmaceutical industry. There are concerns that the self-regulatory approach may be insufficient and that current advertising and promotion practices may be unduly affecting prescribing practices. Details: Adelaide: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, 2011. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2012 at: http://enews.vaada.org.au/news/2012/02/29/pharmaceutical-drug-misuse-problems-australia-complex-issues-balanced-responses Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Australia) Shelf Number: 125227

Author: Victoria (Australia). Office of Police Integrity Title: Review of Victoria Police Use of ‘Stop and Search’ Powers Summary: This report presents the findings of a Review of Victoria Police use of ‘stop and search’ powers associated with the control of weapons. The review found little evidence to suggest that concerns have been realised relating to arbitrary use of powers or the targeting of particular groups. It also found that Victoria Police is not able to meet the legislative reporting requirements due to inadequate data collection and retrieval mechanisms. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2012. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2012 at: http://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/Review%20of%20Victoria%20Police%20use%20of%20%27stop%20and%20search%27%20powers.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Discretion Shelf Number: 125235

Author: Lindsay, V.L. Title: Characteristics of Alcohol Impaired Road Users Involved in Casualty Crashes Summary: This report links data from multiple sources to present a more comprehensive profile of the person, crash and licensing characteristics of a group of road users involved in a casualty crash as a result of alcohol impairment. Participants were drawn from data collected for those active road users who were admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital as a result of crash involvement over the three year period between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2010. An objective alcohol reading was known for 1204 of the 1490 cases in the study. Acute alcohol intoxication was found to be a contributing factor to crash causation in 274 of these 1204 cases, constituting 22.76% of this group. Impairment as the result of alcohol was found across all road user types but was particularly noted amongst pedestrians (55.8% of pedestrians that were tested) and drivers (24.3% of drivers that were tested). An established diagnosis of alcohol dependence at the time of crash involvement was identified for 146 of the 1490 participants in this study, constituting 9.8% of all participants. Indigenous Australians were identified as a vulnerable group found to be at an increased risk of being involved in a crash as the result of alcohol impairment. More than 40 per cent of those participants identified as being alcohol impaired in this study were found to have incurred at least one previous infringement that involved driving with an alcohol level above 0.05gm/100ml and were twice as likely to have had at least one period of licence disqualification when compared with those road users who were not found to be impaired. Details: Adelaide: Centre for Automotive Safety Research, The University of Adelaide, 2012. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2012 at: http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/casrpubfile/1200/CASR105.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 125237

Author: Dolic, Zrinjka Title: Race or Reason? Police Encounters with Young People in the Flemington Region and Surrounding Areas Summary: The following research examines the role that demographic factors, such as country of birth and gender, play in shaping young people’s experiences with and attitudes toward the police. The Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre (FKCLC) commissioned the study at a time of growing concern about young people being treated unfairly by the police in the Flemington and Kensington community. The relationship between police and youth is fraught with difficulties and there is growing evidence that ethnic minority youth are more vulnerable to being treated unfairly by the police (Alder et al, 1992; Chan, 1997; White, 1994). In particular, the interaction between police and African youth has been a source of increasing concern of late with research identifying that African youth experience frequent unwarranted stopping, searching and police harassment in the areas of Flemington, Braybrook and City of Greater Dandenong (Duff, 2006; Reside & Smith, 2010). This study contributes to current research on race and gender by offering further evidence of the differential police treatment experienced by African youth. The findings of this study warrant further investigation and at the same time contribute to an increased awareness of the issues and challenges faced by this group of young people. A total of 151 young people, aged 15-­‐24 participated in this research by completing an anonymous survey. The young people who were surveyed lived in Flemington and the surrounding areas, were roughly equal numbers of young men and women, and included young people from diverse ethnicities and non-­‐English speaking backgrounds. Details: Kensington, Victoria, Australia: Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre, 2011. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 15, 2012 at: http://www.communitylaw.org.au/flemingtonkensington/cb_pages/files/FKCLC%20report%20March%202011_small2.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Attitudes toward Police Shelf Number: 125273

Author: Robinson, Elly Title: Parental involvement in preventing and responding to cyberbullying Summary: This paper outlines definitions and statistics related to cyberbullying, differences between cyberbullying and offline bullying, and parents’ roles and involvement in preventing and responding to cyberbullying incidents. The aim of the paper is to inform practitioners and other professionals of ways to help parents clarify their roles, and provide them with the tools to help their teenage children engage in responsible online behaviour. Details: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Child Family Community Australia, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2012. 11p. Source: CFCA Paper No. 4 2012: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2012 at http://www.aifs.gov.au/cfca/pubs/papers/04/cfca04.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Bullying (Australia) Shelf Number: 125337

Author: Bunston, Wendy Title: 'BuBs' (Building Up Bonds) On Board: Family violence and mother/infant group work in women's shelters: Report on the Pilot of the 'BuBs On Board' program in Five Women's Shelters in Tasmania 2008 Summary: ‘BuBs’ (Building up Bonds) On Board, was piloted as an early intervention program for infants and their mothers accessing crisis/ emergency accommodation in order to escape family violence. It was trialed in five Women’s shelters within Tasmania in the first half of 2008. The Bubs On Board concept was derived from the work of the Addressing Family Violence Programs (AFVP), an initiative of Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital Integrated Mental Health Program (RCH IMHP). The AFVP commenced in 1996 and specializes in developing and delivering specialist mental health group work interventions for mothers and infants/toddlers/ children affected by family violence. Specifically, the ‘Peek a Boo Club’ (Bunston, 2008 & 2006) a therapeutic group work program for infants from birth to 36 months and their mothers provided the basis upon which to develop a transferable group work model to trial in Women’s shelters/refuges. Details: Melbourne: Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital Integrated Mental Health Program, 2008. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2012 at http://video.rch.org.au/mhs/BuBs_on_Board_Full_Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Crisis Shelters (Tasmania) Shelf Number: 125346

Author: Schneller, Edwina Title: Family Violence Courts Summary: In Australia and internationally there is growing recognition of the limitations of the criminal justice system in responding to complex social issues. One response is in the form of the creation of specialist courts. In Australia, there are a range of specialist courts covering: family violence, drug dependent offenders, Indigenous offenders, and mentally impaired offenders. This e-brief looks specifically at specialist family violence courts (FVCs). As background, selected overseas developments are discussed, as are various Australian innovations, including the NSW Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model (DVICM) pilot. A starting point for much of the analysis is the 2010 joint report by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) and NSW Law Reform Commission (NSWLRC), Family Violence–A National Legal Response, (ALRC & NSWLRC's Joint Report). The key recommendation of the Joint Report was that State governments should establish or further develop specialised family violence courts within existing courts in their jurisdictions. In 2010, in response to that report, the former NSW Attorney General, John Hatzistergos, raised the issue of creating specialist FVCs. Mr Hatzistergos and the former Premier, Kristina Keneally, announced that the Government would establish a working group to examine the implementation of FVCs in NSW. Advice received from the Criminal Law Review Division, Department of Attorney General Justice suggests that the working group never eventuated. Details: Sydney, NSW, Australia: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2012. 17p. Source: NSW Parliamentary Research Service e-brief: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2012 at http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/F37538FCF4F02174CA257A14001D3465/$File/Family+Violence+Courts+EBRIEF+12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 125382

Author: Ogloff, James R.P. Title: The Identification of Mental Disorders in the Criminal Justice System Summary: Although mental illness is widely recognised as a problem in modern society, it presents particular challenges for the criminal justice system. Research has shown that offenders have higher rates of mental illness than the general community. The Criminology Research Council commissioned a study to assess the level of screening and the instruments used across the jurisdictions by criminal justice agencies. Based on interviews and relevant documentation, the researchers found that, although assessment occurs in all jurisdictions and sectors, there is little consistency in the way offenders are assessed. As a result, the paper argues for a thorough, nationwide system of screening of all accused offenders taken into police custody, to identify those who require a comprehensive mental health assessment. Such assessments need to be repeated as an offender moves through the various stages of the criminal justice system. For there to be an effective and efficient response to mental illness, the authors recommend not only that assessments be shared between criminal justice agencies but also that there be ongoing dialogue between mental health and justice agencies. However, little will be achieved unless courts, police, and parole authorities are given training and resources to better meet the needs of the mentally ill. A more fundamental issue is why over-representation of the mentally ill in the criminal justice system occurs, and the authors call for further research on this key threshold issue. Details: Melbourne: Monash University, Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, 2006. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2012 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/2006-ogloff.html Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Services(Australia) Shelf Number: 125419

Author: David, Fiona Title: Organised Crime and Trafficking in Persons Summary: The public tends to assume that trafficking in persons is associated with the forced recruitment of women for sexual exploitation by highly organised, criminal gangs. In reality, the modus operandi and individuals involved in trafficking crimes are diverse. Trafficking in persons can and does occur in a range of industries and sectors, and it affects women, men and children. Furthermore, this crime can and has been perpetrated by relatively unsophisticated offenders, including individuals acting alone or with one other person, such as a spouse. All of these factors have implications for prevention, detection and prosecution. In this paper an overview is provided of the existing research on the organisation of human trafficking internationally and in Australia. It begins with an examination of the key concept: precisely what is organised crime? This is followed by an examination of the Australian and international literature on trafficking offending, a review that confirms the paucity of primary research on this subject. This paper is the first publication of a larger research project investigating the nature and characteristics of trafficking offending, with a particular focus on the Australian context. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 436: Accessed July 2, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/421-440/tandi436.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking (Australia) Shelf Number: 125449

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Reporting Wrongdoing in the Workplace: Problems for Police Summary: This report examines the application of the current legislative and policy framework for police reporting police wrongdoing. The topic is of particular importance to police because they – unlike any other public sector employees in Victoria – are compelled by legislation to report serious misconduct by their colleagues. The legislative framework for police reporting police wrongdoing is made up of certain sections of the Police Regulation Act 1958, the Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 and the Police Integrity Act 2008. The historical origins of the framework indicate that it was intended to protect individuals who report wrongdoing and to facilitate organisational improvement by uncovering and remedying workplace problems. Provisions to protect police who report their colleagues’ wrongdoing were established on the basis that there is a risk of reprisal for those who report. That risk is not unique to police. However, various inquiries into police corruption in past decades, both in Australia and elsewhere, have identified a culture of misguided solidarity among police. This has given the risk of reprisal particular relevance to police. The framework for police reporting wrongdoing in the workplace is complex and confusing. Victoria Police has had difficulty classifying wrongdoing under differing legislative definitions. This has affected the quality and consistency of its responses to wrongdoing. It has also resulted in inconsistent outcomes for those who report, in terms of the protections they receive and their perceptions of the organisation’s response to what they reported. It is timely to examine the problems faced by police under the present framework while Victoria’s anti-corruption landscape is undergoing reform. Leaving aside difficulties with the current legislative framework, representatives of Victoria Police say the negative culture that denigrates police who report wrongdoing in the workplace has reduced over time. OPI investigations indicate a significant proportion of police are prepared to speak up when workplace wrongdoing occurs, suggesting that some very negative perceptions of police culture might be unfair or outdated. Despite this, OPI investigations suggest there is still a significant proportion of police who are unlikely to speak up about wrongdoing. The legislated protections against retaliation do not address the root cause of reprisal – a workplace culture of misguided loyalty. The protections are individualistic and short-term, tending to ‘look after’ victims and potential victims of reprisal rather than address why reprisal occurs in the first place. Such an approach to reprisal can inhibit organisational improvement in response to wrongdoing, which undermines the value of reporting it at all. If Victoria Police does not or cannot make improvements in response to reports of wrongdoing then the process of reporting provides little value. OPI does not recommend withdrawing either the requirement for police to report wrongdoing in the workplace or the formal protections against reprisal. So long as reprisal does occur, Victoria Police should apply sanctions for retaliation to the full extent of the law. But formal compulsions and protections are no substitute for a culture that actively supports speaking up against wrongdoing in the workplace. The current framework is an improvement on a culture of silence where no one can or will speak up about wrongdoing. But individualistic and short-term protections are not the ultimate goal. Ideally, the Victoria Police workplace will be one in which individuals who speak up about wrongdoing are fully supported – then they will have no need of protection. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2012. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2012 at: http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/ Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Blue Code of Silence Shelf Number: 125452

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Victoria Police: Recurring Themes in the Management of High Profile Investigations Summary: This report sets out the findings of an OPI review of Victoria Police’s management of investigations, in particular, the management of ‘high profile’ cases – those cases which attract a high level of media attention. A recurring feature of many Victoria Police investigations is the unauthorised release of confidential information or ‘leaking’. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2012. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 2, 2012 at: Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Confidential Information Shelf Number: 125453

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Firearm Trafficking and Serious and Organised Crime Gangs Summary: Despite strict regulations on the import, export, ownership, use, transfer and storage of licit firearms, there exists in Australia a potentially large pool of illicit firearms, some of which are acquired, stockpiled and used for serious and organised crime. This report follows a modest group of publicly released examinations of firearm trafficking operations in Australia, to describe what can be determined about the composition and maintenance of the illicit firearm market, its use by serious and organised crime groups and the diversity of transaction arrangements used to vend illicit firearms. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 60p. Source: Initernet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series 116: Accessed July 2, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/current%20series/rpp/100-120/rpp116.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Illicit Firearms Shelf Number: 125456

Author: Gately, Natalie Title: Amphetamine Users and Crime in Western Australia, 1999–2009 Summary: Statistics consistently highlight a higher prevalence of the use of amphetamines in Western Australia compared with other Australian drug markets. It is the third most commonly used drug in Western Australia behind cannabis and ecstasy. Using data collected by Drugs Use Monitoring Australia (DUMA) program at the East Perth watch-house, researchers from Edith Cowan University explore the relationship between amphetamine use and the crimes committed by detainees who have used this drug. Findings include that amphetamine users are more likely to commit property, robbery and weapons offences than users of other drugs. However, users are no more prone to violent offences, which supports other studies of amphetamine users and their criminal behaviours. It is also concluded that the failure to reduce the use of amphetamines has a cumulative social and health cost to the community. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 437: Accessed July 7, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/421-440/tandi437.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Amphetamines Shelf Number: 125491

Author: Baker, Joanne Title: Review of the Waverley Theft Reduction Strategy: Final Report Summary: The Waverley Theft Reduction Strategy was a joint initiative of the NSW Department of Justice and Attorney General and the NSW Police Force that ran from December 2007 to April 2009. The aim of the Strategy was to reduce the incidence of retail theft and steal from person offences in the Bondi Junction Shopping Precinct. CPD undertook a review of the Strategy to examine the implementation of the Strategy and the outcomes it achieved. Key features of the Strategy were the development of strong partnerships with local stakeholders to implement a range of crime prevention initiatives. Key stakeholders included the NSW Police Force, Waverley Council, the major shopping centres (Westfield, Eastgate), key retailers, Railcorp and the State Transit Authority of NSW. It was intended that the initiatives would be based on approaches that had shown promising results in other locations. The evidence base in the area, however, is limited at present and so we don’t have a good understanding of the key drivers of retail and personal theft or the types of solutions likely to be effective in reducing these offences. The initiatives were therefore based on the best available evidence and were primarily aimed at educating retailers and the public about suitable crime prevention techniques and encouraging them to adopt such techniques. The initiatives included —  Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) audits in identified hotspot stores to recommend potential store improvements.  Seminars (Bizsafe seminars) to educate retailers about crime prevention techniques.  A community education campaign (Gone in a Flash) to inform the public about how to better protect their personal belongings.  A young offender program to educate young shoplifting offenders about the consequences of shoplifting and help reduce their future risk of offending.  Installation of anti-theft accessories (such as hooks to secure handbags and other bags) in food-courts, change-rooms and shoe stores to better protect personal belongings.  A crime prevention newsletter to provide information about the Strategy and crime prevention tips to stakeholders and retailers. Details: Sydney: NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice, Crime Prevention Division, 2011. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2012 at: http://www.crimeprevention.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/cpd/m660001l2/waverley%20theft%20reduction.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Through Environment Design Shelf Number: 125496

Author: Ogloff, James R.P. Title: Child Sexual Abuse and Subsequent Offending and Victimisation: A 45 Year Follow-up Study Summary: Up to 30 percent of children experience childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and whether this impacts re-victimisation or offending as an adult has been the subject of numerous studies. This study investigates whether a disproportionate number of CSA victims subsequently perpetrate offences and experience future victimisation compared with people who have not been sexually abused. In a sample of 2,759 CSA victims who were abused between 1964 and 1995, it was found CSA victims were almost five times more likely than the general population to be charged with any offence than their non-abused counterparts, with strongest associations found for sexual and violent offences. CSA victims were also more likely to have been victims of crime, particularly crimes of a sexual or violent nature. This research highlights the need for therapeutic interventions targeted at adolescent male CSA victims, particularly with regard to offender treatment programs, where many programs currently do not allow for exploration of offenders’ own sexual victimisation. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 440: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/3/F/%7B43F84BC9-770B-41AC-A2AA-8F4B5AFFC1EB%7Dtandi440.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 125508

Author: Larsen, Jacqueline Joudo Title: People Trafficking in Australia Summary: The clandestine nature of trafficking in persons means that there is little reliable data about the nature and extent of the crime; however, a picture is emerging of the nature of people trafficking as the number of prosecutions grows. Few of the cases identified in Australia to date fit the traditional stereotypes of the forced movement and confinement of trafficked persons by traffickers. This paper summarises what is currently known about the nature of people trafficking in Australia. It includes an examination of how the reality of people trafficking compares with community perceptions of the crime. The authors note the need to establish reliable data-driven monitoring systems to better assess the nature and extent of trafficking into Australia, and the need to educate the Australian community to improve their understanding, given the important role they play in identifying and supporting trafficking victims. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 441: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://aic.gov.au/documents/A/2/1/%7BA219EED2-D27C-4BBF-B99A-4687070C3F7B%7Dtandi441.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking (Australia) Shelf Number: 125509

Author: Ziersch, Emma Title: The South Australian Drug Court: A Recidivism Study Summary: One of the primary aims of the South Australian Drug Court is to cease or reduce criminal activity amongst individuals whose offending is related to drug abuse. The court seeks to achieve this through a comprehensive program of intensive supervision, regular drug testing, sanctions and therapy and support services. This evaluation examines and compares the offending behaviour of persons who participate in the Drug Court between 2004 and 2008 with a sample of prisoners who did not take part in the Drug Court program, with the aim of determining the impact of the Drug Court on re-offending. Details: Adelaide: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/SADrugCourtRecidivismStudy.pdf, 2012. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/SADrugCourtRecidivismStudy.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Courts (Australia) Shelf Number: 125513

Author: Australian Institute of Criminology Title: Serious and Organised Investment Fraud in Australia Summary: In 2011, Task Force Galilee was established to broaden the understanding of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud and to develop a national response. As at April 2012, the Task Force estimated that Australians’ losses to this type of fraud since January 2007 were in excess of A$113 million, with this figure likely to be conservative. During this period more than 2,600 Australians were victims of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud. These figures have largely been established as a result of intelligence analysis, and do not reflect the actual level of reporting by victims, which remains low. This report has been prepared to provide an insight into the nature and extent of this type of fraud as it currently affects Australia. Since the Task Force’s establishment, knowledge and understanding of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud has grown exponentially, and continues to do so. The information in this report is a compilation of the key characteristics identified via available literature and relevant Task Force member findings. The research and assistance of the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) is also acknowledged. This report uses the definition of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud which has been adopted by Task Force Galilee. This Task Force defines it as: a) any unsolicited contact, by telephone or internet, of persons in Australia (potential investors) by persons (callers) usually located overseas, where such callers engage in conduct that is fraudulent, false, misleading or deceptive with the purpose of inducing potential investors to buy, sell, or retain securities or other investments and where such callers do not have the license or authority to engage in a securities business, or investment advice business in Australia; and b) may include superannuation and investment fraud. The report is divided into three sections: •• Section 1: Characteristics of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud •• Section 2: Who is targeted by Serious and Organised Investment Fraud? •• Section 3: Current responses to Serious and Organised Investment Fraud Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://www.crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/Galilee%202012/SOIFA_Report_040712.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Business Crime Shelf Number: 125518

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Intensive Correction Orders vs other Penalties: Offender Profiles Summary: Aim: To examine the profile of offenders given intensive correction orders in New South Wales and to compare these offenders with those who received other penalties. Method: Details of offenders’ demographic and offence characteristics, prior convictions and penalties were examined. Logistic regression models were developed to compare those who received intensive correction orders with those who received other penalties. Results: Between 1 October 2010 and 30 September 2011, 488 offenders in NSW were given an intensive correction order. The majority of offenders were male (89%); on average, they were 32.7 years of age, with 5.3 prior proven court appearances, and most commonly they were convicted of traffic and vehicle regulatory offences (40%). When compared with offenders receiving periodic detention, a suspended sentence with supervision, a community service order or a sentence of imprisonment, those who received intensive correction orders were most similar to those who received periodic detention in the preceding year. However, they were more likely to be female, have a prior prison sentence and live in a major city than those who had received periodic detention. Conclusion: The profile of offenders receiving intensive correction orders was very similar to the profile of those who previously received periodic detention. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 163: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB163.pdf/$file/CJB163.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 125543

Author: Forsythe, Lubica Title: Mental Disorder Prevalence at the Gateway to the Criminal Justice System Summary: Many criminal justice practitioners have observed that offenders experience poor mental health. While international studies have found mental health to be poorer among prisoners than in the general population, less information is available either about offenders who are not imprisoned or alleged offenders detained by police. The mental health of offenders is of key policy interest from both health service and crime prevention perspectives. This is the first Australian study to measure the prevalence of mental disorder among offenders nationally, using information provided by 690 police detainees who participated in the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Around half reported having been diagnosed with a mental disorder in the past. The study was also the first to use the Corrections Mental Health Screen (CMHS), an instrument validated for gender-specific screening, on an Australian offender population. Results suggest that almost half of detainees may have a diagnosable mental disorder at the time of arrest, including 42 percent of women and 28 percent of men with no previous diagnosis. In the routine screening of police detainees as they enter the criminal justice system, the CMHS could be used to identify for the first time those who would benefit from psychological assessment and appropriate intervention. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 438: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/6/8/%7B868E2162-6E92-4028-BF27-50A8D4FB1B04%7Dtandi438_001.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Services Shelf Number: 125544

Author: Victoria. Auditor-General Title: Effectiveness of Justice Strategies in Preventing and Reducing Alcohol-Related Harm Summary: The audit assessed the effectiveness of the Department of Justice, Victoria Police and the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation in preventing and reducing the impact of alcohol-related harm on the community. Alcohol-related harm costs Victoria an estimated $4.3 billion per year. Despite the implementation of various strategies and initiatives, the level of reported alcohol-related harm has increased significantly over the past 10 years. Harm minimisation efforts have been hampered by the lack of a whole-of-government policy position on the role of alcohol in society, by poorly chosen, implemented and evaluated initiatives, by inconsistent and cumbersome liquor licensing processes and legislation, and by a lack of coordinated, intelligence-led and targeted enforcement. The Department of Justice's initiatives to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm were fragmented, superficial and reactive instead of targeted, evidence-based, complementary and well coordinated. The liquor licensing regime is not effectively minimising alcohol-related harm. This is due to a lack of transparency in decision-making, insufficient guidance on regulatory processes, administrative errors, poor quality data and a lack of engagement from councils. There is no overarching whole-of-government enforcement strategy to comprehensively address unlawful supply, particularly service to intoxicated patrons and minors, which is the cause of much alcohol-related harm. Inaccurate and incomplete data is further hampering enforcement efforts. A fundamental change in approach to strategy development, licensing and enforcement is required before any noticeable impact on reducing harm is likely. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2012. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2012 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/reports_and_publications/latest_reports/2011-12/20120620-alcohol.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 125546

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: The Mental Health of Prison Entrants in Australia, 2010 Summary: This bulletin presents results from the 2010 National Prisoner Health Census, and focuses on the associations between mental health and a range of characteristics and behaviours reported by prison entrants. Generally, prison entrants with mental health issues have relatively poor socioeconomic and health characteristics and are more likely to engage in risky health behaviours. They also are more likely to use prison health services and use them more frequently. Mental health issues are common among prison entrants - In 2010, 31% of prison entrants reported that they had been told by a doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist or nurse that they had a mental health disorder (including drug and alcohol abuse) in their lifetime. This is about 2.5 times higher than the general population (ABS 2010). Sixteen per cent of prison entrants were currently on medication for a mental health disorder and 14% reported experiencing very high levels of distress. Prison entrants with a mental health disorder have relatively poor socioeconomic and health characteristics - Compared with entrants without a history of a mental health disorder and the general population, prison entrants with a history of a mental health disorder have poorer socioeconomic and health characteristics. Two out of five prison entrants in Australia with a mental health disorder did not complete Year 10 at school and 2 out of 3 were either unemployed or unable to work due to disability, age or condition. Further, this group had extensive criminal histories, with about 1 in 3 having been incarcerated 5 or more times in an adult prison. Also, half of this group had received a head injury that resulted in a loss of consciousness or blacking out. Prison entrants with a mental health disorder are more likely to report risky health behaviours - Many prison entrants in Australia report engaging in risky health behaviours such as illicit drug use, drinking alcohol at extreme levels and smoking tobacco. Some of these behaviours are even more extensive in prison entrants currently taking medication for a mental health disorder than those not taking medication. Three in 4 prison entrants currently taking medication for a mental health disorder have used illicit drugs in the last 12 months, more than half consumed alcohol at risky levels and nearly 90% smoked. A high proportion of prison entrants with mental health issues accessed mental health services at the prison clinic - More than half of prison entrants who experienced very high psychological distress in the past 4 weeks were referred to a prison mental health clinic. Further, about a third of prison entrants taking medication for a mental health disorder visited the clinic for a mental health issue and nearly half (48%) of this group visited the clinic 3 or more times during the 2-week National Prisoner Health Census. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 104: Accessed July 17, 2012 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737422201 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Services Shelf Number: 125634

Author: Wise Strategic Communication Title: Afghanistan Counter People Smuggling Scoping Study Summary: This study aims to identify the level of situational awareness and both formal and informal communication channels to reach out Hazara population to inform them of the risks associated with illegal immigration to Australia via people-smuggling networks. Details: Canberra: Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, 2010. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2012 at: http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/FinalReport-WiseStrategicCommunicatoin.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Security Shelf Number: 125660

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Drugs and cRime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry Into Locally Based Approaches to Community Safety and Crime Prevention: Final Report Summary: The recent release of crime statistics in Victoria has shown that crime against the person has increased during the last year. Crime costs the community in a variety of ways. For example, the Australian Institute of Criminology found the cost of crime in Australia in 2005 to be nearly $36 billion per year. More recently a study by Professor Russell Smyth from Monash University conservatively estimated the cost of crime in Victoria 2009-2010 to be $9.8 billion. Given these statistics it is timely that the Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee has undertaken an inquiry into community safety and crime prevention. It should be noted at the outset however that this Inquiry has not been about individual crime prevention initiatives or specific areas of crime prevention such as family violence or alcohol related crime. Rather, the focus is about the processes and models through which effective crime prevention policy and programs can be developed and implemented at local level and the partnerships that can be formed to make this happen. The recommendations arising from this Report reflect this. Having said this the Committee received considerable evidence through submissions and witness testimony in Victoria and other parts of Australia that alcohol and drug misuse is one of the key drivers contributing to crime and antisocial behaviour and that accordingly measures need to be taken to address this. The Committee agrees that there is a definite place for criminal justice initiatives to deter and reduce offending and antisocial behaviours. However the concept of crime prevention cannot be narrowly circumscribed to traditional law and order approaches only. These approaches can be superficially attractive but they ignore the complex and multiple contributory factors that lead to criminal offending. Crime prevention strategies need to be based on social developmental, situational and environmental models approaches in addition to law enforcement measures. It is equally important to incorporate the concepts of community engagement, social capital and community capacity building into crime prevention policy and program implementation. Modern crime prevention and community engagement approaches are essentially about investing in safer, healthier and happier local communities. A key aspect of this Inquiry was examining local approaches to crime prevention including the role and work of Neighbourhood Watch within the community. The work of local government and community agencies therefore featured strongly throughout this Report. Much crime prevention theory and research indicates that initiatives developed and implemented at a local level are some of the best ways of reducing crime and antisocial behaviour. As most crime of immediate concern to communities is local (e.g. property crime, antisocial behaviour and alcohol related crime, vandalism etc.) then the primary focus for preventive action should also be local. As such the Committee has made recommendations to the overall structure of Community Crime Prevention in this state which will allow for greater local level and community collaboration as well as more easily facilitating input from experts. These recommendations will also provide for greater coordination across government. The Report and its recommendations address many of the complex challenges of crime prevention. The Committee is of the view that given this complexity of the task a ‘one size fits all’ approach is inappropriate in addressing the issues of crime and antisocial behaviour in Victoria. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer for State of Victoria, 2012. 376p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2012 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/dcpc/Locally_Based_Approach_Crime_Prevention/dcpc.icp.finalreport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Communities and Crime Shelf Number: 125684

Author: Australia. Victims of Crime Coordinator Title: A Rollercoaster Ride: Victims of Sexual Assault: Their Experiences with and Views about the Criminal Justice Process in the ACT 2009 Summary: This report provides information principally derived from two studies involving a number of adults who had experienced a sexual assault and who had reported the incident to police in the ACT. The first component involved qualitative interviews with individual victims of sexual assault to ascertain in depth their views and experiences of the criminal justice process. The second involved the research participants answering questions about procedural fairness using a computer program specifically designed for a larger national research project. The decision to report a sexual assault to police has far reaching implications for the women and girls, men and boys who chose to do so. While any individual person will be influenced by a range of factors in deciding to disclose, or not, those interviewed for this research primarily felt motivated to protect themselves and to protect the community by reporting the incident(s) to police. Victims of sexual assault who participate in the criminal justice process do so with a high degree of ambivalence mixed with a strong sense of responsibility to see justice done. Victims of sexual assault value highly the principles of procedural fairness. They rank highly the principles of honesty, absence of bias, fair and just decision-making, and inclusion. They value being treated with respect, sensitivity and fairness. They value being made to feel safe and being given clear and timely information. How victims of sexual assault experience these principles and values in reality produces a mixed picture in the ACT. Most of those interviewed for this research found the police, prosecutors and victim liaison staff to be supportive and positive. Consequently, they did not consider withdrawing their report. For those who actually appeared in court, the judiciary was experienced as supportive and respectful. Interviewees valued the contact made by victim liaison staff in the justice agencies, and considered the support and counselling provided by the various victim services to be helpful and encouraging. Those victims who appeared in court generally found the experience of defence lawyers to be humiliating and difficult. A range of specific aspects to the criminal justice process were noted by the participants to this research to be unhelpful and discouraging. In particular, comments or behaviour from justice practitioners that was interpreted as lacking in empathy, understanding or belief, inadequate information, insufficient preparation and lack of follow up, not being given opportunities to be involved or to be heard, some counselling support being difficult to access, the length of time the process took and number of adjournments, and media intrusiveness. Perhaps surprisingly, victims interviewed for this report were unanimous that their decision to report to police was right for them and that they would encourage reporting to a friend who was sexually assaulted. One, however, was ambivalent about reporting in the future if she herself was sexually assaulted again. All participants wanted the offender apprehended, charged, convicted and rehabilitated (often in prison) because they wanted to ensure that others were safe. On the question of victim choice and control, all participants in the research project thought the police and prosecutors needed to have the control over the laying of charges and decisions to prosecute. They believed it shouldn’t be about their preference. At the same time, all those interviewed felt that police and prosecutors should ask victims their views, and be supportive and respectful of these in the decision-making process. Similarly, all participants in the research project felt that their views should be taken into account at sentencing but did not feel the decisions about length of sentence and type of punishment should be up to them. They thought the judge should take account of their views and their victim impact statement but that the decision should remain with the judge. A number of matters limit the general applicability of the findings of this research project. These are that only a small number of people provided feedback, the participants were all adult, and a majority of participants not only had the offence committed against them charged and prosecuted, but also the majority had their case result in a plea or finding of guilt. These last two factors are generally atypical in all Australian jurisdictions. Details: Canberra: ACT Government, 2009. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2012 at: http://www.unb.ca/observ/documents/ARollercoasterRideFINAL.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 125741

Author: Pritchard, Jeremy Title: Measuring Drug Use Patterns in Queensland Through Wastewater Analysis Summary: Estimating the use of illicit drugs in the general community is an important task with ramifications for law enforcement agencies, as well as health portfolios. Australia has four ongoing drug monitoring systems, including the AIC’s DUMA program, the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, the Illicit Drug Reporting System and the Ecstasy and Related Drug Reporting System. The systems vary in methods, but broadly they are reliant upon self-report data and may be subject to selection biases. The present study employed a completely different method. By chemically analysing sewerage water, the study produced daily estimates of consumption of methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine. Samples were collected in November 2009 and November 2010 from a municipality in Queensland, with an population of over 150,000 people. Estimates were made of the average daily dose and average daily street value per 1,000 people. On the basis of estimated dose and price, the methamphetamine market appeared considerably stronger than either MDMA or cocaine. This paper explains the strengths and weaknesses of wastewater analysis. It considers the potential value of wastewater analysis in measuring net consumption of illicit drugs and the effectiveness of law enforcement agency strategies. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Jsutice, No. 442: Accessed July 30, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi442.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Australia) Shelf Number: 125804

Author: Ombudsman SA (South Australia) Title: Ombudsman Investigation into the Department for Correctional Services in Relation to the Restraining and Shackling of Prisoners in Hospitals Summary: All adult prisoners held on remand and under sentence in South Australia are under the care of the department. Except in a few instances, it is responsible for all aspects of their care. The Department for Health and Ageing, through the South Australian Prisoner Health Service (SAPHS), provides health services in the nine state prisons. It provides a range of primary services from nursing staff, salaried medical officers, visiting mepractitioners and a limited range of allied health services. Yatala Labour Prison and the Adelaide Remand Centre have small medical centres capable of managing semi-acute health problems, which are operated by SAPHS. Also, a limited 24-hour nursing service is provided at these sites. On-site psychiatric clinics are provided at these prisons by Forensic Mental Health Services, which also provides a separate inpatient facility at James Nash House. Most secondary and tertiary health care and most allied health services are provided off-site through the public health system. Generally, when prisoners are receiving medical treatment in hospital they are under the supervision of the department. However, this varies with mental health patients. When mental health patients are in an emergency department or an open ward of a hospital, their security is managed by the department. Once a mental health patient is transferred to a secure, locked ward all restraints and guards are removed, and they can be accommodated to receive treatment for their mental health needs. This investigation relates only to the restraint of prisoners who are receiving treatment in the general wards of South Australian public hospitals whilst restrained and under the supervision of the department. Details: Rundle Mall, SA: Ombudsman SA, 2012. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 30, 2012 at: http://www.ombudsman.sa.gov.au/Ombudsman%20investigation%20into%20the%20Department%20for%20Correctional%20Services.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Inmates Shelf Number: 125815

Author: Smallbone, Stephen Title: Outcomes of Queensland Corrective Services Sexual Offender Treatment Programs Summary: The authors were engaged by Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) in March 2009 to conduct an independent outcome evaluation of QCS prison-based sexual offender programs. The evaluation set out to answer two main questions: 1. do QCS sexual offender programs produce discernable and intended therapeutic effects, and 2. do these programs produce positive effects on recidivism? The evaluation also set out to answer a number of secondary questions, namely: 1. does the effectiveness of treatment vary according to offender characteristics (e.g. for offenders with child versus adult victims; for Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders; for higher- or lower-risk offenders), and 2. are treatment effects moderated by post-release circumstances (e.g. release with or without community supervision)? Risk assessment and recidivism data were obtained on 409 adult males who had served a term of imprisonment for a sexual offence, and who were discharged between April 2005 and June 2008. Recidivism data were obtained from searches of QCS and Queensland Police Service records between April 2005 and the ‘census’ date of 14 September 2009. Additional clinical data were obtained on 158 offenders who had completed a treatment program. Time-at-risk ranged from 15 months to 53 months, with an average of 29 months. Intermediate treatment outcomes were analysed by comparing pre- and post-treatment scores on a range of offender- and therapist-reported measures for the treated group (n = 158). Intermediate outcomes are reported in terms of both statistical significance and clinical significance. Longer-term treatment outcomes were analysed by comparing treated (n = 158) and untreated offenders (n = 251) on sexual recidivism, nonsexual violent recidivism, and non-violent recidivism. Because these two groups differed on static risk measures, comparisons are reported with and without statistically controlling for these differences. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Corrective Services, 2010. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2012 at: http://www.correctiveservices.qld.gov.au/Publications/Corporate_Publications/Reviews_and_Reports/Final%20Report_%20Outcomes%20of%20QCS%20Sexual%20Off%20Treatment%20Program.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Treatment Programs Shelf Number: 125818

Author: Owens, Katherine Papafotiou Title: Evaluating the deterrent effect of random breath testing (RBT) and random drug testing (RDT) - The driver's perspective Research Findings Summary: This report presents the findings from the project evaluation of the deterrent effect of Random Breath Testing (RBT) and Random Drug Testing (RDT)—The driver’s perspective undertaken by the Ipsos-Eureka Social Research Institute and Victoria Police in 2009. The project was funded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF). The project involved a mixed methodology, where review and a qualitative component guided the development of a survey to assess the deterrent effect of random breath testing (RBT) and random drug testing (RDT), and a quantitative component measured the influence of various law enforcement practices on a driver’s decision to drink/drug drive. In order to ascertain aspects of law enforcement practice that have the greatest deterrence value to drivers, analysis on Australia-wide data was performed. Australian jurisdictionspecific data is also presented, so that law enforcement agencies can assess the deterrence value of their current RBT and RDT practice to drivers. The project aims focused on identifying which law enforcement practices have the greatest deterrent effect on drivers who consume alcohol and/or drugs, and who indicate they are likely to drink drive and/or drug drive in the future. Importantly, the study focused on measuring RBT and RDT law enforcement practices, from the driver’s perspective, rather than from law enforcement activity reports. This aspect of the project is considered instrumental to the findings, since a driver’s perception of practice is more likely to influence their behaviour than law enforcement activities that may go unnoticed by drivers. The project involved a review component involving interviews with law enforcement agencies across Australia, a qualitative component involving interviews with alcohol and drugs users, and a quantitative component involving an Australia-wide survey of alcohol and drug users (drivers). In order to identify the most important aspects of RBT and RDT law enforcement practice, a review of law enforcement practices across Australia was performed. Law enforcement representatives from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia agreed to participate in the review phase. Information from these interviews was used to direct in-depth discussions with alcohol and drugs users, in terms of their drink and drug driving behaviour, and their perspective on the value of RBT and RDT. Key aspects of RBT and RDT were identified for inclusion in the qualitative phase and quantitative phase. Considering the importance of maintaining confidentiality of law enforcement practices, the information gathered from the interviews with law enforcement representatives is not presented in this report. Information that was instrumental in guiding the development of the discussion guide for in-depth interviews with alcohol and drugs users, and the development of the survey that was administered Australia-wide, is represented within the results. Details: Canberra, Australia: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2011. 171p. Source: Monograph Series No. 41: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2012 at http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_41.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Breath Testing, Random (Australia) Shelf Number: 125822

Author: Barbour, Bruce: NSW Ombudsman Title: Managing the use of force in prisons: the need for better policy and practice Summary: This report concerns how using force on inmates in correctional centres in NSW is managed. Correctional officers are authorised to use force against inmates in certain circumstances. Over the last three years this office has done considerable work about how uses of force are managed by CSNSW (Corrective Services NSW). We recognise correctional officers work in difficult circumstances and can be required to deal with challenging and potentially dangerous situations. Using force can put officers as well as inmates at risk of physical harm and, as such, it is essential officers have the skills and knowledge to deescalate situations (so force is used only as a last resort) and are trained in how to use force safely when there are no other alternatives. Between July 2009 and April 2010 we did a major investigation into how CSNSW monitored and scrutinised uses of force, including how it dealt with and investigated complaints about uses of force. We examined policies and procedures, reviewed training, interviewed departmental staff and audited a sample of use of force reports. Our investigation identified deficiencies in how CSNSW manages uses of force across the system. We made a number of recommendations for change which were accepted by CSNSW. Essentially, the matters which need addressing are about the good order and security of the correctional system: Correctional officers who use force on inmates need to be trained in the lawful and proper use of force, instruments of restraint, recording and reporting of uses of force; General Managers need effective tools to ensure trained staff are acting lawfully and appropriately in their management of inmates; and CSNSW needs functioning systems of accountability to satisfy the community that inmates are being managed lawfully and humanely and that CSNSW are ensuring a safe workplace for their staff. Details: Sydney, Australia: NSW (New South Wales) Ombudsman, 2012. 36p. Source: Special Report: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2012 at http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/5971/SR_CustodialServices_Use_of_force_web_Jul12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Evaluative Studies Shelf Number: 125831

Author: Morgan, Jenny Title: Victorian Print Media Coverage of Violence Against Women: A Longitudinal STudy Summary: The media plays a key role in the way people understand social issues such as violence against women. This research focuses on how violence against women has been represented by parts of the Victorian print media. It identifies opportunities to strengthen reporting on violence against women to improve community understanding of the nature and causes of the issue. It is intended to be a helpful resource for all media professionals, but particularly trainee journalists, their mentors and current newspaper editors. Details: Carlton South, VIC, AUS: VicHealth, 2012. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2012 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Victorian-print-media-coverage-of-violence-against-women.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 125841

Author: Ombudsman SA (South Australia) Title: An Audit of Prisoner Complaint Handling in the South Australian Department for Correctional Services Summary: The evidence gathered in my audit indicates that the Department for Correctional Services complaint handling system is deficient in the key areas of accessibility, efficiency, fairness and accountability. The most positive aspects of the department’s current approach to complaints management is the work done in recent years to improve the circumstances of Aboriginal people in custody. This work provides a foundation upon which to build a stronger and more productive complaint handling system for all prisoners. Although custodial staff and managers may have the authority to deal with and resolve prisoner complaints in the first instance, I have formed the impression that in general terms, prisoners are not confident that custodial staff and managers are able to deal with and resolve many of their complaints at the local prison level. The findings of my audit support the view that the department’s complaint handling system is inefficient, and there is a distinct lack of consistency in the way in which complaints are dealt with at the local prison level and by the department. The audit report contains a number of recommendations under section 25(2)(b) of the Ombudsman Act to rectify or mitigate the effect of the deficiencies in the department’s complaints handling system. Details: Rundle Mall, SA: Ombudsman SA, 2012. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 6, 2012 at: http://www.ombudsman.sa.gov.au/An%20audit%20of%20prisoner%20complaint%20handling%20in%20the%20South%20Australian%20Department%20for%20Correctional%20Services.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections Officers Shelf Number: 125860

Author: Kirwan, Amy Title: Licit and Illicit Quetiapine Use Among IDRS Participants Summary: Key findings • ƒQuetiapine use and associated problems have been documented overseasƒƒ • Lifetime quetiapine use was reported by 41% of the 2011 IDRS sample, and recent use was reported by 22% of the sample • Recent mental health issues and recent benzodiazepine use were prevalent among those using both licit and illicit quetiapine • Ice use was frequently reported by those reporting illicit quetiapine use • Quetiapine use among PWID warrants further research and monitoring. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, The University of New South Wales, 2012. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: IDRS Bulletin: Accessed August 7, 2012 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/ndarc.cms.med.unsw.edu.au/files/ndarc/resources/IDRS%20Bulletin%20July12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 125876

Author: Arney, Fiona Title: Men's Places: Literature Review Summary: This report provides detail from a review of the literature regarding the prevention of and response to family violence with a focus on engaging Aboriginal men in remote communities. The literature review has been derived at the request of Department of Children and Families in the Northern Territory Australia to inform efforts in violence protection and response with a focus on men. A search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted to report on the practice and programs related to (i) community-focused activity for men aimed at reducing family violence before it occurs and (ii), community focused activity aimed at providing effective responses to men involved in family violence. The literature review focuses on activity that has been successful in (i) remote Australian communities and (ii), activity that has been successful in remote indigenous communities of other countries. The literature review highlights the need to work with Aboriginal men for their own healing as people that experience violence and for the benefit of family and community where men perpetrate violence. In Aboriginal communities, it is more than likely that abusive men will remain in the lives of their partners for a range of reasons. The review also highlights the limitations of mainstream law and order approaches to reducing family violence in Aboriginal communities, but also describes the lack of a solid evidence base for community based approaches to preventing and responding to violence. The review describes approaches for engaging men in service delivery, and the need to incorporate models which accurately represent men’s attitudes to violence, health, service delivery and behaviour change. Details: Darwin, NT, Australia: The Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, 2012. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2012 at: http://ccde.menzies.edu.au/sites/default/files/Arney%20Westby%202012%20Mens%20Places.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 125899

Author: Vivian, Alison Title: Factors Affecting Crime Rates in Indigenous Communities in NSW: Kempsey and Gunnedah Summary: This report is the third and final in a series of reports emerging from fieldwork exploring factors that impact on rates of crime in six communities in NSW with significant Aboriginal populations. The main aim of the research was to identify, and better understand, factors that may contribute to variations in rates of offending between two Aboriginal populations that are demographically comparable but have markedly different crime rates. Kempsey has a higher crime rate and Gunnedah the lower crime rate. Details: Sydney: Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology, Sydney, 2012. 94p. Source: Accessed August 8, 2012 at: http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/researchareas/newmedia/FINALKempseyGunnedahReport13June2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals (Australia) Shelf Number: 125907

Author: Ritchie, Donald Title: How Much Does Imprisonment Protect the Community Through Incapacitation? Summary: Sentences in Victoria may be imposed for one or more of the following purposes (Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) s 5(1)): 1. punishment; 2. denunciation; 3. rehabilitation; 4. deterrence; and 5. community protection. As part of the Council’s statutory function of conducting research and disseminating information on sentencing matters, this paper examines the effectiveness of imprisonment in achieving community protection through incapacitative methods. While deterrence and rehabilitation also seek to protect the community from further offending, incapacitation is a means of protecting the community by removing or reducing the physical capacity of an offender to offend. The most obvious form of incapacitation is a sentence of imprisonment. However, there are other forms of limited or partial incapacitation, including curfews and restrictions on movement (such as home detention), monitoring and reporting requirements as well as forms of drug therapy. This paper focuses on imprisonment, as it is the most severe, iconic and resource-intensive form of incapacitation. It is the form most commonly assumed to be effective and is the focus of most empirical research into this subject. The incapacitative effect of imprisonment presents a compelling logic: while in prison, an offender cannot offend in the community. Consequently, the incapacitation of an offender may be expected to prevent crime that an offender would commit were he or she at liberty in the community. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, Victoria, 2012, 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Sentencing Matters: Accessed August 8, 2012 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/how_much_does_imprisonment_protect_the_community_through_incapacitation_0.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Imprisonment Shelf Number: 125908

Author: Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA) Title: Pharmaceutical Misuse - Position Paper Summary: Pharmaceuticals are key to the realisation of positive health outcomes for many Victorians when used appropriately. However, Pharmaceutical misuse is a growing problem in Australia and has become endemic in other similar countries such as US and Canada. There are a number of populations vulnerable to pharmaceutical misuse, some of which are hidden and are not accessing treatment. GPs and other primary care prescribers and pharmacists, as the gatekeepers to community access of pharmaceuticals, are not supported strongly enough to prevent the harms associated with misuse. Various systemic failures at a range of levels contribute to this pending crisis. GPs and other primary care prescribers and pharmacists need heightened support and training and the alcohol and other drug treatment sector must be resourced to cater for increasingly complex service user presentations and geared to service hidden populations. A real time prescription monitoring program should be implemented with appropriate protections for community members. These initiatives should be supported by an overarching strategy which encapsulates the relevant sections of existing national and state strategies, refers to morbidity and mortality data and is evidence informed with measurable indicators. Details: Melbourne: VAADA, 2012. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2012 at: http://www.vaada.org.au/resources/items/2012/08/509413-upload-00001.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Australia) Shelf Number: 125910

Author: Alpert, Geoffrey P. Title: The Cognitive Interview in Policing: Negotiating Control Summary: This Briefing Paper highlights the benefits of employing cognitive interviewing techniques with witnesses and police officers following a traumatic incident. The authors note these techniques can facilitate more detailed memory recall by a witness (civilian or police officer) on the context, chronology and individual perceptions prior to, during, and after a critical incident, potentially significant details that can assist police investigators. In contrast, the controlled interview techniques currently used by police may potentially exclude important, contextual details. The cognitive interview process outlined in this paper is soon to be incorporated into police training in New Zealand and Australia (Queensland and Western Australia). Details: Nathan, Australia: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2012. 6p. Source: Briefing Paper Issue 13: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2012 at http://www.ceps.edu.au/CMS/Uploads/file/Geoff%20Alpert_The%20cognitive%20Interview%20in%20Policing%20WEB.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Investigation (Australia) Shelf Number: 125947

Author: Hudson, Sara Title: Alcohol Restrictions in Indigenous Communities and Frontier Towns Summary: Double standards in the responsible serving of alcohol have contributed to the growing alcohol problem in remote Indigenous communities, and are one reason why alcohol restrictions are now in place in communities across the Far North. But until the same standards are applied everywhere, there is no way of knowing whether such restrictions are really necessary. More controls on alcohol will have little effect until all the double standards that permeate Aboriginal people’s lives are addressed. Australia has a long history of treating Aboriginal people differently. First they were subjected to discriminatory laws that prevented them from living where they chose, drinking legally, voting, and being paid a fair wage. When these inequitable laws were finally abolished, they were replaced by equally damaging affirmative action and ‘culturally appropriate’ separatist policies. Denied the same educational and housing opportunities provided to others, remote Indigenous Australians have become increasingly reliant on the state to meet their every need. The harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption are a problem across Australia but more pronounced in many Aboriginal communities because nearly every resident is reliant on welfare. The absence of a real economy and appropriate controls on alcohol has created social environments where welfare payments are spent on alcohol and heavy drinking has become endemic. Few canteens on Indigenous lands and taverns in remote areas serve alcohol responsibly, with devastating results for communities. Aurukun was once described as a ‘liveable and vibrant community,’ but following the introduction of a regular supply of alcohol and no controls on its use, levels of violence, abuse and neglect skyrocketed. In 2000, the town’s homicide rate was estimated at 120 times the state average. In the 1970s, increasing liberalisation of liquor licensing laws saw an increase in the number of liquor outlets and extended opening hours of premises. Along with an increase in the total number of licensed premises, there was an increase in the numbers of licenses to sell takeaway alcohol. As a result, per capita consumption of pure alcohol in Australia grew rapidly in the 1970s (from an average of 9.3 litres in 1961 to a peak of 13.1 litres per person in 1974–75). Since then, state and territory liquor authorities have tried to offset this increasing liberalisation with new legislation to mitigate the harms caused by excessive alcohol consumption. This has contributed to the overall reduction in total per capita consumption of alcohol nationwide to around 10 litres of alcohol, but the Far North has not followed these trends. Per capita alcohol consumption in the Northern Territory remains high (14.35 litres in 2006–07), with the average consumption among Indigenous Territorians even higher at 16.1 litres. Many Indigenous people (particularly women) are concerned at the level of harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption and have used Aboriginal land and liquor legislation to restrict and even ban alcohol. The decision to introduce additional restrictions should be up to communities to decide, through a democratic process where everyone gets a voice no matter how marginalised they are. The problem is what to do in places where alcohol causes significant problems and communities do not want to be ‘dry’ or restrict alcohol. Community initiatives to introduce alcohol restrictions have been followed by territory, state and Commonwealth initiatives, including the Queensland government’s Alcohol Management Plans in Cape York and the federal government’s Northern Territory Intervention (NTI) in 2007 that introduced alcohol prohibitions in ‘73’ prescribed communities. The NTI restrictions have proven ineffective: they have increased ‘sly-grogging,’ displaced the drinking problem to ‘drinking paddocks’ on the outskirts of communities, and increased the number of homeless or itinerant drinkers in the larger towns and cities where alcohol is freely available. Drinking to extreme intoxication often occurs in ‘drinking camps’ on town fringes where there are no formal controls. Until recently, their existence has been unofficially tolerated because it has served everyone’s interests to segregate Aboriginal drinkers. Non-Indigenous people do not want them in the pubs and taverns in towns, and Indigenous drinkers have enjoyed the freedom and perceived the tacit license to do what they like as a minor victory over those who disapprove of their drinking and behaviour. However, recent concerns about the increasing numbers of itinerant drinkers coming to Alice Springs and causing problems have led to suggestions for more ‘wet canteens’ or ‘clubs’ in communities. The idea of drinking in a controlled environment, where people can consume alcohol with food and enjoy other recreational activities, has its merits but the failure of past experiences must be kept in mind. If on-premise options are to be a viable means of reducing the harms associated with drinking takeaway alcohol, then their risks need close attention. Poor governance and management is likely to be an issue. The pressure on such enterprises to produce profits for the community’s benefit could make them reluctant to regulate the sale of alcohol. Clubs also risk continuing (and institutionalising) racially segregated drinking, with the potential for different (lower) standards in the responsible serving of alcohol. In Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek, where the impetus for alcohol restrictions came from strong local women and where responsible serving of alcohol is now being enforced, there has been a noticeable decline (between 20% and 40%) in the number of alcohol-related crimes and alcohol-related admissions to hospitals. Having stricter controls on alcohol has made these towns more pleasant places to live, but the restrictions have not addressed the reasons why people are drinking in the first place. Controls on alcohol supply help mitigate the harms that alcohol causes, but they will not solve the alcohol problem. Restrictions may act as a circuit breaker and provide a ‘breathing space’ for other changes to occur, but they do very little for problem drinkers who will continue to try and obtain alcohol through other means. Alcohol restrictions should go hand in hand with proper enforcement and initiatives that address the underlying causes of the problem, not just the symptoms. Unfortunately, in all the states and territories where alcohol restrictions have been introduced, government has failed or been slow to deliver on promised rehabilitation programs and on real and substantive reforms to education, employment and housing. As a result some residents have transferred their addiction to other drugs and others have found ways to circumvent the law by bringing alcohol in illegally. The gradual erosion of the benefits of alcohol restrictions highlights the futility of introducing restrictions without addressing the aimlessness and boredom of lives lived on welfare. Details: St. Leonards, NSW, Australia: Centre for Independent Studies, 2011. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: CIS Policy Monograph 116: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://cis.org.au/images/stories/policy-monographs/pm-116.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 125952

Author: Australian Institute of Criminology Title: Serious and Organised Investment Fraud in Australia Summary: In 2011, Task Force Galilee was established to broaden the understanding of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud and to develop a national response. As at April 2012, the Task Force estimated that Australians’ losses to this type of fraud since January 2007 were in excess of A$113 million, with this figure likely to be conservative. During this period more than 2,600 Australians were victims of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud. These figures have largely been established as a result of intelligence analysis, and do not reflect the actual level of reporting by victims, which remains low. This report has been prepared to provide an insight into the nature and extent of this type of fraud as it currently affects Australia. Since the Task Force’s establishment, knowledge and understanding of Serious and Organised Investment Fraud has grown exponentially, and continues to do so. The information in this report is a compilation of the key characteristics identified via available literature and relevant Task Force member findings. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology and the Australian Crime Commission, 2012. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/Galilee%202012/SOIFA_Report_040712.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 125962

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: Provocation and Self-Defence in Intimate Partner and Sexual Advance Homicides Summary: The partial defence of provocation [2]: Provocation is a partial defence to murder. If the prosecution or jury accepts the defence, it results in a conviction for manslaughter instead of murder. The defence developed in English courts in the 16th and 17th centuries. At that time, the death penalty was mandatory for persons convicted of murder. In addition, it was considered virtuous for a man of honour to respond with controlled violence to certain forms of offensive behaviour. If he overreacted to some degree, but not disproportionately, such overreaction was considered to be natural human frailty. The current statutory version of the defence in NSW applies where: (a) the act causing death was the result of a loss of self-control on the part of the accused that was induced by any conduct of the deceased towards or affecting the accused; and (b) that conduct of the deceased was such as could have induced an ordinary person in the position of the accused to have so far lost self control as to have formed an intent to kill, or to inflict grievous bodily harm upon, the deceased. Debate about the provocation defence [3]: Several criticisms have been made about the defence including that provocation and a loss of self-control is an inappropriate basis for a partial defence; that the defence is gender-biased; that the test for the defence is conceptually confused and difficult for juries to understand; and that, as there is no longer a mandatory sentence for murder, provocation should be taken into account in sentencing. Concerns have, in particular, been expressed about the acceptance of the defence in cases where men have killed their female partners; and in cases where men have killed in response to a non-violent sexual advance by a homosexual person. Some argue that the provocation defence should be reformed, and others, that it should be abolished. Arguments for retaining the defence include that provoked killers are not 'murderers'; that juries should decide questions of culpability; that abolishing the defence would lead to increased sentences and uncertainty, and that it would also increase community dissatisfaction with sentencing. Statistics on use of provocation defence [4]: A report by the Judicial Commission of NSW contains data on the use of provocation in NSW in the period from 1990 to 2004. The report found that provocation was raised in 115 cases and it was successful in 75 of these cases. Other findings included that: · there were 11 male offenders that successfully relied on provocation in the context of infidelity or the breakdown of an intimate relationship; · there were 3 male offenders that successfully relied on provocation in the context of an alleged violent confrontation with his female partner; · there were 11 offenders who successfully relied on provocation in the context of an alleged homosexual advance; and · there were 10 cases where a woman successfully relied on provocation after killing her violent male partner. Kate Fitz-Gibbon conducted a review of convictions for manslaughter on the basis of provocation in the NSW Supreme Court in the period from January 2005 to December 2012. This review identified 15 cases where the provocation defence was successful. It was noted that five of these cases involved a non-violent confrontation. In three of these cases the victim was the current or estranged female partner of the male defendant; and in two of these cases, the killing resulted from an allegation of infidelity by the defendant. Recent provocation defence cases in NSW [5]: A recent provocation defence case is Singh v R. In that case, Mr Singh had moved to Australia on a spousal visa, his wife having already moved to Australia on a study visa. Their relationship began to deteriorate from the time of his arrival in Australia. During an argument, Mr Singh killed his wife, strangling her and cutting her throat at least eight times with a Stanley knife. According to the offender, during their confrontation, his wife had slapped him several times, and told him that she had never loved him, that she only loved another man, and that she would make sure he was kicked out of the country. The offender was charged with murder but the jury convicted him of manslaughter on the basis of provocation. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment with a non-parole period of six years. Provocation reform proposals in NSW [6]: In 1997, the NSW Law Reform Commission published a report on provocation, which recommended retaining the defence but reformulating it. The Commission rejected the option of specifically excluding the operation of the defence in cases where men killed female partners after a relationship breakdown, or in cases of killings in response to homosexual advances. It also rejected the option of removing the “loss of self-control” requirement in the defence to make it more available to women who kill their violent partners. In 1998, a Working Party published its report on killings in response to homosexual advances, which recommended amending the defence. The recommendations that were made by the Commission and the Working Party have not been implemented. Provocation reforms in other States [7]: In 2003, Tasmania became the first Australian jurisdiction to abolish the provocation defence. Since then, two other States have also abolished the defence: Victoria in 2005 and Western Australia in 2008. In Queensland, the defence was recently amended to reduce the scope of it being available to those who kill out of sexual possessiveness or jealousy. The Queensland Law Reform Commission had recommended amending, rather than abolishing, the defence but the mandatory life sentence for murder weighed heavily in coming to this conclusion. The Queensland Government has recently stated that, at this stage, it will not amend the defence to expressly exclude cases involving non-violent sexual advances. This is a reform that has been enacted in the ACT and Northern Territory. Provocation reforms in other countries [8]: The defence of provocation was abolished in New Zealand in 2009. In the United Kingdom, provocation was replaced in 2009 with a new partial defence known as "loss of control". This defence only applies if the defendant's loss of self-control had a "qualifying trigger". One of the triggers is that the loss of self-control was attributable to a thing done or said which constituted circumstances of an extremely grave character; and which caused the defendant to have a justifiable sense of being wronged. However, "the fact that a thing done or said constituted sexual infidelity is to be disregarded". The other trigger is if the defendant's loss of self-control was due to the defendant's fear of serious violence from the victim or another person. In 2009, the Law Reform Commission of Ireland recommended retaining but reformulating the partial defence. Self-defence and excessive self-defence [9]: The defence of self-defence is a complete defence to murder. If the jury accepts the defence it results in an acquittal. Previously, the defence was defined by the common law. In 2001, the defence was codified in legislation in NSW. The defence applies if: (a) a person believed that their conduct was necessary to defend themself or another person; and (b) the person's conduct was a reasonable response in the circumstances as they perceived them. In 2001, the partial defence of excessive self-defence was also reintroduced in NSW (as with the defence of provocation, this partial defence reduces murder to manslaughter). The partial defence of excessive self-defence applies if a person believed that their conduct was necessary to defend themself but this conduct was not to a reasonable response in the circumstances as they perceived them. Self-defence and women who kill their violent partners [10]: Longstanding concerns have been held about the difficulties women face in relying on self-defence when they have killed male partners in the context of a prolonged period of domestic violence and for reasons of self-preservation. The difficulties have arisen, in part, because of the traditional association of self-defence with a one-off spontaneous encounter, such as a pub brawl. The legal test for self-defence has evolved over time and may be broad enough to accommodate women's experiences. The current provision does not require that the threat be imminent or that the response be proportionate. However, the application of the defence in this context is still problematic because these continue to be significant factors in determining whether the defence has been made out. In response to the difficulties that women have faced in relying on self-defence, defence lawyers have attempted to call expert evidence showing that a woman who killed her abusive partner was suffering from "battered woman syndrome". One part of this "syndrome" is that women find it difficult to break out of a cycle of violence because of "learned helplessness". In the 1998 decision of Osland v The Queen, the High Court affirmed that this evidence was admissible but Justice Kirby noted that the syndrome was controversial. More recently, reliance on the battered woman syndrome has been criticised, and researchers have called for an acceptance of expert evidence which places greater emphasis on the social realities of a woman's situation and which reflects the current state of knowledge about the dynamics of abusive relationships. The reintroduction of the partial defence of excessive self-defence may assist women who have killed their abusive partner but who cannot satisfy all of the elements of self-defence. However, a concern has been raised that the availability of this defence may prevent women from being acquitted on the basis of self-defence, due to the existence of an 'easy' middle option. A Judicial Commission of NSW study on partial defences found that between 2002 and June 2005, two women had successfully relied on the partial defence of excessive self-defence after killing their male partners. In both cases, the woman was under attack when she killed her partner. Self-defence reforms in other States [11]: Since 1987, most Australian jurisdictions have enacted new statutory provisions on the complete defence of self-defence. Some jurisdictions have also reintroduced the partial defence of excessive self defence. This paper focused on developments in three States: Victoria, Western Australia, and Queensland. Victoria (in 2005) and Western Australia (in 2008) both enacted new provisions on the complete defence of self-defence and they also both reintroduced the partial defence of excessive self-defence (in Victoria, this was achieved by enacting a new provision on "defensive homicide"). Victoria also introduced special provisions that apply when family violence is alleged. The provisions state that a person may have reasonable grounds for believing that their conduct was necessary to defend themself even if they were responding to harm that was not immediate, or their response involved the use of excessive force. The provisions also set out a non-exhaustive list of the kinds of evidence that might be relevant to determining whether the person had the requisite belief and whether there were reasonable grounds for the belief. The way in which the defensive homicide provision has operated in Victoria (being mainly used by men) has attracted criticism and it is currently under review. In Queensland, the provisions on self-defence have not been reformed but in 2011 a new partial defence to homicide was enacted: "killing for preservation in an abusive relationship". This implemented, in part, the recommendations by two academics, who were commissioned by the Attorney-General in 2009 to consider the development of a separate defence for battered persons who kill their abusers. The report by the academics noted that there was a strong preference from within the legal community for a separate defence rather than for reform of the general law of self-defence. The report also noted that there was insufficient support for a separate complete defence. Commentators have been critical of the new partial defence which, they say, is very similar to the defence of self-defence but leads to a different result. Self-defence reports in other countries [12]: There have been no legislative reforms to self-defence in other countries such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada. Of these countries, only in New Zealand and Ireland has the relevant law reform commission considered the issue of self-defence for women who kill their violent partners. In 2001, the New Zealand Law Reform Commission recommended amending the law of self-defence to make it clear that there can be situations in which the use of force is reasonable where the danger is not imminent but is inevitable. A 2009 report by the Law Reform Commission of Ireland did not recommend any major reforms. National report on legal responses to family violence [13]: In October 2010, the Australian Law Reform Commission and the NSW Law Reform Commission jointly published a comprehensive report on family violence. One section of the report examined defences to homicide, including provocation and self-defence. The report made some general recommendations including: that governments should ensure that defences to homicide accommodate the experiences of family violence victims who kill; that governments should review their defences; and also that legislation should provide guidance about the potential relevance of family-violence related evidence in the context of a defence to homicide (along the lines of the Victorian model). Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Services, 2012. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No 5/2012: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/F2BA1BFEED2D87EECA257A4800001BD7/$File/briefing%20paper.provocation%20and%20self-defence.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Homicides Shelf Number: 125970

Author: Vivian, Alison Title: Factors Affecting Crime Rates in Indigenous Communities in NSW: A Pilot Study in Bourke and Lightning Ridge Summary: This report outlines the findings of a pilot study undertaken in the communities of Bourke and Lightning Ridge. An earlier pilot study was carried out in Wilcannia and Menindee in 2009. This pilot study was completed with the support of an Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Research Grant. We were grateful for the support that made the study possible. There are notable differences in the rates of crime between different Aboriginal communities in NSW. While there has been important research undertaken into the characteristics of individual offenders, there is a lack of qualitative research on the factors affecting crime rates in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In this context, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology Sydney, with support from the NSW Bureau of Crimes Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), is exploring factors that may be considered to have an impact on crime rates being higher in some Aboriginal communities and lower in others. This report is intended to reflect the views of the people that we spoke to in November 2009 and March 2010. Given that our focus is on understanding the political, social, cultural and economic dynamics contributing to crime rates, we interviewed a range of community and organisational representatives and others working in relevant criminal justice and service delivery roles, as a way to better understand the dynamics and experiences of the community as a whole. The findings of this pilot study are preliminary and are by no means comprehensive and we do not pretend that we have captured the views of the entire community. Details: Sydney: Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology, Sydney, 2010. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.jumbunna.uts.edu.au/pdfs/research/FinalCommunityReportBLNov10.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals (Australia) Shelf Number: 125972

Author: Anderson, Jessica Title: First-Response Police Officers Working in Single Person Patrols: A Literature Review Summary: On 9 July 2009, South Australian Police Brevet Sergeant Jeff Allen was stabbed by a parolee on the Barrier Highway near Yunta, South Australia. Brevet Sergeant Allen was working alone at the time of the incident, sparking renewed debate regarding the risks of deploying single person patrols. As a result, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) was contracted by the Police Association of South Australia (PASA) to undertake a literature review on the issue of single person police patrols both in Australia and internationally. Instead of focusing solely on the relative advantages and disadvantages of single and two person patrols, four specific research questions were investigated: • What are the challenges faced by first-response police officers when performing their duties solo? Specifically, has the policing environment changed since solo policing was introduced? • What impact does working alone have on officers being able to successfully perform their duties? • How are decisions made to deploy single person patrols? • Are single person patrol strategies in line with community expectations? In this report, current evidence is reviewed in relation to single person patrols, including any decision-making processes used for developing policies and procedures. In addition, national and international research and policies on single person patrols and any associated risks are investigated. Information was collated from peer-reviewed journal articles, newspaper articles, coronial inquests, opinion pieces, court transcripts and personal correspondence. The AIC primarily relied on publicly available sources for information. As there was not a substantial amount of research available on the topic, police associations in Australia and overseas were invited to provide the AIC any information on the issue. In addition, members of the Australasian Libraries in the Emergency Services were also sent a request by the AIC’s JV Barry library to help the AIC locate information on the topic. The AIC also approached police commissioners in each Australian jurisdiction with a request for any information their organisation may have. The breadth of issues examined for the review meant that some areas were only generally addressed and on occasion, the information available on single person patrols did not provide enough information to answer the specific research questions. As such, many of these questions would benefit from being explored more comprehensively in future research projects. In general, most relevant Australian research is now around 20 years old and there is almost no contemporary comprehensive Australian research on the topic. Most of the literature examining single person patrols includes a comparison between one and two person patrols in relation to citizen complaints, arrests, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, findings are often mixed and it is difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding single person patrols in Australia in relation to the key research questions. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 49: Accessed August 11: 2012: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/1/D/E/%7B1DE58970-BA18-4756-8CEF-E76720F4D21A%7Dtbp049.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Patrols, Single Person Shelf Number: 125980

Author: Cripps, Kyllie Title: Communities Working to Reduce Indigenous Family Violence Summary: This brief describes some of the promising efforts to reduce Indigenous family violence in Australia and overseas, including both government and community initiatives, as well as support mechanisms and measures for victims. Some of Memmott et al.’s (2001) nine categories of violence program types are adopted as headings: support programs; behavioural reform programs; community policing and monitoring programs; justice programs; mediation programs; education and awareness programs; and composite programs. Evaluations of alcohol restrictions are also considered. Details: Canberra: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2012. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Brief 12: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 125997

Author: Powell, Anastasia Title: More Than Ready: Bystander Action To Prevent Violence Against Women in the Victorian Community Summary: Violence against women – including family violence and sexual assault – is a major public health problem and its prevalence remains unacceptably high in Australia. Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15 to 44 years, contributing more to ill health in this age group than other well-known risk factors such as smoking and obesity. Without appropriate action, the cost of this violence to the Australian economy is predicted to rise to $15.6 billion per year by 2021. Preventing violence against women before it occurs requires action to address the social conditions that can lead to violence. Research shows that key prevention actions include the promotion of gender equality and the development of respectful attitudes within organisations and communities. Research points to the need for bystanders to play a more significant role in preventing violence against women. For the purpose of this study, a ‘bystander’ is anyone not directly involved as a victim or perpetrator, who observes an act of violence, discrimination or other unacceptable or offensive behaviour. Recent evidence reviews have identified the potential for bystanders to make a difference to the social conditions that lead to violence against women, for example, by confronting sexist attitudes and challenging organisational policies that discriminate against women. Details: Carlton, Victoria, AUS: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2012. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Bystander-Research-Project.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Bystander Intervention Shelf Number: 125998

Author: Sutherland, Rachel Title: Criminal Activity Among Regular Ecstasy Users in Australia: Prevalence and Predictors Summary: The relationship between drug use and crime has been studied extensively over the past few decades, with both international and Australian studies showing that drug users are more likely to engage in crime than those who do not use drugs (AIHW 2011; Bennett et al. 2008). Indeed, a meta-analysis of studies published between 1980 and 2003 found that the odds of offending were three to four times greater for drug users than nondrug users - with the odds of offending being highest among crack users and lowest among recreational drug users (Bennett at al. 2008). In addition it has been well-established that, among those who use drugs, frequency of use is positively correlated with prevalence of crime (Nurco et al 2001; French et al 2000). There are several theories which exist to explain this relationship, however it remains unclear how much of a drug user’s offending can be attributed directly to their substance use. This question was most recently addressed by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), which has been running the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program for more than 13 years. Through this program the AIC found that nearly half of 1,884 police detainees across Australia attributed their current offending to alcohol or drugs. Interestingly, more detainees attributed their offending to alcohol than to all other drugs combined; however, of the illicit drugs, heroin users were the most likely to attribute their offending to drug use, while ecstasy users were among the least likely (Payne & Gaffney 2012). Whilst the above study captured the use of ecstasy, the majority of criminological research has traditionally focused on users of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine - with relatively little attention paid to those who use ecstasy (Hendrickson & Gerstein 2005; Yacoubian et al 2004). In addition, those studies which have specifically examined the nexus between ecstasy use and crime appear to have focused on the use of ecstasy among offenders or police detainees, rather than examining the prevalence of crime among those who use ecstasy. With this in mind, this paper aims to examine criminal activity among regular ecstasy users (REU) in Australia. More specifically, this paper will: 1. Examine the prevalence of criminal activity among regular ecstasy users in Australia, from 2003- 2011. 2. Examine the extent to which drugs and/or alcohol were involved in criminal activity among REU in 2011. 3. Determine what factors were predictive of criminal activity among this population in 2011. Details: Sydney, National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System, Drugs Trends Bulletin July 2012: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/ndarc.cms.med.unsw.edu.au/files/ndarc/resources/EDRS%20Bulletin%20July12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 125999

Author: Cozens, Paul Title: Investigating Crime Precipitators and the 'Environmental Backcloth' of the Night Time Economy: An Environmental Criminology Perspective from an Australian Capital City Summary: In many Western, post-industrial cities of the 21st Century, entertainment districts play an increasingly significant place-making role and contribute much to their night-time economies. However, many of these cities are experiencing increased levels of crime and fear of crime within their alcohol-oriented entertainment districts. This paper investigates crime and the night-time economy (NTE) associated with an entertainment district in an Australian capital city. It discusses the concept of the ‘environmental backcloth' (Brantingham and Brantinham, 1993) to this area as important contextual background to some of the contemporary crime problems. The paper highlights examples of situational crime precipitators (Wortley, 2008) from observational research and detailed land-use and pedestrian surveys conducted in the entertainment district. Seen within the context of the ‘environmental backcloth' these ‘situations' and settings can create irritation, frustration and pressures and potentially prompt / trigger or provoke criminality in otherwise, law-abiding citizens. The authors highlights the contribution that an environmental criminology perspective can provide to understanding the propensity for night-time entertainment districts to act as generators of and attractors for crime and anti-social behaviour. They set out a Scale Conscious Environmental Backcloth and Crime Precipitator Framework to assist in understanding crime and the NTE. The paper calls for more critical and detailed urban design studies and for ‘criminogenic environments' to be taken more seriously within planning. Details: Sydney, Australia: University of New South Wales, 2011. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2012 at http://soac.fbe.unsw.edu.au/2011/papers/SOAC2011_0217_final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 126074

Author: New South Wales Sentencing Council Title: Standard Non-parole Periods: A background report by the NSW Sentencing Council Summary: On 30 March 2009, the Attorney General requested that the Council examine standard non-parole periods (SNPPs) and guideline judgments, in accordance with the following terms of reference: 1. Monitor the rates of offending and sentencing patterns for sexual offences not contained in the Table of SNPPs, with a view to their possible inclusion in the Table at a later date; 2. Give consideration to standardising the SNPPs for sexual (and other) offences within a band of 40–60% of the available maximum penalty, subject to the possibility of individual exceptions, by reference to an assessment of the incidence of offending and special considerations relating thereto; 3. Consider potential additions to the SNPP scheme, involving the level or levels at which the SNPP might be appropriately set; 4. Give consideration to the establishment of a transparent mechanism by which a decision is made to include a particular offence in the Table, and by which the relevant SNPP is set; and 5. Consider the identification of sexual offences that might justify an application for a guideline judgment, following its ongoing monitoring of relevant sentencing patterns. By reason of the overlap between the terms of reference given to the Council; and the general responsibility of the Council to review and report on sentencing trends and practices, the Attorney General has invited the two agencies to work in collaboration with each other in relation to the Sentencing Reference. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Sentencing Council, 2011. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2012 at http://www.sentencingcouncil.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/sentencing/documents/pdf/finalreport2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Sentencing (Australia) Shelf Number: 126133

Author: Stough, Con Title: An evaluation of the Standardised Field Sobriety Tests for the detection of impairment associated with cannabis with and without alcohol Summary: Reports indicate that in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, 23.5% of drivers in fatal accidents had consumed drugs other than alcohol, and that 29.1% of drivers had a Blood alcohol contentration (BAC) level of 0.05% or higher. Alcohol has been detected in combination with drugs in almost 10% of cases. Cannabis was most prevalent among drugs other than alcohol detected in specimens (13.5%) (Drummer et al., 2003). The combination of drugs as an influence on road traffic accidents is becoming a growing concern and research has been conducted to identify how these drugs impair performance. Krueger & Vollrath (2000) reported that recent consumption of cannabis improved lane positioning; however, when combined with alcohol, lane position deviated, and participants drove faster. The consumption of low dose and high dose cannabis alone has also been associated with an increase in vehicle lane weaving (straddling solid and barrier lines) (Papafotiou, 2004b). Furthermore, a trend towards greater braking latency after consumption of higher doses of cannabis has been reported (Ligouri et al., 1998). Generally, alcohol has been reported to increase hazardous simulated driving, and cannabis has been reported to slow a driver’s speed (Stein et al., 1983). The findings of several studies have directly suggested that the effect of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) consumption on driving performance may be greater for nonregular cannabis users than for regular cannabis users (Marks & MacAvoy, 1989; Wright and Terry, 2002; Papafotiou, 2004c). Wright and Terry (2002) also provide evidence to suggest that regular cannabis users may develop cross-tolerance to the effects of drugs and alcohol. In Victoria, Australia, Standardised Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) have been introduced as means of testing for impairment in drivers who have consumed drugs other than alcohol. The use of SFSTs, although designed for the detection of alcohol-intoxicated drivers (up to 0.08%), has been implemented in programs for the detection of drugs other than alcohol. To date, one study exists that has evaluated the sensitivity of the SFST battery to predict drug intoxication and driving impairment. This project assessed the relationship between each individual sobriety test (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn, and One Leg Stand test) and individual scored signs of the SFSTs with the administration of cannabis (Papafotiou et al., 2004a). Papafotiou et al. (2004a) found that, unlike in the case of alcohol where the HGN test is reported to be the best test for impairment associated with the administration of alcohol, in the case of cannabis the test best related to impairment is the One Leg Stand test. This finding highlights the need for additional research into the relationship between performance on the SFST battery and drug intoxication (drugs other than alcohol). The present study had several aims: to examine the effects of cannabis and cannabis together with alcohol on driving performance; to examine the effects of cannabis and alcohol on Standardised Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) performance; to examine the efficiency of SFSTs to predict driving performance associated with the administration of cannabis and alcohol; to examine any differences between the effects of cannabis and alcohol on performance in regular cannabis users and non-regular cannabis users; and to examine any differences between SFSTs ratings by researchers (Swinburne University) and SFSTs ratings by police officers (Victoria Police) in order to identify the inter-rater reliability of SFSTs. Details: Payneham, Australia: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2006. 126p. Source: NDLERF Monography Series No. 17: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2012 at http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_17.pdf http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_17.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 126174

Author: Australia. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Title: Inquiry Into the Adequacy of Aviation and Maritime Security Measures to Combat Serious and Organised Crime Summary: On 14 September 2009, the then Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission (PJC-ACC) initiated an inquiry into the adequacy of aviation and maritime security measures to combat serious and organised crime. The terms of reference required the committee to examine the effectiveness of current administrative and law enforcement arrangements to protect Australia's borders from serious and organised criminal activity. In particular the committee examined: (a) the methods used by serious and organised criminal groups to infiltrate Australia's airports and ports, and the extent of infiltration; (b) the range of criminal activity currently occurring at Australia's airports and ports, including but not limited to: •the importation of illicit drugs, firearms, and prohibited items; •tariff avoidance; •people trafficking and people smuggling; •money laundering; and •air cargo and maritime cargo theft; (c) the effectiveness of the Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC)and Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) schemes; includingthe process of issuing ASICs and MSICs, the monitoring of cards issuedand the storage of, and sharing of, ASIC and MSIC information between appropriate law enforcement agencies; (d) the current administrative and law enforcement arrangements and information and intelligence sharing measures to manage the risk of serious and organised criminal activity at Australia's airports and ports; and (e) the findings of the Australian Crime Commission's special intelligence operations into Crime in the Transport Sector and Illegal Maritime Importation and Movement Methodologies. Details: Canberra: Parliamentary Joint Cmomittee on Law Enforcement, 2011. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2012 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate_Committees?url=le_ctte/aviation_maritime/report/index.htm Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Airports Shelf Number: 126228

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: 'Initiation Into Drug Use' Addendum: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: The age at which an individual first experiments with illicit drugs has been of significant interest to policymakers and practitioners, primarily because research has persistently shown a link between early juvenile onset of drug use and less favourable health and criminal justice outcomes in adulthood. In the Australian context, studies have shown: drug users who have regular contact with the criminal justice system typically commenced their drug use at earlier ages (Gaffney et al. 2010; Johnson 2001); even within the drug-using offender population, those with a recent history of violent or prolific property offending typically commenced drug use and progressed to regular drug use earlier than those with no such history (Makkai & Payne 2003); and the risk that an offender will progress to serious and frequent offending was highest when both drug use and offending first began at younger than average ages (Payne 2006). Although there is broad agreement that early initiation into drug use and subsequent involvement in the criminal justice system are correlated, there still remains considerable debate regarding the direction of causality. Some suggest that early drug use can act as a gateway or ‘stepping stone’ to more significant drug use and other problem behaviours (Kandel, Yamaguchi & Chen 1992), while others argue that drug use does not cause criminal behaviour, but rather, there is a shared or common aetiology, such as low self control or high impulsivity (Gottfredson & Hirschi 1990). Although much effort has been made in the Australian context to profile ages of initiation across various criminal justice populations (detainees, prisoners, juvenile offenders etc), an examination of the reasons why drug users first experiment with drugs has been largely overlooked. Knowing why an individual first uses drugs can provide a powerful insight into potential causal networks, as well as identify new options and approaches for intervention. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Research In Practice, DUMA No. 28: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rip/21-40/rip28.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 126282

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Sentencing Scammers: Law and Practice Summary: Consumer fraud costs Australians almost $1b a year and most of this fraud involves scams in which individuals are persuaded to part with an upfront, or advance, fee, with the promise of large financial or other gain in the future. In this paper, consideration is given to the sentencing issues that apply in cases of this nature. In particular, the author examines the application of the key sentencing purposes, such as deterrence and rehabilitation, and the sentencing principles applied by courts, such as the proportionality principle, and the challenges that may arise in this context. Key sentencing factors often cited in aggravation or mitigation are also reviewed, before an examination of some of the issues relating to specific sentencing options is undertaken. This paper goes some way in providing a brief analysis of sentencing practices. However, further research is required to better explore how sentencers respond to consumer fraud matters. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 443: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/en/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi443.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud (Australia) Shelf Number: 126283

Author: Rodas, Ana Title: Supply, Demand and harm Reduction Strategies in Australian Prisons: An Update Summary: This report provides an update of the 2004 study of supply, demand and harm reduction strategies in Australian prisons (Black, Dolan and Wodak, 2004). Since the 2004 report, the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (MCDS) launched the first National Corrections Drug Strategy in 2008, designed to guide the provision of supply, demand and harm reduction strategies in prisons throughout Australia (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, 2008). The 2004 study examined supply, demand and harm reduction strategies within Australian prisons, their associated costs and evidence of their effectiveness. The current 2009 study examined supply, demand and harm reduction strategies within Australian prisons but did not include their associated costs. Instead the 2009 study included a section on Indigenous prisoners, programs for released prisoners such as re-entry programs, mortality among recently released prisoners, transitional and pre-release services, and services to which prisoners are referred upon release. The year 2009 was chosen as the comparison year for this report because it was the most recent year for which most jurisdictions were able to provide complete data. Since data were provided for the activities of prison departments and health departments in 2009, this report uses the relevant policy document at the time, which was the National Drug Strategy 2004–2009, as the basis for analysis of supply, demand and harm reduction strategies in Australian prisons. It is important, as always, to acknowledge the limitations of the data and results obtained. Comparison of strategies employed by different jurisdictions is difficult for several reasons. Firstly, much of the data collected were incomplete or from different time periods. Secondly, there are substantial differences in the characteristics of prison systems in different jurisdictions in Australia. Thirdly, the states and territories where the prisons systems are based also vary markedly. Some prison systems have large numbers of injecting drug users, while others have large numbers of Indigenous inmates. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre University of New South Wales, 2011. 141p. Source: Internet Resource: ANCD Research paper 23: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.ancd.org.au/images/PDF/Researchpapers/rp23_australian_prisons.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Treatment Programs Shelf Number: 126288

Author: Shakeshaft, Anthony Title: Alcohol Related Crime in City of Sydney Local Government Area: An Analysis for the Council of the City of Sydney Summary: There has been considerable recent concern about escalating rates of alcohol-related harm in inner Sydney from both the City of Sydney Council and residents. NDARC was approached to provide an empirical description of whether rates of alcohol-related crime in the inner city areas of Kings Cross and Darlinghurst have been increasing over time. The aim of this project is to apply a surrogate measure of alcohol-related crime to Sydney LGA to determine whether rates of crime have increased over time. This report has three broad aims: 1. To identify evidence-based strategies in the literature that local governments might reasonably implement to reduce the impact of alcohol-related harm on their communities. 2. To quantify the cumulative impacts of alcohol-related crime on Kings Cross and Darlinghurst areas in Sydney. 3. To examine whether a saturation, or tipping point, has been reached. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2011. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: NDARC Monograph No. 63: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/ndarc.cms.med.unsw.edu.au/files/ndarc/resources/NDARC%20monograph%2063.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 126291

Author: Douglas, Bob Title: Alternatives to Prohibition. Illicit Drugs: How We Can Stop Killing and Criminalising Young Australians. Report of the second Australia21 Roundtable on Illicit Drugs held at The University of Melbourne on 6 July 2012 Summary: Australia’s illicit drug markets continue to thrive. Young people are being encouraged to experiment because huge profits are made from drug markets controlled by powerful criminal networks. Australia’s reported rates of cannabis and ecstasy (MDMA) use are among the highest in the world. Every year, new drug types appear in Australia. But the criminal justice system is unable to stamp out psychoactive drug use. People accused of drug related crimes fill our courts and those convicted fill our prisons. The collateral damage from efforts to suppress the drug trade continues to disrupt civil society and destroy young lives. About 400 Australians die each year through heroin overdose alone. By international standards our rates of drug-related deaths are extremely high. The July 2012 Roundtable included a group of 22 high level experts and young people, who examined changes in policy in four European countries and considered future options for Australia. These discussions identified a range of ways in which Australian policy could be reset. Some are modest and incremental reforms, while others are more ambitious and will require wide community consideration. Details: Weston, ACT, AUS: Australian21 Limited, 2012. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 11, 2012 at: http://www.australia21.org.au/publications/press_releases/A21_Alternatives_to_Prohibition_SEP_12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Shelf Number: 126296

Author: Douglas, Bob Title: The Prohibition of Illicit Drugs is Killing and Criminalilsing Our Children and We Are All Letting It Happen. Report of a high level roundtable held at the University of Sydney on Tuesday 31st January 2012 on the topic “What are the likely cost Summary: In response to the Global Commission report, Australia21, in January 2012, convened a meeting of 24 former senior Australian politicians and experts on drug policy, to explore the principles and recommendations that were enunciated by the Global Commission. The group also included two young student leaders, a former senior prosecutor, a former head of the Australian Federal Police, representatives of Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform and a leading businessman. The Australian group agreed with the Global Commission that the international and Australian prohibition of the use of certain “illicit” drugs has failed comprehensively. By making the supply and use of certain drugs criminal acts, governments everywhere have driven their production and consumption underground and have fostered the development of a criminal industry that is corrupting civil society and governments and killing our children. By defining the personal use and possession of certain psychoactive drugs as criminal acts, governments have also avoided any responsibility to regulate and control the quality of substances that are in widespread use. Some of these illicit drugs have demonstrable health benefits. Many are highly addictive and harmful when used repeatedly. In that respect they are comparable to alcohol and nicotine, which are legal in Australia and, as a result, are under society’s control for quality, distribution, marketing and taxation. Australia has made great progress in recent decades reducing the harm from tobacco – a drug which kills half the people who use it. Details: Weston, ACT, AUS: Australia21, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 11, 2012 at: http://www.australia21.org.au/publications/press_releases/Australia21_Illicit_Drug_Policy_Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Shelf Number: 126297

Author: Walters, Julie Title: The Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Regime in Australia: Perceptions of Regulated Businesses in Australia Summary: In Australia, legislation was introduced in 2006 that requires specified businesses to forward reports of certain financial transactions to the Australian Government agency, AUSTRAC. As part of the Australian Institute of Criminology’s research in to Australia’s anti-money laundering/counter-terrorism financing regime, a survey was conducted in mid 2009 of all business with reporting obligations to AUSTRAC. This report examines the findings of the survey on the perceptions of Australian businesses to the reporting regime in Australia. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series 117: Accessed September 13, 2012 at: http://aic.gov.au/documents/B/B/A/%7BBBA061D1-79A8-4F55-9429-B7390A34E13C%7Drpp117.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 126323

Author: Wybron, Deb Title: ACT Women and Prisons - Invisible Bars: The Stories behind the Stats Summary: Australia’s culture of institutionalisation remains today, in the form of prisons, remand centres, youth detention centres, mental health facilities and immigration detention centres to name a few. While this paper focuses mainly on women with lived experience of prison, it argues that prisons cannot be considered in isolation from other institutions and outside the greater context of Australia’s history. The reality is that the majority of Australians in prison today have experienced some form of institutional or out-of-home ‘care’ as young people. There is significant evidence to suggest that institutionalisation has a profoundly negative impact on people’s health and well-being, which continues long after they return to the community. Unsurprisingly, the status of Australian women with lived prison experience is frighteningly poor, with research showing that they are more likely to have mental health issues, drug and alcohol problems and to have experienced physical, emotional and sexual violence than women in the broader community. This paper presents the stories of six ACT (Australian Capital Territory) women with a variety of lived prison experiences. While these courageous women told their stories as part of this project, it is acknowledged that there are many more women, who for a variety of reasons have not yet had the opportunity to do so. Information was also gathered from eight ACT women’s service providers who regularly support women with lived experience of prison and institutionalisation. The experiences of all of these women were recorded, and the content analysed using a technique known as ‘thematic analysis.’ Through this analysis, 12 core themes and 10 sub-themes were identified in the women’s conversations. These themes are discussed and a variety of literature is presented to support and validate the women’s experiences. Following this discussion, a section is dedicated to understanding Australia’s history of institutionalisation and the impacts it has had on women with lived prison experience. The paper concludes with a statement of commitment from the agencies involved, which details how they will work together to move forward in addressing the unmet needs of these women. The information gathered in this paper provides significant insight into the impact that imprisonment and institutionalisation has had on these women’s lives. The Women’s Centre for Health Matters (WCHM) and the ACT Women and Prisons Group (WAP) hope that this information will assist counselors, social workers, case managers and other professionals who support women with lived prison experience to better meet their needs. The paper will also be a useful resource for community groups who want to undertake similar activities that allow other marginalised group to have their stories listened to. Details: Mawson, Australia: Women's Centre for Health Matters, Inc., 2009. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at http://www.wchm.org.au/LiteratureRetrieve.aspx?ID=35769 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 126342

Author: Hui, Freda Title: Centrelink Prosecutions at the Employment/Benefit Nexus: A Case Study of Wollongong Summary: This report examines financial and social issues pertaining to Centrelink prosecutions for overpayments of unemployment‐related social security benefits. Specifically, it examines the circumstances of prosecutions of those returning to work, and those in precarious casual employment. A sample of overpayment prosecutions in the Wollongong area of New South Wales from July 2008 to June 2010 is profiled and analysed. Details: Wollongong, Australia: Social Accounting and Accountability Research Centre (SAARC), 2011. 70p. Source: Faculty of Commerce - Papers: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2012 at http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1992&context=commpapers&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dcentrelink%2520prosecutions%2520at%2520the%2520employment%252Fbenefit%2520nexus%253A%2520a%2520case%2520study%2520of%2520wollongong%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D1%26ved%3D0CCIQFjAA%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fro.uow.edu.au%252Fcgi%252Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1992%2526context%253Dcommpapers%26ei%3DrXpSUNTLFoXK9QS1oIDwDw%26usg%3DAFQjCNFLIuWVgjB15ftY6exRNJu1KPIZPw#search=%22centrelink%20prosecutions%20employment%2Fbenefit%20nexus%3A%20case%20study%20wollongong%22 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 126345

Author: Taussig, Isabel Title: Penalties and Reconviction Risk Among Offenders Convicted of Drug Driving Summary: The aims of this study was to investigate: 1) penalties for drug driving; 2) risk of reconviction among drug drivers; and 3) how penalties and reconviction risk vary according to offender characteristics. Information for 3,770 offenders with proven drug driving offences (2007 - 2011) was extracted from the NSW re-offending database. Aims (1) and (2) were addressed by identifying the most serious penalties for drug driving and the number of convictions accumulated over 12 and 24 months. Aim (3) was addressed by building logistic regression models identifying independent predictors of penalty and recidivism. The results showed that the most common principal penalty for drug driving was a fine (60.2% received a fine and the average fine was $581). While 17.2 per cent of offenders had their matters dismissed without conviction, most dismissals (84%) also included a good behaviour bond. Offenders were less likely to have their matters dismissed if they were younger, had concurrent charges or a prior criminal record. One-third (35.3%) had been convicted for a new offence within 24 months. Recidivism was higher for offenders who had a prior criminal record, were not on bail and/or were Indigenous. Conclusion: The most common outcomes for drug driving are fines and dismissals. Those who have their matters dismissed tend to share characteristics with those at lower risk of recidivism. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 79: Accessed September 18, 2012 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB79.pdf/$file/BB79.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence (Australia) Shelf Number: 126370

Author: Allard, Troy Title: Targeting Crime Prevention to Reduce Offending: Identifying communities that generate chronic and costly offenders Summary: This study explored whether some communities generate chronic and costly offenders. It draws on methods and findings from criminal careers, and crime and place research. Criminal careers research is focused on the individual and is concerned with the different offending patterns developed over the life course. The research presented in this paper uses the Semi-Parametric Group-based Method (SPGM) to identify offenders on different trajectories, who differ in terms of their age of initiation and pattern of offending over the lifecourse (Kreuter & Muthén 2008). This research has found a small group of chronic offenders who began offending early in life and who account for a large proportion of offences (Allard et al. under review; Cohen, Piquero & Jennings 2010a, 2010b; Piquero 2008). There has recently been renewed interest in place-based approaches for targeting crime prevention, such as justice reinvestment. This project linked research from life course and place-based criminology to explore whether some communities generated chronic and costly offenders. The Semi-Parametric Group-based Method was used to identify non-normative or chronic offenders in the 1990 Queensland Longitudinal Dataset (n=14,171). The postal areas generating chronic offenders were identified based on the proportion of the population who were chronic offenders and the overall cost of chronic offenders. The offender’s first recorded postal area was used to assign location. The top 10 percent of postal areas generating chronic offenders accounted for 20.5 percent of chronic offenders. The top 10 percent of most costly locations contained 40.4 percent of chronic offenders and 50.5 percent of the total cost of chronic offenders. The identified locations had a high proportion of Indigenous youth, were in remote or very remote locations and experienced high levels of disadvantage. The authors conclude that there is an urgent need for therapeutic and place-based interventions to reduce crime and victimisation in these communities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 8p. Source: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 445: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/A/C/%7B6AC251B0-13F8-4B36-B5DC-546FFB1EA452%7Dtandi445.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Chronic Offenders (Australia) Shelf Number: 126412

Author: McMillan, Karen Title: Risky Business Vanuatu: Selling Sex in Port Vila Summary: In November and December 2010, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 18 women and 2 young men who had had sex for money in the previous 12 months. Interviews took place in and around Port Vila, and were conducted in Bislama and in English. The interviews were designed to investigate the circumstances and context of local sex work in Port Vila. The study sample is non-random and therefore the results cannot be considered to be generalisable to all sex workers in Vanuatu. However, the type of sex work captured was consistent with the characteristics of typical sex work in Port Vila reported in a 2007 survey. The data presented here provides a nuanced description of the motivations for sex work, the conditions under which it occurs and the conceptualisations of client and other sexual relationships in the lives of the sex workers who participated in this study. This information should be valuable to those who wish to provide HIV prevention, sexual health and other services to sex workers in Port Vila. Participants were aged between 16 and 36 years old. The average age was 24 years. While most participants began sex work long before they were 18 years of age, all the sex work undertaken by study participants had been freely chosen, the sex workers operated independently. Sex work was very informal, and few of the interviewees explicitly self-identified as sex workers, despite regularly exchanging sex for money. Sex work occurred in the context of unemployment and lack of access to cash. The data also indicated that while exchanging sex for money was considered to be somewhat shameful and was practised covertly, it was also believed to be a common practice. Two distinct modes of selling sex were evident. In the first, small groups of sex workers frequented bars, nakamals and nightclubs in the evenings to find clients and the sexual encounter took place immediately after it was negotiated. In the second, the sex worker worked alone and meetings for sex were prearranged. In this second pattern, clients were regulars or had been found during daytime excursions to town and arrangements would be made to meet for sex later. These modes of operation were not exclusive and some interviewees adopted both. Those who worked exclusively in the second mode were the most covert in their activities and not part of any wider networks of sex worker friends. Sex work began at a young age. Most interviewees were younger than 16 years old when they began sex work, and some were as young as 11 and 12 years. While friends and peers played a central role in the introduction to sex work, none of the participants had been coerced into sex work. The money earned from sex work was primarily spent while in town, on consumer goods and also on food, drinks and kava while out with friends. Few interviewees needed their earnings for daily food and shelter; but for most participants, the money earned through sex work afforded them some independence and autonomy along with access to cash. Sex workers expressed a preference for condom use but were inconsistent in their use of condoms with clients. Condoms need to be free and at hand to maximise uptake. While the quality of condoms was raised as an issue, most sex workers would not pay for condoms. Conditions of privacy and confidentiality were also very important to whether sex workers would pick up free condoms. Privacy and confidentiality are not merely a matter of shame but may have implications for the personal safety of sex workers. Information about the protection that condom use offered from HIV and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs) had an impact on sex workers’ attitudes to condoms. There were many misconceptions about condoms and a poor understanding of the role they play in preventing STIs and HIV transmission. Some sex workers and some clients did not know how to put a condom on a man. Clients were both foreign and local. Local clients were particularly averse to condom use. Clients’ wishes usually determined whether or not condoms were used. Overall, the sex workers in this study were not confident or competent enough negotiators to convince a reluctant client to use a condom. Those sex workers who had accurate information about the role and efficacy of condoms in preventing HIV and STI transmission did actively encourage clients to use condoms. Nakamals, bars and nightclubs are common sex work sites, and kava and alcohol drinking and sex work are intertwined. The combination of alcohol and kava and sex work may exacerbate risk as intoxication compromised intentions to use condoms. Drinking was also reported to be associated with lowered inhibitions and more adventurous sex than usual. Watching pornographic films with clients was also associated with sexual experimentation, and viewing usually occurred in the context of a drinking session. Along with the hazards of excessive alcohol and kava consumption and the elevated risk -taking associated with intoxication, forced sex was another danger associated with sex work. The heightened vulnerability to rape and sexual assault, however, appeared to be a consequence of being publicly exposed as a sex worker. Sex workers were variously encouraged to stop sex work by their church and also by health service providers. Sometimes families of sex workers beat them to convince them to stop. For those interviewees who had agreed to give up sex work, the undertaking resulted in a more covert approach to sex work. Details: Sydney: International HIV Research Group School of Public Health and Community Medicine The University of New South Wales, 2011. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2012 at: http://www.pacs-rhrc.org/files/IHRG_Vanuatu_FINAL_2.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: HIV (Viruses) Shelf Number: 126476

Author: Insurance Council of Australia Title: E-Commerce Crime and Vandalism - Defence Plan for the General Insurance Industry Summary: Industry groups and individual insurance companies generally have risk management processes and operational contingency plans in place. The recommended approach for e-commerce crime and vandalism is to review and, where appropriate, strengthen these plans for specific issues related to e-commerce. This document provides key points on a framework for an e-commerce crime and vandalism defence plan. It is structured to: • Raise awareness of e-commerce crime in the general insurance industry. • Provide a general overview relating to e-commerce crime issues. • Provide a general risk management model and to refer insurers to useful sources of information on security management. Information in this document is relevant as at 3 July 2001. Details: Sydney: Insurance Council of Australia, 2011. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2012 at: http://www.imia.com/downloads/external_papers/EP01_2002.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 126487

Author: Webber, Andrew Title: Youth Justice Conferences versus Children's Court: A comparison of cost-effectiveness Summary: Youth Justice Conferences (YJCs) have been examined in recent months in terms of whether they are being used appropriately (Moore, 2011a), their timeliness (Moore, 2011b), and their effect on reoffending (Smith & Weatherburn, 2012). However, one dimension of YJCs that has not yet been investigated is that of cost. Because YJCs require less infrastructure and are less reliant on legal professionals and judicial officers, they may be less resource intensive than a court alternative, and may be a valuable option in the juvenile criminal justice system. The purpose of cost-effectiveness analysis is to compare two or more options on the basis of their relative efficiency. A particular option is said to be cost-effective if it is cheaper per unit of nominated outcome than a comparison option. This could either be because it achieves the same outcome at a lower cost, or achieves a greater outcome at the same cost. Following Smith and Weatherburn (2012), the chosen outcome for comparison is reoffending. As that study was unable to find a significant difference in reoffending outcomes between court and YJC groups using a range of measures, the issue of costeffectiveness is simplified to one of cost-minimisation: given YJC and courts are equally effective, YJCs are more cost-effective than courts if the cost of holding a YJC is less than the cost of hearing that same matter in court. Details: Sydney, Australia: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 8p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin, Number 164: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB164.pdf/$file/CJB164.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice (Australia) Shelf Number: 126512

Author: Duncan, Jill Title: Addressing 'The Ultimate Insult': Responding to Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Summary: The paper is intended to inform and assist domestic/ family violence and sexual assault workers to understand this complex issue and to critically examine their practice in the work they undertake in supporting women affected by IPSV. However, we consider issues raised to also be relevant for policy makers, generalist counsellors and community sector professionals, including medical and health practitioners, who are working with women experiencing intimate partner violence, and facilitators of men’s behaviour change programs. This paper provides recommendations throughout that aim to clarify and build on existing knowledge and skills of practitioners. The recommendations comprise key messages drawn from the literature in the first half of the paper and suggestions arising from the worker practice forum and survey discussed in the second half. Details: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of New South Wales, 2011. 16p. Source: Stakeholder Paper 10: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2012 at http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/documents/Stakeholder_Paper_10.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Battered Women Shelf Number: 126570

Author: Byles, Dennis Title: Trafficking in a Commercial Quantity of Drugs Summary: This Sentencing Snapshot describes sentencing outcomes for the offence of trafficking in a commercial quantity of drugs and details the age and gender of people sentenced for this offence in the County and Supreme Courts of Victoria between 2006–07 and 2010–11. The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 (Vic) provides a set of trafficking offences that distinguishes between large commercial, commercial and less than commercial quantities of illicit drugs. A person who prepares, manufactures, sells, exchanges, agrees to sell, offers for sale or has in his or her possession for sale a drug of dependence without being authorised or licensed to do so is guilty of trafficking in a drug of dependence. The maximum penalties that apply vary depending on the nature and quantity of the drug involved, as well as the age of the recipient of the drugs, with higher maximum penalties for supplying to persons aged under 18 years. This report examines the offence of trafficking in a commercial quantity of a drug (or drugs) of dependence to an adult. The amount of the drug that constitutes a commercial quantity will depend on the type of drug involved. Different types of drugs can be combined in order to achieve a commercial quantity. Trafficking in a commercial quantity of drugs is an indictable offence that carries a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 3,000 penalty units. Indictable offences are more serious offences triable before a judge and jury in the County or Supreme Court. Trafficking in a commercial quantity of drugs was the principal offence in 1.5% of cases sentenced in the higher courts between 2006–07 and 2010–11. As with previous publications in this series, this report presents a snapshot of first instance sentences in the higher courts of Victoria. A section on appeals has been included immediately before the Summary section of this report. Information on sentences that have changed on appeal is also noted in other sections of this report. Unless otherwise noted, the data represent sentences imposed at first instance. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2012. 12p. Source: Sentencing Snapshot No. 130: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2012 at https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/snapshot_130_sentencing_trends_for_trafficking_in_a_commercial_quantity_of_drugs_in_the_higher_courts_of_victoria_august_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Trafficking (Australia) Shelf Number: 126638

Author: Miller, Peter Title: The Role of Alcohol in Crime and Disorder Summary: Four out of five Australians aged over 14 years report being recent drinkers and one in five report drinking seven or more drinks on a single occasion at least monthly. Two-thirds (61 per cent) of 18–29-year-olds report consuming alcohol for the purpose of getting drunk. The annual cost of alcohol-related harm in Australia is estimated between $15.63 and $36 billion, depending on the model used and whether harm to others is included in the model. The personal cost of alcohol-related trauma to many individuals is overwhelming. Virtually every type of alcohol-related harm is on the rise in Australia. This report provides a review of the literature and statistics related to alcohol consumption and crime and disorder in Australia and Victoria. This paper is part of a ‘suite’ of resources for government (local, state and federal), the justice sector, health professionals and associated agencies. It offers an overview of proven and promising strategies for reducing alcohol-influenced crime and disorder. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Australian Drug Foundation, 2012. 20p. Source: Prevention Research Quarterly No. 18: Internet Resource: Accessed October 10, 2012 at http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/attachments/691_PRQ_CrimeandDisorder_FINAL.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 126667

Author: Dooley, Julian Title: Educational Evaluation of Cybersmart Detectives Summary: The aim of the Australian Communications and Media Authority‟s (ACMA) Cybersmart Detectives (CSD) activity is to teach children key Internet safety messages in a safe school environment. The activity brings together a number of agencies with an interest in promoting online safety for young people, including education, State and Federal Police, government and child welfare advocates. The activity has been played by over 28, 000 students in Australia since initial trials in 2004. Cybersmart Detectives is offered free to schools by the ACMA as part of the Australian Government‟s commitment to cyber-safety. Based on a real-world Internet safety scenario, the CSD activity is delivered to students in the classroom as a series of messages. Aided by the classroom teacher, students work in small teams, reading correspondence, voting on a series of poll questions and sending questions and suggestions to their „Cybersmart Guide‟ waiting online. As the scenario unfolds, students discuss the risks of certain online and offline behaviours and ways of managing those risks. Cybersmart Guides are an important part of the activity. Guides are teachers, police and Internet safety experts who help students throughout the activity. The Guides respond to questions and theories posed by students online and help guide teams through each of the clues. Along with the interactive online CSD activity, the ACMA also provides a suite of teaching resources to support ongoing Internet safety education in the classroom. These resources include lesson plans and access to other ACMA online and hard copy resources. This independent evaluation, which was conducted by the Child Health Promotion Research Centre (CHPRC) at Edith Cowan University, was designed to answer five key questions: 1. Investigate if the game‟s key cyber-safety messages are identified by students; 2. Measure the short-term impact of CSD on student learning about cyber-safety; 3. Determine if students recognise the link between key cyber-safety messages and how these messages should be assimilated in their own behaviours/lives; 4. Examine the teacher‟s role in reinforcing the key cyber-safety messages; and 5. Assess the value of the pre-game and post-game lessons in reinforcing the key cyber-safety messages. The evaluation used a mixed methods approach, comprising stakeholder interviews, teacher interviews, quantitative student data collection and focus groups with students enabling the triangulation of results to support the implementation of the CSD activity. In addition to the data collection and analyses described in the proposal, the CHPRC conducted supplementary analyses to explore students‟ responses to poll questions (embedded within the CSD activity) and qualitative transcripts comprising student and guide comments posed during the CSD activity. Details: Perth, Australia: Child Health Promotion Research Centre Edith Cowan University, 2011. 249p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2012 at: http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310665/cybersmart_detectives-report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Safety Shelf Number: 126680

Author: Dooley, Julian J. Title: Review of Existing Australian and International Cyber-Safety Research Summary: This report provides a detailed overview of Australian and international research literature on cyber-safety risks. In general, there are several risks associated with using technology and exposure to these risks, when not properly addressed, is associated with negative consequences. However, the literature (scientific and non-scientific) suggests that some of the most troublesome online risks are strongly associated with offline risks and that these two worlds do not exist independently. Thus, in order to address online risks, it is crucial that offline behaviours also be considered. Finally, the research indicates that as young people increase their use of information and communication technologies, such as the Internet, they increase their risk of being exposed to negative online experiences. Details: Perth, Australia: Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, 2009. 276p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2012 at http://www.dbcde.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/119416/ECU_Review_of_existing_Australian_and_international_cyber-safety_research.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 126688

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: Young Adults' Experience of Responsible Service of Alcohol in NSW: 2011 Update Summary: Aim: To determine whether the provision of responsible service of alcohol (RSA) changed in NSW licensed premises between 2002 and 2011. Method: A repeat cross-sectional telephone survey of young adults (n=2,503 in 2011, n=2,427 in 2006, n=1,090 in 2002). Results: The percentage of respondents who reported showing at least one sign of intoxication at licensed premises decreased from 2006 to 2011 (from 56% to 51%). The overall provision of RSA to those who reported any signs of intoxication increased from 2002 to 2011 (from 10% in 2002 to 15% in 2006 to 19% in 2011). There was no change in the overall provision of RSA to those who reported three or more signs of intoxication between 2006 and 2011. However, particular RSA practices appear to have become more stringent among more intoxicated patrons (4% were asked to leave the premises in 2006 cf. 12% in 2011). Non-intoxicated patrons also reported that intoxicated patrons were asked to leave the licensed premises more often over this time period. Conclusion: There has been an increase in the use of RSA initiatives in New South Wales licensed premises over the period 2002 through 2011. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 20p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin No. 162: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB162.pdf/$file/CJB162.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 126707

Author: Rigby, Ken Title: Applying the Method of Shared Concern in Australian Schools: An Evaluative Study Summary: The general aim of this inquiry is to provide a description and evaluation of the Method of Shared Concern, a non-punitive method of addressing cases on bullying in schools. It inquires into how the Method is being applied in a sample of Australian schools in 2008 and examines its general effectiveness. Specifically, the inquiry examines how in practice the Method is being employed by practitioners in Australian schools. As such, the aim is to obtain detailed accounts of a number of cases, focusing on: • what the practitioner did in applying the method, the decisions they made and the outcomes achieved at each stage of the process • how the students involved in the intervention actually reacted • what problems were encountered • reflections of the practitioner and researcher on the applications. The effectiveness of the Method was to be judged according to two criteria: 1. whether the application of the Method brought about a cessation or reduction in the bullying experienced by the person or persons being targeted 2. the effects on other persons taking part in the interventions process, including those who had participated and the person acting as the practitioner. Details: Canberra, ACT: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2010. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2012 at: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/NationalSafeSchools/Documents/covertBullyReports/MethodOFSharedConcern.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: School Bullying (Australia) Shelf Number: 126736

Author: Gately, Natalie Title: Amphetamine Use Among Detainees at the East Perth Watch House: What is the Impact on Crime? Summary: Amphetamines have been increasingly available on the Australian drug markets since the early 1990s with a recent increase in clandestine laboratory detections as well as seizures by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Customs. Amphetamine use has been associated with psychological, physical and social harm, criminal behaviour and violence; however, much of the current research is descriptive. The present study was designed to utilise existing datasets from two major sources: the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) project and statistics on reported crime in Western Australia (WA). This enabled drug and crime data taken from several sources to be consolidated for the purpose of investigating the relationships between key variables of interest and trends in these variables over time. While no statistical relationship was identified, there was a trend towards reduced amphetamine use indicators together with a trend in increasing weights of amphetamines seized in the final two years of available data. This study highlights two particularly important factors related to age. Firstly, it is apparent that amphetamine users commence using various illicit and licit (for non-medical purposes) drugs at earlier ages on average than amphetamine non-users. Secondly, amphetamine users commence criminal careers at an earlier age than non-users on average. These findings emphasise both the importance of tackling alcohol and drug issues early and of youth diversion strategies for amphetamine drug offences. Given the generally lower socioeconomic status observed in the amphetamine using group in this study (compared to amphetamine non-users), assistance in acquiring stable housing and provision of education and training opportunities to improve employment prospects may reduce their likelihood of either using drugs and/or committing offences. This study revealed the relationships between important indicators such as drug use, crime and interventions that can be used to provide support for the provision or cessation of specific intervention activities. Details: Griffth, ACT Australia: Criminology Research Council, 2011. 59p. Source: Report to the Criminology Research Council: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2012 at http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/0910-50.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Amphetamines (Australia) Shelf Number: 126741

Author: Ritter, Alison Title: An Assessment of Illicit Drug Policy in Australia (1985 to 2010): Themes and Trends Summary: This monograph forms part of the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) Monograph Series. Drugs are a major social problem and are inextricably linked to the major socio-economic issues of our time. Our current drug policies are inadequate and governments are not getting the best returns on their investment. There are a number of reasons why: there is a lack of evidence upon which to base policies; the evidence that does exist is not necessarily analysed and used in policy decision-making; we do not have adequate approaches or models to help policy-makers make good decisions about dealing with drug problems; and drug policy is a highly complicated and politicised arena. The aim of the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) is to create valuable new drug policy insights, ideas and interventions that will allow Australia to respond with alacrity and success to illicit drug use. DPMP addresses drug policy using a comprehensive approach that includes consideration of law enforcement, prevention, treatment and harm reduction. The dynamic interaction between policy options is an essential component in understanding best investment in drug policy. DPMP conducts rigorous research that provides independent, balanced, non-partisan policy analysis. The areas of work include: developing the evidence-base for policy; developing, implementing and evaluating dynamic policy-relevant models of drug issues; and studying policy-making processes in Australia. This work aimed to provide an accessible description and assessment of drug policy in Australia from 1985 to 2010. Approaches to drug policy are constantly changing as a result of international and domestic factors, the comings and goings of governments, political imperative and the uptake of new knowledge. Consequently, this report represents the situation as it stands in Australia up to mid-2010. We take the Australian context (section 1) as our starting point, then summarise Australia’s National Drug Strategies over time comparing them to those of other nations (section 2). We then provide analysis of trends and patterns of drug use and harms in Australia (section 3), government action on drugs (section 4), and finish with an analysis of the roles of some of the many actors in the Australian drug policy landscape (section 5). Details: Sydney, Australia: Drug Policy Modelling Program, 2011. 85p. Source: Drug Policy Modelling Program Monograph 21: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2012 at http://www.dpmp.unsw.edu.au/DPMPWeb.nsf/resources/monograph1.pdf/$file/DPMP+MONO+21.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 126767

Author: Quadara, Antonia Title: What is Effective Primary Prevention in Sexual Assault? Translating the Evidence for Action Summary: This Wrap from the Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault provides an evidence-based summary of the key issues involved in program design in primary prevention initiatives. It is targeted at those working in the policy and program development areas of sexual assault prevention. Its purpose is to assist decision-making about what primary prevention is, and isn’t, and what elements are required for primary prevention to be effective – drawing on information from sexual assault and other fields of primary prevention. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2012. 16p. Source: ACSSAwrap No. 11: Internet Resource: Accessed October 22, 2012 at http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/wrap/wrap11/w11.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Programs (Australia) Shelf Number: 126768

Author: Cussen, Tracy Title: ACT Family Violence Intervention Program Review Summary: This Technical and Background Paper reports on an AIC review of the Australian Capital Territory’s Family Violence Intervention Program (FVIP). The FVIP provides an interagency response to family violence matters that have come to the attention of police and then proceeded to prosecution. The scope of the review was to analyse the program’s activities and outcomes using 2007–08 data provided by participating agencies, supported by in-depth interviews with key stakeholders including victims whose matters had been finalised in court. After the completion of this report, additional data from 2008–09 and 2009–10 was made available by some FVIP participating agencies. Although not within the scope of this evaluation, these data pointed to some preliminary improvements in the FVIP. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 52: Accessed October 24, 2012 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp052.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 126795

Author: Griffith, Gareth Title: Drug Detection Dogs: The Legal Position in New South Wales Summary: On 19 September 2012 the Attorney General, Greg Smith, introduced into the Legislative Assembly a Bill to extend the scope of the use of drug detection or "sniffer" dogs without warrant in Kings Cross and on CityRail lines - the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Amendment (Kings Cross and Railway Drug Detection) Bill 2012 [the 2012 Bill]. As explained in the explanatory note, the object of the Bill: is to authorise the use by police officers of dogs for general drug detection (without warrant) on the streets and other public places in the Kings Cross precinct. The Bill also adds additional train lines on which police officers may use dogs for that purpose so that all suburban train lines on which CityRail operates train services are covered The 2012 Bill would insert new subsection 148(1)(d) into the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 [LEPRA], to extend the use of sniffer dogs for general drug detection in authorised places (without warrant) to include "persons at any public place in the Kings Cross precinct". It would also amend the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Regulation 2005 to extend the use of drug detection dogs to all CityRail suburban train lines. On one view, the 2012 Bill does not involve the introduction of any new principle or practice into the criminal law. Rather, it can be said to extend the geographical fields of operation for defined police powers under s 148 of LEPRA. On the other hand, the 2012 Bill applies to an entire neighbourhood, which is partly residential in nature. In this respect its scope of operation can be said to be quite different to the current law, which is targeted to particular premises and events, as well to specified train lines. The purpose of this e-brief is to set out the background to this proposed legislation, looking at the development of the relevant statutory law, along with the debate about the use of drug sniffer dogs. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2012. 9p. Source: NSW Parliamentary Research Service e-Brief 18/2012: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2012 at http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/9C0870C1D3FC016ECA257A99000A953E/$File/Police+sniffer+dogs+in+New+South+Wales.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Detection Dogs (Australia) Shelf Number: 126863

Author: Lloyd, Belinda Title: Drinking Cultures and Social Occasions: Alcohol Harms in the Context of Major Public Holidays and Cultural Events Summary: This research is produced by Eastern Health-Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre with VicHealth funding, and shows a link between days around major sporting events and increases in alcohol intoxication and related harm based on data on ambulance attendances, emergency department and hospital admissions, and police attendances. It provides evidence that acute intoxication, motor vehicle accidents and injuries due to assaults increase around these events, and generally rise the day before. It shows peak times for alcohol-related harms in Melbourne occuring on Fridays and Saturdays, and during the warmer months. This evidence highlights the impact of risky alcohol use and the harmful drinking culture on resource allocation and staffing for police, ambulance and emergency services. The data also gives valuable guidance for targeting alcohol intervention and prevention initiatives and health education campaigns to minimise harms associated with drinking. Details: Melbourne: VicHealth, 2011. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 5, 2012 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Alcohol-Misuse/Sporting-events-Drinking-cultures-and-social-occasions.aspx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 126882

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: How Are Taser Weapons Used by the NSW Police Force? A Special Report to Parliament under s. 31 of the Ombudsman Act 1974 Summary: This is the second comprehensive investigation that my office has undertaken into the use of Taser weapons by the New South Wales Police Force (NSWPF). The first investigation was done at a time when Tasers were only used by police officers within specialist units of the NSWPF. Since that report in 2008, Taser weapons have been rolled out for use by all accredited general duties police officers in NSW. The increase in the number of Taser weapons and officers who can carry a Taser bring a greater risk that Tasers may be used inappropriately. The controls and accountability mechanisms for their use now need to be of the highest standard – to ensure not only proper use, but to minimise any opportunities for or risks of misuse. Also of concern is the potential that an over-reliance on Tasers will diminish police officers’ skills in important areas such as communication, negotiation and weaponless control. The Taser can be an effective device when it is used appropriately and in accordance with the law, the NSWPF tactical options model and Taser use procedures. However, Taser use must always be balanced against the potential danger to human life and the risk of serious injury to members of the community or police officers. On any assessment, the Taser is an intrusive and invasive weapon. It pierces the skin when the Taser probes are discharged and inflicts considerable pain on the person subject to the Taser. It can also lead to additional safety risks, depending on the circumstances of use and the nature of the interaction. Around Australia, there have been well publicised misuses of Taser which have led to significant and justified concern within the community. For these reasons, a Taser must be used only in situations where there is a real threat of harm or danger to police or members of the community. This investigation was commenced in October 2010 and it is the most comprehensive review of Taser use to date in Australia. We have evaluated data relating to 2,252 Taser use incidents, together with a detailed examination of 556 individual police Taser use incidents – where we closely analysed all police records as well as the video footage from the Taser Cam. Such a detailed review allowed us to not only examine the application of relevant police procedures and rules in each incident, but also how they were interpreted and applied by operational police and how the internal accountability and review system worked for each incident. Our findings support the ongoing use of Taser weapons by the NSWPF. We identified a small number of misuses or breaches of relevant Taser rules and procedures, and found that the accountability framework was strong and in most cases worked well. The positive nature of many of these findings is, I believe, a direct result of the strong accountability framework in place, the detailed rules and procedures for use, and the decision to have Taser Cam as a mandatory feature in each Taser. Notwithstanding our generally positive findings, we did identify incidents where the use of the Taser was inappropriate or where the internal review process was either inadequate or inconsistent. These cases point to some significant issues of concern around the interpretation of procedures and criteria for use of Tasers and the adequacy and consistency of the internal review processes. We have made 44 recommendations to ensure that what is essentially a good system is made better and stronger. There will always be a risk that Tasers can be misused. An enhanced accountability framework with greater clarity and guidance will help to further minimise the risk of Taser misuse – and, importantly, result in such misuse being identified and dealt with quickly and effectively. This investigation has required a significant amount of work by both staff from my office and senior and other police officers. It is important to record that the Commissioner of Police has been very supportive of the investigation. From the start, he committed to ensuring that we were given ready access to everything we needed to complete our review and analysis of Taser use. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2012. 202p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 5, 2012 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/6970/SR_Taser_Report_Oct2012_web.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Use of Force Shelf Number: 126883

Author: Baldry, Eileen Title: Lifecourse Institutional Costs of Homelessness for Vulnerable Groups Summary: There is a dearth of empirical research in Australia examining the lifecourse institutional costs associated with vulnerable people who are homeless. Evidence has been mounting that vulnerable groups, in particular persons with mental health disorders and cognitive disability (MHDCD) who experience clusters of disadvantageous circumstances, are over-represented amongst those coming to the attention of police and being serially arrested and incarcerated. People in these groups are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs and be homeless or marginally housed. Persons in this group are often caught in a vicious criminal justice cycle (Baldry et al 2006) with the costs to the person and the community estimated to be very high (Burt 2003; Edwards et al 2009; Flatau et al 2008; Gulcur et al 2003; Mental Health Coordinating Council 2008). But there has been little empirical pathway costing done. The study presented here has developed pathway costings using the Mental Health and Cognitive Disability in the Criminal Justice System (MHDCD) Dataset that contains data on lifelong interventions and interactions with all criminal justice and some human services agencies that are available for a cohort of 2,731 people who have been in prison in NSW and whose MHDCD diagnoses are known. This study’s purpose is to contribute to understanding the real costs associated with this group’s homelessness and criminal justice involvement and to alternative policy and program responses. Merging data across criminal justice sub-systems and with relevant human services is a useful way to provide a broad, dynamic understanding of the trans-criminal justice and human service involvement of persons with complex needs. This study takes an empirical approach to calculating the economic costs of the pathways of eleven individuals who have cycled in and out of homelessness, using the MHDCD Dataset containing their interactions with housing, health, community services and criminal justice agencies. 1 This institutional contact was costed by working with the relevant criminal justice and human service agencies to develop methods of measurement to ascertain unit costs. The cost of each unit of intervention or service recorded in our data - for example, being taken into custody by Police or being given rent assistance by Housing - was calculated across agency and by age, and total costs compiled. Lifecourse institutional costs for the 11 case studies, currently aged between 23 and 55, range from around $900,000 to $5.5 million. The economic costs to government are significant, as are the social and human costs. Whilst each individual story reflects the impacts of particular conditions and experiences, together the case studies highlight the breadth and depth of social need and disadvantage experienced by these individuals, as well as the complex and compounding interactions between them. In almost every case discussed, significant disadvantage, vulnerability and risk factors are obvious from early adolescence and, for several individuals from childhood, yet care and protection and early intervention do not occur in any substantial or sustained way. The evidence is stark that this early lack of adequate services is associated with costly criminal justice, health and homelessness interactions and interventions later in their lives. Millions of dollars in crisis and criminal justice interventions continue to be spent on these vulnerable individuals whose needs would have been better addressed in early support or currently in a health, rehabilitation or community space. It is obvious that access to integrated and responsive support services including drug and alcohol support, mental health and disability services or other psycho-social forms of support is needed. The provision of secure housing and support for an individual to maintain a tenancy appears a key factor in higher criminal justice and emergency services costs. Early and well-timed interventions to establish and maintain secure housing and associated support services could significantly reduce the need for the future years of criminal justice interventions. This study, while focused on the economic costs across the lifecourse associated with vulnerable people who are homeless, does not capture all possible costs to government or to society more generally. There are other elements to the costs of homelessness which the information contained in the MHDCD Dataset could contribute to in future research studies, such as the costs to the individuals, their families and the broader community, the costs of crime, opportunity costs, and cost-benefit research. The policy implications of this study are: • The atomised and singular manner in which homeless persons with complex compounded needs are addressed by most agencies is extremely costly and counterproductive. Early holistic support is crucial for disadvantaged children with cognitive disabilities and/or mental health disorders who are homeless or in unstable housing. • Provision of skilled disability supported accommodation and education early in life would save significant spending on homelessness and criminal justice interventions later in life. • System incentives to cost-shift should be eliminated. • There is evidence of avoidance of working with complex and poorly housed children and adults by human service agencies resulting in criminal justice services, particularly Police, being used as frontline child protection, housing, mental and cognitive disability services. • A significant change in the way government human service agencies approach this small but extremely costly group of persons is required. The evidence from this project suggests that robust, holistic, cross portfolio support and intervention resonses fit for purpose (eg appropriate and adequate disability support with housing) are needed. Details: Sydney, AUS: School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2012. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: https://homelessnessclearinghouse.govspace.gov.au/files/2012/10/Lifecourse-Institutional-Costs-of-Homelessness-final-report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Disability Shelf Number: 126889

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Investigation into Allegations of Improper Conduct Involving Victoria Police Summary: July 2011, I received a disclosure from a whistleblower alleging that Mr Simon Overland, in exercising his powers of superintendence and control of Victoria Police during his time as Chief Commissioner, did so in a manner that fell within one or more of the categories of ‘corrupt conduct’ in section 3 of the Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 (the WPA). The disclosure included: • Mr Overland, by: • accepting a temporary membership from the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC); • accepting other offers of corporate hospitality; and • allowing and accepting behaviour of Victoria Police employees regarding the acceptance of gifts and benefits; adversely affected the honest performance of functions of Victoria Police employees regarding the acceptance of gifts and benefits. • Mr Overland (and others within Victoria Police) performed and allowed the performance of certain employment functions with inappropriate partiality including: • the reappointment of a superintendent; • an unnecessary and unethical termination payment to a senior executive; and • preferential treatment of two superintendents under investigation. 8. The WPA is designed to encourage disclosures of improper conduct about public officers and bodies and to provide protections for persons who make those disclosures. The Ombudsman’s role under the WPA includes determining, subject to specific provisions of the WPA, whether a matter requires investigation, and conducting or overseeing investigations. 9. Under the WPA, I may only investigate a disclosure if I determine that the matter is a public interest disclosure. To be a public interest disclosure, I must be satisfied that a person: • believes on reasonable grounds; and • the disclosure shows or tends to show that a public officer or body has, is, or proposes to engage in improper conduct in their capacity as a public officer or public body. 10. Improper conduct in the WPA is defined as: • corrupt conduct; • a substantial mismanagement of public resources; • or a substantial risk to public health and safety or the environment. This conduct must also, if proven, constitute a criminal offence or reasonable grounds for dismissal. 11. I considered that the conduct of Mr Overland, if proven, would have been reasonable grounds for the termination of his appointment as Chief Commissioner when he occupied this position. I therefore considered that this disclosure was a public interest disclosure. 12. This report details the results of my investigation into the public interest disclosure. Other allegations were also included in the disclosure although I have not considered it appropriate or in the public interest to report those allegations to the Parliament. I have, however, included the results of my investigation in relation to those matters in my separate report to the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police made pursuant to section 63A of the WPA. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2012. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2012 at: http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Allegations_of_improper_conduct_-_Victoria_Police.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 126890

Author: Barrett, Anna Title: Building Relationships for Better Outcomes: Peninsula Youth Connections Evaluation Stage 2 Report Summary: This research constitutes the second part of a three-stage evaluation of the Peninsula Youth Connections (PYC) program. PYC is the local expression of a program funded by the Australian Government to assist young people at risk of disengaging from education and training. Operating in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region south-east of Melbourne, PYC includes intensive case management, outreach and re-engagement activities for young people, and seeks to build the capacity of local youth services. Key points • Overall, young people’s needs were addressed effectively through the intensive case management approach. The majority of participants—84.5 per cent—achieved at least one kind of outcome, and at follow-up, 72.5 per cent were engaged in education. The program approach was particularly beneficial for young people facing mental health issues/stressors, interpersonal issues and learning issues. Young people with unstable family and financial contexts and risky behaviours also benefited, but faced greater ongoing challenges. The difficulties faced by young people from unstable contexts were echoed at a broader level by the finding that young people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods were more severely disengaged from education, and achieved fewer outcomes. • Complex and intersecting relationships exist between young people’s characteristics, backgrounds, barriers to education, and the outcomes they achieve. The findings from this research demonstrated the complexity and diversity of issues faced by young people disengaging from education and training. Relationships were found between demographic characteristics (such as age, gender and area socioeconomic disadvantage), barriers faced, and outcomes achieved, illustrating the necessity for programs to provide integrated and holistic services which can be adapted and individualised to fit the needs of young people negotiating varied pathways through education and service structures. • Young people particularly valued the relational aspects of the PYC program. The young people interviewed and surveyed were positive in their assessment of the program and the benefits they derived from participation (Figure 1). They identified the following as strengths of the program: friendliness, personal support, encouragement, informality, flexibility, persistence and enjoyment. By far the most prominent message from young people was that the individualised and personal support they received through the relationship with their case manager was a vital factor in their successful engagement with the program. • Gains made from PYC participation appeared to be sustained, in the face of ongoing challenges. Most of the young people followed up after exit were engaged in work or study. However, they faced ongoing challenges around housing and finances, as well as mental health and self-esteem. • Disengagement from school left a powerfully negative impression on young people, and was an experience which in itself formed a barrier to future engagement. Although PYC had largely positive impacts on participants, a re-engagement program cannot fully mitigate the negative impact of these earlier experiences on young people’s self-esteem and confidence. The systemic issues underlying these experiences will be considered in Stage 3 of the PYC evaluation. Details: Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia: Brotherhood of St Laurence, 2012. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.bsl.org.au/pdfs/Barrett_Building_relationships_for_better_outcomes_PYC_Stage_2_evaluation_report_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: At-Risk Youth (Australia) Shelf Number: 126902

Author: Queensland. Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Title: Child Guardian Report: Investigation into the Use of Force in Queensland youth detention centres Summary: The Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (the Commission) has the legislative responsibility to promote and protect the rights, interests and wellbeing of children and young people in Queensland. In particular, section 23(1)(e)(i) of the Commission’s Act prescribes that the Commission must prioritise the needs and interests of young people detained in youth detention centres in Queensland. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Commission has identified concerns about the use of force by officers of the former Department of Communities (the Department) in both Queensland youth detention facilities, namely Brisbane Youth Detention Centre (BYDC) and Cleveland Youth Detention Centre (CYDC). The identification of use of force as an issue requiring investigation was raised during the ongoing regular review and analysis of a variety of sources that inform the Commission’s monitoring and advocacy functions, including the:  Youth detention inspections conducted by the Department under section 263 of the Youth Justice Act 1992 on a quarterly basis  Reports of harm and suspected harm in youth detention centres provided by the Department on a monthly basis in accordance with section 37 of the Youth Justice Regulation 2003  Commission Community Visitor reports completed after monthly visits to young people in youth detention centres under Chapter 5 of the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000, and  Complaints received by the Commission from young people detained in youth detention centres, about the use of force under Chapter 4 of the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000. Details: Brisbane: Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, 2012. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/pdf/publications/reports/child-guardian-investigation-report/Use-of-Force-Investigation-Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Detention Centers Shelf Number: 126907

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: Working Without Fear: Results of the 2012 Sexual Harassment National Telephone Survey Summary: The Australian Human Rights Commission (Commission) conducted a national telephone survey between May and August 2012 to investigate the prevalence, nature and reporting of sexual harassment in Australian workplaces over the past five years (2012 National Survey). This report outlines the findings of that survey and compares and contrasts the findings with previous surveys conducted by the Commission in 2003 (2003 National Survey)1 and 2008 (2008 National Survey).2 A number of positive stories have emerged from the 2012 National Survey. For instance, where formal reports and complaints of sexual harassment in the workplace were made, they were resolved quickly (in less than one month) in most cases and with high or extremely high levels of satisfaction amongst the majority of complainants. In addition, a majority of individuals who have witnessed or subsequently learned about sexual harassment in their workplace (ie bystanders) have taken action to prevent or reduce the harm of the harassment. In taking such action, they have helped to ensure safe work environments for themselves and their colleagues. Overall, however, the 2012 National Survey shows that sexual harassment is a persistent and pervasive problem in Australian workplaces. It also shows that limited progress has been made since the Commission conducted its 2008 National Survey. It is particularly concerning that there has been little reduction in the prevalence of sexual harassment since the 2008 National Survey. Although sexual harassment affects a diverse range of individuals across a broad spectrum of occupations, workplaces and industries, the 2012 National Survey shows that targets of sexual harassment are most likely to be women and less than 40 years of age. Consistent with previous surveys, the 2012 National Survey also shows that the harassers are most likely to be male co-workers, though women were at least five times more likely than men to have been harassed by a boss or employer. Men harassing women accounted for more than half (56%) of all sexual harassment, while male harassment of men accounted for nearly a quarter (23%) of sexual harassment. It is also concerning that there has been a significant increase in the number of people who have experienced negative consequences (eg victimisation) as a result of making a formal report or complaint of sexual harassment. Furthermore, understanding and reporting of sexual harassment remain low. Details: Sydney: Australian Human Rights Commission, 2012. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/sexualharassment/survey/SHSR_2012%20Web%20Version%20Final.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Rights Shelf Number: 126912

Author: Stathopoulos, Mary Title: Sibling Sexual Abuse Summary: Sibling sexual abuse is a hidden and often under-reported form of sexual abuse. Studies indicate that sibling sexual abuse is more prevalent than other types of intra-familial sexual abuse. Due to the mostly close relationship and physical proximity between siblings, sibling sexual abuse is considered an opportunistic form of abuse. Abusive siblings are often displaying problematic sexual behaviours or developmentally inappropriate behaviours that may be the result of victimisation they have encountered themselves - either witnessed or experienced. Abused siblings often do not disclose being abused due, among other things, to fear of not being believed, fear of upsetting parents, or confusion over their role in the abuse. Current therapeutic frameworks suggest providing counselling for the whole family. Details: Melbourne: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assualt, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2012. 18p. Source: ACSSA Research Summary: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2012 at http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/researchsummary/ressum3/ressum3.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Acolescent Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 126923

Author: Fitzgerald, Jacqueline Title: Why is the NSW Prison Population Falling? Summary: Aim: After steadily increasing for more than a decade, from mid 2009 the NSW prison population started falling. This paper aims to identify why this has occurred. Method: The study relied upon administrative data. Corrections data was considered to gauge the size, timing and nature of changes in the prison population. Police recorded crime and court data were analysed to measure changes in offending and sentencing which eventually have a bearing on prison numbers. Results: Corrections data showed that the decrease in the prison population was limited to sentenced prisoners and was driven by a reduction in the number of offenders serving sentences for Assault, Break and enter, Theft and Traffic offences. Break and enter, Theft and Assault, prisoners appear to have decreased, in part, because the incidence of these offences have fallen. There have also been moves away from the use of imprisonment as a penalty for each of the four offences whether because fewer offenders are being imprisoned or because the average sentence length has fallen. Conclusion: In 2011, fewer offenders were serving prison sentences for Assault, Break and enter, Theft and Traffic offences. This appears to be due to both a reduction in the number of offenders in court and changes in sentencing practices for certain offences. It is beyond the scope of this paper to ascertain whether changes in sentencing practice reflect a move towards more lenient sentencing or whether they have resulted from changes in the severity of offences themselves. The reduction in the number of offenders for some offences appears to be due, at least in part, to a reduction in the volume of crime. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 6p. Source: Crime and Justice Statistics Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 80: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2012 at http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb80.pdf/$file/bb80.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections (Australia) Shelf Number: 126931

Author: Queensland. Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Title: Child Guardian Report: Youth Justice System 2010–11 Summary: This inaugural analysis of data from across the Youth Justice System for 2010–11 shows that:  In 2010–11, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) took 46,468 actions against young people aged 10 to 17 years, at a rate of 96.0 offences per 1000 young people. Cautioning was the most common outcome, and the proportions of cautions increased as the age of offenders decreased.  Offences against property was the most common offence type amongst young people aged 10 to 17 years, accounting for 60.1% of all offences.  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10 to 17 years continue to be significantly over-represented in the Youth Justice System compared to non-Indigenous young people. Of particular significance are the areas of rates of arrest, remand and sentence to supervised orders.  Remand continues to be a significant issue for young people in the system, with a total 833 young people held on remand during 2010–11, while only 218 young people were actually sentenced to a Detention Order. Young people on remand made up 82.1% of the detention centre population for 2010–11.  Together, 15 to 16-year-olds accounted for more than 60% of the average daily number of young people in youth detention. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people represented 56.9% of the average daily detention centre population.  In terms of diversions offered to young people to limit their contact with the youth justice system, the data shows that there were a total of 2385 Youth Justice Conferences held in 2010-11, the majority of which resulted in a written or verbal apology. There were 234 young people whose cases were dealt with in the Murri Court, which appears to be a small proportion of the overall number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people involved in the youth justice system. Similarly, there were 80 young people referred to Youth Drug Diversion potentially indicating under use of this type of diversion.  Implementation of the Commission’s Youth Justice Monitoring Framework has also identified some significant areas of interest in the development of the agency data, including reoffending of young people who received a diversionary outcome of police action and young people who were admitted to a youth justice order. Details: Brisbane, AUS: Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, 2012. 121p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2012 at: https://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/pdf/publications/reports/Child-Guardian-Report_Youth-Justice-System_2012/Final-Child-Guardian-Youth-Justice-Report-2010-11.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency Shelf Number: 126937

Author: Victoria (AUS). Office of Police Integrity Title: Policing People Who Appear to be Mentally Ill Summary: This report sets out the findings of a review by the Office of Police Integrity (OPI) into the way Victoria Police responds to people who appear to have a mental illness. In 2009 the Victorian Auditor General’s Office completed a review into interagency coordination, preparedness and effectiveness in responding to mental health crises. OPI’s review follows on from the Auditor General’s report and assesses whether more could be done to enhance Victoria Police’s responses to people who appear to have a mental illness. The interaction between police and people who appear to be mentally ill is a well- established one. In Victoria the over-representation of people who have a mental illness in fatal police shootings is extensively documented. Although this over-representation remains concerning, it overshadows the more routine nature of interactions between police and people who appear to have a mental illness. These interactions are remarkably frequent. According to recently published research, police in Victoria report that in any average week they regularly come into contact with people who appear to have a mental illness.1 Fifty percent of police reported this occurs one to two times a week, with more than a third of police reporting between three and ten encounters. As well as occurring frequently these interactions are often time consuming and complex in nature. This is not unique to Victoria. As this report sets out, the relatively high proportion of police encounters with people who appear to have a mental illness is in large part the product of deinstitutionalisation. Beginning in the 1960s in Victoria, deinstitutionalisation rapidly escalated in the 1980s and 1990s. Whilst well intentioned, as has been the case internationally, the closure of institutionalised settings did not occur in tandem with adequate provision of community based mental health services. This has led to at times dramatic consequences. An unacceptable over-representation of mentally ill persons in fatal shootings by Victoria Police in the late 1980s and 1990s attests to this. Victoria Police responded to these concerning statistics effectively in the form of Project Beacon in 1996. The key message underpinning the philosophy of this intervention was that the success of an operation will primarily be judged by the extent to which the use of force is avoided or minimised. Following this initiative the effectiveness of this message has at times waned. This review and previous reports by OPI have emphasised this: while it is important to learn lessons, it is incumbent on Victoria Police to ensure that these lessons are remembered. The review included an examination of academic literature about established best practice in delivering policing services to people who appear to have a mental illness. Different models used by police in other jurisdictions are considered in this report. In a context of finite resources to respond to people who appear to be experiencing a mental health crisis, innovative service delivery is required to ensure that responses are effective and efficient. On this measure, Victoria Police has delivered positive initiatives on a trial basis which have improved responsiveness to people in these situations. The Police Ambulance and Clinical Early Response (PACER) program has constituted a unique and effective way to provide onsite assistance to people who appear to have a mental illness while also easing the strain on emergency departments and other mental health services. Notwithstanding this the original PACER program has concluded and its future status is uncertain. A variation was recently trialled in conjunction with the Alfred Hospital and a similar pilot is currently underway at Eastern Health. Any long-term commitment beyond the life of these pilots by the Department of Health or Area Mental Health Services remains uncertain. This emphasises the need for Victoria Police to further consider other frameworks or models to respond to people who appear to have a mental illness. PACER is only one such model. The current position of the Department of Health requires Victoria Police to consider other alternatives. This review considered the recommendations arising from a large scale collaborative research project between Monash University, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare) and Victoria Police. The ‘Police Responses to the Interface with Mental Disorder’ project investigated Victoria Police practices, policies and procedures in dealing with people who appear to have a mental illness and interactions with other mental health services. One of the key recommendations arising from this project was the establishment of a dedicated facility where people experiencing mental health crises can be taken for immediate assessment and care. OPI’s review has considered the merits of this recommendation. The establishment of such a facility could promote better care and emergency treatment for people who have an acute mental episode in metropolitan Melbourne, while easing the strain on resources that police and some emergency departments currently experience. Although this review focused on the police response to people who appear to be mentally ill, the findings of this review indicate that there is still room for improving the understanding across agencies about the different roles and responsibilities police, paramedics, hospital emergency department staff and mental health practitioners have in these situations. Police have a key responsibility to ensure the safety of people threatening harm to themselves or others. Where the person threatening harm appears to be mentally ill, the focus of any response should be on health and harm minimisation principles. In this context health practitioners have a primary responsibility to respond. The role of police is to support their response. For example, police may be required to take action to ensure the safety and welfare of not only the person appearing to be mentally ill but also mental health service providers, paramedics, staff in hospital emergency departments and members of the public in the vicinity of the person. Experience demonstrates the best responses to people experiencing a mental health crisis in the community require multi-agency cooperation and collaboration at a local, regional and state level. Ensuring cooperation across health, welfare, community support and emergency services and the provision of professional, timely and safe responses to people who have a mental illness and their carers is not the sole responsibility of police. It is a whole-of-government issue requiring whole-of-government consideration and response. Details: Melbourne: Office of Police Integrity, 2012. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2012 at: www.opi.vic.gov.au Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Mentally Ill Offenders Shelf Number: 126943

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Linking SAAP, Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Data: Technical Report Summary: Following the release of a study exploring the feasibility of linking three community-sector data collections, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare was funded to link child protection, juvenile justice and Supported Accommodation Assistance Program data. This report describes the process used to link these collections. The analysis of the linked data is in a companion report, Children and young people at risk of social exclusion: links between homelessness, child protection and juvenile justice. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Data Linkage Series No. 14: Accessed November 23, 2012 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129542244 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 126947

Author: Nicholas, Roger Title: Breaking the Silence: Addressing Family and Domestic Violence Problems in Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Practice in Australia Summary: This literature review examines the relationships between alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and “family and domestic violence” (FDV) in the context of AOD treatment settings. It focuses on strategies that may be developed to enhance the responses of alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment providers to FDV issues affecting clients and their children. Details: Adelaide, South Australia: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, 2012. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2012 at: http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/6513/5285/7437/EN469_Nicholas_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 126989

Author: Ritter, Alison Title: Evaluating Drug Law Enforcement Interventions Directed Towards Methamphetamine in Australia Summary: Methamphetamine belongs in the class of stimulant drugs referred to as Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS). The category of ATS includes ecstasy, amphetamine and methamphetamine. This research project concerned itself with the amphetamine and methamphetamine class and excluded ecstasy (and henceforth we use the generic term methamphetamine). In Australia, methamphetamine is available in three forms—powder, base and crystal. Methamphetamine is associated with significant harms and is an important drug policy priority. The National Amphetamine-Type Stimulants Strategy (2008–2011) (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, 2008) articulates the following priority areas in relation to methamphetamine: • improve community awareness and understanding of amphetamine-type stimulant use and related problems; • reduce the supply of amphetamine-type stimulants; • develop specific strategies to prevent and reduce amphetamine type stimulant use; and • develop organisational and system capacity to prevent and respond to amphetamine-type stimulant problems This research concerns the second priority area—reducing the supply of methamphetamine. The specific aims of the research were twofold: • to provide a rich description of the Australian methamphetamine supply chains in order to inform drug law enforcement interventions; and • to conduct an initial economic evaluation comparing law enforcement interventions directed at the methamphetamine market. The work focused on the methamphetamine market(s) and supply chains in Australia above the retail level. Previous research (eg McKetin, McLaren, & Kelly, 2005) has examined retail methamphetamine markets in Australia. Governments and policymakers are interested in determining which interventions are more or less effective than others, such that the scarce funding resources can be allocated in the most efficient manner possible. There is scant research available to law enforcement to guide such decisions. The main impediments to such research are the fundamental methodological challenges inherent in such an undertaking. This project is an attempt to conduct a preliminary analysis comparing the costs and impacts of different types of law enforcement. It is a ground-breaking study as this has not been previously attempted and it should be seen as the initial development of a methodological approach that can be improved upon with subsequent research. The project aimed to determine the relative cost-to-impact ratios of different law enforcement strategies aimed at reducing methamphetamine production and distribution. In an environment focused on efficiency in resource allocation, it is hoped that this research will provide the impetus for further research on the effectiveness of drug law enforcement. As the results of such research accumulate, it is hoped that policymakers will be able to use the information to improve decision making on law enforcement investment. As with all research, this study has limitations, which we hope will be addressed in future research. The economic results should be read with these limitations in mind. • This study assessed the difference between four drug law enforcement interventions in terms of the impact (value of seized drugs) against expenditure (government costs). It is not a cost-effectiveness or a cost– benefit study. The results are reported in terms of the ranking of the interventions against each other. This study does not allow one to draw conclusions about the overall efficiency or value for money represented by drug law enforcement. Future research, which builds on this work, could include a cost-effectiveness analysis, between drug law enforcement interventions and across drug law enforcement and other interventions which reduce methamphetamine use (such as drug treatment). • In this evaluation, the measure of policing impact was the monetary value of seized methamphetamine (or precursor). This is an imperfect impact measure. Drug law enforcement that results in seized product can also impact on the overall capacity of a criminal network. • This study used the value of seized drugs as the measure to compare law enforcement interventions. However, drug law enforcement may change other financial aspects for drug criminals, such as increase the costs of manufacture and distribution (by seizing assets), increase the risks of arrest and imprisonment (opportunity costs) and increase the operational costs of running a business (costs of new avoidance strategies adopted against drug law enforcement). The aggregate costs are the losses to illicit drug enterprises due to drug law enforcement activities. A comprehensive analysis would include each of these aspects and calculate ‘total loss’ due to drug law enforcement. However, in this preliminary work, we were not able to cost each of these components and hence used only replacement costs (seizures) to represent the loss. • There are other important impacts of drug law enforcement interventions—deterrence, public safety and public amenity, and disruptions on other crimes that criminal networks are engaged in that have not been included in this study; future research could adopt the broader, taxpayer (societal) perspective, rather than policing agency perspective. • In this study, we evaluate the relative impact of discrete law enforcement interventions. However, in reality, law enforcement interventions are likely to exert synergistic effects such that the combined impact of a suite of interventions is likely to be greater than the sum of the impact of individual interventions. Thus, an important caveat to our results relates to the cumulative impact of law enforcement interventions. The current project did not examine the impact of cumulative or multi-pronged interventions. • There is a substantial lack of data across many areas of illicit drug markets. We had difficulty obtaining methamphetamine price data, information about market structure, police agency budgets and detailed seizure data. Some of these data, such as information about markets, involves ethnographic research. For quantitative data, consideration should be given to the development of data collection systems which would facilitate illicit drug market and law enforcement effectiveness research (eg collection of data which connects price and purity of seizures). • Our study did not include the relative impact of precursor regulations and the enforcement of these regulations, nor did it include source country interventions conducted by Australian law enforcement. There is currently very little empirical evidence to guide policy decisions about drug enforcement interventions directed to methamphetamine. In fact, the paucity of research on the effectiveness of law enforcement across all illicit drugs ‘continues to pose a major barrier to applying these policies effectively’ (Babor, et al., 2010 p. 258.) Decisions about which methamphetamine supply control policy to fund, which policies should receive increased funding, or how to derive the most effective balance of priorities, are currently uninformed by the results of research. There is a clear and pressing need for further research that examines the effectiveness of law enforcement interventions directed at methamphetamine. The current study aims to begin to fill this gap. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2012. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 44: Accessed November 24, 2012 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_44.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Amphetamines Shelf Number: 126990

Author: Laing, Lesley Title: Evaluation of the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service (GVLDVS) Summary: THE Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service (GVLDVS) is one of six specialist domestic violence services funded under the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services Program (ID&FVSP). Originally providing a service only to women and children in Green Valley, the service was expanded under the ID&FVSP program to comprise six staff and extended to cover the Liverpool LGA. The GVLDVS is auspiced by the South Western Sydney Local Health District, and is one of only two specialist domestic violence services located within the NSW Health sector. The brief of the service extends beyond the provision of direct services to women and children experiencing domestic violence to include an explicit focus on the promotion of a coordinated interagency response to domestic violence. Expanding the service beyond the Green Valley post code area was a recommendation of the evaluation of the original Green Valley service. This established common service boundaries with other agencies in the Liverpool area, overcoming barriers to referral and coordination that had limited the availability of this specialist service to many women and children. Whereas the GVDVS was the sole, specialist domestic violence service in Green Valley, the expanded GVLDVS is one of a number of services providing support to women experiencing domestic violence in the wider Liverpool area. These other services include a number of long-established women’s services and two new domestic violence services: Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV), which works to enable women to remain in their homes, where it is safe to do so and the Domestic Violence Support Western Sydney Service (DVSWSS) which was established in response to the NSW Government’s Homelessness Action Plan. This more complex service delivery context calls for attention to collaboration to ensure the best use of domestic violence resources, to avoid duplication and service delivery ‘gaps’ that can jeopardize the safety of women and children. This evaluation aimed to explore: ƒƒ The impact the GVLDVS has on women and children living in the Liverpool LGA who have experienced domestic violence; ƒƒ Awareness and understanding of the GVLDVS by interagency partners in Liverpool; ƒƒ The impact the GVLDVS has on interagency collaboration and coordination, looking particularly at developing partnerships in the context of the GVLDVS expansion into the wider Liverpool area; ƒƒ The impact the GVLDVS has on education, training and community development around the issue of domestic violence in the Liverpool area. The evaluation also examines the ways in which the GVLDVS fulfils its objectives to: ƒƒ Enhance the safety of women and children; ƒƒ Assist women and children to overcome the effects of domestic violence on their lives and relationships; ƒƒ Promote coordinated responses to domestic violence by a range of services including police, courts, health, child protection, housing and non-government agencies. mixed methodology involving the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was used to evaluate this program, consistent with evaluations carried out in complex service delivery contexts (Keys Young, 2000). Including the voices of service users, those delivering the service and interagency partners, is essential in domestic violence service evaluation (Sulllivan, 2001). Data was collected from multiple sources: 6 Evaluation of the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service ƒƒ Women who have used the service (where their safe participation could be organised); ƒƒ Staff of the GVLDVS; ƒƒ Interagency partners; ƒƒ Data collected under the ID&FVSP evaluation strategy on referrals to and from the GVLDVS, types of services provided and client demographics; ƒƒ Documentation of interagency partnerships; education, training and preventive initiatives; and therapeutic and support groups; ƒƒ Documentation of the reinvigorated partnership between the GVLDVS and the Green Valley police. Chapter 1 sets the context for the evaluation and outlines the methodology used. Chapter 2 draws on data from interviews with GVLDVS staff and interagency partners to paint a picture of the current context of service delivery to women and children experiencing domestic violence in Liverpool. It provides a context for the findings from interviews with women clients and interagency partners about the operations of the GVLDVS which are presented in the following chapters. While there is considerable consistency in the issues raised by both groups of respondents, each also identified particular challenges for coordinated service delivery. The GVLDVS participants identified the particular issues faced by women with children who find themselves at the intersection of the domestic violence, Family Law and child protection systems. Chapter 3 places the voices of women who have used the GVLDVS at the centre of the evaluation. They talk about the impact of the service on their and their children’s safety and well-being and on the ways in which the GVLDVS ‘walks with them’ on a journey away from violence. Some data from the interviews with GVLDVS staff is presented at the end of this chapter, to illustrate the consistency between the ways in which the staff approach service delivery and the ways in which this is experienced by women. Chapter 4 provides the perspectives of interagency partners about the role of the GVLDVS in direct service delivery to women and children, promoting collaborative partnerships and a wide range of awareness-raising and education activities. Chapter 5 provides data about the scope of the work of the GVLDVS in direct service delivery, community development, prevention, education and training, and partnership improvements. Read with the qualitative data in the preceding 2 chapters, this provides information on the variety and depth of the work of the GVLDVS team. Chapter 6 documents the efforts undertaken during the period of the evaluation to strengthen the partnership with Green Valley Police, which has been integral to the service since its pilot stage. In line with best practice directions, a coordinated case management response is being developed, aimed at identifying high risk cases and developing a coordinated approach to reducing identified risks. Chapter 7 brings together the key findings and discusses them against the current research literature about service provision to victim/survivors of domestic violence in the context of interagency collaboration and makes some recommendations for the future development of the GVLDVS. Details: Sydney: Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney, 2012. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2012 at: http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/8683/2/GVLDVS_Evaluation_report_web.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Wives Shelf Number: 127009

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Indigenous Young People in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Indigenous young people are over-represented in the juvenile justice system, particularly in the most serious processes. Although only about 5% of young Australians are Indigenous, in 2010–11, almost 2 in 5 (39%) of those under juvenile justice supervision on an average day were Indigenous. There were 2,820 Indigenous young people under supervision in Australia on an average day and 5,195 under supervision at some time during the year. Indigenous young people aged 10–17 were 4–6 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be proceeded against by police during 2010–11 and 8–11 times as likely to be proven guilty in the Children’s Court (among the states and territories with available data). At a national level, they were, on average, 14 times as likely to be under community-based supervision during the year and 18 times as likely to be in detention. They are more likely to experience supervision when aged 10–17. Among the cohorts of young people for whom a complete juvenile justice supervision history is available (those born between 1990–91 and 1992–93), 14–16% of Indigenous young people experienced supervision at some time when they were aged 10–17, compared with just over 1% of non-Indigenous young people born in each year. They enter the juvenile justice system at younger ages Indigenous young people aged 10–17 who were proceeded against by police (in the states and territories with available data) were more likely than non-Indigenous young people to be in the youngest age groups (age 10–12). In addition, the majority (58%) of Indigenous young people under supervision in 2010–11 had first entered supervision when they were aged 10–14, compared with less than one-third (32%) of non-Indigenous young people (excluding Western Australia and the Northern Territory, as standard data were not provided). They complete shorter periods of supervision, but spend more time under supervision overall. In 2010–11, Indigenous young people tended to complete slightly shorter periods of supervision than non-Indigenous young people (median duration 62 days compared with 68; excluding Western Australia and the Northern Territory as standard data were not provided). However, they completed more periods during the year, on average, and spent just over 3 weeks longer (200 days compared with 178) under supervision during the year. However, their over-representation in supervision has decreased. In the 5 years to 2010–11, there was a slight drop in the level of Indigenous over-representation in supervision, as shown by the rate ratio. Indigenous young people were 15 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision on an average day in 2010–11, down from 16 times as likely in 2006–07. The largest decrease in over-representation was in detention, where the rate ratio dropped from 28 to 24 over the period. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 109: Accessed November 28, 2012 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129542188 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 127016

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Indigenous People in Policing Roles: A follow-up review to the Restoring Order report Summary: Police and Queensland’s Indigenous communities have had a complex and often difficult history. A long line of reviews and reports have attempted to influence the way that criminal justice and policing services are delivered to remote and other discrete Indigenous communities. The Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) became more involved following the death of Cameron Doomadgee (Mulrunji) in the police watch-house on Palm Island in November 2004 and the rioting against police that occurred in January 2007 in Aurukun. In February 2007, the Government of Queensland asked the CMC to examine issues relating to policing in Indigenous communities and in 2009 we published the results of our inquiry in Restoring order: crime prevention, policing and local justice in Queensland’s Indigenous communities. Restoring order provided a blueprint for improving the relationship between police and Queensland’s Indigenous communities. Fundamental to our approach was the recognition that government alone should not seek to solve problems in communities. Rather, government should see its role as providing support and funding to enable communities to develop appropriate responses to these problems. Indigenous people in policing roles — Police Liaison Officers, Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Police and Community Police Officers — can develop community capacity, ownership and involvement in dealing with local crime and disorder. In doing so, individuals in these roles can play an important part in improving police legitimacy and relations between police and the community. Despite their potential, Restoring order highlighted a number of significant challenges that undermined the effectiveness of the existing models. Consequently, we made a commitment to revisit Indigenous people in policing roles. This report focuses on how the Queensland Police Service utilises, manages and supports individuals in these roles. While our terms of reference did not allow us to review, more broadly, the delivery of policing services to remote and other discrete Indigenous communities, we acknowledge the significant and innovative steps that the Queensland Police Service has taken in this regard. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2012. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: www.cmc.qld.gov.au Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 127094

Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: Elephant in the Room: Responding to Alcohol Misuse and Domestic Violence Summary: International research shows a strong association between alcohol misuse and perpetration of domestic violence. In turn, victimisation has been shown to often lead to drinking problems. Many in the domestic violence sector have been reluctant to fully engage with this association due to concerns about misconstruing alcohol as a cause of partner abuse, thereby reducing perpetrator responsibility for their violence and failing to target its real causes. Among key theories about this association, one that best aligns with our knowledge of relationship violence proposes that where alcohol misuse co-occurs with attitudes and behaviours supportive of violence against women, abuse is more likely and is more likely to escalate. Responses to this issue are urgently needed and interventions targeting both alcohol misuse and attitudes and behaviours supportive of violence will be more effective than those aimed at single problems. Interventions need to be guided by goals of victim safety, provision of support and services, the prevention of abuse and making perpetrators accountable for their behaviour. Interventions fall into two broad camps: (i) community wide primary prevention mechanisms mainly targeting alcohol misuse and (ii) individualised tertiary prevention mechanisms targeting either or both alcohol misuse and domestic violence. Prevention mechanisms show good potential to reduce alcohol related domestic violence, although their effectiveness would be enhanced by companion efforts to challenge attitudes and behaviours that support violence towards women. Greater collaboration between alcohol and domestic violence sectors could substantially advance the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2012. 23p. Source: Issues Paper 24: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2012 at http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/IssuesPaper_24.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 127102

Author: Westera, Nina Title: Using Video Recorded Police Interviews to get the Full Story from Complainants in Rape Trials Summary: This Briefing Paper focuses on the importance of complainant testimony in achieving just outcomes in rape trials. The authors undertake a comparative analysis of rape trials, and the types of information elicited during police interviews with complainants, to that provided during evidence-in-chief at trial. The study’s findings indicate that current approaches during trials may lead to potentially important information being excluded. The authors highlight the need for further research into whether pre-recorded interviews with complainants may assist in jury deliberations. Details: Nathan, QLD: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2012. 4p. Source: ARC CEPS Briefing Paper, Issue 17: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2012 at http://www.ceps.edu.au/CMS/Uploads/file/Nina%20Westera%20issue%2017%20WEB.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Interviews, Video Recording Shelf Number: 127103

Author: Smith, Lance Title: Service Station Armed Robbery in Australia Summary: The incidence of service station armed robbery has steadily increased over the past decade. Using the Australian Institute of Criminology's National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program (NARMP) data, this paper examines the incidence of armed robbery at service stations and profiles the offenders involved. The NARMP data shows that about one in ten armed robberies in Australia were of service stations, and that these were more likely to be targeted at night by lone offenders using knives. The most common item stolen was cash, with an average value of $643. The relative youth of the offenders — on average 23 years old — and infrequent use of firearms suggests the armed robberies involved little if any planning. This opportunistic targeting of service stations has been attributed to their extended opening hours, their sale of cigarettes and other exchangeable goods, their high volume of cash transactions and their isolation from other businesses. Widespread adoption of crime prevention measures by service stations, such as transfer trays, could help reduce their risk of being robbed, but the paper cautions that displacement effects should be considered prior to the implementation of new countermeasures. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2009. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 373: Accessed December 2, 2012 at http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/8/B/3/%7B8B3D782C-2799-45FE-83DF-991B72D734D1%7Dtandi373.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Armed Robbery, Service Stations Shelf Number: 127107

Author: Thompson, Carleen Title: Review of Empirically Based Risk/Needs Assessment Tools for Youth Justice: Amended Report for Public Release Summary: This report was commissioned on the 8 November, 2005 by the Office of Youth, Department of Communities. The purpose of the report was to evaluate the evidence base for youth justice risk/needs assessment tools and to make recommendations about which of these tools might best meet Queensland’s unique needs and current circumstances. What is an evidence base? Evidence-based policy has been defined as an approach that “helps people make well informed decisions about policies, programmes and projects by putting the best available evidence from research at the heart of policy development and implementation” (Davis, 1999). Importantly, however, it must be recognised that not all research is of the same quality (Davis, Nutley, & Smith, 2000). Evidence-based policy and practice stresses that the research should not only be competently designed and carried out, but that data should support the findings and conclusions. Additionally, there should be a discussion of the methodological limitations of the study that may potentially bias results, indicate alternative explanations or limit the generalisability of the results (Rycus & Hughes, in press). Evidence-based policy requires a systematic approach to search for appropriate evidence, the critical appraisal of studies that are identified, and a balanced understanding of what the research evidence indicates, taking into account both its strengths and weaknesses (Davis et al., 2000). In recent years there has been a recognition that decision-making in the human services should be guided by evidence derived from scientific research (Gambrill, 1999; Gambrill & Shlonsky, 2000). This push for evidence-based practice arose from the realisation that practitioners did not routinely use the best available evidence for their decisions (R. Borum, 2003; Hoge, 2002; A. Rose, 2003; Wiebush, Baird, Krisberg, & Onek, 1995). Youth justice decision making is no exception to these findings, whereby judgements are often made on the basis of factors which lack empirical support. Furthermore, those variables grounded in empirical evidence are often excluded from the decision making process (R. Borum, 1996; Wiebush et al., 1995). The following report utilised numerous sources of evidence to elucidate best practice guidelines for risk/needs assessments and the evaluation of such tools in the youth justice field. The sources utilised in this report include: refereed journal articles, conference presentations and proceedings, independent evaluations commissioned by government agencies which were publicly available, and descriptions and evaluations provided by the risk/needs assessment developers and publishers. The most weight was accorded to empirical evidence derived from either quantitative research or surveys, or descriptive or qualitative research that was published in peer-reviewed journals. Peer review is the process through which experts in a field of study assess the quality of articles that are submitted to a journal for publication. Consequently, while the standard of journals vary, this process ensures that all articles published meet the standards for that publication. Conference presentations and proceedings do not meet the same benchmark standards as peer-reviewed journals. However, these reports are available for critical appraisal by the research community. Similarly, independently commissioned evaluation reports funded by governments, and available in the public domain, were also considered to be indicative of an evidence base. Internal government/ organisational reports were included because the description of many of the programs and the implementation of these programs was only available through internal reports. Because these reports were generally not subjected to independent critical appraisal, a lesser weight was accorded to them in respect to their contribution to the evidence base. These reports were assessed on the basis of the empirical evidence they presented and the methodological soundness of their research design. Details: Mt. Gravatt, QLD: Justice Modelling@Griffith University, 2006. 246p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 3, 2012 at: http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/208206/Review-of-empiricall-based-risk_needs-assessment-tools.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Evidence-Based Policy Shelf Number: 127113

Author: Walsh, C. Title: Victorian Systemic Review of Family Violence Deaths - First Report Summary: This Victorian Systemic Review of Family Violence Deaths (VSRFVD) commenced operation in the Coroners Court of Victoria in 2009. Led by the State Coroner, it focuses attention on the context in which family violence-related homicides and homicide-suicide incidents occur. Through coroners’ findings, comments and recommendations, the VSRFVD contributes to strengthening the response to family violence in this state. This report presents the key findings of the VSRFVD during 2009-2012. It draws upon the analysis of deaths involving infants, children and adults, across a range of relationship categories. Findings from the two main activities of the VSRFVD are presented in detail: data collection and analysis, and in-depth case review. Homicide statistics reveal that deaths among intimate partners and other family members form a substantial proportion of the total number of incidents recorded each year. In particular, intimate partner homicides typically comprise the largest category of these deaths. Section 1 of this report presents a descriptive statistical overview of the frequency of intimate and familial homicide in Australia and other high-income countries. A central component of the VSRFVD involves data collection and analysis of homicide, including homicide among family members. Section 2 of this report presents an overview of these deaths in Victoria for the period 2000-2010. A substantial proportion of homicides identified by the CCOV during this period were determined to be relevant to the VSRFVD. Specifically, just over half (53%) involved an intimate partner or other family member, or otherwise occurred in a context of family violence. Among deaths of relevance to the VSRFVD, intimate partner homicides comprised the largest group (47%), followed by incidents involving parents and children (26%). Although males comprised a larger proportion of the total number of homicides that were identified, females were more often killed by an intimate partner or other family member. Domestic and family violence death reviews conducted in other jurisdictions typically consider relevant deaths as a connected group, rather than isolated incidents. This approach enables the identification of common patterns or themes among fatal events. Accordingly, Section 3 of this report presents the findings of a thematic analysis of 28 case reviews completed by the VSRFVD team for metropolitan and regional coroners. Many of the known risk and contributory factors associated with escalating and severe violence described in the research literature were identified as relevant to the incidents that were examined. These included: a history of family violence; relationship separation; threats of harm; alcohol misuse; and the presence of a mental illness. In addition, factors associated with the increased vulnerability of victims, such as having a disability or culturally and linguistically diverse background, were noted among the cases that were reviewed. Additional themes that emerged included: barriers for victims disclosing family violence; a need for increased community understanding and recognition of this problem; and the regularity of victim contact with the health and justice system. A broad spectrum of family violence deaths feature in this report. The evidence gathered confirms the need to be cognisant of recognised risk factors and the importance of building a responsive service system that is able to identify and respond appropriately. The system gaps, coronial recommendations and associated responses presented in this analysis are a valuable starting point from which further research and prevention efforts can be made. Accordingly, Section 4 draws attention to three focus areas for strengthening the service system, increasing victim safety and improving the response to family violence in this state. Details: Melbourne: Coroners Court of Victoria, 2012. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 5, 2012 at: http://www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/resources/54bbc2f9-bb23-45c0-9672-16c6bd1a0e0f/vsrfvd+first+report+-+final+version.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Homicide Shelf Number: 127133

Author: Symons, Martyn Title: A Longitidunal Study of Influences on Alcohol Consumption and Related harm in Central Australia: With a Particular Emphasis on the Role of Price Summary: The aim of this project was to examine and report on the impact of various alcohol control measures on levels of alcohol consumption and related harm in Central Australia for the period 2000–2010. Specific objectives were to: • describe trends in alcohol consumption in Central Australia; • describe trends in key indicators of alcohol-related harm; • describe key interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm; • identify any changes in consumption and indicators of harm and to test whether, or to what extent, these can be attributed to particular interventions or combinations of them; and, • report on the implications for alcohol policy and strategies to reduce alcohol related harm. Details: Perth, Western Australia: National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, 2012. 163p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2012 at: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/11_2012/ndri_report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 127198

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Organised Property Crime in Queensland Summary: Since 1999, the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) has monitored Queensland’s organised crime markets — including the organised property crime market — by means of a series of strategic assessments (CMC 2004, 2009; Queensland Crime Commission & Queensland Police Service 1999). These have consistently assessed the risk posed by organised property crime in Queensland as medium. In 2012 the CMC decided not to conduct a dedicated assessment of the organised property crime market. Instead, it reviewed organised crime trends in Queensland and identified the following current and emerging issues in organised property crime: » motor vehicle theft and rebirthing » boat theft and rebirthing » heavy equipment theft » copper theft. It is important to note that identifying these matters as key issues does not necessarily mean that organised criminals commit most or even many of the kinds of offences discussed here. Our analysis suggests that organised criminals are, however, more likely to be involved in these than other kinds of property crime. This, combined with indications of possible increasing trends over the next two to three years, is why these issues have been highlighted over others. Key findings of the report: 1. Organised vehicle theft in Queensland is likely to increase over the next two to three years, based on recent increases in profit-motivated vehicle thefts, and increasing interstate trends in the theft of vehicles for parts or sale as scrap metal. 2. Compared with organised vehicle theft, organised vehicle rebirthing is less likely to increase because of Queensland’s regulatory standards. 3. Organised heavy equipment theft is increasing in Queensland, particularly in rural and regional areas. These offences are likely to continue to increase over the next few years, assuming continued growth in the mining and construction industries. 4. Most boat thefts in Queensland are organised, and there remains potential for organised crime groups to further exploit this crime type. There are currently weaknesses in boat identification and registration practices providing opportunities for offenders to dispose of stolen boats. 5. Copper theft in Queensland is largely opportunistic, but the associated harms are significant. Monitoring and early action can prevent the issue from escalating as it has done internationally. 6. Key factors contributing to organised property crimes in Queensland are the profits involved, property that is not adequately secure, weaknesses in product identification and registration practices (especially for heavy equipment and boats), and difficulties experienced by law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting offenders. 7. Members of the public and business operators should take steps to reduce the likelihood of their property being targeted by organised or opportunistic criminals. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Miscondcut Commission, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2012 at: www.cmc.qld.gov.au/ Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 127199

Author: Victoria. Auditor General Title: Prison Capacity Planning Summary: Corrections Victoria (CV) is a service agency within the Department of Justice (DOJ) that is responsible for directing, managing and operating Victoria’s corrections system. As in other correctional jurisdictions, DOJ has set operating parameters for CV to manage the prisoner population to within 90 to 95 per cent utilisation of the prison system’s operational capacity. This is currently equivalent to 5 318 prison beds. These parameters are necessary to maximise the efficiency of the system while allowing CV flexibility to adequately manage the rehabilitation, human rights and welfare of prisoners. CV is required to plan for and forecast the impact of any future growth, and take appropriate steps so that the system is capable of accommodating and providing services to future prisoner populations. In doing so, CV must factor in the long lead time required to construct new prisons and expand existing facilities. Planning for future prison capacity has been made more complex by the large growth in prisoner numbers, which increased by 38 per cent or 1 344 prisoners between 30 June 2002 and 30 June 2012. There were 5 024 prisoners in the prison system as at 30 September 2012. While long-term planning is important, this large growth in prisoner numbers and the periodic spikes in these numbers require the implementation of short-term measures—such as use of temporary beds—to quickly respond to capacity constraints. This audit focused on the prison infrastructure and support services—it has not examined the human resource implications arising from additional prisoner numbers. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2012. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2012 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20121128-Prisons/20121128-Prisons.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration Shelf Number: 127202

Author: Lloyd, Belinda Title: Drinking Cultures and Social Occasions: Alcohol Harms in the Context of Major Sporting Events Summary: his report looks at the harms associated with alcohol consumption in the context of major sporting events which were explored in terms of general patterns, gender and age patterns. A range of alcohol-related harms were considered, including acute intoxication requiring medical attention, assaults, and motor vehicle accidents. The use of time series analysis allows exploration of the levels of harms associated with specific events after controlling for the impact of seasonal and temporal variations in alcohol-related harms. Across all populations examined, the peak months of the year for ambulance attendances, emergency department presentations, and hospital admissions attributed to acute alcohol intoxication were November and December, with February also being identified as a peak month among males. Consistent with the literature, Fridays and Saturdays were the days with the highest concentrations of alcohol intoxication related attendances, presentations and admissions. Varying effects were noted for major sporting events. Significantly elevated numbers of cases of acute alcohol intoxication were evident for all groups examined on the day before the Melbourne Cup, whilst elevated cases were seen for all patients and for males on the day before the AFL Grand Final. For all groups examined, elevated cases of alcohol intoxication occurred on the day of the Melbourne Cup, and also for all groups except females on the day of the AFL Grand Final and the event of the Commonwealth Games. Numbers of ambulance attendances for acute intoxication were significantly lower than expected on the day following the Melbourne Cup for all patients, and this was driven by the trend among females. Details: Melbourne: VicHealth, 2011. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2012 at http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/~/media/ResourceCentre/PublicationsandResources/alcohol%20misuse/DrinkingCultures-SportingEvents/FullReport_DrinkingCultures-SportingEvents_VicHealth-TurningPoint.ashx Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 127210

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: Sri Lankan Refugees v. Commonwealth of Australia Summary: This is a report setting out the findings of the Australian Human Rights Commission following an inquiry into a complaint alleging a breach of their human rights made against the Commonwealth of Australia by 10 adult Sri Lankan refugees in immigration detention with adverse security assessments and 3 minor Sri Lankan refugees who are residing in an immigration detention facility with their parents. The parents of these three children are among the adult complainants. Details: Sydney: Australian Human Rights Commission, 2012. 44p. Source: AusHRC 56: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2012 at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/legal/humanrightsreports/AusHRC56.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Rights Shelf Number: 127212

Author: Trifonoff, Allan Title: Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: Executive Summary - An Examination of Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia as at December 2010 Summary: This is the Executive Summary of the three reports from a review of liquor licensing legislation in Australia which was undertaken by the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA). These reports are an outcome of a project initiated under the former Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (MCDS) Cost Shared Funding Model, now administered under the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs, National Drug Strategy, Cost Shared Funding Model. The project was overseen by South Australia Police which also generously contributed to the report’s publication. The aim of the project was to review, from a law enforcement perspective, the enforcement provisions of the liquor licensing legislation of all Australian states and territories. The project involved an extensive literature review, a comprehensive examination of each Australian state and territory’s liquor licensing legislation and alcohol-related data collection systems as well as interviews with key informants. South Australia Police contracted the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University in South Australia to undertake the project. Details: Adelaide, South Australia: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA); Flinders University, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2012 at http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/8713/5226/7677/EN463_LLReport_Exec_summary.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Legislation Shelf Number: 127250

Author: Victoria. Office of Police Integrity Title: Framework and Guide for Responding to Critical Incidents or Deaths Associated with Victoria Police Contact Summary: This document sets out the framework established by the Office of Police Integrity (OPI) following the publication in June 2011 of OPI’s report Review of the investigative process following a death associated with police contact. It is based on the findings of that report and the input of the range of stakeholders who contributed to OPI’s project which resulted in the report. The framework reflects protocols established between OPI and Victoria Police which have been in operation since 2010. This document incorporates lessons learnt from OPI’s experience since that time. OPI will monitor and review police investigations into critical incidents and deaths associated with police contact, having regard to ensuring public confidence in police ethical and professional standards and building the capacity of Victoria Police to handle such matters in the future. Details: Melbourne, Victoria: Office of Police Integrity, Victoria, 2012. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2012 at http://www.opi.vic.gov.au/file.php?331 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Arrest-Related Deaths (Australia) Shelf Number: 127251

Author: Rourke, Poppy Title: Risk of Reconviction Among Offenders Who Commence the Blacktown Traffic Offender Programme Summary: Aim: To examine the profile of offenders who commenced the Blacktown Traffic Offender Program (BTOP) between 1994 and 2011 and to investigate which factors predict re-offending. Method: Descriptive statistics were used to examine the profile of program participants. Logistic regression models were used to determine which participant characteristics were associated with an increased risk of reconviction (for any offence and any traffic offence). Results: Fifteen per cent of participants committed a new offence in the 2 years following program commencement, and 11 per cent committed a further traffic offence. Being male, aged between 16 and 20 years, Indigenous, having a prior criminal record, and having 3 or more concurrent offences were all associated with an increased risk of being convicted for any further offence. Being aged between 16 and 20 years, living in more disadvantaged areas, having a prior criminal record, and having 3 or more concurrent offences were associated with an increased likelihood of being convicted for a new traffic offence. Approximately two-thirds of offenders who present with 4 or more risk factors go on to commit any new offence and one-third commit a new traffic offence. Conclusion: Results suggests that certain individual characteristics indicate an elevated risk of reconviction for any further offence, and further traffic offences in the 2 years following commencement of the BTOP. Offenders who present with multiple (4 or more) risk factors are at significantly greater risk of reconviction. Details: Sydney, Australia: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 8p. Source: Issue Paper No. 81: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2013 at http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb81.pdf/$file/bb81.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Intervention Programs Shelf Number: 127278

Author: Furby, Brett Title: Evaluation of Community Offender Services Programs Drug and Alcohol Addiction and Relapse Prevention - Three Years Out Summary: Community Offender Services (COS), within Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) is responsible for the management of offenders serving community-based sentences across 60 NSW district offices. The Drug and Alcohol Addiction Program (DAAP) and Relapse Prevention Program (RPP) were designed to be delivered by Probation and Parole Officers (PPOs) who supervise the participating offenders. These programs formed part of a drug and alcohol intervention strategy aimed to enhance the range of options that PPOs may use to assist community-based offenders under supervision in breaking the cycle of drug dependency and crime. CSNSW received funding from the NSW Drug Summit Initiative to develop, implement and evaluate these programs. The first year of the programs has previously been reported. This report details findings from the second and third years of program delivery to end September, 2008. Trends are examined on program activity data, participant characteristics and re-offending rates since program inception. At three years out, program effects remain positive with offenders showing marked improvements in levels of drug dependency, stage of change in problem resolution and legal outcomes. Details: ydney: Corporate Research, Evaluation & Statistics, NSW Department of Corrective Services, 2011. 30p. Source: Research Bulletin No. 33: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2013 at http://143.119.253.176/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/447299/RB33-Evaluation-of-Community-Offender-Services-Programs-Drug-and-Alcohol-Addiction-and-Relapse-Prevention-Three-Years-Out.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 127279

Author: Jakubauskas, Michelle Title: Police at Work: The Wave Five Report Summary: The Police at Work survey is a companion study to a larger longitudinal study focussing on the working experiences of Australians employed or looking for work in March 2006. The research took place in five waves from 2007 to 2011 and involved telephone interviews with police association members in the Northern Territory (NT), New South Wales (NSW), Victoria and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The original sample of 947 police officers was recruited from the membership databases of the four participating police associations. As such, all of the participants in the Police at Work sample were union members at the time of joining the study. A total of 693 sworn police officers remained in the study in wave 5. This is an extremely high retention rate and it enabled us to gather five years of data for this large group of police officers. The Police at Work study has increased current understanding on the working lives of police officers. In particular, it has put numbers around some of the serious hazards and risks associated with police work, in particular those around workplace health and safety and burnout. Details: Sydney: Workplace Research Centre at the University of Sydney, 2012. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2013 at: http://pfa.org.au/files/uploads/Police_at_Work_Wave_5_FINAL_Nov_2012_0.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Officers Shelf Number: 127283

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Effective Crime Prevention Interventions for Implementation by Local Government Summary: Councils are responsible for a range of services related to crime prevention, including managing public space and building design, providing a range of community services and developing policies that affect local businesses. More recently, there has been increasing pressure on local government to contribute to the delivery of a variety of social services and to engage in social planning. This comprehensive report is a collaboration between the Crime Prevention Division of the NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice, and the AIC. It is a large-scale systematic review of interventions to prevent a number of crime types identified as priority areas for local councils in New South Wales. Offences such as non-domestic violence related assault; break and enter; car theft; retail theft and malicious damage were reviewed against specific crime prevention methods. The AIC provided the NSW CPD with a summary of the evidence in support of interventions for each priority crime type. A number of preferred intervention types were selected that could be implemented by local councils, with the support of the CPD, in areas with a significant crime problem. This study has led to a series of handbooks to assist local government to select, adapt and implement the preferred interventions. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 147p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public policy Series 120: Accessed January 17, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rpp/100-120/rpp120.html Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention (Australia) Shelf Number: 127285

Author: Abelson, Peter Title: Modelling House Prices across Sydney with Estimates for Access, Property Size, Public Transport, Urban Density and Crime Summary: This paper examines the structure of house prices across the city, in this case Sydney, as an aid to urban development strategy and in particular to determine the potentially positive effects of public transport and negative effects of residential density on property prices. We model median house prices in 626 suburbs and achieve a high level of explanation. Distances from the CBD and from the coast are dominant factors in explaining house prices in Sydney. Predictably house and lot size are also highly significant factors. On the other hand a high propensity for violent crime significantly reduces property values. Over the whole city distance to rail station is not a statistically significant variable, but in suburb groups that are poorly served by other modes, median house prices fall significantly with increased distances to station. We found a similar but weaker result for access to high frequency buses. Contrary to expectation we found that higher density is marginally associated with higher median prices. However as the density variable is correlated (negatively) with median land area and, to a lesser extent, with distance to CBD, we would be cautious about concluding that density has no negative effect on house prices. Details: Adelaide: National Institute of Labour Studies, Flinders University, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: NILS Working Paper Series Working Paper No. 181/2012: Accessed January 22, 2013 at: http://dspace.flinders.edu.au/jspui/bitstream/2328/26086/1/No.%20181.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Economics of Crime Shelf Number: 127352

Author: Tarczon, Cindy Title: The Nature and Extent of Sexual Assault and Abuse in Australia Summary: This ACSSA Resource Sheet summarises the available statistical information about the nature and extent of sexual assault and abuse in Australia. It draws on Australian data sources, and provides information on the prevalence of sexual violence as well as characteristics of victimisation and perpetration. Because sexual assault and abuse are significantly under-reported in these data sets, this Resource Sheet describes the limitations associated with these collections. It also describes how we can use data that examine sexual victimisation in high-risk populations. Details: Melbourne: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, 2012. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Resource Sheet: Accessed January 23, 2013 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/sheets/rs5/rs5.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 127365

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: An Update on Taser Use in Queensland Summary: The current Taser policy was introduced by the Queensland Police Service (QPS) in September 2009. In April 2011, the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) published Evaluating Taser reforms: a review of Queensland Police Service policy and practice, which evaluated the effects of the current policy, comparing Taser use in the eight months prior to, and 10 months after, its introduction. Overall, the introduction of the current policy seemed to have improved how QPS officers were using Tasers. Nevertheless, the CMC was concerned about some aspects of Taser use and committed to further examining these areas, including: • multiple and prolonged Taser discharges • use of Tasers against people from potentially ‘medically vulnerable’ or ‘at-risk’ groups1 • use of Tasers against Indigenous people • injuries sustained to people who are the subject of a Taser use. Since that report, the CMC has continued to monitor Taser use by the QPS, focusing in particular on the key areas noted above. Using information primarily obtained from QPS Taser Usage Reports (TURs), this paper compares the most recent data available (the two-year period between 22 July 2010 and 30 June 2012) with data from the period following the introduction of the current policy (the 10-month period between 22 September 2009 and 21 July 2010, also reported in Evaluating Taser reforms). Summary of findings • The frequency of Taser use has increased compared to the period after the introduction of the current Taser policy. In fact, Tasers are being used more frequently now than they were before the current Taser policy was introduced. • The way Tasers are being used has largely remained the same. The majority of operational Taser uses continue to involve the presentation of the Taser without actual deployment. • Uses where the Taser was deployed in both probe and drive stun modes by a single police officer during the same incident have decreased slightly. • The proportion of people that were the target of multiple and/or prolonged deployments has decreased. • Although the proportion of multiple and/or prolonged Taser discharges has decreased, more than one-quarter of people who were the target of a Taser deployment were still subjected to multiple and/or prolonged discharges. • Indigenous Queenslanders are still overrepresented among people who were the subjects of Taser use, although they remain less likely than people described as Caucasian to have the Taser actually deployed against them. • A large proportion of people who were the target of a Taser use continue to be substance-affected, and most multiple and/or prolonged Taser deployments involved people believed to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. • The proportion of people who were suspected of having a mental health condition remains high and has increased slightly over time; however, the proportion of these people who were the target of an actual Taser deployment has remained stable. • There was a slight decrease in the proportion of people who were the target of a Taser deployment that sustained an injury or medical complication. • Although there was some reduction in the proportion of injuries and medical complications associated with Taser deployments, the majority of Taser-related injuries are still caused by people falling on hard surfaces while incapacitated by the Taser. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Research & Issues Paper Series, No. 9: Accessed January 24, 2013 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/topics/police-and-the-cmc/police-powers-and-practice/taser-use/2011-evaluation-of-taser-reforms Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Nonlethal Weapons Shelf Number: 127380

Author: Jeffries, Samantha Title: Indigenous Disparity in Lower Court Imprisonment Decisions: A Study of Two Australian Jurisdictions, 1998 to 2008 Summary: This paper reports findings from statistical analyses of Indigeneity and lower court sentencing in New South Wales and South Australia from 1998 to 2008. The aim was to explore the probability of Indigenous versus non-Indigenous defendants receiving a prison sentence over time, while controlling for other key sentencing determinates (ie sex, age, criminal history, seriousness of current offence, plea, bail status). Across the study period, results generally showed that Indigenous offenders were more likely to receive a prison term than similarly situated non-Indigenous offenders. However, the pattern of disparity over time differed by jurisdiction. In New South Wales, Indigenous offenders were more likely to receive a prison sentence throughout the entire period. By contrast, in the South Australian lower courts, disparity was found to have increased, with earlier years showing parity and leniency, before a trend towards a greater likelihood of a prison sentence for Indigenous offenders. Focal concerns theory is used to provide a possible explanation for the study's finding of Indigenous lower court sentencing disparity. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no. 447: Accessed January 24, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi447.html Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 127392

Author: Stathopoulos, Mary Title: Addressing Women's Victimisation Histories in Custodial Settings Summary: In the last 20 years the numbers of women entering Australian prisons have risen dramatically. Many of these women have a history of sexual assault traumatisation from child sexual abuse as well as physical and sexual abuse they have encountered as adults. The prison system can often exacerbate trauma for female criminal offenders with a trauma history. This paper explores the prison as a possible site of re-traumatisation. The reasoning behind this is that prisons are built on an ethos of power, surveillance and control, yet trauma sufferers require safety in order to begin healing. A trauma-informed approach may offer an alternative to delivering a less traumatic prison environment and experience for female criminal offenders with a history of sexual abuse and assault. Key messages - Women enter prison with less serious criminal careers than men. - Women in prison have high rates of sexual abuse victimisation histories. - Women enter prison extremely disadvantaged, particularly in relation to mental health, re-victimisation, socio-economic status, substance abuse, being primary carers for dependent children and educational attainment. Many of these outcomes are the consequences associated with past histories of abuse/assault. - Penal environments are designed and built with an ethos of power and control and are often re-traumatising for female offenders with a sexual abuse victimisation history. - The key principles of trauma and gender may be utilised to create frameworks that can be applied in penal environments to address women's complex needs arising from a history of sexual victimisation. - Further research is required to test how the implementation of the key frameworks of trauma-informed care and practice, and gender-responsive frameworks would occur. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Issues, No. 13: Accessed January 29, 2013 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/issue/i13/i13.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Inmates (Australia) Shelf Number: 127414

Author: Prenzler, Tim Title: Responding to Welfare Fraud: The Australian Experience Summary: The main focus of this comprehensive study is on strategies adopted by Australia’s primary welfare distributor Centrelink for preventing welfare fraud. In particular, the study was concerned with impact measures of the different strategies. The study was also concerned with the antecedents of these strategies, associated prosecution strategies and debates about the justice of these strategies. In addition, the study was concerned to map, as far as possible, the dimensions of suspected and confirmed welfare fraud in terms of numbers of offences, characteristics of offenders, financial losses, types of fraud and trends over time. The report highlights that while welfare fraud remains a significant issue, there has been continuing innovation in the area of detection in the last 30 years. A review of fraud control systems also showed Centrelink to be in step with international best practice, having developed a complex array of strategies to prevent and detect fraud. The report also notes the benefits of strong primary prevention measures such as compliance reviews and education campaigns to explain payment systems to recipients and to stop frauds before they occur. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series 119: Accessed January 30, 2013 at: Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Welfare Fraud (Australia) Shelf Number: 127457

Author: Trotter, Chris Title: Effective Community-Based Supervision of Young Offenders Summary: An increasing body of research suggests that some interventions with offenders can reduce reoffending. While little of this research has focused on the impact of routine supervision of offenders on probation, parole or other community-based orders, a few studies have found that when supervisors make use of a number of specific practice skills, there is a reduced rate of recidivism for those under their supervision. Having first described the effective practice skills, the extent to which these are applied to a population of young offenders is assessed, along with the resultant effect on recidivism. The study involved the direct observation of 117 worker/client interviews conducted by juvenile justice workers in New South Wales. It was found, as with earlier studies generally done with adults, that when workers used particular practice skills, the young people under their supervision had lower reoffending rates. It also found that workers who provided a counselling role made more use of the effective practice skills than workers who did not. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no. 448: Accessed February 8, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi448.html Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 127548

Author: Snowball, Lucy Title: Public Confidence in the New South Wales Criminal Justice System: 2012 update Summary: Public confidence in the NSW criminal justice system has increased significantly over the last four years, according the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. This is one of the key findings to emerge from a survey of public confidence in the criminal justice system commissioned by the Bureau. The Bureau conducted a similar survey in 2008. Interviews were conducted with over 2,000 NSW residents aged 18 years and over. Survey sample quotas were set on the basis of age, sex and residential location to match, as closely as possible, the distribution of these characteristics in the NSW population. Respondents in both surveys were asked how confident they were that the criminal justice system: Is effective in bringing people who commit crimes to justice; Meets the needs of victims Respects the rights of people accused of committing a crime Treats people accused of crime fairly; Deals with cases promptly. With one exception , the percentage of respondents who said they were ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ confident that the NSW criminal justice system is achieving these objectives was significantly higher in 2012 than it had been in 2008. Public knowledge of the criminal justice system and confidence in sentencing also increased. To measure public knowledge about crime and justice respondents were asked: Whether property crime had increased, decreased or remained about the same over the last five years; What percentage of all crime recorded by police involves violence or the threat of violence? What percentage of persons charged with home burglary are convicted of the offence? What percentage of persons convicted of home burglary receive a prison sentence? The percentage of respondents who gave tolerably accurate answers to each of these questions was significantly higher in 2012 than it was in 2008. To measure public confidence in sentencing, the Bureau asked respondents whether the sentences handed down by courts are much too tough, a little too tough, about right, a little too lenient or much too lenient. In 2008, 25.5 per cent responded ‘about right’. The proportion giving this answer in 2012 rose to 31.4 per cent. There was a corresponding fall in the percentage of respondents who felt that sentences are ‘much too lenient’ (from 37.3% to 29.3%). Generally speaking, the public have higher levels of confidence in the capacity of police to bring offenders to justice, meet the needs of victims and deal with cases promptly. They have higher levels of confidence in the courts when it comes to respecting the rights of accused people and treating accused people fairly. Details: Brisbane: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 165: Accessed February 8, 2013 at: Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice System Shelf Number: 127549

Author: Deloitte Access Economics Title: An Economic Analysis for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Offenders. Prison vs Residential Treatment Summary: Deloitte Access Economics was appointed by NIDAC to: • examine the patterns and prevalence of Indigenous people in the prison system • outline the impact and implications of incarceration of Indigenous people, and • analyse the costs and benefits of addressing Indigenous problematic alcohol and drug use with treatment, particularly residential rehabilitation, as compared to prison. Indigenous Australians are over-represented in Australian prisons. At 30 June 2011, there were 29 106 prisoners in Australian prisons, of which 7656 (26%) were Indigenous (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011a). By comparison, 2.5 per cent of the total population was Indigenous in 2011 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011b). In 2010–11, the imprisonment rate for Indigenous adults (aged 18 years or over) was 1746.51 per 100 000 compared with a corresponding rate of 125.4 for non-Indigenous people — a ratio of Indigenous to non- Indigenous imprisonment rates of 13.9 (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision 2012). In 2011, 70 per cent of Indigenous prisoners convicted of a violent offence had been previously convicted, and 81 per cent of Indigenous prisoners convicted of a non-violent offence (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011a). Indigenous prisoners were more likely to have been convicted of a prior offence than non-Indigenous prisoners. The majority of prisoners whose primary conviction was non-violent faced sentences (or expected to serve time) of less than five years, with more than three-quarters expected to serve less than two years. Overall, the proportion of Indigenous prisoners with an expected serving time of less than two years was 31 per cent. Around 68 per cent of Indigenous (and 65 per cent of non-Indigenous) prison entrants selfreported having used illicit drugs during the preceding 12 months (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011a). Of all Indigenous prison entrants, those aged 18–24 years old were most likely to have used illicit drugs (76%). Based on data from a New South Wales survey, Indigenous prisoners are also significantly more likely to be dependent on alcohol than non-Indigenous prisoners, and Indigenous men were significantly more likely to report that they were intoxicated at the time of the offence for which they were incarcerated (Indiget al. 2010). Over the course of 2011, approximately 2476 Indigenous men and 400 Indigenous women entered2 prisons in Australia (based on analysis of data from Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011a). For the purposes of this study, Indigenous people who experience problematic drug or alcohol use and who are in prison for non-violent offences were seen as potentially benefiting from diversion from prison into a residential treatment program. Approximately half of Indigenous prisoners linked their offending to drug and alcohol use — suggesting approximately 3827 Indigenous prisoners in 2011 (see section 2.2). Excluding those who stated that their most serious offence was a violent offence leaves approximately 1607 Indigenous prisoners in 2011 who committed a non-violent offence which they attributed to drug and alcohol use. There are many factors that influence the choice of treatment, and the appropriateness of diversion, so the estimates here should be interpreted as broad approximations. Nevertheless, the potential quantum of the offender population who could be considered for diversion into residential rehabilitation treatment is around 1600 in 2011. Details: Canberra: National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee, Australian National Council on Drugs, 2012. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: ANCD Research Paper; 24: Accessed February 8, 2013 at: https://www.deloitteaccesseconomics.com.au/uploads/File/NIDAC_Deloitte%20Access%20Economics%20Report(1).pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 127551

Author: Cashmore, Judy Title: The Long-Term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse Summary: This paper reviews recent Australian and international research on the long-term effects of child sexual abuse. It aims to assist practitioners and policy-makers who work with survivors of sexual abuse and their families to understand the significant findings from this large and sometimes complex body of research. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: CFCA Paper No. 11: Accessed February 8, 2013 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/cfca/pubs/papers/a143161/cfca11.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 127553

Author: Bluett-Boyd, Nicole Title: The Role of Emerging Communication Technologies in Experiences of Sexual Violence: A New Legal Frontier? Summary: This research study investigates how communication technologies facilitate sexual violence against young people and what challenges this presents for the Victorian criminal justice system. Based on interviews with young people and professionals working with young people, it examines the effects of technology on the lives of young people, the interface between emerging communication technologies and experiences of sexual violence, and the factors that enable or hinder appropriate legal responses. Communication technologies such as online social networking sites and mobile phones are considered, and their use in identifying and grooming potential victims, blackmail and intimation, sexting, harassment, and pornography. The key messages identified by the study included: - Young people's engagement with emerging communication technologies (such as social networking and mobile phone technology) is an essential method of socialisation. Given the constant accessibility offered by these technologies, and the blurring between online and offline social spheres, emerging communication technologies afford diverse opportunities for the perpetration of sexual violence. The study found that emerging communication technologies help facilitate sexually violent acts, before, during and after an offence. Specifically, technologies help to increase the accessibility of potential victims: Before a sexually violent act. Social networking in particular can provide a false sense of connection between offender and victim. For example, the act of 'friending' enhances the feeling of 'trust'. •During the act of sexual violence, technologies can be used to record non-consensual sexual activity. Threats to distribute this material can be used to further coerce and victimise. After an act of either consensual or non-consensual sexual activity, offenders can distribute images to cause further harm to victims. Technologies are also used post-assault to contact, threaten or abuse victims. - A lack of clarity on how a range of online behaviours should be conceptualised has hampered the development of appropriate and effective responses to the issue. While the law has a role to play in addressing such issues, appropriate conduct for using technologies is better addressed through a primary prevention approach to the promotion of personal ethics and respect. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. 127p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. 23: Accessed February 28, 2013 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/resreport23/index.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Communication Technologies Shelf Number: 127554

Author: Australian Crime Commission Title: Organised Crime and Drugs in Sport: New Generation Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs and Organised Criminal Involvement in their Use in Professional Sport Summary: In 2011, the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) highlighted threats to the integrity of professional sport and concluded that there was potential for organised crime to infiltrate sport in Australia, as has occurred overseas. Data from the ACC’s 2010–11 Illicit Drug Data Report indicated that the market for Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs (PIEDs) has expanded, with record numbers of seizures, detections and arrests and increasing reports by users that they were injecting them. The ACC also received information from the Australian Sports Anti- Doping Authority (ASADA), as part of the ACC’s routine monitoring of all illicit drug markets, which suggested a potential threat to a number of sports from the use of new generation PIEDs. In early 2012, the ACC, with the assistance of ASADA1, began a project to consider the extent of use of PIEDs by professional athletes, the size of this market and the extent of organised criminal involvement. This project focused particularly on a new form of PIEDs, known collectively as peptides and hormones. These substances may provide effects similar to anabolic steroids and are considered by users to be next generation PIEDs. Some of these substances are perceived by athletes to be undetectable, making them attractive to those seeking to gain an unfair advantage. This report provides a summary of findings from this project. In particular, the ACC has now identified use of these substances, which are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), by professional athletes in a number of sports in Australia. Widespread use has been identified or is suspected in a number of professional sporting codes. In detailing the nature and extent of this threat to the professional sporting industry and the Australian Community, this report provides an important opportunity for Government, regulatory bodies and the sporting industry to address these issues head on. Details: Canberra: Australian Crime Commission, 2013. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: http://resources.news.com.au/files/2013/02/07/1226572/544748-acc-reoport.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Athletes Shelf Number: 127556

Author: Siminski, Peter Title: Does the Military Train Men to Be Violent Criminals? New Evidence from Australia's Conscription Lotteries Summary: Combat is the most intense form of military service, but several aspects of the training experience, which explicitly prepares people for violent warfare, are hypothesized to link service to violent crime. Using Australia’s Vietnam-era conscription lotteries for identification and criminal court data from Australia’s three largest states, we seek to estimate the effect of army training on violent crime. Using various specifications, we find no evidence that military training causes violent crime, and our point estimates are always negative. In our preferred specification (using only non-deployed cohorts), we rule out with 95% confidence any positive violent crime effects larger than 3.6% relative to the mean. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2013. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper No. 7152, 2013. 40p. Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Military Service Shelf Number: 127557

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Juvenile Justice in Australia 2010-11: An Overview Summary: On an average day in 2010–11, there were an estimated 7,265 young people under juvenile justice supervision in Australia. Most (86% or 6,250) were supervised in the community and the remainder (14% or 1,045) were in detention. There were 2.6 young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day for every 1,000 in the population—2.2 per 1,000 under community-based supervision and 0.4 per 1,000 in detention. Over the 4-year period to 2010–11, rates of young people under community-based supervision and in detention remained relatively steady. Among the states and territories for which data are available, rates of young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day ranged from 1.9 per 1,000 in Victoria to 4.7 per 1,000 in Tasmania. Indigenous young people aged 10–17 were 15 times as likely to be under supervision on an average day as non-Indigenous young people. This level of over-representation decreased slightly over the 4 years to 2010–11. The over-representation of Indigenous young people in detention decreased over the 4-year period. In 2010–11, Indigenous young people aged 10–17 were 24 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be in detention on an average day, down from 28 times as likely in 2007–08. Although on an average day most young people under juvenile justice supervision were supervised in the community, about 2 in 5 (41%) were in detention at some time during the year (estimates are not available for Western Australia and the Northern Territory). Most (87%) of those who were in detention during 2010–11 experienced unsentenced detention at some time during the year. On an average day in 2010–11, half (50%) of all young people in detention were unsentenced. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 106: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737422551 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 127567

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Girls and Young Women in the Juvenile Justice System Summary: Summary Relatively few young women are involved in the juvenile justice system In Australia, young women are less likely than young men to enter the juvenile justice system and even less likely to progress to the most serious processes and outcomes. In 2010–11, young men were around twice as likely as young women to be proceeded against by police, more than 3 times as likely to be proven guilty in the Children’s Court, 4 times as likely to experience community-based supervision and 5 times as likely to be in detention. Among the cohorts of young people for whom a complete juvenile justice supervision history is available in 2010–11 (those born 1990–91 to 1992–93), young men were around 4 times as likely as young women to have experienced any supervision when aged 10–17. Young women are more likely than young men to be supervised in the community On an average day in 2010–11, around 93% of young women under supervision were supervised in the community, compared with 85% of young men. Very few young women were in detention—only 85 on an average day (compared with 960 young men). Young women spend less time under supervision than young men, particularly in detention When all time under supervision is considered, young women spent around 2 weeks less than young men under supervision during 2010–11 (171 days, on average, compared with 186) (excluding Western Australia and the Northern Territory as standard data were not provided). This was mainly due to less time spent in detention (31 days, on average, compared with 68). Young women under supervision are younger than young men Young women under supervision were younger, on average, than young men (excluding Western Australia and the Northern Territory). In 2010–11, rates of supervision were highest among young women aged 15 and 16, compared with ages 16 and 17 for young men. Indigenous young women are over-represented in supervision In 2010–11, Indigenous young women aged 10–17 were around 16 times as likely as non- Indigenous young women to be under community-based supervision during the year, and 19 times as likely to be in detention. This was slightly higher than the level of Indigenous over-representation among young men (13 and 17 times as likely, respectively). Rates of young women under supervision have increased Over the 5-year period to 2010–11, rates of young women aged 10–17 under supervision rose from 0.8 to 1.0 per 1,000 on an average day and from 1.7 to 2.2 per 1,000 during the year, which were greater than the corresponding increases for young men. This was mainly due to increases in the numbers and rates of young women under community-based supervision. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 107: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737423108 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 127568

Author: Anthony, Thalia Title: Addressing the “Crime Problem" of the Northern Territory Intervention: Alternate Paths to Regulating Minor Driving Offences in Remote Indigenous Communities Summary: This study examines the incidence of Indigenous driving offending in the Northern Territory since 2006 and assesses the effectiveness of law enforcement in addressing this crime. It seeks to ascertain alternative forms of regulating driver safety and whether they are better suited to Indigenous communities. In doing so, it identifies some of the major reasons for offending. It is particularly concerned with driving offences that have increased dramatically since 2006, including driving unlicensed and driving unregistered and uninsured cars. Details: Report to the Criminology Research Advisory Council. Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney: 2012. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/CRG_38-0910_FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Peoples Shelf Number: 127577

Author: Birdsey, Emma M. Title: Criminal Offences Involving Firearms in New South Wales, 1995-2011 Summary: Aim: To investigate trends over time, spatial patterns, and characteristics of criminal offences involving firearms. Method: This study used data from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Characteristics and spatial patterns of offences involving firearms were described and trends across 1995 to 2011 were analysed using Kendall’s rank-order correlation test. Results: The number of incidents involving a firearm declined (48% between 1995 and 2011). Robbery involving a firearm decreased (51%, 1995-2011) and unlawfully discharge firearm decreased (24%, 1995-2011), although discharge firearm into premises increased (144%, 1995-2011). The rate of shoot with intent incidents per 100,000 population in Sydney was greater than the rest of NSW. The average age of male offenders was 24.2 years for robbery, 26.6 years for murder and attempted murder, 30.9 years for assault, and 36.5 years for harassment involving firearms in 2011. Homicide, assault, abduction and kidnapping, and harassment involving firearms occurred mostly in residences in 2011. Robbery involving firearms occurred mostly in business/commercial premises. The rate of firearm theft was lower in Sydney than the rest of NSW in 2011 (0.8 and 6.4 per 100,000 population, respectively). Firearms were most frequently stolen from residences (79%, 2011). Rifles were the most stolen firearm (66%, 2011). Conclusion: Despite the recent upward trend in drive-by shootings, the long-term trend in criminal offences involving firearms is down. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief; Issue Paper No. 82: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb82.pdf/$file/bb82.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drive-By Shootings Shelf Number: 127582

Author: Allard, Troy Title: Targeting Crime Prevention: Identifying communities which generate chronic and costly offenders to reduce offending, crime, victimisation and Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system Summary: Indigenous over-representation is the most significant social justice and public policy issue within the Australian criminal justice system. Despite the existence of justice agreements and plans in every jurisdiction over the past decade, the gap has continued to widen in every jurisdiction. Indigenous people aged 10 and over were between 5.6 and 8.4 times more likely than non-Indigenous people to be arrested during 2009-2010. Indigenous youth were 13.4 times more likely than non-Indigenous youth to be under community supervision and 23.9 times more likely to be in youth detention during 2009-2010. Indigenous adults were 14.3 times more likely than non-Indigenous adults to be incarcerated during 2011. Two national policy initiatives are driving attempts to reduce Indigenous disadvantage, including Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system. The Closing the Gap strategy recognises the need for a long-term approach to reduce Indigenous disadvantage. The strategy aims to achieve simultaneous improvements in seven areas of life: early childhood, schooling, health, economic participation, healthy homes, safe communities and governance and leadership. The National Indigenous Law & Justice Framework aims to create safer Indigenous communities. One of the main mechanisms proposed to reduce Indigenous over-representation as offenders in the criminal justice system is through the use of effective and targeted crime prevention programs. Unfortunately little publically available information exists regarding how programs might be targeted to reduce offending by Indigenous peoples. Details: Report to the Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2012. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2013 at: Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 127583

Author: Snow, Pamela C. Title: Oral Language Competence and Interpersonal Violence: Exploring Links in Incarcerated Young Males Summary: Oral language competence is a basic prerequisite for functional and prosocial development across the lifespan, but has been inadequately investigated in young people in whom behaviour disturbance is the dominant concern. Previous work in Australia and overseas has shown that young offenders serving community-based orders are at high-risk for undetected but clinically significant oral language (everyday talking and listening) difficulties. However this phenomenon has received little attention in incarcerated samples, and links with offending severity, mental health, and other markers of early risk (e.g., a history of early Out of Home Care placement) have not been systemically examined. A cross-sectional examination of one hundred (100) young offenders (mean age 19.03 years, SD = .85) completing custodial sentences in Victoria, Australia was carried out. Participants were assessed on a range of standardised oral language, IQ, mental health and offending-severity measures. Language measures were selected for their sensitivity to a range of everyday linguistic competencies, such as listening comprehension, the ability to define words, and to understanding of everyday idioms and other forms of non-literal language. Language impairment (LI) was operationally defined as performance below two standard deviations below the mean on two standardised language measures (the CELF4 and the TLC-E). Forty-six percent of participants were classified as language impaired (LI), using this definition. When the subgroup with high offending scores was compared with those with (relatively) lower offending scores, significant differences on a range of language measures were identified. A range of early risk indicators (such as placement in Out of Home Care) was also examined with respect to language impairment in this high-risk group. Unidentified oral language impairments are over-represented in young men in the justice system, and may serve to further marginalise this already disadvantaged group. Implications for early intervention, passage through the justice system, and receipt of therapeutic services are discussed. Young offenders should be routinely screened for LI and interventions should be tailored accordingly. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Council, 2011. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/0809-10.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior, Juveniles (Australia) Shelf Number: 127591

Author: Trifonoff, Allan Title: Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: A Jurisdictional Breakdown Summary: This document, Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: A Jurisdictional Breakdown, examines liquor licensing legislation and arrangements in Australian jurisdictions. Part 1 presents the background and introduction to the project, the methodology, findings of the literature review, and a summary of the legislation and associated structures in each Australian jurisdiction. The major findings from the consultations with police personnel are presented in Part 3. The aim of the project was to review the enforcement provisions in the liquor licensing legislation of all Australian states and territories. A national review was undertaken to identify the key features of Australia’s diverse liquor licensing legislation. In addition, these issues were examined from a law enforcement perspective. The objectives of the project were to: - identify the key features of liquor licensing legislation in each state and territory - identify examples of good practice in relation to the drafting and operation of liquor licensing legislation - identify the perspectives and needs of law enforcement personnel in relation to liquor legislation to ensure that they are able to adequately perform their role in preventing and reducing alcohol-related crime and associated harms - examine and recommend improvements to liquor licensing legislation across all Australian jurisdictions. The project was designed to provide an insight into the perspectives of a range of stakeholders, especially police, concerning the capacity of existing liquor licensing legislation and associated administrative and judicial structures to reduce acute harms associated with alcohol consumption in Australia. Details: Adelaide : National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction, Flinders University, 2012. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2013 at: http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/2613/5226/7674/EN457_LLReport2.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 127604

Author: Donovan, B., Harcourt, C., Egger, S., Schneider, K., O’Connor, J., Marshall, L., Chen, M.Y., & Fairley, C.K. Title: The Sex Industry in Western Australia Summary: The Western Australian Government is currently reviewing its legislative approach to prostitution. In parallel with this process, the Law and Sexworker Health (LASH) team independently compiled extensive collateral data on the prostitution laws in WA, and prosecutions (2000-2005) resulting from those laws; the structure and function of the sex industry in Perth; the demographics, behaviour, health, and welfare of a representative sample of brothel-based sex workers in Perth; and the operation of health promotion and clinical services in WA. The WA Department of Health contracted the LASH team to compile this Report in order to better inform WA policy considerations. The LASH team had been funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council to investigate if the various legislative approaches across Australian jurisdictions were associated with different health and welfare outcomes for the sex workers. Three capital cities were selected and the LASH team focused on urban brothel-based female sex workers for comparability reasons, and because such women provide the bulk of commercial sexual services in Australia. Perth was selected because most forms of commercial sex are illegal, Sydney because adult sex work is largely decriminalised, and Melbourne because sex work as "legalized": that is, either brothels or individual sex workers must be licensed. Unlicensed brothels or sex workers in Melbourne remain criminalised. In brief, the LASH team determined that - Perth had a small (and possibly contracting), diverse, and open sex industry commensurate with the size of Perth's population. WA men are infrequent consumers of commercial sexual services, with only 1.9% purchasing sexual services in any one year, similar to the Australian average. This suggests that criminal sanctions in WA do not reduce the incidence commercial sex. - Despite a remarkably large number of laws against prostitution-related activities, offenses finalised in the WA courts were overwhelmingly concentrated on the street-based sex industry. Indeed, more male clients of street workers were prosecuted than street workers. Over the six-year period, 2000 to 2005, there were no prosecutions against several prostitution laws. - Perth brothels remained concentrated in traditional inner-city areas and the police still maintained a database of sex workers, indicating that the "containment policy" was still in effect despite its official abandonment in 2000. The police visited Perth brothels and required names and other information much more than in brothels in Melbourne and Sydney. Nevertheless, there was little evidence of police corruption in Perth. - Compared to sex workers in Melbourne and Sydney, brothel-based female sex workers in Perth were less educated, and fewer were born in Asian or other non-English speaking countries. Though one in five Perth workers rated their English language skills as "fair" or "poor", no health promotion staff with foreign language skills were available. The organisation charged with delivering health promotion services to the WA sex industry, Magenta, had limited access to most brothels because of the illegal status of the industry. - Nevertheless, condom use at work approached 100% in Perth brothels and when the LASH team tested the Perth women the prevalence of four sexually transmitted infections (STIs) - chlamydia (2.7%), gonorrhoea (0), Mycoplasma genitalium (3.6%), and trichomoniasis (0.9%) - was at least as low as the general population. These low STI rates were similar to the rates in sex workers in Melbourne and Sydney. - Similar to Melbourne and Sydney, 10% of Perth brothel workers were found to be severely distressed on psychological testing (the Kessler-6 scale) and this was strongly associated with injecting drug use. This proportion was twice as high as the general population. Details: Sydney: National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, 2010. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2013 at: http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/nchecrweb.nsf/resources/shpreport/$file/wasexreport.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Brothels Shelf Number: 127606

Author: Warner, Kate Title: Jury Sentencing Survey Summary: The study has three immediate aims: To investigate a new method of ascertaining public opinion by assessing the feasibility of using juries as a source of informed public opinion. To develop a new way of improving public knowledge about sentencing by using jurors as conduits of information. To ascertain attitudes to sentencing from an informed sector of the public. The broader aim of the study is to counter populist penal punitiveness by addressing the "comedy of errors"; namely, the situation that criminal justice policy and practice is not based on a proper understanding of public opinion, and public opinion is not based on a proper understanding of policy and practice. Public opinion surveys conducted across the world over the last four decades consistently find that between 70 and 80 percent of respondents think that sentences are too lenient. More sophisticated research has led researchers to label this „a methodological artefact "a result of the way in which public opinion has been measured" (Gelb 2008a: 45). It has been found that people have little accurate knowledge of crime and the criminal justice system, that those who have better knowledge are less punitive and that when given more information, people become less punitive. This suggests that a strategy to counter penal punitiveness is to improve public knowledge about crime and sentencing matters and to devise better methods of ascertaining informed public opinion. The provision of a better measure of informed public attitudes (in contrast to uninformed and flawed public opinion polls) will provide the basis for a reasoned argument for politicians and policy advisers to use when resisting calls made by the popular print and broadcasting media to increase penalties and to get tough on crime. Providing a source of informed public opinion, which can be fed into the criminal justice system, has the potential to improve public confidence in the system. Because of the relationship between ratings of confidence in the courts and perceptions of severity - those who report that sentences are too lenient are less confident in the courts - improving confidence in the courts can also reduce punitiveness. The Research Questions: The following six research questions were formulated: 1. How can juries be utilised as a source of public opinion about sentencing? Do they have the willingness and capacity to participate in a study exploring their views on sentencing? How willing are jurors to respond to invitations to stay and listen to sentencing proceedings? Do they have the willingness to read and the capacity to understand briefing information about sentencing? Are jurors willing to complete a survey form about sentencing? Are jurors willing to respond to requests to be interviewed about their views? 2. How receptive are jurors to learning about crime trends and sentencing? 3. To what extent are jurors (as newly informed members of the public) satisfied with the sentence imposed by the judge? 4. What kind of information affects public satisfaction with sentencing? Listening to the sentencing submissions? Knowledge of crime trends? Information about sentencing law and sentencing patterns? 5. What variables affect jurors' satisfaction with sentence? Variables relating to juror demographics? Variables relating to the offence type? Variables relating to the offender? Variables relating to the victim? 6. To what extent do the views of jurors as members of the public coincide or differ from those of the judge as expressed in the sentencing comments? Details: Report to the Australian Criminology Research Council, 2010. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/0607-4.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juries (Australia) Shelf Number: 127618

Author: Hudson, Sara Title: Panacea to Prison? Justice Reinvestment in Indigenous Communities Summary: High Indigenous incarceration rates have elicited a long list of so-called solutions over the years. Since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC), countless reports and programs have aimed to reduce the Indigenous incarceration rate. Yet the percentage of Aboriginal people in custody has continued to rise, nearly doubling from 14% of the prison population in 1991 to 27% in 2012. The latest ‘solution’ to high Indigenous incarceration, and the focus of this monograph, is Justice Reinvestment. Justice Reinvestment is a school of thought from the United States that proposes redirecting money spent on prisons into programs that address the underlying causes of offending in communities with high levels of incarceration. Justice Reinvestment involves three steps: 1.gathering data on offending and the criminal justice system 2.using the data to create justice maps (areas with the greatest concentration of offenders) 3.redirecting funds from corrective services to implement programs in ‘targeted’ locations to reduce offending and evaluating the effectiveness of the programs. The underlying premise of Justice Reinvestment—to build communities rather than prisons—has proven seductive, and many countries are now applying or investigating Justice Reinvestment. Australia is the latest country to consider adopting Justice Reinvestment. The Australian Senate is conducting an inquiry into the value of a Justice Reinvestment approach to criminal justice in Australia, with a particular focus on the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia’s prisons. Advocates of Justice Reinvestment in Australia have been quick to highlight the success stories from overseas but a number of important differences exist between the criminal justice systems in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. These disparities suggest that the application of Justice Reinvestment strategies in Australia could be difficult, and that Australia needs to exercise caution and not embrace Justice Reinvestment just because everyone else is. In the United States, three-quarters of offenders are given custodial (prison) sentences, whereas only one-fifth of the sentences imposed in Australia are custodial, which means, the United States has more room to ‘manoeuvre’ because it has more offenders to keep out of prison compared to Australia. A key feature of Justice Reinvestment in the United States is the devolution of power from state to local authorities. But in Australia, criminal justice is already the responsibility of state and territory governments, and it is highly unlikely that this responsibility will be devolved to local government authorities. Advocates of Justice Reinvestment claim it saves money, but in all the states in the United States where Justice Reinvestment strategies have been applied, prisons may have closed but correctional service budgets have continued to grow. In the United Kingdom, Justice Reinvestment approaches seem to be accompanied by a parallel rise in the prison population. Justice Reinvestment appears to recycle familiar old ‘preventive’ and community-based programs in a new wrapping. The localised, community-focused approach characteristic of Justice Reinvestment is already a feature of Aboriginal Community Justice Groups in NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory. Justice Reinvestment supporters have yet to explain how the approach will be any different or an improvement on existing community-based justice programs. Following the 1991 RCIADIC, crime ‘prevention’ polices have applied ‘culturally appropriate’ or ‘culturally secure’ approaches to reduce Indigenous incarceration. For example, initiatives such as Circle Sentencing and the Koori and Murri courts, where Aboriginal offenders are brought before their community elders for sanctioning, were established. Yet such initiatives have merely ‘tinkered’ with aspects of the criminal justice system and not addressed the underlying reasons why people are offending. In the fight against Indigenous disadvantage and incarceration, Justice Reinvestment threatens to become a distraction from focusing on the fundamentals such as education and employment that will lead to change. Zero employment among 35% of the Aboriginal population plays a critical role in the high rates of Indigenous incarceration, with unemployed Indigenous people 20 times more likely to be imprisoned than employed Indigenous people. In fact, unemployment has been found to be a greater risk factor for offending than Indigenous status. Education and employment may not sound as novel or exciting as Justice Reinvestment, but evidence shows they play a critical role in the high Indigenous incarceration rate. Improving educational outcomes should not be reliant on the diversion of funds from prison services but a basic right that states and territories should be covering in their education budgets. Details: St. Leonards, NSW, AUS: Centre for Independent Studies, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: CIS Policy Monographs, No. 134: Accessed February 14, 2013 at: http://www.cis.org.au/images/stories/policy-monographs/pm-134.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Australians Shelf Number: 127620

Author: Ransley, Janet Title: Reducing the Methamphetamine Problem in Australia: Evaluating Innovative Partnerships between Police, Pharmacies and other Third Parties Summary: The aim of this research was to explore the role of partnerships between the police and third parties in reducing methamphetamine problems in two different states in Australia. A variety of research methods and data sources were used to comprehensively assess the nature and impact (both intended and unintended) of these partnerships so as to contribute to the drug law enforcement evidence base and help police to better control drug problems in Australia. The overall research objectives, as set out in the original grant submission, were to: document the creation, nature and characteristics of partnerships between the police and third parties that seek to reduce sales of pseudoephedrine and control the methamphetamine problem in Queensland and Victoria; understand the wider impact of law enforcement efforts to reduce pseudoephedrine sales in terms of treatment, prevention and harm reduction across Queensland and Victoria; evaluate the impact of drug law enforcement partnerships with third parties (including Queensland's Project STOP) on the methamphetamine market in Queensland and Victoria; and assess any displacement (spatial, temporal, tactical, offence), diffusion of crime control benefits, or other unintended consequences of these partnerships (including Project STOP). The research has been jointly funded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF) and the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) at the University of New South Wales, a collaboration between the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) and a number of other organisations. This report discusses findings and outcomes in relation to the aspects of the research funded by NDLERF. Research funded by DPMP is still in progress and will be separately reported at a later date. Together, these two arms of the research will represent a comprehensive evaluation of the Project STOP partnership. This report therefore focuses on the first and second objectives above, the documenting and analysis of police partnerships with third parties and understanding the wider impact of law enforcement efforts to reduce pseudoephedrine sales across Queensland and Victoria. In addition, it includes best practice guidelines for reducing problems in relation to pseudoephedrine diversion. The research yet to be completed will address the final two research objectives listed above, namely the impact if any of Project STOP on methamphetamine markets and crime outcomes. This arm of the research will be completed in 2011. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2011. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 39: Accessed February 14, 2013 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/pub/Monograph_39.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Prevention Shelf Number: 127622

Author: Day, Andrew Title: Assessing the Social Climate of Prisons Summary: Although the rehabilitation of prisoners is one of the primary goals of correctional agencies in Australia, it is commonly believed that prisons do not offer environments that are particularly conducive to successful behaviour change. Indeed, qualitative and ethnographic research has consistently identified aspects of the institutional social climate that potentially act in ways that are counter-therapeutic. There have, however, been few quantitative studies that have demonstrated the effects of prison climate on rehabilitation outcomes. Research in this area has been hampered by the lack of any reliable method to measure the construct of the prison climate I a way that allows meaningful comparisons to be made either between institutions or in the same institution over time. This study reports the validation of a brief measure of social climate in two Australian prisons. The measure, a 15−item instrument (the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema; EssenCES), comprises three subscales: the Therapeutic Hold scale assesses perceptions of the extent to which the climate is supportive of therapy and therapeutic change; the Patient Cohesion scale assesses whether mutual support of a kind typically seen as characteristic of therapeutic communities is present in an institution or unit; and the Safety scale assesses tension and the perceived threat of aggression and violence. A total of 253 participants (144 prisoners and 109 staff members) completed the EssenCES measure of social climate, together with a number other measures designed to establish convergent validity of the assessment tool. Factor analysis of EssenCES ratings provided support for the three subscales identified by the measure developers. A small, but significant, positive association between prisoner scores on the EssenCES and a measure of readiness to engage with offender rehabilitation programs was suggestive of convergent validity, as was the moderate significant association observed between prison staff scores on the EssenCES and ratings of staff stress. These results suggest that the EssenCES measure is suitable for use in future investigations of prison social climate. Further analyses sought to establish whether significant differences existed in social climate between the two institutions that participated in this research: a specialist rehabilitation prison and a mainstream prison, both located in the same jurisdiction. Both of these prisons were shown to provide a social climate that might be considered to be at least as therapeutic as those that exist in forensic psychiatry settings in other parts of the world. Between-prison differences were observed for the prisoner ratings on the measure of social climate, and there were significant differences with large effect sizes for the staff ratings. Staff at the rehabilitation prison rated the overall social climate as significantly more positive than their mainstream prison counterparts. Both the level of staff interest and support for prisoners and level of support and caring between prisoners were rated as significantly higher by staff from the rehabilitation prison. It is concluded that specialist rehabilitation prisons can succeed in providing an environment that is more conducive to offender rehabilitation than mainstream prisons, and that the data reported here provides some evidence to support the further development of such institutions (or specialist therapeutic units within mainstream prisons). However, further research is required to establish whether other factors such as type of prison unit (e.g., protection unit) or accommodation style (e.g., wings or small housing units) exert a systematic Assessing the social climate of prisons Page 5 of 42 effect on the social climate of a prison and whether a prison social climate can be modified in ways that enhance rehabilitative outcomes. What emerges from this research, however, is further support for the idea that the social climate of a prison can influence rehabilitative outcomes and that this can be easily and reliably measured. It is recommended that the social climate of Australian prisons are routinely audited such that changes over time are assessed, standards and targets for improvement set, and that the need for additional resources or interventions is identified and responded to. Details: Report to the Criminology Research Council (Australia), 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/02-0910.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 127637

Author: White, Rob Title: The Policing Hazardous Waste Research Project Summary: This research project involves a scoping of the extent of and problems associated with hazardous waste disposal and a review of national environmental enforcement agencies and practices in Australia, with a view to building capacity for agency collaboration. The specific exemplar for this process is the policing of hazardous waste disposal. The major focus of this study is to examine how Australia regulates and polices the disposal of hazardous waste. The project has released the following briefing papers: The Policing Hazardous Waste Research Project; Whas is Hazardous Waste and What Makes it Hazardous?; Key Vulnerabilities & Limitations in the Management of Hazardous Waste and Its Disposal; Hazardous Waste in Australia: What is the Scale of the Problem?; Prosecution and Penalties for Illegal Dumping of Hazardous Waste; Legislation, Regulatory Models and Approaches to Compliance and Enforcement; and Policing Hazardous Waste Disposal: Key Trends and Issues. Details: Hobart: School of Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania, 2011-12. 7 Briefing Papers. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2013 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/sociology-social-work/centres/criminology-research-unit/ Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Environmental Crimes Shelf Number: 127639

Author: Forsythe, Lubica Title: Measuring Mental Health in Criminology Research: Lessons from the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia Program Summary: Poor mental health among people in the Australian criminal justice system is increasingly being identified and targeted for remediation. This is evidenced by Australian and international governments establishing specialist services for prisoners with mental disorders such as forensic hospitals, forensic units within prisons and specialist drug treatment programs within correctional environments (eg Birgden & Grant 2010; Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network 2011). Drug courts, mental health courts, court liaison services and pre-court diversion schemes for drug addicted or mentally ill offenders are also increasingly being established to divert mentally disordered and/or substance dependent offenders away from the criminal justice system and towards treatment (Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network 2011; Payne 2006; Richardson 2008). This focus by the criminal justice system on addiction and mental health stems from evidence indicating that these factors may be related to offending behaviour and rehabilitation prospects (Andrews & Bonta 2010; Day & Howells 2008). The link between illicit drug use and criminal offending has been well established (Andrews & Bonta 2010; Bradford & Payne 2012; Kinner et al. 2009) and evidence also suggests a relationship between mental disorders and illicit drug use (Degenhardt 2008; Frisher et al. 2005; Marsh 2008; Mattick & O’Brien 2008). However, the findings regarding a relationship between mental disorders and offending behaviour are varied (Andrews & Bonta 2010), with some studies suggesting that the relationship is not a direct one but rather, may be mediated by substance abuse (Elbogen & Johnson 2009; Fazel et al. 2009). While it is arguable that mental disorders play a causal role in offending behaviour, studies have identified that imprisoned offenders experience poor mental health (AIHW 2012; Butler & Allnutt 2003; Fazel & Danesh 2002). It is also widely accepted that offenders who are mentally ill are less able to respond to offender rehabilitation programs (Andrews & Bonta 2010), thereby making mental health treatment important not only on humanitarian grounds but also to give offender rehabilitation programs the best possible chance of success. It is important to note that prisoners constitute a minority of offenders, as most people who appear in court are not given a custodial sentence (BOCSAR 2012), however recent studies of police detainees suggest that alleged offenders (ie those not yet brought before the courts) may also experience poor mental health at the time of their arrest (Baksheev, Ogloff & Thomas 2010; Forsythe & Gaffney 2012; Heffernan et al. 2003). One issue that has been highlighted by such studies is the challenge of accurately measuring mental health among people who are detained for short periods of time in police cells or watchhouses. This report is focused on describing and discussing the process and challenges inherent in measuring mental health concerns among alleged offenders in police custody. This is, in part, informed by the author’s experience as the Site Manager responsible for DUMA data collection in New South Wales from 1999–2010; a role that included evaluating and improving the mental health information collected as part of the DUMA program. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper 54: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp054.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 127681

Author: Wan, Wai-Yin Title: The Impact of the NSW Young Offenders Act (1997) on Likelihood of Custodial Order Summary: The aim of this study was to determine whether the introduction of the Young Offenders Act had any impact on (a) the probability that a young offender will receive a custodial order 1; and (b) the time taken to receive a first custodial order. These two custodial outcomes were compared for Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. The rates of a custodial order prior to and following the introduction of the Young Offenders Act were compared using a frailty model with Gompertz distribution. The times taken to receive the first custodial order prior to, and following the introduction of the Young Offenders Act were compared using the asymptotic failure rate of ever receiving a custodial order. The results show that while Indigenous young people are more likely to receive a custodial order as a juvenile (hazard ratio of 1.4) compared to non-Indigenous young people, the risk of receiving a custodial order fell for both groups after the introduction of the YOA (hazard ratio of 0.63). The results show that, after the introduction of the YOA, the risks of receiving a custodial order for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people dropped by 17.5 per cent and 16.3 per cent respectively. For Indigenous young people, 10 per cent of the pre-YOA cohort received a custodial order within 17 months of first proven court appearance, whereas after the YOA commenced this took 21 months. For the non-Indigenous young people, 10 per cent of the pre-YOA cohort received a custodial order within 36 months whereas after the YOA commenced this took 57 months. The results suggest the YOA has been effective in diverting young people from custody (including Indigenous young people). The likelihood of ever ending up in custody reduced and the time taken to receive a custodial order after the first proven court appearance lengthened for both indigenous and non-indigenous young people after the introduction of the YOA. Details: Brisbane: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 166: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb166.pdf/$file/cjb166.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Disparities in Juvenile Justice Shelf Number: 127682

Author: New South Wales Law Reform Commission Title: People with Cognitive and Mental Health Impairments in the Criminal Justice System. Diversion Summary: There is evidence of over-representation of people with cognitive and mental health impairments at all stages of the criminal system justice system. For example:  A 2002 survey of police officers in Sydney found that police reported spending an average of 10% of their time with “mentally disturbed people”. Some reported spending up to 60% of their time.  A 2007 BOCSAR study at two NSW local courts found that 55% of defendants surveyed suffered from one or more psychiatric disorders. There was apparent over-representation in all categories of mental health impairment, when compared with the general rate in NSW.  A 2009 study of 60 defendants appearing before four local courts in Greater Sydney found that people with cognitive impairments were over-represented in those courts.  A 2003 study of NSW prisoners found that 74% of inmates experienced at least one psychiatric disorder in the 12 months prior to being interviewed. For example, 9% of prisoners were identified as having psychosis, whereas the representation in the general population is 0.42%. Arrest or imprisonment of people with impairments without providing access to services that address needs related to offending behaviour may not provide the best outcome for that person or the community, and is unlikely to be effective in reducing future offending. Yet the rate of impairments in prison is high, and use of Local Court diversionary provisions is very low – only amounting to about 1.5% of finalisations. Why are people with cognitive and mental health impairment over-represented in the criminal justice system? The reasons for over-representation of people with cognitive and mental health impairments in the criminal justice system are complex and multi-factored. A person may have complex needs and face multiple sources of disadvantage, thereby increasing their likelihood of coming into contact with the criminal justice system. For example, a 2010 BOCSAR study suggested that rates of reoffending are “substantially elevated” among those with a mental health impairment only where it occurs alongside a substance disorder. Yet, factors such as mental health impairment and substance abuse issues may be amenable to treatment or other intervention. Addressing an impairment or other need could help reduce future offending. How can diversion help? Diversion provides opportunities for police and courts to respond more effectively to people with cognitive and mental health impairments. For example, instead of charging a person, it may be better for police or the courts to refer someone who has committed a trivial offence and has an impairment to services that address offending behaviour. Studies have shown:  Reductions in reoffending associated with diversionary programs that identify people with mental health impairments and refer them to treatment or other support.  Reductions in reoffending, cost savings and mental health improvements associated with diversionary approaches that case manage and support people with complex needs.  Reductions in the nature and extent of reoffending for participants in specialist lists or court programs for people with mental health impairments. We have drawn from the characteristics of such programs, and the legislative mechanisms that support them, in developing a response that best addresses the concerns of the community and the needs of the individuals. The benefits of diversion have been identified in NSW 2021 – A plan to make NSW number one, which includes goals such as preventing and reducing reoffending, and keeping people healthy. These goals are accompanied by targets such as increasing completion rates for key treatment and intervention programs, and diverting people with mental health impairments out of the criminal justice system and into services. Why is diversion not being used more extensively now? Unless people with cognitive and mental health impairments are first identified and assessed, the criminal justice system cannot respond appropriately to them. Yet, the burden of identification and management of people with cognitive and mental health impairments in the criminal justice system often falls on people who do not have the required skills or expertise. The existing Statewide Community and Court Liaison Service, which assists in identifying and assessing people with mental health impairments and referring them to mental health services, is only available in 20 of the 148 Local Court locations in NSW, and there is no equivalent service for cognitive impairment. Even where particular impairments are identified, those who work in the criminal justice system are not likely to be expert in linking them to the complex service systems in the community that may break the cycle of offending. So while courts have power to divert under s 32, those powers may not be used, or may not be effective, because the right services have not been identified. A pilot program, Court Referral of Eligible Defendants into Treatment (CREDIT), is addressing these issues, but it only operates in two NSW Local Courts. Similarly, community service providers may not be familiar with criminal justice system processes and the expectations of courts. The current system for reporting non-compliance with court ordered treatment plans or orders under s 32 is ineffective. An important factor in successful diversion appears to lie in the provision of a “bridge” between the criminal justice system and the service sectors. “Bridges” are often provided by specialist case workers attached to courts, who can translate the needs of the criminal justice system to the service sector and the needs of the service sector to the court. In summary, there is a need to improve our identification of people with impairments, link them with the right services that will focus on dealing with their offending behaviour, and provide a framework to keep them engaged with those services. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Law Reform Commission, 2012. 426p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 135: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/lrc/ll_lrc.nsf/pages/LRC_cref120 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Cognitive Impairments Shelf Number: 127683

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Police Use of Court Alternatives for Young Persons in NSW Summary: Aim: To measure the level of variation across the NSW Police Force’s Local Area Commands (LACs) in the proportion of young persons diverted from court, before and after adjusting for factors police may consider when deciding how to proceed against a young person. Method: Between July 2010 and June 2011, for each LAC in NSW, the number of cases involving young persons that police dealt with by caution or conference referral was calculated as a proportion of all cases proceeded against by caution, conference or court. Factors associated with whether or not a case was diverted from court were examined using multilevel logistic regression. Results: Excluding ineligible cases, the rate of diversion per LAC ranged between 31 and 95 per cent, with 85 per cent of LACs diverting at least 70 per cent of their eligible cases. Additionally, both before and after taking into account factors that police may consider when deciding whether or not to divert, the amount of variation in police use of diversionary options attributable to LAC was small (less than 5%). Conclusion: Variation across LACs in the police use of diversionary options was small. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 167: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB167.pdf/$file/CJB167.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Diversion Shelf Number: 127684

Author: Keenan, Peter Title: Convictions for Summary Insolvency Offences Committed by Company Directors Summary: The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) investigates and prosecutes certain strict liability criminal offences by directors before local and Magistrates’ courts across Australia. Until December 2011, ASIC made public the details of each successful case by periodically releasing conviction reports on its website and through media releases. In this paper, an analysis of the raw information in ASIC conviction reports for the five calendar years 2006 to 2010 is presented to provide statistical data on convictions and fines obtained by ASIC under its court-based enforcement activities, with an emphasis on insolvency offences. The analysis reveals that under its summary prosecution program, ASIC’s focus turned almost exclusively to insolvency crimes committed by directors of collapsed, insolvent companies, where they have failed to assist liquidators. The analysis reveals a trend toward fewer convictions (except in New South Wales) and smaller fines for these ‘fail-to-assist’ offences between 2006 and 2010. This paper also provides background information about the traditional role played by insolvency practitioners in detecting corporate crime and assisting with prosecution, as well as the character and significance of summary insolvency offences. It suggests that prosecution of these summary insolvency offences may be important to the integrity of Australia’s regime of corporate insolvency law. By arrangement with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, ASIC is permitted to conduct its own prosecutions of what the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions describes as minor regulatory offences against the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act). Under this arrangement, ASIC commenced an expanded summary prosecutions program in 2002 and as part of this, received special funding for a Liquidator Assistance Program. ASIC’s first report on the outcomes of these initiatives showed that most of the convictions achieved between 2002 and 2005 were in respect of offences relating to failure by company officers to assist insolvency practitioners (ASIC 2005). Analysis of similar ASIC reports since 2005 reveals that convictions for such insolvency offences now predominate. Further, analysis of these reports shows a reduction in the average fine being imposed by the courts, a fall in the actual number of defendants convicted and offence rates varying between jurisdictions. The purpose of this scoping study is to analyse and document changes in the number of convictions achieved by ASIC for failure to assist-type insolvency offences identified during the liquidation process, to examine changes in the penalties awarded by the courts for such offences, to illuminate enforcement and prosecution action being taken in an area of white collar crime that is rarely discussed outside the insolvency industry and to point to the nature of the issues that should be examined through additional research. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Crimionology, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice Report no. 30: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rip/21-40/rip30.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Corporate Crime Shelf Number: 127688

Author: Anderson, Jessica Title: Evaluation of the ACT Sexual Assault Reform Program (SARP): Final report Summary: In 2005 the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) produced a report, Responding to sexual assault: The challenge of change (DPP & AFP 2005), which made 105 recommendations for reforming the way sexual offence cases are handled by the ACT’s criminal justice system. The Sexual Assault Reform Program (SARP) is one key initiative developed in response to these recommendations. Managed by the ACT Justice and Community Safety Directorate (JACS), SARP’s main objective is to improve aspects of the criminal justice system relating to: processes and support for victims of sexual offences as they progress through the system; attrition in sexual offence matters in the criminal justice system; and coordination and collaboration among the agencies involved. In November 2007 the ACT Attorney-General announced $4 million of funding for several SARP reforms. This funding provided for additional victim support staff; a dedicated additional police officer, prosecutor and legal policy officer; and an upgrade of equipment for the Supreme Court and Magistrates Court, including improvements in technology to assist witnesses in giving evidence, and the establishment of an off-site facility to allow witnesses to give evidence from a location outside of the court. In addition, the reform agenda included a number of legislative amendments that changed how evidence can be given by victims of sexual and family violence offences, children and other vulnerable witnesses. The primary objectives of these legislative changes are to provide an unintimidating, safe environment for vulnerable witnesses (including sexual offence complainants) to give evidence and to obtain prompt statements from witnesses to improve the quality of evidence captured (DPP 2009: 13). The funding for SARP reforms also provided for a preliminary evaluation of the reforms; this report outlines findings from the evaluation. The evaluation sought to address whether the program has met its key objectives: better support for victims, lower attrition rates and improved coordination and collaboration among agencies involved in administering SARP. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper Series no. 51: Accessed February 21, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp051.html Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 127693

Author: Trotter, Chris Title: Analysing of Supervision Skills of Juvenile Justice Workers Summary: There is evidence that the style of supervision by juvenile justice workers can make a difference to the likelihood that young people under supervision will re-offend. This study aimed to examine the style of supervision offered by juvenile justice workers and how this relates to re-offending patterns by clients. It provides information about what goes on in worker/client interviews and what works best in fostering reduced recidivism. More specifically the aim was to gather information about the nature of micro-skills which are used by youth justice workers in the supervision of offenders on probation, parole and other community based orders, how clients respond to the use of those micro-skills and how the use of the skills relates to client outcomes such as recidivism. The research was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Juvenile Justice in NSW. Forty-seven workers participated in the study. The next 5 clients allocated to the workers from the time of volunteering from the study were then selected for each of the workers. The workers were then asked to invite the research officers who were working on the project to observe the next interview they conducted with any one of the five clients who were allocated to them. Eighty-nine interviews were observed however an additional 39 were also observed as part of the pilot study for this project. They are included in the analysis and results reported on in this paper. In total 128 interviews were observed. Eighty interviews were also conducted with clients following the observation and 78 interviews were conducted with workers following the observations and interviews with the clients. Two year recidivism data is available for 117of the observations. Eleven of the interviews were conducted in remote areas of NSW during 2011 and the recidivism data for those interviews is not yet available. Details: Report to the criminology Research Advisory Council, 2012. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1213/24-0708-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Justice Staff Shelf Number: 127708

Author: Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Title: People Smugglers: Saviours or Criminals? A report on 16 convicted people smugglers in Australia between 2001 - 2006 Summary: With the emergence of the 24 hour news cycle, Australian political debate has been reduced, more than ever before, to a series of catch phrases and oversimplifications. One such example is the slogan ‘stop the boats’. Such techniques fail to communicate the complexity of important issues and tend to create false generalisations in areas of debate that require a more balanced approach. The title of this report draws on a clear conflict in perceptions of people smugglers: not all people smugglers can be considered saviours, nor can they all be criminals. What is required is a balanced approach that appreciates the individual circumstances of each case. This report responds to exaggerations and generalisations that surround the debate on people smugglers, by providing guidance through research into 16 convicted people smugglers in Australia between 2001 to 2006, and an analysis of the portrayal of people smugglers in Australian political rhetoric and the Australian media. This report contains seven parts. Part One introduces the reader to ‘people smuggling’, looking at legal and political definitions. Part Two considers some historical examples of ‘people smuggling’ under Australian law. Part Three provides an analysis of the causes of people smuggling, for both passengers and smugglers. Part Four explores the trends in people smuggling in the Australian context. Part Five contains the main research component of this report: an analysis of 16 convicted people smugglers in Australia between 2001-2006. Part Six compares the portrayal of people smugglers in the Australian media, and in political rhetoric to the results that were obtained in Part Five. Part Seven provides some conclusions on the issues surrounding people smugglers in Australia. Details: Sydney: Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, 2010. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2013 at: www.alhr.asn.au Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 127709

Author: Trifonoff, A., Andrew, R., Steenson, T., Nicholas, R. and Roche, A.M. Title: Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: Police Expectations and Experiences. Summary: This publication is part of a larger project initiated under the former Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy (MCDS) Cost Shared Funding Model, now administered under the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs, National Drug Strategy, Cost Shared Funding Model. In April 2009 the MCDS approved South Australia Police as the lead agency to oversee a project to review liquor licensing legislation in each Australian jurisdiction. South Australia Police contracted the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction at Flinders University in South Australia to undertake the project. The project, undertaken between March 2010 and February 2011, involved an extensive literature review, a comprehensive examination of each Australian state and territory’s liquor licensing legislation, data collection systems and interviews with key informants. Three publications have been developed from this project1. Part 1: Trifonoff, A., Andrew, R., Steenson, T., Nicholas, R., and Roche, A.M. (2011). Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: An Overview. National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, Adelaide, SA. Part 2: Trifonoff, A., Andrew, R., Steenson, T., Nicholas, R. and Roche, A.M. (2011). Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: A Jurisdictional Breakdown. National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA). Flinders University, Adelaide, SA. Part 3: Trifonoff, A., Andrew, R., Steenson, T., Nicholas, R., and Roche, A.M. (2011). Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: Police Expectations and Experiences. National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, Adelaide, SA. This document, Liquor Licensing Legislation in Australia: Police Expectations and Experiences, examines the major findings from the consultations with police personnel. Part 1 presents the background and introduction to the project, the methodology, findings of the literature review, and a summary of the legislation and associated structures in each Australian jurisdiction. Part 2 outlines the liquor licensing legislation and arrangements that are in place in all Australian jurisdictions. The aim of the project was to review the enforcement provisions in the liquor licensing legislation of all Australian states and territories. A national review was undertaken to identify the key features of Australia’s diverse liquor licensing legislation. In addition, these issues were examined from a law enforcement perspective. The objectives of the project were to: • identify the key features of liquor licensing legislation in each state and territory • identify examples of good practice in relation to the drafting and operation of liquor licensing legislation • identify the perspectives and needs of law enforcement personnel in relation to liquor legislation to ensure that they are able to adequately perform their role in preventing and reducing alcohol-related crime and associated harms • examine and recommend improvements to liquor licensing legislation across all Australian jurisdictions. The project was designed to provide insight into the perspectives of a range of stakeholders, especially police, concerning the capacity of existing liquor licensing legislation and associated administrative and judicial structures to reduce acute harms associated with alcohol consumption in Australia. Details: Adelaide: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA). Flinders University, 2011. 200p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 26, 2013 at: http://www.nationaldrugstrategy.gov.au/internet/drugstrategy/publishing.nsf/Content/66CFE1ED3DAA02CBCA257AB1001C9182/$File/LLL%20part%203.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 127716

Author: Delfabbro, Paul Title: Programs for Anti-Social Minority Youth in Australia and New Zealand - A Literature Review Summary: A review was undertaken to describe and critically evaluate programs designed to meet the needs of Australian and New Zealand minority youth with anti-social behaviours. For the purposes of the investigation, minority youth was defined as an adolescent aged 10-18 years identifying themselves as being an Aboriginal/ Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) or of a Maori cultural background. ATSI people constitute approximately 2% of the Australian population, whereas Maori people constitute approximately 15% of the New Zealand population. Anti-social behaviour was defined as any behaviour inimical to the well being of young people in a personal, interpersonal, legal, or educational context. Particular attention was given to substance abuse, offending behaviour, and truancy because of the significant problems that these cause for indigenous youth. The review methodology involved a keyword search of all available sociological, juvenile justice and psychological databases available in Australia and New Zealand, as well as extensive Internet searches, contact with key researchers, and manual searches of Government agency libraries. Almost no research was found concerning the formal evaluation of intervention programs. Almost all program and intervention studies were descriptive, and did not employ standardized measures, or control samples. The review highlighted the significant over-representation of indigenous people in every form of social disadvantage, including offending, arrest and incarceration rates, school retention rates, health, and economic well being. This was found to be more so in Australia than in New Zealand because of the stronger historical representation of Maori people in New Zealand political affairs. The most significant health issue affecting indigenous people in remote communities is petrol sniffing. A review of primary, secondary and tertiary interventions indicated that secondary interventions appeared to be the most effective. Strategies such as increased policing, curfews, removal of leaded petrol from communities did not work, and the best programs were those involving established relationships with the indigenous community, structured activities, and placement of young indigenous people in outstation programs away from the source of the problem. In many cases, the locations were culturally relevant to young indigenous people, had ongoing funding support, and assisted in the development of practical life skills in a non-threatening environment. The review of juvenile justice revealed significant problems with existing strategies to dealing with minority offending. The review questioned the established assumption that the justice system is necessarily biased against young indigenous people because of the prescriptive nature of sentencing and processing that occurs in response to established offence records. ProbUELLT 8 lems were felt to be more strongly attributable to broader hardships in the community that contribute to higher offending rates in young indigenous people. The causes of indigenous offending were considered numerous, and included the breakdown in traditional family structures, substance abuse, unemployment, poverty, psychological distress, and homelessness. The best programs in both countries were those in New Zealand involving community aid workers that visited the homes of families at risk and provided a range of supports. These included family mediation services, assistance with psychological and substance abuse problems, and employment assistance. Programs that were considered less effective included those involving more forceful policing (curfews) and police aide workers, diversionary programs, family conferencing, and police liaison programs. The report also documents several successful schemes to enhance school retention rates in remote communities. The best of these programs involves practical support (the provision of clothes, books and food) as well as a culturally relevant curriculum and school committees involving members of the indigenous community. The report provides a critical assessment of existing research programs developed via Government agencies and research centers. A greater emphasis on practical skill-based programs and solutions is emphasized in preference for the tendency towards bureaucratic research involving repeated reviews of exiting problems and/or discussions of the need for greater cultural awareness and political accountability. Details: Stockholm: Centre for Evaluation of Social Services, 2003. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 26, 2013 at: http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/Lists/Artikelkatalog/Attachments/10643/2003-110-19_200311019.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Youth Shelf Number: 127723

Author: The Nucleus Group Title: Evaluation of the Ramp Mentoring Program: Final Report Summary: Ramp is a personal development and mentoring program specifically designed to meet the needs of high-risk young people aged 13 to 17 years in residential care in the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR) of Melbourne. It was established by Whitelion Inc and the Reach Foundation and funded as a pilot project by the Office for Children, Department of Human Services (DHS) from February 2005. In June 2007, DHS contracted the Nucleus Consulting Group to undertake an evaluation of Ramp. The main purpose of the evaluation was to identify and assess the effectiveness and efficiency of Ramp in regard to outcomes and impact and to determine whether the broader program objectives were being met. The evaluation was informed by quantitative and qualitative data from program management, young people participating in the program, Ramp staff, mentors, residential care staff and DHS protective workers. There were a number of limitations to the evaluation including the low response rates of residential care staff and DHS protective workers, which is in part a reflection of high staff turnover and caseloads. Obtaining interviews with young people participating in Ramp also proved challenging and reflected the complexity of working with this group. Ramp participants had high and complex needs - of the 64 young people who participated in some way with the Ramp program over 80% were or have been considered to be at high risk by DHS. Just under half were considered to be abusing alcohol, drugs or other substances, and over a third had Youth Justice involvement. Nearly one quarter of participants had been in care for six years or more. Ramp is unlike other mentoring programs in Victoria as it incorporates additional features - lead mentors to visit residential care units and engage young people, workshops, camps and other activities. These features provide an integrated approach and are essential strategies in conducting an effective program for young people in this target group. The evaluation also found that the Ramp model incorporated features of effective mentoring programs as shown in relevant research. The Ramp strategies have the added benefit of providing young people with a range of positive role models as well as multiple layers of support (from other young people, some of whom are outside the residential care system, Ramp staff, the Reach Crew, other adults, and mentors should they choose to be matched). Not all participants want a mentor, at least not initially, and Ramp provides a way for these young people to also participate and achieve some positive change as well. Ramp is more expensive than some other mentoring programs due to the inclusion of lead mentors and workshops, a camp and associated activities in the service model. However, it is these elements that facilitate the engagement of high-risk young people and that contribute to sustained, beneficial mentoring relationships. Communication between Ramp and DHS protective workers was found to be poor and action is recommended to remedy this situation. Relationships between Ramp and residential care staff were variable due often to high turnover of staff. Where there was a positive relationship, residential care staff worked in a highly complementary way with Ramp, promoting the program to residents and supporting achievements. Good communication between all parties is essential for working effectively with young people. Ramp activities were generally well attended with most of those interviewed believing they were fun and provided a safe and inclusive environment where they could meet new people and make friends. The evaluation demonstrated that Ramp provided a diverse range of activities for young people, particularly those with mentors. Comments from young people participating in Ramp indicated that Ramp provided a stimulating and inspiring experience. A number of factors have been identified that encouraged engagement with Ramp. Matches are carefully considered and given time to develop, including an initial trial and ongoing assessment to ensure both parties are committed. Most matches continue for the mandated 12 months and many go even longer. Young people are mostly very positive about the relationship with their mentor. Mentors spend time with their mentee weekly or fortnightly in a wide range of activities, are very dedicated and work hard at their relationship. Based on length of relationship, observed and reported impact, and general satisfaction amongst both mentors and mentees, the great majority of Ramp matches were found to have been successful. Ramp exceeded targets established in its 2006/07 DHS Funding and Service Agreement. Ramp staff, mentors, residential care workers and the young people themselves all indicated that participants seemed to be more self-aware and had better self– esteem and confidence as a result of participation in the program. Comments from mentors and participants demonstrated that participants also had improved interpersonal and communication skills. Participants were better placed to take responsibility for and control their future than they were prior to entering the program. Many had new, more positive social connections and some were actively working towards more positive life goals. However, for many, given their complex backgrounds, these gains must be regarded as early (but significant) steps in a long journey. A number of the young people involved in Ramp reported to have achieved some important changes in their lives; most believed these changes were a result of participating in Ramp. The Ramp service model embodies a number of significant strengths and this evaluation has demonstrated many positive effects and substantial promise, including the possibility that it will produce long-term savings and benefits to the community through successful intervention in the lives of high risk, difficult to engage young people. In summary the Ramp model appears to have had a positive impact on most of the young people who engaged with the program. The unique elements of the program, such as the ‘lead mentors’, workshops and camps are deserving of further investigation by DHS in the development of mentoring service models. Details: Balwyn, VIC, AUS: The Nucleus Group, 2008. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2013 at: http://www.whitelion.asn.au/files/Ramp_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: At-Risk Juveniles Shelf Number: 127728

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: New Recruits in the Western Australia Police Summary: Western Australia Police (WAP) is responsible for policing the world’s largest single police jurisdiction and in 2011 WAP had 5 866 sworn police officers in its staff. New police constables are recruited and trained to maintain WAP operational strength and meet government commitments to increase the number of police. In the past five years around 2 000 new police constables have been recruited. In order to become a police constable, applicants need to complete three main steps; the recruitment and selection process, six months of intensive training at the Police Academy and 18 months of on-the-job training during probation. Upon completion of these stages, constables are awarded a Diploma in Public Safety (Policing) and are able to work unsupervised and can supervise the next set of probationary constables. Our audit assessed whether the recruitment and training of new recruits in WAP is efficient and effective. We focused on three questions: yy Are WAP’s recruitment and selection processes effective? yy Are new recruits adequately trained and supported? yy Is WAP using its resources to deliver police officers into the force efficiently and effectively? Details: Perth, Western Australia: Office of the Auditor General, 2012. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 8: Accessed March 1, 2013 at: http://www.audit.wa.gov.au/reports/pdfreports/report2012_08.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Recruitment and Selection (Australia) Shelf Number: 127750

Author: Trotter, Chris Title: Evaluation of Programs for Support of Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Summary: In 2006 representatives from four community sector organisations, Melbourne Citymission, Whitelion, Prison Network Ministries and Prison Fellowship Victoria - Australia commissioned researchers from the Monash University Criminal Justice Research Consortium, to undertake an evaluation of prison transition programs conducted by each of the four agencies. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of transitional support programs and develop an evidence base that would assist the agencies to advocate for transitional support for people exiting prison. The report highlights the most effective approaches in delivery of pre and post release programs and interventions. It underlines the importance of programs that provide holistic support to people exiting prison, pro-social modelling, and assistance to develop problem solving with a focus on goals settings. The report also acknowledges the significance on the worker client relationship in achieving positive outcomes. Partnerships between services are also recognised as critical to the success of these pre and post release programs. The authors also argue that these programs should be offered to medium to high risk clients. Details: Clayton, VIC: Monash University, Criminal Justice Research Consortium, 2009. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2013 at: http://www.whitelion.asn.au/files/publications/Transition_Evaluation_final_revised_7_July_2009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Ex-Offenders Shelf Number: 127831

Author: McGregor, Kiah Title: ACT Victims of Crime Referral Project: Final Report Summary: The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) was contracted by the Australian Federal Police (ACT Policing) and Victim Support ACT to conduct a research project that examines the experiences of victims referred by police to support services and the operation of the referral process in the Australian Capital Territory. The findings of the research were presented to Victim Support ACT and ACT Policing in late 2009 and included a number of policy-focused recommendations to enhance the experiences of victims of crime in the Australian Capital Territory. The publication of the research findings not only ensures transparency, but it establishes a baseline upon which improvements to policies and programs concerning victims of crime in the Australian Capital Territory can be measured. The tender guidelines for this project specifically outlined several activities that were to be covered in the project. These included: conduct a statistical description of victims reporting incidents to police within a 12 month period; conduct a survey of a sample of victims who identified their expectations of police and support agencies; undertake key person and stakeholder interviews; examine victim support referral models in Australia and other jurisdictions, with a view to determining current best practice; conduct an environmental scan and gap analysis of victim liaison and victim support services in the Australian Capital Territory; identify policy options for victim referral including any cost/resource implications and the identification of possible performance indicators for the options. This report presents the findings of the research that were presented to ACT Policing and Victim Support ACT in December 2009. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and Background Paper Series no.55; Accessed March 7, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp055.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Victim Services Shelf Number: 127856

Author: Carker, Cat Title: The People Smugglers' Business Model Summary: This paper examines first some of the more recent international research, and second, relevant Australian case law and the more limited body of Australian research on people smuggling, to determine whether this business model can be identified. It does not seek to evaluate the appropriateness or efficacy of specific anti-people smuggling policies that have been or are currently being pursued by Australian Governments. Key points: •Since the late 1990s, people smuggling has been a key focus of political debate on irregular migration to Australia. Most recently, attention has turned to how to ‘break the people smugglers’ business model’ . While there is continuing debate about how best to achieve this objective, the business model being referred to remains largely unarticulated, at least publicly . •Examination of recent open source research and Australian case law reveals there is no single ‘people smugglers’ business model’ that explains how people smugglers operate, either internationally or to Australia . However, certain themes are evident, including the predominance of fluid networks over more hierarchical organisations and the flexibility, adaptability and resilience of those involved. It appears that a variety of business models are employed (either explicitly or implicitly) and that they are constantly evolving. •Some basic characteristics of maritime people smuggling from Indonesia to Australia can be discerned from open source information that can be used to outline some of the basic components of a common business model that seems to operate. However, there appear to be many variations on different components of the model. Further, the Indonesia to Australia leg is only part of a much longer journey, and Indonesia is not the only departure point for boats to Australia organised by people smugglers. Finally, while political and popular attention has focused largely on irregular maritime arrivals, people smuggling to Australia also occurs by air. •The use of the singular terms ‘the people smugglers’ business model’ or ‘the people smuggling business model’ gives the impression of a homogeneous market for which a single measure or ‘one size fits all’ solution might exist. The reality of a variety of business models operating at different stages of the supply chain between source countries and destination countries, including Australia, points to the need for a more tailored and considered approach. The points at which to intervene in order to ‘break’ a certain business model, and the most appropriate modes of intervention, will depend on the particular characteristics of that model. Details: Canberra: Parliament of Australia, Parliamentary Library, 2013. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 2, 2012-13: Accessed March 7, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/ParliamentaryLibrary_SmugglersBusinessModel_Feb2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Security Shelf Number: 127862

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Evaluation of the Family Group Conferencing Pilot Program Summary: The Family Group Conferencing pilot program was implemented by the NSW Government in response to recommendations made as part of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW to increase the use of alternative dispute resolution prior to, and during, care and protection proceedings. There is no formal program other than the NSW Family Group Conferencing pilot program that provides alternative dispute resolution services for care and protection matters that are not currently before the Children’s Court. The use of Family Group Conferencing has provided an important opportunity to resolve child protection matters and build support networks for families outside of the court process. The NSW Department of Family and Community Services contracted the Australian Institute of Criminology in June 2011 to undertake a process and outcome evaluation of the pilot. This thorough evaluation of the program provides useful policy analysis of what makes Family Group Conferencing an effective alternative dispute resolution program within a government child care and protection system. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no.121; Accessed March 7, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rpp/121-140/rpp121.html Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternative Dispute Resolution Shelf Number: 127863

Author: Australia. Auditor General Title: Individual Management Services Provided to People in Immigration Detention Summary: Immigration detention is one of the most complex, controversial and debated areas of government policy. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is responsible for administering immigration detention under the Migration Act 1958 (Migration Act). The Migration Act requires people who are not Australian citizens and who are unlawfully in Australia to be detained in immigration detention. In 2011–12, immigration detention cost $1.235 billion; $1.04 billion in administered costs and $192.44 million in departmental costs. Over half of the cost of immigration detention ($700 million) was paid to the two key service providers that are contracted to provide detention and health services in Australia’s immigration detention facilities. These contracts are managed by DIAC. Australia has two types of immigration detention: ‘held’ immigration detention, where people are accommodated in immigration detention facilities; and community detention, where people are accommodated in the community. ‘Held’ immigration detention facilities (IDFs) include: •Immigration Detention Centre (IDC); •Alternative Places of Detention (APOD); •Immigration Residential Housing (IRH); and •Immigration Transit Accommodation (ITA). There are currently 19 IDFs located in metropolitan and regional/remote areas throughout Australia’s states and territories. In addition, the Republic of Nauru and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea were designated as ‘regional processing countries’ under the Migration Act in September 2012 and October 2012 respectively. As at 30 September 2012, there were 7670 people in held immigration detention—6552 men, 454 women and 664 children. The majority of detainees (around 72 per cent) were accommodated in IDCs and around one quarter were housed in APODs. The average time detainees spent in immigration detention as at 30 September 2012 was 83 days.1 However, some detainees continue to be detained for very long periods—956 detainees (10.2 per cent) had been in detention for over one year and, of these, 514 (5.5 per cent) for over two years. The objective of the audit was to assess the effectiveness of DIAC’s management of individual management services provided to people in immigration detention. The ANAO assessed whether: •appropriate individual management services were provided to people in immigration detention; •DIAC effectively monitored the individual management services provided to people in immigration detention and managed service provider performance; and •DIAC’s administrative arrangements facilitated the cohesive provision of individual management services to people in immigration detention. The audit focused on DIAC’s oversight of selected individual management services provided to people in held immigration detention. Details: Canberra: Australian National Audit Office, 2013. 160p. Source: Internet Resource: Audit Report No.21 2012–13: Accessed March 7, 2013 at: http://www.anao.gov.au/Publications/Audit-Reports/2012-2013/Individual-Management-Services-Provided-to-People-in-Immigration-Detention Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Immigrants Shelf Number: 127866

Author: Streker, Peter Title: Under the Influence: What local governments can do to reduce drug and alcohol related harms in their communities Summary: Local governments generally have played a limited role with illicit drug-related issues, as they are typically addressed by the federal and state governments’ law enforcement or health service providers. Local governments’ role in alcohol management is more pronounced, however, as alcohol is consumed by thousands of their residents each week in their municipalities’ businesses, sports clubs and other facilities. Local governments recognise that, on the one hand, alcohol can offer a number of benefits to a local community and, on the other hand, it increases a number of serious risks to the health, wellbeing and safety of residents and visitors. Alcohol plays a central role in vibrant social gatherings each week and is one of the nation’s most popular drugs, with 72.6 per cent of Australian adults consuming alcohol at moderate levels. The entertainment and hospitality industries that serve alcohol provide local jobs and stimulate a vibrant night time economy that extends beyond petrol stations and fast food outlets. Indeed, most local governments are themselves sponsors or hosts of functions, events and festivals where alcohol is served. While the overall consumption of alcohol has remained relatively stable over the last decade, some Australians —particularly young people—continue to consume at levels that put them at risk of long and short term harm. One out of every 10 Victorians drink at risky levels at least once per week4 and approximately 700 Victorians die from the effects of alcohol each year. The National Preventative Health Taskforce (NPHT) has calculated that more than 42 million incidents of binge drinking occur in Australian communities each year—most of which would have occurred within the nation’s 565 local government areas. In addition to the long-term health risks of alcohol-related diseases to residents, local governments are also confronted by the repercussions of alcohol-related assaults, injuries, property damage and other forms of anti-social or illegal behaviour. The NPHT1 has reported that 84 per cent of Australians were concerned about alcohol-related impacts in their community and other research found that nearly threequarters of adults had been negatively affected by another person’s drinking in the previous 12 months. Australian local governments have an important role in preventing acute and long-term harms from illicit drugs and alcohol in their neighbourhoods. This paper discusses some practical steps being trialled to reduce harms in communities, and provides an overview of local governments’ most promising future directions. It may be used by local governments to coordinate effective action across departments, with local partners and other tiers of government. Victorian legislation (e.g. Local Government Act 1989 and Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008) has been used to populate many of the paper’s examples. These details will vary across other states and territories. Details: Melbourne: Australian Drug Foundation, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Prevention Research Quarterly, No. 19: Accessed March 8, 2013 at: http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/attachments/747_PRQ_localgov_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 127868

Author: Fileborn, Bianca Title: Sexual Violence and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, and Queer Communities Summary: Although the vast majority of literature and research on sexual violence has focused on the experiences of heterosexual women, a burgeoning body of work has highlighted the occurrence of sexual violence within and against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer (GLBTIQ) communities. Research suggests that members of GLBTIQ communities may face significant levels of abuse, harassment and violence (Leonard, Mitchell, Pitts, Patel, & Fox, 2008; NSW Attorney General’s Department [NSW AGD], 2003). Experiencing sexual or physical violence, or other forms of abuse and victimisation, is often associated with a range of negative health and social outcomes—such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, suicide, and drug and alcohol abuse (Ryan & Rivers, 2003). However, it should also be recognised that members of GLBTIQ communities show great resilience in the face of social exclusion, discrimination and abuse (Scourfield, Roen, & McDermott, 2008). Documenting the violence experienced by GLBTIQ communities is an important step towards acknowledging the harm caused by this violence, ensuring that adequate and appropriate support services are provided (Duke & Davidson, 2009), and ultimately, preventing violence. There remains, however, only limited research on sexual violence in or against GLBTIQ communities. This Resource Sheet: „„ provides an overview of GLBTIQ communities, and explores the key differences, debates and complexities around gender identity, sexual practice/sexuality, and biological sex; „„ draws together the current research on GLBTIQ sexual violence; „„ discusses the limitations of current research; „„ identifies issues with service provision to GLBTIQ victim/survivors; „„ explores the key barriers to disclosing and reporting experiences of sexual violence; and „„ provides some key resources for members of GLBTIQ communities. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), 2012. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Resource Sheet: Accessed March 8, 2013 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/sheets/rs3/rs3.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Gays, Crime Against Shelf Number: 127901

Author: Payne, Jason Title: Prevalence and Issues Relating to Cannabis Use Among Prison Inmates: Key findings from Australian research since 2001 Summary: The nexus between drug use and crime has long been the subject of international and Australian criminological research. In particular, research has focused on the link between drug use and high volume recidivist offending, the results of which have, over the years, inspired a range of policy responses which aim to tackle the problem of drug misuse at all levels of the criminal justice system. Early intervention with young people, it is hoped, will reduce the prevalence and severity of drug use among future generations while limiting any negative consequences of their contact with the criminal justice system. For those more heavily dependent drug users, drug courts and other more intensive interventions are developed with the hopes of reducing drug dependency and thereby minimising the associated criminal consequences. In Australia, prison populations have been a key source of data for examining the nexus between drugs and crime, although in many cases the research has focused primarily on the so-called ‘harder’ drug types such as heroin, amphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy. Information about cannabis use is often collected and reported, but usually only within the broader context of other illicit drug use. For this reason, this paper provides a consolidation of research findings about cannabis from research and other data collection projects conducted within Australian prisons since 2000. Overview of key findings the vast majority of prison inmates have used cannabis at least once in their life. Self-report estimates of lifetime use are relatively consistent across studies, ranging from 81 per cent to 88 per cent the prevalence of lifetime cannabis among prisoners use varies by gender; however the differences are inconsistent. In some studies males have a higher rate than females, while in others the opposite is found although only one national study has examined the juvenile detainee population, the results suggest higher rates of lifetime cannabis use when compared with adult prisoners around one-in-three prison inmates report having used cannabis in the past 6-12 months, typically before entering prison. Estimates of recent use vary between 60 and 70 per cent the majority of prisoners who had used cannabis in the months leading up to their imprisonment did so at least once a day – often more conservative estimates suggest that approximately one-in-three prisoners reported using cannabis while in custody. Estimates vary between 30 and 50 per cent. Drug users in prison more often than not report cannabis as the first drug they used while in custody two in every five prisoners released from custody expect to use cannabis upon their release and the expectation of post-release drug use was a significant predictor of re-incarceration. Female prisoners were less likely than males to have intentions of using cannabis upon their release around half of all male prisoners released from custody report using cannabis after being released. Females were less likely than males to have used cannabis post-release. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Research into Practice Brief 7: Accessed March 8, 2013 at: http://ncpic.org.au/ncpic/publications/aic-bulletins/article/aic-research-into-practice-brief-7-prevalence-and-issues-relating-to-cannabis-use-among-prison-inmates-key-findings-from-australian-research-since-2001 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis (Australia) Shelf Number: 127905

Author: Jesuit Social Services and Effective Change Pty Ltd Title: Thinking Outside: Alternatives to Remand for Children Summary: Jesuit Social Services has over 35 years experience working with children and young people in Victoria’s youth justice system. We know from our experience that the lives of the children who come into contact with this system are among the least fortunate in our community. They often have chaotic family relationships and involvement with child protection services, problems engaging in school, mental illness and substance abuse problems. These children and young people are more likely to come from communities that experience extreme levels of poverty and disadvantage. Their development is compromised by early life experiences and then further compounded as they become entangled in the web of disadvantage. Contact with the youth justice system and exposure to remand often become further strands to this web. At heart, this study is about these children - for children they are, as legally defined until the age of 18. Victoria has a proud reputation for diverting children away from the justice system and has the lowest child custody rate in Australia, yet our rate of unsentenced detention increased by 67 per cent between 2007 and 2010. This is unacceptable, as detention more often than not exacerbates problems that are already entrenched for most of these children. This report presents the main issues that arose from 12 months’ research by Jesuit Social Services. The fundamental question we set out to resolve in our study was: what can be done better? There is no single solution. However, a first step would be to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years; primary school children have no place in our criminal courts. We must promote attitudes against violence and for children. Our research has found that violent offending of varying degrees of seriousness is the main reason for remanding children and is fuelling an increase in arrests that is proportionally the greatest for the youngest children (those 10 to 13 years of age). Once a child with known social and psychological risk factors comes to the attention of the police or courts we must ensure that an assessment of his or her particular circumstances takes place immediately – whether that be during business hours, late at night or on a weekend. This does not occur currently. There is a need for services that children on remand or at risk of remand can access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These services must overcome the present service system’s fragmented response to such children. These children have often experienced significant harm yet, by failing to intervene early and intensively to halt such troubled and troubling life trajectories, valuable time to act decisively is lost. Two groups of children are more affected than most - Aboriginal children and children subject to child protection involvement. Both are over-represented in the youth justice system. Our study identified that there was a small group of children who were remanded for the first time when they were between 10 to 12 years of age, all of whom had been involved in the child protection system. Almost a third of these were Aboriginal. Details: Richmond, VIC, AUS: Jesuit Social Services, 2013. 127p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2013 at: http://www.jss.org.au/files/Thinking_Outside_Research_long_Report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 127906

Author: Hunter, Nichole, Kenneally, Brianna Title: Monitoring the Adelaide Dry Area - An Update Summary: This Evaluation Report is divided into two sections. The first section focusses on the six key objectives of the Adelaide Dry Area Trial and seeks to identify whether these objectives are being achieved. The second section outlines possible strategies for on-going monitoring. Details: Adelaide, SA: South Australia Department of Justice, Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2005. 193p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2013 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/DryArea2005.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 107695

Author: New South Wales. Ombudsman Title: Ombudsman Monitoring of the Police Investigation Into the Death of Roberto Laudisio-Curti. A Special Report to Parliament under s.161 of the Police Act 1990 Summary: It is essential that police thoroughly and objectively investigate incidents where a person is killed or seriously injured during policing activities. The community and families of victims reasonably expect that investigators will determine what occurred and appropriately address any identified criminal conduct, officer misconduct or shortcomings in policy, procedures or training. The sudden and tragic death of Roberto Laudisio-Curti on 18 March 2012 raised issues of significant public interest both here in Australia and abroad after it was revealed that Mr Laudisio-Curti — an otherwise fit and healthy 21 year-old — died shortly after 11 officers used physical force, multiple Tasers, OC spray, handcuffs and a baton while attempting to arrest him for allegedly stealing two packets of biscuits from a convenience store. This office decided to actively monitor the police investigation into Mr Laudisio-Curti’s death to provide a level of reassurance to members of Mr Laudisio-Curti’s family and the community that the investigation would be conducted in an appropriate, accountable and transparent manner. The purpose of this report is to outline how police investigated Mr Laudisio-Curti’s death in the lead up to the coronial inquest and to explain how we monitored the police investigation. The report details issues we identified while monitoring the investigation and our concerns about the failure of investigators to adequately identify and address certain issues during the investigation. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2013. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/8395/SR_Ombudsman-monitoring-of-the-police-investigation-into-the-death-of-Roberto-Laudisio-Curti.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 127991

Author: New South Wales. Ombudsman Title: Responding to Child Sexual Assault in Aboriginal Communities A report under Part 6A of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993 Summary: This report outlines the findings and recommendations from our audit of the implementation of the NSW Interagency Plan to Tackle Child Sexual Assault in Aboriginal Communities. The Interagency Plan was released in January 2007 and operated for five years. Approximately $60 million was earmarked for implementing Interagency Plan initiatives. The Plan committed 11 government agenciesii and a number of non-government organisations to implementing 88 actions. The goals underpinning the Interagency Plan recognise that child sexual assault in Aboriginal communities cannot be tackled in isolation of the broader issues of disadvantage – including poor health, education and employment outcomes, and the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in the child protection and criminal justice systems. In response to recommendation 18.1 of the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services, the Ombudsman was required to audit the implementation of the Interagency Plan. When Justice Wood assessed what the Interagency Plan had achieved in its early years, he found that it had generated significant levels of activity but it was ‘difficult to assess’ the actual impact on Aboriginal communities, or on those children who are experiencing or are at risk of sexual abuse. Throughout the period of the Plan’s implementation, a range of major initiatives have been introduced. In particular, the reforms to the child protection system arising from the Special Commission of Inquiry and the Government’s response, Keep Them Safe, as well as a range of initiatives linked to the National Indigenous Reform Agreement, settled by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in November 2008. In August 2011, several months before the Interagency Plan was due to end, the NSW Government established a Ministerial Taskforce in recognition of the need to improve service delivery and accountability in Aboriginal affairs and, in particular, to improve employment and educational outcomes for Aboriginal people in NSW. Although the Ministerial Taskforce has not specifically focused on the issue of child sexual assault, it has recognised the strong alignment between its commitment to building strong accountability across government and what is required to properly address child sexual assault in Aboriginal communities into the future. Throughout our audit, we have used a series of inquiries to focus agencies’ attention on issues that need to be addressed if specific child protection strategies are to have an impact, especially in high-need locations. Two of these inquiries have culminated in reports to Parliament – Inquiry into service provision to the Bourke and Brewarrina communities (December 2010) and Addressing Aboriginal Disadvantage: the need to do things differently (October 2011). We also issued a confidential report provided directly to lead agencies about our review of a group of schoolaged children in two Western NSW towns (July 2012). Each report highlights measures needed to create an environment where child wellbeing is paramount and communities can thrive, thereby paving the way for more effective child sexual abuse prevention measures. These reports, collectively, constitute our formal report to the Minister on our audit. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2012. 310p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/7961/ACSA-report-web1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 127995

Author: Stacey, Kathleen Title: Panyappi Indigenous Youth Mentoring Program External Evaluation Report Summary: Panyappi is an Indigenous youth mentoring service for young people who experience multiple problems that lead them to frequent inner city or other suburban hangouts, placing them at risk of being a victim of crime or engaging in offending behaviour. Panyappi aims to: 1. To intervene in pathways of offending behaviour and bring about a positive shift in each young person’s attitude toward offending and in their behaviour. 2. To decrease each young participant’s contact with the juvenile justice system and/or agencies associated with this system. 3. To promote self-discovery and self-determination by young people participating in the program their family and wider community. 4. To work collaboratively with all agencies that have mutual responsibility for resolving the young person’s difficulties. Most of the young people with whom Panyappi works are disengaging or already disengaged from education, have a high rate of social-emotional issues, and often engage in substance misuse. At least half of these young people are involved with FAYS and/or the juvenile justice system. They are unlikely to engage with mainstream youth mentoring programs, particularly on a voluntary basis, or with other youth groups or youth support services. They require longer-term, consistent, regular and more intense support in order to build trust, foster their personal resilience, and assist them to gain stability, a positive personal identity and constructive direction for their lives. Although it began in July 2001, like many pilot initiatives tackling a difficult issue Panyappi experienced disruptions during its establishment. Initially this was due to disagreement about the program focus, location, auspicing arrangements, and an insufficient funding base. The funding issue led to staffing the program with trainees only as mentors, rather than more experienced workers, which proved inappropriate and drew the Coordinator’s time away from service development. After making progress by March 2002, there were two quick changes of Coordinator resulting in an extended break in service in 2002. The program was stabilised in February 2003 and since then has functioned more smoothly, strengthened collaborative work with other agencies/ services, and provided consistent mentoring services for young people and families. Details: Panyappi: Metropolitan Aboriginal Youth Team; Adelaide: South Australia Department of Human Services, 2004. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.dcsi.sa.gov.au/Pub/Portals/7/panyappi-indigenous-youth-mentoring-program-external-evaluation-report.pdf Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 128002

Author: Wendt, Sarah Title: Evaluation of the Sturt Street Family Violence Partnership Program Summary: The Sturt Street Supported Tenancy Accommodation Project (referred to hereafter as the Sturt Street Project) was set up to provide transitional accommodation (3-6 months) for Aboriginal women and children (up to 6 women/family groups at a time) experiencing family violence and/or homelessness, offering an intensive support service on-site, with an extended outreach service post-transition (up to 12 months). One of the conditions of funding was that the Project be evaluated within its funded lifespan, which has been extended to 30 June 2010. The Aims of the Evaluation: Examine client profile and service activity to determine numbers assisted and characteristics of the client group; Investigate service outcomes for women and families post-transition from the program; Explore perceptions of service from the clients' perspectives; Determine both facilitators and barriers to success of the project; Explore service effectiveness perceived by other stakeholders; and Recommend opportunities for improvement if needed. Details: Adelaide: University of South Australia, Flinders University, 2010. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.dcsi.sa.gov.au/pub/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=qTN2eK-DgqI%3D&tabid=607 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Women Shelf Number: 128004

Author: Phillips, Janet Title: Immigration Detention in Australia Summary: The policy of mandatory detention in Australia (that is the legal requirement to detain all non-citizens without a valid visa) was introduced by the Keating (Labor) Government in 1992 in response to a wave of Indochinese boat arrivals. Under this policy it is a requirement that ‘unlawful non-citizens’ (a national from another country without a valid visa) in Australia's migration zone are detained unless they have been afforded temporary lawful status through the grant of a bridging visa while they make arrangements to depart or apply for an alternative visa. Most are usually granted temporary lawful status in this manner, but if an unlawful non-citizen is considered to be a flight or security risk, or refuses to leave Australia voluntarily, they may be refused a bridging visa and detained in preparation for their removal. Currently, all asylum seekers who arrive without authority by boat are detained and usually transferred to Christmas Island initially while their reasons for being in Australia are identified. The main focus of Australia’s mandatory detention policy is to ensure that: • people who arrive without lawful authority do not enter the Australian community until they have satisfactorily completed health, character and security checks and been granted a visa, and • those who do not have authority to be in Australia are available for removal from the country. While Australia’s detention population is comprised of unauthorised boat arrivals (also referred to as irregular maritime arrivals), some visa overstayers and certain other unlawful non-citizens, it is the (often lengthy) mandatory detention of asylum seekers who have arrived unauthorised by boat that attracts the bulk of the attention in the public debate. Australia is not alone in detaining unauthorised arrivals in certain circumstances and many other countries around the world have onshore immigration detention or ‘reception’ centres. However, Australia is still the only country where immigration detention is mandatory for all unlawful non-citizens (including asylum seekers). This background note provides a brief overview of the historical and political context surrounding mandatory detention in Australia. It includes government policy responses and a statistical appendix with data drawn from available sources, including committee reports, ministerial press releases and figures supplied by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). Details: Canberra: Parliamentary Library, 2013. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Background Note: Accessed March 28, 2013 at: http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/1311498/upload_binary/1311498.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf#search=%22library/prspub/1311498%22 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 128152

Author: Green, Lelia Title: Risks and Safety for Australian Children on the Internet: Full findings from the AU Kids Online survey of 9-16 year olds and their parents Summary: This report presents initial findings from an Australian survey of children and their parents designed to provide a unique insight into the balance of opportunities and risks experienced by these children as a result of their internet use. A random stratified sample of 400 9-16 year olds who use the internet, and one of their parents/carers, was interviewed between November 2010 and February 2011. The ‘AU’ survey was conducted in parallel with a 25 nation survey carried out by EU Kids Online (see Annex 1) and funded by the EC’s Safer Internet Programme. The questionnaire was designed by the EU Kids Online network, coordinated by the London School of Economics and Political Science. Ipsos MORI and its international affiliates conducted the research in all 26 countries. In what follows, AU findings are compared with those from 25 other countries, all of which are European nations, although not all of which are members of the European Union. The results of this overarching European-level research in 25 nations, with 25,142 families each represented by a child aged 9-16, and the parent who knows most about the child’s internet use, are reported in Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., and Ólafsson, K. (2011). Risks and safety on the internet: The perspective of European children. Full findings. LSE, London: EU Kids Online. See www.eukidsonline.net. Where reference is made in this report to EU Kids Online, or to ‘in Europe’, this entails reference to the findings based on the 25,142 children involved in the EU Kids Online research, not to European children as a whole, nor to the children of the European Union. The 25 nations involved in the EU Kids Online research are Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Cyprus (CY), Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), Finland (FI), France (FR), Germany (DE), Greece (EL), Hungary (HU), Italy (IT), Ireland (IE), Lithuania (LT), Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO), Poland (PO), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES), Sweden (SE), Turkey (TU), and the United Kingdom (UK). Details: Kelvin Grove QLD, Australia: ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation, 2011. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://cultural-science.org/journal/index.php/culturalscience/article/viewFile/49/129 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Safety Shelf Number: 128170

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing Trends in the Higher Courts of Victoria 2007–08 to 2011–12; Handling Stolen Goods Summary: This Sentencing Snapshot describes sentencing outcomes1 for the offence of handling stolen goods and details the age and gender2 of people sentenced for this offence in the County Court of Victoria between 2007–08 and 2011–12.3 Except where noted otherwise, the data represent sentences imposed at first instance rather than sentences imposed following appeal. A person is guilty of handling stolen goods if he or she dishonestly receives or deals with goods, and knows or believes them to be stolen. Handling stolen goods is an indictable offence that carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment4 and/or a fine of 1800 penalty units.5 Indictable offences are more serious offences triable before a judge and jury in the County or Supreme Court. Handling stolen goods can also be tried summarily by the Magistrates’ Court if the property involved meets certain criteria,6 the Magistrates’ Court considers it appropriate and the defendant consents.7 Handling stolen goods was the principal offence8 in 0.4% of cases sentenced in the higher courts between 2007–08 and 2011–12. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Sentencing Snapshot No. 136: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/snapshot_136_sentencing_trends_for_handling_stolen_goods_in_the_higher_courts_of_victoria_march_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Fencing Stolen Goods Shelf Number: 128174

Author: Hunter, Nichole Title: Monitoring the Adelaide Dry Area Summary: A Dry area is a designated area where the consumption and possession of alcohol in unsealed containers is prohibited under the Liquor Licensing Act 1997. This report focuses on the effectiveness of the City of Adelaide Dry Area Tral. The first section of the report focuses on the six key objectives of the Area Trial and seeks to identify whether these objectives are being achieved. The second secion outlines possible strategies for on-going monitoring. Details: South Australia: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2004. 238p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/DryArea.pdf Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 128175

Author: Kaspiew, Rae Title: Evaluation of a Pilot of Legally Assisted and Supported Family Dispute Resolution in Family Violence Cases. Final report Summary: Evidence of the prevalence of a history of past and/or current family violence among separated parents, and the presence of ongoing safety concerns for themselves and their children as a result of ongoing contact with the other parent, has created an impetus for the family law system to find more effective ways of dealing with families affected by family violence. In July 2009, the Federal Government announced funding for a pilot program to provide assistance, including family dispute resolution (FDR), to such families. Subsequently, Women’s Legal Service Brisbane (and other consultants) were funded by the Attorney- General’s Department (AGD) to develop a model for coordinated family dispute resolution (CFDR). CFDR is a service for separated families who need assistance to resolve parenting disputes where there has been a history of past and/or current family violence. It is being implemented in five sites/lead agencies across Australia: Perth (Legal Aid Western Australia), Brisbane (Telephone Dispute Resolution Service [TDRS], run by Relationships Australia Queensland), Newcastle (Interrelate), Western Sydney (Unifam) and Hobart (Relationships Australia Tasmania). TDRS made adaptions to the model to accommodate its telephone-based service. The pilot commenced operation at most sites in the final quarter of 2010. Implementation in one location (Brisbane) was delayed until mid-2011 to allow time to finalise the composition of the partnership. CFDR is a process where parents are assisted with post-separation parenting arrangements where family violence has occurred in the relationship. The process involves a case manager/family dispute resolution practitioner (FDRP), a specialist family violence professional (SFVP) for the person assessed to be the “predominant victim” in the language of the model, a men’s support professional (MSP) for the person assessed to be the “predominant aggressor” (when they are male),a a legal advisor for each party and a second FDRP. Child consultants are part of the professional team and may be called upon to feed into case management decisions. Child-inclusive practice may be applied in particular cases, but only one location applied it frequently and a second infrequently. Specialised risk assessment and management takes place throughout the process, which unfolds over several steps involving screening, intake and assessment, preparation for mediation, mediation (up to four or more sessions) and post-mediation follow-up. The process is applied in a multi-agency, multidisciplinary setting and it aims to provide a safe, non-adversarial and child-sensitive means for parents to sort out their postseparation parenting disputes. The level of support provided to parents is intensive, and this is a key means by which the process attempts to keep children and parties safe and ensure that power imbalances resulting from family violence do not impede parents’ ability to participate effectively. This report sets out the findings of an evaluation of the CFDR process that has been funded by the Attorney-General’s Department. The evaluation was based on a mixed-method approach involving several different data collections. These were:  a study based on case file data from the entire cohort of CFDR files up to 30 June 2012 (n = 126), and a sample of comparison group files (n = 247) drawn from services run by each of the lead partners where CFDR services were not offered;  a qualitative study based on interviews with professionals working in the pilot (n = 37) in the early stages of implementation, and a second study comprising interviews with professionals (n = 33) near the end of the evaluation data collection period (April–June 2012);  mixed-profession focus groups (participants: n = 37), conducted between August and November 2011;  an online survey of professionals, conducted in June–July 2012 (n = 88, with a response rate of 68%);  interviews with parents who received the CFDR services and progressed to mediation, conducted as eligible parents became available (n = 29). An online survey was also available to parents; however, the smaller-than-expected number of pilot cases meant very small numbers of people were eligible to complete the survey. Therefore, the evaluation team focused on conducting interviews with as many parents as possible and incorporated data from the seven completed online surveys in the analysis of the qualitative data; and  requests for information (conducted via discussions with location coordinators) that examined how the model was adapted and implemented in each location. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2012. 165p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/FamiliesAndMarriage/Families/FamilyLawSystem/Documents/CFDR%20Evaluation%20Final%20Report%20December%202012.PDF Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Dispute Settlement Shelf Number: 128180

Author: Byles, Dennis Title: Sentencing trends in the higher courts of Victoria 2007–08 to 2011–12. Theft Summary: This Sentencing Snapshot describes sentencing outcomes for the offence of theft and details the age and gender of people sentenced for this offence in the County and Supreme Courts of Victoria between 2007–08 and 2011–12. Except where otherwise noted, the data represent sentences imposed at first instance. A person who dishonestly appropriates any property belonging to another person with the intention of permanently depriving that person of the property is guilty of theft. Theft is an indictable offence that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment5 and/or a fine of 1,200 penalty units. Indictable offences are more serious offences triable before a judge and jury in the County or Supreme Court. Theft can also be tried summarily by the Magistrates’ Court if the property involved meets certain criteria, the Magistrates’ Court considers it appropriate and the defendant consents. Theft was the principal offence in 2.2% of cases sentenced in the higher courts between 2007–08 and 2011–12. Details: Melbourne, VIC, Australia: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2013. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Sentencing Snapshot No. 137: Accessed March 30, 2013 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/snapshot_137_sentencing_trends_for_theft_in_the_higher_courts_of_victoria_march_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Property Crimes Shelf Number: 128182

Author: Manning, Matthew Title: The Societal Costs of Alcohol Misuse in Australia Summary: | It is well documented that alcohol-related problems compromise individual and social health, and wellbeing. The individual harms are numerous, including premature death, loss of enjoyment and loss of social utility through fear of crime and victimisation. The misuse of alcohol, particularly among those most at risk in our community, presents a major challenge for all levels of government. In this paper, a study is presented that provides a better national-level estimate of the costs of alcohol-related problems in Australia. Despite taking a conservative estimate, the aggregate of a range of societal costs substantially outweighs the tax revenue for the Commonwealth generated from the sale of alcohol. Results of this study provide evidence to policymakers regarding costs to the criminal justice system, costs to the health system, costs resulting from lost productivity and costs related to alcohol-related road accidents. Such evidence will provide an understanding of the economic tradeoffs that are present when making decisions that affect all Australians. Proposals are provided in the conclusion for a greater investment in prevention, based on the sound evaluation of prevention and diversion strategies by comparison with treatment options, in order to ensure better investments for the nation. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, April 2013. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 454: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi454.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 128300

Author: Courage Partners Title: Final Report: Final Evaluation of Youth in Communities Summary: Courage Partners was engaged by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to conduct an evaluation of the Youth in Communities program. The evaluation commenced in July 2010 and was finalised in June 2012. The final evaluation of the program showed participants are more engaged at school and with their peers, are involving themselves more in cultural programs, sport and leadership activities, and are benefiting from higher self-esteem. The evaluation also found that organisations supported by Youth in Communities had successfully strengthened their service models to deliver better outcomes for young people. This includes developing more gender-specific programs to improve participation among young males, offering youth work traineeships to help create sustainable local employment opportunities, and strengthening relationships with local elders. Details: Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2012. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2013 at: https://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2013/youth_in_communities_final_evaluation_report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Youth Shelf Number: 128322

Author: Spinney, Angela Title: Home and Safe? Policy and practice innovations to prevent women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence from becoming homeless Summary: This report sets out the findings of a research project investigating the opportunities and challenges of preventing women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence from becoming homeless. The project responded to the AHURI Strategic Research Issue 1: Housing and related systems that prevent homelessness and promote wellbeing and stable housing outcomes, and the challenges outlined in the White Paper, The road home: a national approach to reducing homelessness (Commonwealth of Australia 2008). The White Paper highlights prevention and early intervention as the most efficient and effective ways to reduce homelessness, and they are also embodied within National Affordable Housing Agreement objectives. This is the second and Final Report from AHURI Research Project 50602– Homelessness prevention for women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence: innovations in policy and practice. The aim is to explore the value and implementation challenges of innovative staying at home homelessness prevention measures, such as Staying Home Leaving Violence schemes in Australia and Sanctuary Schemes in England. The two broad research questions are:  How and to what extent have innovative homelessness prevention measures introduced in Australia and England since the mid-1990s been successful in enabling women and children to remain in their homes and localities?  What are the implications of these findings for policy on housing and homelessness in Australia and for improvements to practice? Details: Melbourne: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, 2012. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: AHURI Final Report No. 196: Accessed April 9, 2013 at: http://www.ahuri.edu.au/publications/ Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 128324

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Comparing Sentencing Outcomes for Koori and Non-Koori Adult Offenders in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria Summary: There are many causes of over-representation of Koori people in Victoria’s prisons. The findings of this report show that it is influenced by Koori people being more likely to be sent to prison. This difference may be influenced by Koori people being more likely to have been in both the youth justice system and the child welfare system. Both of these may be partly explained by the effects of colonisation and the economic and social impacts that followed. The 2011 Australian census showed that Koori people made up less than 1% of the Victorian population but more than 7% of the Victorian prison population. The rate of imprisonment for Koori people was 13 times higher than for non-Koori people. Recent Australian research has found that Indigenous people are given different sentences because they are more involved in offending, not because of any specific racial discrimination among magistrates and judges. However, racial discrimination contributes to the high levels of disadvantage that influence Indigenous people’s involvement in crime in the first place. The main aim of the Council’s report is to compare sentencing outcomes for Koori and non-Koori offenders who have been sentenced in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to imprisonment, partially suspended sentences, intensive correction orders and community-based orders. The findings of the report address three research questions. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Sentencing Advisory Council, 2013. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2013 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/content/publications/comparing-sentencing-outcomes-koori-and-non-koori-adult-offenders Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 128355

Author: Hudson, Susan L. Title: Sex, Drugs and "Ugly Mugs": An ethnographic study of women who inject psychostimulants and engage in street-based sex work in Kings Cross, Sydney Summary: Australian and international literature provides strong evidence that intravenous use of psychostimulants increases the harms experienced by users, including heightening the risk of blood-borne virus (BBV) infection. The few Australian studies that include women who inject psychostimulants identify street-based sex work as the main method of income generation and highlight the harms that result from combining these practices. However, there has been little exploration into the way these practices are shaped by the environments in which they occur or the ways in which women manage these harms. This thesis aims to provide an in-depth exploration of the daily lives of women who inject psychostimulants and engage in street-based sex work in Kings Cross, Sydney. Over 18 months between 2005 and 2007, the author conducted ethnographic fieldwork with women who injected psychostimulants and engaged in street-based sex work in Kings Cross, Sydney. Data sources included observations recorded as fieldnotes and transcripts of in-depth interviews with 12 women. Thematic analysis of the data was employed with particular attention to the women’s shared narratives. Key findings of the thesis were that 1) the Kings Cross environment plays a prominent role in shaping the lives of women, their psychostimulant injecting and street-based sex work practices; 2) psychostimulant injecting reinforces the opportunistic nature of street-based sex work as the primary method of income generating for women, restricting the development of occupational norms; 3) synergies exist between the drug and sex markets in Kings Cross, increasing the harms associated with both injecting and street-based sex work practices; 4) public health messages relating to sharing of injecting equipment and condom use fail to account for contextually driven decision-making and risk prioritising; 5) women develop lay epidemiological understandings as they attempt to reconcile the public health messages with the lived reality. The value of these findings is in the insights they provide into the everyday lives of these women in Kings Cross that have not been documented previously and their potential for informing “bottom-up” rather than “top down” approaches to future policy, practice and research. Details: Sydney: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, 2009. 244p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 16, 2013 at: http://www.unsworks.unsw.edu.au/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=UNSWORKS&docId=unsworks_8131&fromSitemap=1&afterPDS=true Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 128386

Author: Australia. Parliament. Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety Title: Cybersafety for Seniors: A Worthwhile Journey. Second Interim Report Summary: Cyber technology has developed dramatically in the last 20 years and the internet and other new communications technologies have infiltrated lives in ways which would not have been imagined only a few years ago. Australians are now communicating with government, business, family and friends, as well as shopping and banking, online. While many senior Australians may have been reluctant to venture into the cyber world initially, seniors are now the fastest growing online user group in the country. Anyone who uses the internet is vulnerable to cyber security threats but the Committee found that seniors are particularly vulnerable for several reasons. Additionally, seniors are attractive targets for criminals because many seniors own substantial assets and have access to life savings and their superannuation. In many cases, seniors are looking for opportunities to invest their money, so they might be receptive to scams and fraudulent investment opportunities. The Committee spoke to seniors who have enthusiastically embraced the internet and other communications technology, and who act safely online. However, the Committee also received a lot of evidence showing that there are many senior Australians who either are not using the internet at all, or are using it with caution, because they are afraid of becoming involved in cyber security issues. Additionally, many are now too embarrassed to admit to family and others that they have no knowledge of the internet and no idea how they would go about ‘getting online’. For these seniors, education and training will be their key to becoming cyber savvy and cyber safe. Paradoxically, it is often the seniors who could most benefit from being online in their own home—that is, the geographically isolated or those who are housebound through disability or for other reasons—who have been left behind and are not yet online. Many of these seniors are hesitant to venture into the cyber world, if indeed they even knew how to do so. The Committee found that there is a lot of help available for seniors who want to go online, particularly in the more populated parts of the country. Many seniors’ groups, public libraries and government departments around the nation are helping seniors start the journey towards being cyber savvy. Some seniors’ clubs are teaching computing with a cybersafety component and some also teach dedicated cybersafety courses. The Universities of the Third Age are experiencing very high demand for their computer courses. Public libraries around the nation are doing an impressive job of helping seniors to safely use email, smartphones, social networking and to access government sites and services. Over 2,000 Broadband for Seniors kiosks are located around the nation offering free internet access and training for seniors. The Committee has made 13 recommendations in this unanimous report which should help improve cybersafety for senior Australians. Details: Canberra: Australian Parliament, 2013. 194p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/research/cybersafety-seniors-worthwhile-journey Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 128436

Author: Fitzgerald, Jacqueline Title: Non-fatal Shootings in NSW Summary: This paper analyses the pattern of non-fatal shootings in NSW, covering trends, spatial distribution and other characteristics. Method: This study considers the incidence of non-fatal shooting incidents recorded by NSW Police, in particular shoot with intent, discharge firearm into premises and unlawfully discharge firearm. Analysis is limited to the information recorded about these incidents by NSW Police on the Computerised Operational Policing System. Results: Between 1995 and 2012 there have been frequent fluctuations in the recorded number of non-fatal shootings but no sustained increase over the period. The most notable results in 2012 were in April and July which showed record incidence of discharge firearm into premises. There was still, however, no discernible upward trend in offending even for this sub-offence. Shooting incidents are most common in Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield- Liverpool and Central Western Sydney. At least a third of shoot with intent and discharge firearm into premises incidents are gang, drug or organised crime related and about one in four shootings result in an offender being legally proceeded against. Conclusion: Despite a high number of incidents of discharge firearm into premises recorded in some months of 2012, shooting offences are not trending upwards, nor are they historically higher than at previous times. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 85: Accessed April 25, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/research/non-fatal-shootings-nsw Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drive-By Shootings Shelf Number: 128437

Author: Shearer, James Title: The prison opiate dependence treatment trial Summary: The Prison Opiate Dependence Treatment Trial (the trial) examined the treatment history and treatment outcomes for 204 heroin users in NSW prisons between January 2002 and January 2004. The trial was commissioned by the New South Wales Corrections Health Service to evaluate the introduction of naltrexone, a long-acting opioid antagonist, through a controlled comparison with the two existing treatments for heroin users: methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and drug-free counselling (AOD). The randomisation of subjects to each of the three treatment groups was not successful due to a number of factors outside the control of the researchers. Principal among these was the very poor uptake of naltrexone. Only 9 out 66 (14%) subjects assigned to naltrexone actually started naltrexone treatment and ultimately only 14 subjects out of 204 (7%) started naltrexone over the entire two year study period. An intention-to-treat analysis would be inappropriate when so few designated subjects received their experimental treatment. Secondly, the improved availability of MMT and the introduction of the mixed opioid agonist/antagonist buprenorphine meant that experimental control for methadone/buprenorphine was largely lost. Finally, the availability of heroin within NSW prisons declined in line with reduced supply in the general community (Day, Topp et al. 2003). Heroin use was a principal outcome for the study. Low levels of heroin use at baseline considerably reduced the likelihood of detecting any treatment effects. For these reasons the trial ceased recruitment in July 2003 but continued follow up until January 2004. The trial was successful in recruiting and following up subjects with a 91% follow up achieved. Subjects were assessed for suitability, randomised and interviewed regarding their drug use history, prison history and other health and psychosocial outcomes. Subjects provided hair samples to be tested for opiate use and finger prick blood samples to be tested for HIV and hepatitis C antibodies. The subjects were re-interviewed at six months and provided further hair and blood samples. At twelve months, record checks were undertaken to examine treatment retention, compliance, concomitant medications and side-effects. For analytical purposes, subjects were divided into five mutually exclusive treatment exposure groups. Subjects who received naltrexone prior to their follow up interview were categorised as the naltrexone study group (n=9). Subjects who received buprenorphine were categorised as the buprenorphine group (n=39). Subjects who received MMT only were categorised as the MMT group (n=89). Subjects who received AOD counselling only were categorised as the AOD group (n=23) and finally subjects who did not receive any of these treatment were categorised as a No Treatment group (n=26). The study found very poor induction and retention rates for oral naltrexone. Only seven percent of all subjects started naltrexone over the two year study period. Among those subjects, only seven percent were retained in treatment at six-months. Six-month retention was significantly lower in the 14 subjects who started naltrexone (7%) compared to the 12 subjects who started methadone (58%) (p=0.0007). Mean days in treatment were 59 (95% CI, 32-86) for naltrexone, 100 (95% CI, 70-130) for buprenorphine and 149 (95% CI, 117-181) for methadone. While compliance to daily doses was good when subjects were receiving naltrexone (98%), most ceased naltrexone once they were released from prison even when specific arrangements were made for community dosing at no cost to the patient. This was of particular concern as overdose risk is highest post-prison release and this may be further increased if subjects have recently ceased naltrexone. No deaths or serious adverse events were noted during the study. Few side effects were noted in those subjects who received naltrexone. Most side effects were minor, including dizziness, nausea, headache, sleep disturbance and loss of appetite which resolved or were manageable. There were no other statistically significant differences in outcomes between the study groups although results were limited by the small sample sizes of the multiple comparison groups. The experience of this study was consistent with other studies of oral naltrexone in Australia and overseas. The study did not replicate the success observed among prison parolees in the US or work release programs in Singapore. The most likely reason for this was that inmates were not subject to coercion or incentives to enter and stay on naltrexone maintenance. In the absence of such incentives, opioid dependent inmates showed a preference for agonist treatment including methadone maintenance and buprenorphine maintenance. Many inmates who achieved abstinence preferred no treatment or drug free counselling over naltrexone. The overall conclusion of the study was that poor patient acceptability and retention did not support oral naltrexone in this treatment group. The study also found relatively poor retention in subjects who started buprenorphine (n=21) due to the high proportion (20%) who were discontinued due to diversion. Diverted buprenorphine was the second most injected illicit drug (11%) after heroin (14%) at follow up. Investigation of alternate dose formulations may be warranted. Half the trial subjects did not receive any AOD counselling, mostly because they declined to attend for AOD counselling (42%) or claimed that counselling was not offered (38%). Given that subjects who received AOD counselling had improved outcomes, the underlying reasons for failure to attend or be offered AOD counselling warrant further investigation. Subjects who received no treatment of any kind had the poorest outcomes on most measures. This group was characterised by shorter sentences. New forms of depot preparations and implantable devices for both naltrexone and buprenorphine may overcome the poor treatment retention experienced in this study: however such devices remain experimental. At the conclusion of recruitment for this study, CHS withdrew funding support for oral naltrexone. We conclude from this study that treatment of heroin dependence in correctional settings using oral naltrexone is relatively ineffective because of limited attraction and poor compliance and that compliance is superior for oral methadone which is also more attractive and more effective. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2004. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical Report No. 199: Accessed May 1, 2013 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/prison-opiate-dependence-treatment-trial Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 106730

Author: Roxburgh, Amanda Title: Mental Health, Drug Use and Risk among Female Street-Based Sex Workers in Greater Sydney Summary: Demographic characteristics - The mean age of the sample was 34 years and approximately one-quarter of the sample identified as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) origin. The median years of school education completed was 9. Fourteen percent reported having no fixed address, or current homelessness and nearly half the sample reported being homeless within the past 12 months. Income apart from sex work in the past month came from several sources, and the vast majority reported sex work as their main source of income in the past month. More than half of the sample reported moving out of home before age 16. Sex work history and working conditions - The median age that participants reported starting sex work was 19, with almost one third starting before 18. Length of involvement in the sex industry ranged from four months to 39 years, and participants had worked in various other sectors of the sex industry. The majority of participants reported starting sex work because they needed the money for drugs, and this was also the main reason for remaining in the sex industry. Just under half the sample reported the money as being the most enjoyable aspect of their work, and the biggest concern for approximately one-third of the sample was the provision of a safe work environment (such as safe houses). Three-quarters of the women reported providing services on the street, two-thirds reported providing them in cars and just over half the sample reported using a safe house (in areas where safe houses were available). Two-thirds of the sample reported that they found sex work very stressful, and half stated that clients were the reason for this stress. The overwhelming majority of women reported ever having experienced violence while working, most commonly physical assault and rape. Drug use and drug treatment - Ninety four percent of the sample had ever injected any drug, and the median age of first injecting was 18, with approximately one-quarter of the sample reporting first injecting before the age of 16. There were relatively heavy patterns of heroin, cocaine and cannabis use reported among some of the women, while patterns of methamphetamine and alcohol use remained sporadic. The vast majority of the sample was heroin dependent according to the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) while approximately one-third was cocaine and cannabis dependent. Participants who were cocaine dependent were more likely to report sharing injecting equipment in the past month and less likely to use condoms when having penetrative sex with clients. Approximately two-thirds of the sample was in drug treatment at the time of interview. Sex work and drug use - Approximately half the sample reported injecting drugs prior to commencing sex work, and one-quarter reported commencing sex work within 3 years of injecting drug use initiation. Just over one-quarter of the sample reported starting sex work prior to injecting drug use, and approximately three-quarters reported that their drug use had increased since they started sex work. Injection-related risk behaviours - There were very few reports of borrowing used needles among the injecting drug users, while one-fifth reported lending a used needle to someone in the preceding month. Almost two-thirds of the sample reported sharing other injecting equipment in the past month. Approximately two-thirds of the sample reported testing positive for HCV. There were no reports of HIV positive results. Unwanted sexual activity - Three-quarters of the sample reported experiencing some form of child sexual abuse before the age of 16. Almost two-thirds of the sample reported that someone had sexual intercourse with them after the age of 16 when they had made it clear they did not consent. Mental health problems - Depression - Approximately half of the sample reported severe current depressive symptoms in accordance with the Beck Depression Inventory II. Depression was associated with homelessness in the past 12 months, A&TSI status, and cannabis dependence. Approximately half the sample reported ever having tried to kill themself, and approximately one-quarter had first attempted suicide by the age of 18. Borderline Personality Disorder - Approximately half the sample screened positively for a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which was associated with a range of adverse outcomes: earlier age of injecting drug use initiation, benzodiazepine dependence, cannabis dependence, sharing injecting equipment, current severe depressive symptoms, and adult sexual assault. Post-traumatic stress disorder - All but one of the participants reported having experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, with a large proportion reporting multiple traumas. Rape, physical assault, child sexual abuse and witnessing someone being badly injured or killed were the most commonly reported traumas. Approximately half of the sample met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV (TR)) criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and one-third reported current PTSD symptoms. Approximately three-quarters of those participants who developed PTSD said they had spoken to a health professional about the associated symptoms. Those reporting current PTSD were more likely to have experienced a greater number of traumas than those who did not report current symptoms. Access to mental health services - Approximately one-quarter of the sample had ever been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, and the most common reasons for admission were depression and anxiety. Just under half of the sample reported speaking with a health professional about a mental health problem other than their drug use in the past 6 months, most commonly for depression. Crime and police contact - Just under half of the sample reported engaging in criminal activity in the month prior to the interview, and just over half of the sample had been arrested in the preceding 12 months. Over half the sample reported ever having been in prison, and a small proportion had been in prison in the preceding 12 months. There were mixed reports regarding experiences with the police. Equal proportions of participants reported experiences of police harassment, poor treatment, and assault reports not being taken seriously, as well as police assistance, respectful treatment, and police assistance after assaults. Despite the large majority of women reporting experiences of violence at work, very low proportions had reported these incidents to police. Access to information and emotional support - Participants generally had good access to information on safe sex and drug use, bloodborne virus information and legal support. Access was particularly good to information on the sex industry in general. A substantial minority of the group reported having no emotional support. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2005. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: NDARC Technical Report Number 237: Accessed May 1, 2013 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/mental-health-drug-use-and-risk-among-female-street-based-sex-workers-greater-sydney Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 106728

Author: Moffatt, Steve Title: An update of long-term trends in property and violent crime in New South Wales: 1990-2012 Summary: Aim: The aim of this paper is to analyse the trends in the rates of annual recorded incidents of ten major categories of property and violent crime for the period 1990 to 2012 in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Offence rates were calculated using criminal incident data from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) for the period 1995 to 2012, and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research’s recorded crime statistics report series for the period 1990 to 1994. Kendall’s trend test was run on the 23 annual rates for each of the ten major offence categories. Results: Some categories of crime in NSW are now at the lowest recorded levels they have been for over 20 years. Comparing per capita rates of crime in 2012 with per capita rates in 1990, lower rates were found for: murder (51% lower), motor vehicle theft (73% lower), break and enter non-dwelling (65% lower), break and enter dwelling (45% lower), robbery with a weapon not a firearm (29% lower), robbery with a firearm (71% lower), and robbery without a weapon (26% lower). Three of the ten offence types analysed in this report were found to have recorded rates higher in 2012 than in 1990: assault (74% higher), sexual assault (130% higher) and ‘other’ sexual offences (77% higher). It is not clear whether the increases in these offences are the result of higher rates of offending or greater willingness to report them. Conclusion: In the period since 1990, assault and sexual assault rates recorded significant long term upward trends whilst the other eight offences analysed in this report were trending down or stable. The 2012 recorded sexual assault rate was marginally above the previous highs of 2009 and 2010 and the rate since 2000 has recorded a significant uptrend. Apart from sexual assault, the remaining nine offence types have recorded significant downtrends in recorded rates since 2000. The three robbery and three property crime rates have all recorded falls of more than 55% since 2000. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 84: Accessed May 1, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB84.pdf/$file/BB84.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics (Australia) Shelf Number: 128509

Author: Smith, Nadine Title: Personal Stress, Financial Stress, Social Support and Women’s Experiences of Physical Violence: A longitudinal analysis Summary: Aim: To determine whether higher levels of personal and financial stress and/or lower levels of social support at one point in time are associated with a higher risk of experiencing physical violence at a later point in time. Method: Logistic generalized estimating equations (GEE) and fixed effects modelling were used to examine the effect of personal stress, financial stress and social support on self-reported experiences of physical violence in the past year. The sample pooled 48,368 records from 9,393 women aged 15 years or more who participated in at least one wave of the Australian Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) survey between 2002 and 2009. Alcohol consumption, age, marital status and whether pregnant in the previous year were controlled for in the analyses. Results: Women were more likely to have experienced physical violence if they reported personal or financial stress, poor social networks, heavy alcohol consumption, were not married (or widowed) or were young. These associations held up both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Changes in personal stress, financial stress and partner status were also found to be associated with changes in the risk of experiencing physical violence. Conclusion: Measures that reduce personal and financial stress or increase social support may help reduce the risk of women experiencing physical violence. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 168: Accessed May 1, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB168.pdf/$file/CJB168.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Stress Shelf Number: 128510

Author: Albury, Kath Title: Young People and Sexting in Australia: Ethics, Representation and the Law Summary: Young People and Sexting in Australia report presents the #ndings of a qualitative study of young people’s understandings of, and responses to, current Australian laws, media and educational resources that address sexting. While there are many defnitions of sexting, for the purposes of this report we are referring to the production and distribution of naked or semi-naked photographs via mobile phones and social media. The project involved a review of both international local and academic research as well as popular media addressing sexting, and a review of educational resources for young people. Three focus groups were conducted with young people aged 16 and 17 in 2012, and a working paper based on those findings was then distributed to adult stakeholders in the fields of law enforcement, youth and children’s legal support, education, criminology, media and communications, youth work, youth health care, counseling and youth health promotion. This report therefore draws on both the focus group discussions, and a workshop consultation with the adult stakeholder group. Key Findings: 􀁴􀀁 While focus group participants were familiar with the practice of sending naked or semi-naked pictures, the term sexting was understood as an adult or media-generated concept that did not adequately reflect young people’s everyday practices and experiences of creating and sharing digital images. 􀁴􀀁 Young people observed that gendered double-standards were applied to discussions of sexting, and digital self-representation in general. For example one group of young women were particularly offended that their self-portraits or selves were viewed by both peers and adults as ‘provocative’ while young men’s naked or semi-naked pictures were understood as ‘jokes’. 􀁴􀀁 Sample media campaigns and public education materials viewed by focus groups were rejected by some participants for failing to acknowledge young women’s capacity for consensual production and exchange of images. These participants also felt that current sexting education fails to emphasise young people’s responsibility to not share images without consent. 􀁴􀀁 Both young people and adult stakeholders agreed that current legal frameworks relating to sexting (particularly those that con$ate sexting with child pornography) are not widely understood by either young people or adults, and that this lack of education and awareness places young people at risk of unreasonable criminal charges. The Young People and Sexting in Australia report recommendations are presented in two major categories, (1) strategies and (2) new approaches to understanding sexting. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2013. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2013 at: http://www.cci.edu.au/sites/default/files/Young_People_And_Sexting_Final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 128673

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth justice in Australia 2011-12: an overview Summary: Almost 7,000 young people are under youth justice supervision on an average day -- On an average day in 2011–12, there were almost 7,000 young people aged 10 and older under youth justice supervision in Australia due to their involvement or alleged involvement in crime. Most (83%) were male and the majority (79%) were aged 14–17. Indigenous young people were over-represented—although less than 5% of young Australians are Indigenous, 39% of those under supervision were Indigenous. Among all those aged 10–17 in Australia, this equates to a rate of 26 young people under supervision on an average day per 10,000 in the population, or 1 in every 385 young Australians. Most young people are supervised in the community -- Almost 6,000 (86%) young people were supervised in the community on an average day in 2011–12, and the remaining 1,000 (14%) were in detention. However, 2 in every 5 young people (41%) under youth justice supervision in Australia were in detention at some time during the year. Young people spend an average of 6 months under supervision -- The median duration of periods of youth justice supervision was about 11 weeks (78 days). Periods of community-based supervision completed during 2011–12 were typically longer (84 days, on average) than both unsentenced (4 days) and sentenced detention (55 days). Some young people experienced more than one supervision period during the year. When all the time spent under supervision during 2011–12 is considered, young people spent an average of about 6 months (185 days) under supervision. Trends are stable, but vary among the states and territories -- Nationally, the rates of young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day remained relatively stable (about 26–27 per 10,000) over the 4 years to 2011–12. This stability occurred in both community-based supervision and detention. However, there were differences in trends among the states and territories. Between 2008–09 and 2011–12, rates of young people under supervision on an average day increased in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, and decreased in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin no. 115: Accessed May 8, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/AIHW_YouthJusticeInAustralia2011-12_April2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Shelf Number: 128675

Author: Fetherston, James Title: Indications and Implications of a Gradual Recovery in Perth’s Heroin Market Summary: It is a matter of public record that in 2001, there was an abrupt and largely unexplained disruption to the supply of heroin in Australia. Colloquially referred to as the “heroin shortage” (Degenhardt et al, 2006), the effects of the diminished availability of the drug were particularly severe in Western Australia and resulted in an immediate decline in numbers of recent users and their rates of use. Prices rose steeply to a median of $750 per gram despite substantial decreases in userreported levels of purity. In this bulletin we examine the data collected by the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) over the years to consider the possibility that the heroin market in Perth, Western Australia may be in a process of slow recovery. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2013. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Trends Bulletin: Accessed May 13, 2013 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/IDRSapril2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Addiction and Abuse Shelf Number: 128697

Author: Birdsey, Emma M. Title: Temporal Trends and Characteristics of Intimidation Summary: Aim: The current study has two aims. The first is to investigate whether there has been any change in the characteristics of intimidation in recent years that might inform which types of offences are becoming more common. The second aim is to investigate whether the characteristics of intimidation related to domestic violence (DV) have changed over time. Method: Characteristics of intimidation incidents across 2006-2011 were collated from the NSW Police database. Additional information was coded from 600 free-text event narratives for intimidation incidents across 3 years (2006, 2008, 2010). Analyses tested whether characteristics of intimidation incidents changed over this period. Analyses were carried out for intimidation and for intimidation related to DV separately. Results: Intimidation related to DV increased over time. Intimidation and intimidation related to DV involving injured victims also increased. In intimidation related to DV, male POIs decreased and female POIs increased, and male victims increased and female victims decreased over time. The relationship of unknown POI differed over time, however there was no change in other relationship types. The type of intimidation and the location did not change. Additionally, there was no change over time in intimidation and intimidation related to DV with a weapon, face to face contact, AVO issued/applied for, or prior AVO. Conclusion: Intimidation related to DV is driving the overall increase in intimidation observed in NSW over recent years. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 83: Accessed May 13, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB83.pdf/$file/BB83.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 128719

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Victoria's Prison Population 2002 to 2012 Summary: This report from the Sentencing Advisory Council has found that Victoria’s prison population has increased by nearly 40% over the last 10 years, a rate faster than increases in the general population. Victoria’s Prison Population 2002-2012 concludes that growth in Victoria’s prison population is due to a combination of factors, including: increased lengths of prison sentences increased use of custodial sentences in the higher courts increases in offences against the person, drug offences and offences against good order. The prison population rose from 3,540 in 2002 to 4,884 in 2012. This resulted in the imprisonment rate increasing to 111.7 people in prison per 100,000 adults; however, in 2012 Victoria still had the second lowest imprisonment rate in Australia. Alongside an increase in the imprisonment rate, there has been a significant increase in the number of prisoners held on remand, representing over 20% of the prison population in 2012. The average length of prison sentences has increased, with the average expected time to serve for prisoners rising 22.2% over the ten-year period, from 40.1 to 49 months. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council, 2013. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2013 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/content/publications/victorias-prison-population-2002-2012 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Incarceration Rates Shelf Number: 128786

Author: Neave, Colin Title: Suicide and Self-harm in the Immigration Detention Network Summary: Australia's immigration detention network has been subject to numerous reviews in recent years. This was due to the unprecedented strain on the network arising from increased Irregular Maritime Arrivals and the subsequent unrest and increase in suicide and self-harm incidents in 2010 and 2011. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (the department) and its service providers have undertaken, and are continuing to undertake, significant work to address the problems that these reviews have highlighted. We recognise that this investigation started during a particularly difficult period due to the immigration detention policies in place and the significant increase in Irregular Maritime Arrivals.The large numbers of people seeking asylum also led to significant delays in processing of claims and in subsequent merits and judicial reviews sought by individuals. In 2010, the Australian Government suspended processing of asylum claims by people from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan for three and six months respectively. In 2011, the Malaysia Solution was announced by the Australian Government and subsequently invalidated by the High Court. There w as a large number of people in detention and many remained detained for long periods while a waiting finalisation of their asylum claims and substantive visas to be granted. During this period, the department and its service providers were required to manage day-to-day operations under significant strain, while simultaneously responding to changes in Australian Government policy, increase the available infrastructure and recruit and train large numbers of staff. We recognise that establishing appropriate processes and functions to support detention operations in these circumstances was difficult. The department necessarily had a strong focus on day-to-day logistics and the operational challenges that it was dealing with. In our view however, under this pressure, the department may not have fully appreciated some of the lessons gained from the experience of self-harm in immigration detention in the early 2000s. Issues around infrastructure and service provision – such as the adverse impact of overcrowded and/or remote facilities , and limited meaningful activities on the mental health of those in immigration detention facilities – were not fully addressed . In saying this, we also acknowledge that the department was obliged to respond within the constraints imposed by the law, the Australian Government's immigration policies, and capital funding decisions relating to infrastructure. We note and welcome the considerable efforts that the department has made over the last 18 months to address many of the issues that were apparent in the early part of this investigation. As a result of multiple internal and external reviews, the relevant policies and procedures have been reviewed, realigned and more strongly implemented. Important developments include the efforts to strengthen the Psychological Support Program and the new Programs and Activities Framework. Overall, we believe the department is now in a stronger position in terms of its capacity to manage the immigration detention network and associated risks and issues. However, this investigation has found scope for further improvement, and also identified lessons that can be learned from challenges of the recent past. Details: Canberra: Commonwealth Ombudsman, 2013. 171p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 02/2013: Accessed May 25, 2013 at: http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/files/suicide_and_self-harm_in_the_immigration_detention_network.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Immigrants Shelf Number: 128791

Author: Andrevski, Hannah Title: Barriers to Trafficked Persons' Involvement in Criminal Justice Proceedings: An Indonesian case study Summary: Prosecuting transnational crimes such as people trafficking is a complex and difficult task. It is often the case that the people who have been trafficked are the primary witnesses and provide the bulk of the evidence against a trafficker. Yet for a range of reasons, trafficked persons may be reluctant or unable to participate in criminal investigations and prosecutions. Using data from cases in the International Organization for Migration’s Indonesian Counter-Trafficking Module database, the factors that inhibit a trafficked person’s willingness and ability to be involved in criminal proceedings are assessed and considered within a broader review of current research. An understanding of these factors may assist policymakers and practitioners—both in Australia and throughout the region—to better support trafficked people and increase their willingness and ability to participate in criminal proceedings. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 451: Accessed May 28, 2013 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi451.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking (Australia) Shelf Number: 128835

Author: Lyneham, Samantha Title: Exploitation of Indonesian Trafficked Men, Women and Children and Implications for Support Summary: Protecting and providing support to victims is a central component of the international and Australian response to combat trafficking in persons. The complex and diverse nature of people trafficking means that victims may experience a range of exploitative conditions across a variety of commercial and domestic settings. In this paper, the support needs of trafficking victims are considered through analysis of their experiences of exploitation and abuse, as contained in the International Organization for Migration’s Indonesia Counter-Trafficking Module database. The complexity and diversity of trafficking and exploitative experiences is reflected in the supports and assistance needs of trafficked persons that appear equally diverse and complex. Clearly, support services must tailor their responses to individual circumstances and needs, and respond using a multifaceted, victim-centred approach. While analysing the experiences of trafficked persons can assist in developing appropriate support services, evaluative research is the next step in ensuring the effectiveness of the supports provided. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 450: Accessed May 28, 2013 at: http://aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi450.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking (Australia) Shelf Number: 128836

Author: Larsen, Jacqueline Title: Experiences of Trafficked Persons: An Indonesian sample Summary: The true extent of people trafficking is difficult to gauge, in part because of low levels of reporting and identification of trafficked persons, the clandestine nature of the crime, and a lack of reliable data and systematic data collections, The data collected by the International Organization for Migration in its Counter Trafficking Module Database is unique in the breadth and depth of information collected regarding the experiences of trafficked persons. The IOM Indonesia CTM database holds information relating to 3,701 trafficked Indonesians between January 2005 and January 2010. In this paper, the experiences of this group of trafficked persons is compared and contrasted against the existing literature in order to strengthen knowledge about the nature of people trafficking in the southeast Asian region. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 449: Accessed May 28, 2013 at: http://aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi449.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 128837

Author: Hutchings, Alice Title: Cloud Computing for Small Business: Criminal and security threats and prevention measures Summary: Compared with large organisations, small businesses operate in a distinct and highly resource-constrained operating and technical environment. Their proprietors are often time poor, have minimal bargaining power and have limited financial, technical, legal and personnel resources. It is therefore unsurprising that cloud computing and its promise of smoothing cash flows and dramatically reducing ICT overheads is attractive to small business. Cloud computing shifts the delivery and maintenance of software, databases and storage to the internet, transforming them into Pay-As-You-Go services accessed through a web browser. While providing many benefits, cloud computing also brings many risks for small business, including potential computer security and criminal, regulatory and civil liability issues. This paper, undertaken as a collaborative partnership with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security at Griffith University, identifies these risks and offers a perspective on how they might be contained so that the benefits of cloud computing do not outweigh the risks for small businesses in the 21st century. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in criminal and Criminal Justice No. 456: Accessed May 29, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi456.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Cloud Computing (Australia) Shelf Number: 128842

Author: Lyneham, Mathew Title: Deaths in custody in Australia to 30 June 2011 Twenty years of monitoring by the National Deaths in Custody Program since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Summary: Compiled for two decades by the Australian Institute of Criminology, this report found both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous rates of deaths in custody have decreased over the last decade and are now some of the lowest ever seen (0.16 per 100 Indigenous prisoners and 0.22 per 100 non-Indigenous prisoners in 2010–11). For the last eight years in a row, the Indigenous rate of death in prison has been lower than the equivalent non-Indigenous rate. While Indigenous prisoners continue to be statistically less likely to die in custody than non-Indigenous prisoners, there is a concerning trend emerging, as the actual number of Indigenous deaths in prison are rising again, with 14 in 2009-10 which is equal to the highest on record. More concerning still is that over the 20 years since the Royal Commission, the proportion of prisoners that are Indigenous has almost doubled from 14% in 1991 to 26% in 2011. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 197p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Reports; Monitoring Reports 20: Accessed May 30, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/mr/1-20/20.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 128855

Author: Mullins, Samuel J. Title: Australian Jihad: Radicalisation and Counter-Terrorism Summary: This ARI summarises the findings from an-depth empirical study of all publicly-confirmed cases of Islamist terrorism involving Australians. The domestic situation of Australian Muslims is briefly described, followed by an overview of Islamist terrorism cases to date, including the number and location of cases and the level of threat they have presented, both domestically and internationally. The background characteristics of offenders and details of radicalisation are discussed, followed by an examination of the national counter-terrorism (CT) strategy, with a focus upon counter-radicalisation initiatives. Current CT tactics appear to be appropriate to the nature of the threat; however, it will be important to closely monitor preventive measures in order to avoid a potential backlash similar to that in the UK, and to make sure that they are appropriately targeted. Details: Analisis of the Real Instituto Elcano, 2011. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://ro.uow.edu.au/lawpapers/148/ Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 128888

Author: Victoria Parliament. Law Reform Committee Title: Inquiry into Sexting Summary: During the course of the Inquiry the Committee received 60 written submissions and convened public hearings with 45 witnesses. The Committee also met with key individuals and organisations during overseas consultations. The report is the culmination of all of the evidence presented to the Committee. The report contains 14 recommendations that the Committee believes will protect people from the harms caused by non-consensual sexting. The report also recognises that some sexting between young people should not be treated as child pornography, and recommends that new defences to child pornography offences be introduced to Victorian legislation. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2013. 252p. Source: Internet Resource: Parliamentary Paper No. 230, Session 2010-2013: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/lawrefrom/isexting/LRC_Sexting_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 128900

Author: Poyry Forest Industry Pty Ltd Title: Legal Forest Products Assurance - A Risk Assessment Framework for Assessing the Legality of Timber and Wood Projects Imported into Australia Summary: Poyry Forest Industry Ltd (Pöyry) has been engaged by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to review existing methodologies for assessing illegality of imported timber and wood products. Based on this review, Poyry was to develop a more accurate and reliable methodology for quantifying the volume and value of illegally-sourced wood products imported into Australia. This project supports the Australian Government’s commitment to combat illegal logging and associated trade. The methodology review concluded that the current methods lacked reliable data on which to base policy. Problems were found at each stage in the wood supply chain from accurate knowledge of the operating and regulatory environments covering sustainability and “legality” of forest management and timber harvesting, to data tracking the often complex log and subsequent product flows from the forests to primary and secondary manufacturing. Further complicating the situation is that much wood crosses borders via transhipment of logs and timber products from producer countries to secondary manufacturing countries and from there to consumer countries. When coupled with the imprecision in current trade statistics the review concluded that current methods to estimate volumes or values of timber and wood product imports from illegal sources are very unreliable. These findings led Poyry to develop an alternative approach that is based on developing a risk assessment framework based on transparent assessments of governance arrangements within wood supplying countries. Details: Canberra: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), 2010. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2013 at: http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1871733/Poyry_Report_-_Risk_assessment_framework_for_assessing_legality_of_timber_and_wood_products_imported_into_Australia.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Imports Shelf Number: 128914

Author: Anderson, Jessica Title: Good Practice Lessons from Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards Winners Summary: Implementing effective crime prevention strategies relies on practitioners having access to information that helps them know how best to implement interventions. Generating the required information for practitioners starts with documenting how existing crime prevention projects operate, not just documenting whether a project is effective (Bullock & Ekblom 2010). This information can enable practitioners to improve the way they implement projects (Homel 2010). However, relatively few research studies examine in detail the implementation process of crime prevention projects. Existing crime prevention awards programs, such as the Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA), provide a potentially valuable source of material for identifying good implementation practice from which universal lessons can be drawn. This paper provides the results of an initial attempt to identify good practice lessons from such projects. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 455: Accessed June 6, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi455.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Programs (Australia) Shelf Number: 128968

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Reoffending Following Sentencing in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria Summary: An important aspect of the Sentencing Advisory Council’s work is examining the effects of sentencing on an offender’s subsequent behaviour. This is one element of the more general question of whether, and to what extent, sentencing can achieve its various purposes. Information about the effects of sentencing should inform decision-making in relation to sentencing policy and practice. In order to provide this information, the Council has developed a database to examine the nature and extent of reoffending following sentencing in Victoria. This report uses statistical techniques to estimate the effect of each of a number of variables on the likelihood of reoffending. The variables include the type of sentence imposed for the initial offence as well as factors such as the offender’s age, gender and criminal history. These techniques enable an examination of whether sentencing has an effect on reoffending in Victoria and if it does: • how the effect of sentencing compares with the effects of other factors; and • the extent to which this varies according to the type of sentence imposed. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Sentencing Advisory Council, 2013. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2013 at: https://sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/files/reoffending_following_sentencing_in_the_magistrates_court_of_victoria.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Recidivism Shelf Number: 128978

Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: The Gender Debate in Domestic Violence: The Role of Data Summary: Key points • The gender debate is one of the enduring controversies in domestic violence research. On the one hand, feminist researchers have long identified ‘gender asymmetry’ in domestic violence, arguing that women are the primary targets of abuse and that men comprise the large majority of perpetrators. On the other hand, family conflict researchers typically find ‘gender symmetry’, arguing that women and men experience and perpetrate violence at similar rates. • Within the gender debate, two of the most contentious issues concern researchers’ definitions of domestic violence and their methods of data collection. • Feminist and family conflict researchers differ in how they conceptualise violence in relationships. Feminist researchers emphasise the wider dynamics of domestic violence: why it occurs, how it manifests and victim outcomes. Family conflict researchers define violence more narrowly, being primarily concerned with measuring incidents of violence between partners. • Feminist and family conflict researchers also differ in their data collection methods. Feminist researchers tend to favour qualitative approaches commonly used in clinical studies, as well as quantitative information collected via officially reported data and community sample surveys. Family conflict researchers tend to favour quantitative approaches, relying predominantly on acts-based surveys (such as the Conflict Tactics Scale). • These differences in turn influence feminist and family conflict researchers’ findings about men’s and women’s experiences and perpetration of violence. In particular, their findings conflict in relation to perpetrator motivation for violence, forms and levels of abuse, severity of abuse, repetition of violence and impacts on victims. • Certainly, all violence in intimate relationships is unacceptable. However, an accurate analysis of the relationship between gender and domestic violence is essential to develop effective prevention and responses. • No single type of data collection method provides a complete picture of domestic violence. Furthermore, individual studies or data sets vary considerably in depth and quality of information. Researchers and practitioners, therefore, need to be mindful of the strengths and weaknesses of a chosen approach when drawing conclusions and making recommendations. • From the real life examples presented in this paper and in many other studies canvassed, practitioners and advocates should have confidence in claims of gender asymmetry in domestic violence. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of New South Wales, 2013. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 25: Accessed June 7, 2013 at: http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/IssuesPaper_25.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 129003

Author: Ritter, Alison Title: Government Drug Policy Expenditure in Australia – 2009/10. Summary: In responding to illicit drugs, Australian governments expend resources in providing proactive responses, such as drug treatment or policing of drug-crimes. Governments also expend considerable resources on the indirect consequences of drug use, such as emergency department admissions for overdose, or crimes that are committed to obtain income to purchase drugs. This second category of indirect or reactive spending is generally known as the social cost approach. International experts have emphasised that drug budgets should concentrate on the direct, proactive spending by governments, and this approach is taken here. This study provides a new estimate of Australian governments’ direct or proactive spending on illicit drug policy for 2009/10. Four drug policy domains were examined: prevention, treatment, harm reduction and law enforcement. Federal and state/territory expenditure estimates were derived for each of the four domains. A top-down approach was adopted wherever possible and consistency in method across the four domains was of central concern. The results reveal that Australian governments spent approximately $1.7 billion in 2009/10 on illicit drugs. This included programs to prevent or delay the commencement of drug use in young people, drug treatment services including counselling and pharmacotherapy maintenance, harm reduction programs such as the needle syringe program, police detection and arrest in relation to drug crimes and policing the borders of Australia for illegal importation of drugs and their precursors. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre., 2013. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: DPMP Monograph Series: Monograph No. 24: Accessed June 25, 2013 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/newsevents/events/Drug%20Budgets%20Mono%2024%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice Shelf Number: 129153

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce: Results of the 2012 online consumer fraud survey Summary: The Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT) comprises 22 government regulatory agencies and departments in Australia and New Zealand that work alongside private sector, community and non-government partners to prevent fraud. The ACFT has conducted a range of fraud prevention and awareness-raising activities since 2006. One key activity of the ACFT is to hold an annual consumer fraud survey to obtain a snapshot of the public’s exposure to consumer scams, to assess their impact, to determine how victims respond and to identify emerging typologies and issues. As the survey participants were not randomly sampled, the survey findings are not representative of the general population. The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) is a member of the ACFT and chair of the research sub-group. This report presents the results of the 2012 survey, which ran for three months commencing from 1 January 2012. This period encompassed National Fraud Prevention Week, which coincides with global awareness-raising activities. The theme of the 2012 campaign was Slam Scams! This theme aimed to raise awareness about scam delivery methods so that scams could be identified at the point of contact. The survey explored scams where respondents were contacted by phone, short message service (SMS), email, letter, via the internet and/or in person by someone who they did not know in relation to: having won a lottery or some other prize (lottery scams); a request for assistance to transfer money out of another country (such as Nigeria) (advance fee frauds); a notification of an inheritance (inheritance scams); a request by a business to confirm personal details or passwords (phishing scams); a request to supply financial advice (financial advice scams); an opportunity to work from home (a front for money laundering) (work from home scams); pursuing a personal relationship that turned out to be false (dating scams); a person representing themselves as someone from a computer support centre (computer support scams); and other fraud types. The survey was made available for completion on the AIC’s website. Participants who did not reside in Australia or New Zealand were excluded from the survey, as were invalid responses. In 2012, 1,576 participants completed the survey. Outliers, typically very large loss figures from respondents who appeared to have misunderstood the question, were removed from the analysis. The 2012 survey suffered from a number of limitations that made it difficult to generalise its findings to the greater Australasian population, in particular the self-selection bias of the survey design. As the sample was not randomly selected, those who participated in the survey may be different from the general population. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and background paper series no.56: Accessed June 25, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tbp/41-60/tbp056.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud (Australia) Shelf Number: 129155

Author: Tallon, Kelly Title: New Voices / New Laws: School-age young people in New South Wales speak out about the criminal laws that apply to their online behaviour Summary: This report provides a children’s rights-based analysis and evaluation of the current criminal laws that can apply to peer-to-peer sexting and cyber bullying among young people in New South Wales (NSW). The report is the outcome of New Voices/New Laws, a project undertaken by the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre (NCYLC) and Children’s Legal Service of Legal Aid NSW (CLS). It offers insight on sexting and cyber bullying that we have garnered from our work as youth legal educators and advocates; examines the criminal law framework that applies to these behaviours in NSW; explains the need to reform these laws; surveys the views of young people on sexting, cyber bullying and the law; reviews some of the law reform efforts undertaken in other Australian and overseas jurisdictions; and on these bases, makes recommendations for law and policy makers in NSW. The New Voices/New Laws project grew out of our concern that young people’s use of social media, mobile phones and the internet can lead to serious and often disproportionate criminal penalties—of which most young people (and many adults) are unaware. The project aimed to: • educate young people about the criminal laws that can apply to sexting and cyber bullying; • encourage young people to voice their opinions on these laws; • amplify the voices and opinions of young people; and • facilitate advocacy for reform of inappropriate criminal laws and penalties. In order to achieve these aims, we engaged directly with over 1,000 young people through school-based consultations. Between June and October 2012, we conducted 10 consultations at 8 schools in 7 regions—Wollongong, Dubbo, Sydney, Hunter, Tamworth, Broken Hill and Albury. The consultations generally consisted of a presentation on the laws and penalties that can apply to sexting and cyber bullying; a survey asking participants to share their knowledge and opinions of these laws and penalties; and a focus group discussion of the issues. The presentation and survey were also made available online. Details: Sydney: National Children’s and Youth Law Centre and Legal Aid NSW, 2012. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2013 at: http://www.lawstuff.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/15030/New-Voices-Law-Reform-Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Cyberbullying Shelf Number: 129186

Author: McKenzie, Jacqueline Title: Insights from the Coalface: The value of justice reinvestment for young Australians Summary: Youth Justice policy in Australia has proved to be an insufficient means to improve public safety, and to assist young people to get back on track. Not only are the rates of both the incarceration and remand of young people rising, but most young people in contact with the justice system are Australia’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Young people are important. Demographic trends have highlighted the unique circumstances of our time - a greater number of retired and elderly Australians, with a reduced labour force working age. The value of all young people as engaged, active and contributing members of society is immense. As evidence shows both incarceration and remand rates are on the rise. There is great understanding of the issues at hand, which are more prevalent in some communities than others, and there are appropriate measures to resolve issues in communities for young people. Action is essential to secure the wellbeing of Australia, both here and now and continuing into the future. The money spent maintaining the status quo of the criminal justice system must be reinvested into communities, with young people as the focal point. Young offenders will be tomorrow’s adult prison population, if we do not take the necessary steps now. The creation of alternative pathways through a Justice Reinvestment framework proposes the way. A Justice Reinvestment framework applies a data-driven approach to reduce incarceration spending and reinvest savings in strategies that decrease crime and strengthen communities. This is a targeted approach, requiring commonwealth leadership for consistency and support across jurisdictions. AYAC believes that young people have the right to access adequate and appropriate programs and services regardless of geographic location, race, gender, sexuality, physical ability or disability, social religious or economic circumstances. This should be especially so for our most disadvantaged and vulnerable, who are over-represented in the current youth justice system. We call for action that enables young people to fully realise their potential as positive members of society, and cease the toll on community and government that comes with current increases in both incarceration and remand of young people. Details: Surry Hills, NSW, AU: Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC), 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 28, 2013 at: http://www.ayac.org.au/uploads/JRinsightsfromcoalface.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 129192

Author: Perry, Victoria Title: Maintaining the Link: A Survey of Visitors to New South Wales Correctional Centres Summary: Maintaining family ties during imprisonment has been found to serve important functions for inmates, their family members, correctional centre administration, and the community as a whole. Corrective Services NSW recognizes the importance of visits between inmates and their families, and provides contact visiting facilities at each correctional centre in order to assist inmates to maintain family relationships. During April 2011, visitors to all correctional centres in NSW were given the opportunity to respond to a 4-page survey. This report presents an analysis of the visitor surveys. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Dept. of Corrective Services, Corporate Research, Evaluation and Statistics 2012. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 51: Accessed July 1, 2013 at: https://correctiveservices.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/411012/research-publication-maintaining-thelink-a-survey-of-visitors-NSWCC.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Families of Inmates Shelf Number: 129232

Author: McLean, Andrew Title: An Evolving Trade? Male Sex Work and the Internet Summary: This investigation into the online male sex trade in Melbourne explores the Internet's rise in popularity as a marketplace for male sex workers (MSWs). It examines the ways in which clients and workers engage with the Internet, as well as the effect(s) of this new domain upon workers and their professional encounters. The study finds that engaging in sex work is a common experience for young, attractive gay men, with many opting to offer their services (illegally) online in favour of more traditional sites (e.g. street, brothel/agency and print) due to a number of perceived advantages - such as anonymity, convenience and greater economic rewards. In turn, clients of MSWs also prefer to use the Internet for reasons pertaining to privacy and convenience. The marketing strategies employed by MSWs widely exploit stereotypes associated with (gay) masculinity in a market where visual representations of sexuality are of paramount importance. The study examines workers' perceptions of success. Many associate long-term success in the industry with an ability to self-monitor, allowing for the maintenance of a wealthy client base. Finally, the study investigates the key legislative and social issues that may complicate the working and personal lives of Internet-based male sex workers (IMSWs). Details: Melbourne: School of Global, Urban and Social Studies RMIT University,, 2013. 201p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:160406/McLean.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Internet Crimes Shelf Number: 129243

Author: de Andrade, Dominique Title: Classifying Queensland Incarcerated Sexual Offenders Summary: There are numerous explanations about the most accurate and effective way in which to classify sexual offenders. Typologies of sexual offenders may be based on offender or victim characteristics, situational characteristics or a combination of these (Bickley & Beech, 2001). These factors can also be combined to classify the offender according to characteristics such as the severity of the offending which might be based on an assessment of the age of the offender at first offence, the age of the victim as well as the level of violence involved. This report outlines traditional sex offender typologies often discussed in empirical research literature. Following this, a sample of 173 sex offenders incarcerated in Queensland as at 18 January 2012 have been grouped via a statistical cluster analysis. This grouping process is based on offender information gathered on the Integrated Offender Management System (IOMS), and detailed contextual information on the event(s) and the victim from court sentencing transcripts. Essentially, the analysis aims to develop a typology of the Queensland sex offender population and compare it to the traditional typologies. This comparison will identify any sex offender groups unique to the Queensland incarcerated sex offender population. Furthermore, findings will allow for the development of an operational tool that can be used at prison reception to manage sex offenders and sex offender programs more efficiently. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Corrective Services, 2013. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. 5: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.correctiveservices.qld.gov.au/Publications/Research_Publications/Research_Report_%20No_5_Classifying_Sexual_Offenders.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Classification of Offenders Shelf Number: 129252

Author: de Andrade, Dominique Title: The Criminal Careers of a Prisoner Cohort Summary: This paper examines the criminal careers of a cohort of offenders born in 1977-1978 who have at some time been incarcerated for a sentenced offence. This study not only analysed these offenders based on career length but also their main offence type, highlighting those offenders who have the most social and economic impact over time on the community and Queensland Corrective Services. For the purposes of this paper, career length was calculated as the difference between age at first custodial admission and current age (if still incarcerated at time of data extraction) or age at last custodial release (if no longer incarcerated). Findings show that offenders who enter custody at age 17 or 18, and to a lesser extent 19 to 21, are at high risk of having lengthy custodial careers with high recidivism. These offenders are likely to commit more serious offences (i.e. violent offences) and are also likely to go on to be considered prolific offenders. Prolific offenders (with four or more custodial admissions and five or more years of aggregated incarceration time), are not only likely to have entered prison at a young age, but are also likely to be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background. Many have a current Risk of Reoffending (RoR) score that reflects this profile – 70% have a score of 16 or more. Almost all of this group are also violent offenders with 87.8% having a violent offence as their most serious offence at some point during their custodial career. These offenders present with a number of other needs such as drug problems, poor education and self harm behaviour that require attention. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Corrective Services, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief no. 22: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.correctiveservices.qld.gov.au/Publications/Research_Publications/research_brief_22_the_criminal_careers_of_a_prisoner_cohort.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Careers (Australia) Shelf Number: 129253

Author: Butler, Tony Title: Sexual Health and Behaviour of Queensland Prisoners with Queensland and New South Wales Comparisons Summary: This report presents the findings from the Queensland component of a National Health and Medical Research Council funded study of New South Wales and Queensland prisoners’ sexual health and behaviours. Comparisons of the Queensland and New South Wales components of this survey can be found in Appendix 1. Overall, 900 men and 134 women in Queensland prisons were surveyed in 2007–08 by computer-assisted telephone interview after random selection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that an epidemiological survey of prisoners has been conducted via telephone. Most found the telephone approach acceptable, would do the survey again, and reported that they provided honest answers. The response rate among eligible prisoners was high at over 75%. The respondents About half the prisoners in the survey were aged 30 years or younger; men were aged from 18 to 78 years and women from 18 to 61 years. This is similar to the age of the general Queensland prisoner population. A quarter identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Education levels were low and few (14% men and 18% women) had post-school qualifications; 30% of men and 16% of women had not completed Year 10 or equivalent. The most common ‘most serious offences’ were for men assault (33%), property offences (17%) and sexual offences (15%), and for women assault (25%), property offences (19%) and homicide (19%). For 39% of men and 55% of women this was their first time in an adult prison. Over half of the men (56%) and 65% of women had been in prison (this time) for less than a year, but 17% of men and 5% of women had been in prison for more than 10 years. Sexuality and relationships ■ Most men (95%) self-identified as heterosexual and were attracted exclusively or mostly to women (96%) whereas 63% of women identified as heterosexual and 75% were attracted exclusively or mostly to men. Almost 3 in 10 women (28%) identified as bisexual. ■ Half the men in the sample had had inter-course for the first time before they turned 15 (16 for women). This is younger than in the general community (18 for men and 19 for women). ■ The median lifetime number of opposite-sex sexual partners (for any form of sex, not just intercourse) was 23 for men and 10 for women with over 1000 partners reported for some men and women. One quarter of men (25%) and 12% of women reported over 50 lifetime opposite-sex sexual partners. ■ Around three-quarters of men and women were in regular relationships before coming into prison with around a third of those in a relationship reporting that imprisonment had resulted in the relationship ending. ■ One third of men had ever paid for sex; 10% of men and 21% of women had been paid for sex. Reproductive experiences ■ Most women in the sample (84%) had been pregnant. The median age of first pregnancy was 18 years, and the women had had an average of 2.3 children. ■ Around one quarter of women reported having difficulty getting pregnant, which is high for a population whose average age is around 30 years. Sexual forcing ■ Three-fifths of women prisoners (compared with 21% in an Australian community survey) had been forced or frightened into some sort of sexual activity at some time in their lives. The median number of episodes of forced sexual activity was 2, with some women reporting up to 500 events. This highlights the exposure of women in this population to high levels of violence and trauma. Sexual attitudes ■ Prisoners’ attitudes to statements on a range of sexual matters (e.g. explicit films, sex before marriage, abortion) were remarkably consistent with those expressed by the general community. However, male prisoners were more intolerant of male-to-male sex than men in the general community. Knowledge of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) ■ Prisoners’ knowledge of STIs and their consequences was good, and for some of the questions it was better than the general community. Prison sex and physical assault ■ Nine per cent of men and 27% of women had engaged in some form of sexual contact (including kissing or touching) with another (same-sex) prisoner. Most reported that this sexual contact was for pleasure and not for protection or as a trade for drugs. ■ While women were more likely to report engaging in sexual contact with another prisoner, men reported higher levels of self-masturbation in the past four weeks (median number of times masturbated for men 6, and for women 3). ■ There was a high level of support among men (88%) and women (74%) in favour of allowing overnight family/partner visits in prison. ■ One third of men and one fifth of women had been physically assaulted or attacked whilst in prison. ■ More than a third of men (37%) and 26% of women had worried about being sexually assaulted before coming into prison, but fewer (7%) were currently worried about this. ■ 8% of men and 6% of women had been threatened with sexual assault in prison, while 3% of men and 4% of women reported being actually forced to do something sexual they did not want. Queensland and New South Wales comparisons ■ Overall, Queensland and New South Wales prisoners were remarkably similar with regard to sexual health behaviours, sexual identity, past exposure to sexually transmissible infections (STIs), knowledge of STIs, and attitudes to sexual issues. ■ The level of sexual activity between inmates was not lower in Queensland prisons than in New South Wales prisons, where the policy of the NSW Department of Corrective Services is to provide condoms and dental dams to prisoners. Details: Perth and Sydney: National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, and School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales., 2010. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 6, 2013 at: http://ndri.curtin.edu.au/local/docs/pdf/publications/R236.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Inmate Sexual Behavior Shelf Number: 129263

Author: Queensland Corrective Services Title: Court Ordered Parole in Queensland Summary: This paper provides the findings of an analysis of the trends and impact of court ordered parole since it was introduced in August 2006 with the Corrective Services Act 2006. The introduction of court ordered parole has ensured more offenders are under active supervision in the community. This order type is a high volume order; more than 5,515 orders were made in 2012 and more than 3,000 offenders are in the community on court ordered parole at any one time. Approximately 40% of those who receive court ordered parole are paroled straight from court. Offenders on court ordered parole generally serve shorter sentences with 66% serving a sentence of 12 months or less in duration. This group could potentially have received wholly suspended sentences with no community supervision. Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) has a strict regime when supervising offenders in the community to identify and facilitate appropriate responses to risk. An examination of the data, with particular focus on the suspension and cancellation rates, demonstrates that: • approximately 300 offenders per month are suspended and returned to prison (most common reason is an unacceptable risk of further offending); • almost 1,800 prisoners in custody are there for a violation of court ordered parole (order suspended or cancelled); and • reoffending accounts for half of the orders cancelled by the Parole Board. The introduction of court ordered parole aimed to address the over-representation of short-sentenced, low-risk prisoners in QCS facilities; such prisoners were responsible for a high degree of turnover in the prison population. Prior to the introduction of court ordered parole, prisoner numbers were forecast to grow. However, this order type stabilised growth in prisoner numbers from 2006 until recently. This suggests that court ordered parole has reversed the growth in short sentence prisoners, delaying the need to invest in prison infrastructure. Overall, court ordered parole is QCS’ most successful supervision order with approximately 72% of orders successfully completed without cancellation or reconviction. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Corrective Services, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 4: Accessed July 8, 2013 at: http://www.correctiveservices.qld.gov.au/Publications/Research_Publications/Court_Ordered_Parole_Research_Paper.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Community-based Corrections Shelf Number: 129267

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Sentencing Outcomes for Those Assessed for Intensive Correction Order Suitability Summary: Aim: To examine outcomes of assessments for intensive correction orders, including the penalties imposed on those deemed unsuitable. Method: Assessment data for intensive correction orders were obtained from Corrective Services NSW and linked to finalised court appearances between 1 October 2010 and 30 September 2012. The proportion of assessment episodes associated with a finalised court appearance where an intensive correction order was imposed and the penalties imposed on offenders who did not receive an intensive correction order were examined. Results: 2,580 assessment episodes were identified, with 93 per cent (n=2,389) linked to a finalised court appearance. Of these assessment episodes linked to a court appearance, 55 per cent resulted in an intensive correction order. Of the assessment episodes linked to a finalised court appearance resulting in a sentence other than an intensive correction order, the most common penalties imposed were imprisonment (58%), a suspended sentence with supervision (16%) and a suspended sentence without supervision (8%). Conclusion: In line with intensive correction orders being introduced as an alternative to full-time imprisonment, the vast majority of offenders assessed for an intensive correction order who do not receive one instead receive a penalty of imprisonment or an alternative form of imprisonment (i.e., home detention or a suspended sentence). Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 86: Accessed July 8, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB86.pdf/$file/BB86.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 129276

Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: Does CREDIT Reduce the Risk of Re-offending? Summary: Aim: To determine whether being referred to the Court Referral of Eligible Defendants into Treatment (CREDIT) pilot program reduces re-offending. Method: Using propensity score matching, adult defendants referred to the CREDIT program, who had their matter finalised in court by 30 June 2011, were matched to control defendants on a large number of socio-demographic, index offence and prior offence characteristics. Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted separately for the two CREDIT pilot sites of Tamworth (n = 261) and Burwood (n = 159). Re-offending was measured until 30 June 2012. Results: No significant differences were found between defendants referred to CREDIT and their matched controls in the proportion re-offending within 12 months, the number of court re-appearances within 12 months or the time to the first proven re-offence. Conclusion: These results suggest that defendants referred to the CREDIT program are as likely to re-offend as defendants who are dealt with through the normal court process. However, these results may reflect the very small number of defendants referred to the program over the study period, the short follow-up period involved and the inability to match treatment and control defendants on key variables related to offending (e.g. drug use, mental health issues). Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 169: Accessed July 8, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/cjb169.pdf/$file/cjb169.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Offender Rehabilitation Programs Shelf Number: 129277

Author: Butner, Julie Title: Child Sexual Victimisation in Queensland: An overview of legal and administrative developments since 2000 Summary: In 2000, the Queensland Crime Commission (QCC) and the Queensland Police Service (QPS) produced a series of reports that were collectively called ‘Project Axis’. The aim was to provide the community, particularly stakeholders in the criminal justice system, with insight into the past, present and likely future impact of criminal paedophilia and child sexual victimisation (CSV) in Queensland. The Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) now performs the functions of the QCC, and has legislative responsibilities to conduct research into major crime, including criminal paedophilia (ss. 23, 25, 52 and Schedule 2 Dictionary Crime and Misconduct Act 2001). This paper, written by the CMC’s Applied Research and Evaluation Unit, traces the legal and administrative developments that have shaped the current landscape of criminal paedophilia and child protection in Queensland over the 10 years since Project Axis. It also summarises the main CSV offences under the Queensland and Commonwealth criminal law. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2013. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2013 at: Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 129280

Author: Weber, Paull Title: Small Business Scams: National Survey 2012/13 Summary: This survey is the first national attempt at specifying the small business scam as a distinct category of scam worthy of focussed research endeavour. It is the first phase of a longer term proposal to understand how small business owners behave when scam risks are presented to them; it also attempts to identify which types of scams represent the most common and most serious risks of loss. The assumption implicit in this study is that there are differences in the type of scam that small businesses are exposed to and in their various responses to scam attempts, when compared to consumers. The study enlisted the assistance of many small business associations, and was conducted Australia-wide over the period May-December 2012. A total of 291 businesses responded to the survey, and the sample of small businesses surveyed represented every ANZSIC class of business. It encompassed businesses with annual turnovers that ranged from $10,000 to $20,000,000 per annum. Approximately 2/3 of respondents were male and 1/3 female, which is broadly representative of the small business population in Australia. 192 respondents provided sufficient detail for the purpose of the full analysis intended. Several predictors of scam propensity were included in the study. These potential risk factors included turnover, experience of prior loss, routine activity theory, industry type, self control, select personality traits, generalised business risk and some demographic markers. Owners reported the most prevalent scam attempts as lotteries and sweepstakes, advance fee frauds and free ‘spam’ type offers. There was evidence that social media is gaining ground as a communication medium to deliver the scam messages but email is still the dominant medium of delivery, apart from false billing and fax-back scams. Beyond the 15 common categories, another 17 types of scam were described by respondents. In response to this barrage of scam attempts business owners are developing their own rules to manage this risk. We summarize these into a list of 32 strategies being deployed by small businesses to foil the scammers. The financial loss through scams in our sample ranged from $100 to $10,000 per annum and the time spent dealing with the consequences was estimated as high as 100 hours. The dollar value of losses is somewhat lower than the norms reported by the ACCC’s Scam Watch but that is to be expected, given our data collection method we were unlikley to have self reports of major fraud communicated via an online survey. There appears to be some link between financial risk taking and increased scam propensity. General business risk taking does not seem to be related to the level of scam loss, but there is a somewhat greater quantum of loss exhibited by respondents who take higher financial risks. Respondents who took lower financial risks also demonstrated higher confidence levels in identifying a scam before a loss is incurred. A major finding of this research is that Routine Activity Theory is a useful predictor of scam propensity (scam amount lost). There was a significant relationship between the amount of money lost and the degree of online activity that the business was involved in. It seems that having a heightened online presence leads to greater risk of loss and/or more money lost. This is perhaps not a surprising finding, but none the less important to provide evidence of another hotspot. That is, businesses that transact online and indeed have a significant online presence can expect to attract the attention of scammers who will want to ‘fish where the fish are’! In addition to this, remote purchasing behaviours which had an ‘unguarded’ aspect to them (such as shopping online, speaking with an unknown telemarketer or responding to an infomercial) were shown to have a relationship with the quantum of loss. We also developed an innovative test of gullibility via a heat map based question which identified 19 respondents who selected an option that was by all measures too good to be true. These respondents would be candidates for further in-depth analysis of the thought processes that led to this choice. The 19 respondents also self-assessed as being somewhat less confident of identifying a scam, confirming that self assessment of capability may be appropriate in this case. The growing problem of scams committed against small business is shown in this report to be at such epidemic levels that the current lack of specific research attention cannot be allowed to continue. For such an entrenched problem we may not be able to find a cure, but we must begin to diagnose the ‘symptoms’ and develop effective ‘vaccines’ to take a more proactive stance. At present, the vast majority (84%) of the variance on scam prevention expenditure can be explained by the amount of prior losses incurred. Loss prevention, it seems, is far less common than dealing with the fallout after the loss has been incurred. In laymans terms - yes the horse may have already bolted, but there’s still more left to protect in the stable. Details: Bentley, AUS: Curtin University, School of Management, 2013. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2013 at: http://business.curtin.edu.au/local/docs/Small_Business_Scam_Survey_2012.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud and Scams Shelf Number: 129281

Author: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Title: Targeting Scams: Report of the ACCC on Scam Activity 2012 Summary: Scam reports •• In 2012 the ACCC continued to observe a high level of scams activity in Australia, with 83 803 scam-related contacts received from consumers and small businesses. •• Estimated scam losses reported to the ACCC totalled $93 423 030, a nine per cent increase from 2011. Actual losses are likely to be higher as many scams go unreported and the ACCC is only one of several agencies that receive scam reports. •• Similar to 2011, the majority of consumers and small businesses contacting the ACCC about scam-related activities in 2012 (nearly 88 per cent) reported no financial loss. The most common category of loss was again between $100 to $499. This indicates the continued use of ‘high volume scams’, which are delivered to large numbers of recipients but cause smaller amounts of loss per victim. At the same time, the ACCC continued to receive reports of individuals suffering very high losses. Most reported scams •• For the fourth consecutive year, advance fee/up-front payment scams were the most commonly reported scam type, constituting 32 per cent of all scam contacts. •• Computer hacking remained the second most reported scam type in 2012, representing just over 13 per cent of total scam reports to the ACCC. The ‘Microsoft’ computer virus scam continued to heavily target Australians. The public was also targeted by a scareware scam where the perpetrators pretended to be from the Australian Federal Police. •• Online shopping scams increased by 65 per cent with reported financial losses totalling $4 038 479. •• The ACCC also received a high level of contacts about banking and online account scams, false billing, job and employment scams, dating and romance, and unexpected prize scams. Age range and location demographics •• In 2012 scams were most commonly reported by persons in the 35 to 44 age category, representing 32 per cent of contacts. This saw a shift from the previous year, where contacts were spread across a wider range of age from 25 through to 54 years. •• The greatest amounts of scam reports to the ACCC came from New South Wales (23.5 per cent), Queensland (21 per cent), Victoria (18 per cent) and South Australia (12.5 per cent). Scam delivery method •• Scams delivered via telephone (landline and mobile) remained the preferred delivery method in 2012, with combined voice and text message scams constituting over half (56 per cent) of all reports to the ACCC. Unsolicited telephone calls represented just over 42 per cent (35 419) of contacts reported to the ACCC, accounting for $24 213 979 in reported losses. Scams delivered via SMS represented over 14 per cent (11 797) of total contacts and $759 986 in reported losses. Details: Canberra: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, 2013. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2013 at: http://transition.accc.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=1117162&nodeId=18648488db8502f9c2a254d931814e39&fn=Targeting%20scams:%20Report%20of%20the%20ACCC%20on%20scam%20activity%20in%202012.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Protection and Fraud Shelf Number: 129358

Author: Australia. Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) Title: The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010 – 2022 (the National Plan) Summary: While living safe and free from violence is everyone’s right, reducing violence is everyone’s responsibility. Around one-in-three Australian women have experienced physical violence and almost one-in-five have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. For certain groups, this statistic may be much higher. The National Plan brings together the efforts of governments across the nation to make a real and sustained reduction in the levels of violence against women. This plan shows Australia’s commitment to upholding the human rights of Australian women and it is the first plan to coordinate action across jurisdictions. The National Plan is unprecedented in the way it focuses on preventing violence by raising awareness and building respectful relationships in the next generation. The aim is to bring attitudinal and behavioural change at the cultural, institutional and individual levels, with a particular focus on young people. The National Plan has been built from an evidence base of new research and extensive consultation with experts and the community. The National Plan sets out a framework for action over the next 12 years. By working together and challenging the attitudes and behaviours that allow violence to occur, all Australian governments are saying a very loud ‘no’ to violence. Details: Canberra: FahCSIA, 2013. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/05_2012/national_plan.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 129363

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Evaluating Crime Prevention: Lessons from large-scale community crime prevention programs Summary: The Australian Institute of Criminology has spent a number of years working with crime prevention agencies across Australia reviewing large-scale programs that involve the delivery of varying activities directed at the prevention of crime. Taken as a whole, this experience has shown that, despite good intentions and aspirations to evidence-based practice, both the level and quality of evaluations have been limited by several practical challenges. In turn, this has hampered efforts to develop a body of good quality Australian evidence about what is effective in preventing crime and what is required in order to deliver effective interventions. Using previously unpublished data collected as part of the reviews of two national Australian crime prevention programs, the authors examine the practical factors that impact on evaluation and make a number of important recommendations for the evaluation of projects delivered as part of large-scale community crime prevention programs. The authors argue that rather than persisting with traditional approaches that encourage local organisations to undertake potentially expensive and time-consuming evaluations of their own work, program managers and central agencies must become more proactive and increasingly innovative in their approaches to evaluation. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 458: Accessed July 11, 2013 at: Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 129369

Author: Flood, Michael Title: LOVEBiTES: An evaluation of the LOVEBiTES and Respectful Relationships programs in a Sydney school Summary: This document reports on an evaluation of the impact among students of two violence prevention programs run by the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN). The evaluation centres on the LOVEBiTES program run among Year 10 students and a newly developed Respectful Relationships program run among Year 7 students. The evaluation was conducted among students who participated in these programs in a Sydney school in 2010. Students in Years 7 and 10 were surveyed before and after their participation in a thirteen- week program and a full-day workshop respectively, using a quantitative survey. This evaluation report was commissioned by NAPCAN and produced by researchers at the University of Wollongong. The "findings of this evaluation demonstrate a complex and even contradictory impact of the two programs on students. The LOVEBiTES and Respectful Relationships programs had a significant and positive impact on students’ attitudes towards domestic violence, attitudes towards gender relations, and skills in having respectful relationships. Students who participated in the two violence prevention programs showed significant improvements in their attitudes and skills in these areas. On the other hand, the programs had little or no impact on Year 7 or Year 10 students’ attitudes towards aggression and alternatives to aggression, no impact on Year 10 female students’ attitudes towards dating violence and a mixed impact on males’ attitudes, a mixed impact on Year 10 students’ perceptions of various abusive or coercive behaviours as violence, and a negative impact on Year 7 female students’ attitudes towards bullying. The unevenness of these findings suggests that LOVEBiTES (in Year 10) and the Respectful Relationships program (in Year 7) are more effective in changing students’ attitudes in some domains than in others. There are several possible reasons for this. Some of the domains of impact assessed in this evaluation may be marginal to or absent from the curriculum used with the students, whether in the one-day workshop or the 13-week program, and thus unlikely to show effects of the intervention. For example, if the curriculum is largely silent on aggression and its alternatives, then one would expect to see little or no impact from the curriculum on attitudes towards these. The findings suggest that the programs are more effective with some groups than others. For example, male students’ attitudes towards some forms of violence or abuse worsened over the course of the interventions, and Year 7 males’ attitudes towards gender relations showed no change. It may be that aspects of the curriculum are less effective at engaging with male than female students, or that males are more likely to respond than females in defensive or hostile ways to the particular teaching methods used. On the other hand, male students in the LOVEBiTES program showed significant improvements in their attitudes towards domestic violence (and female students also showed some degree of improvement). The evaluation findings may reject the general difficulties violence prevention programs face in engaging effectively with boys and young men and the fact that males enter such programs with more violence-supportive attitudes in general than females. This evaluation documents that in some instances it is males’ rather than females’ attitudes which improve and in others it is females’ rather than males’ attitudes which improve. For example, among Year 7 students in the Respectful Relationships program, females’ but not males’ attitudes towards gender relations improved over the course of the program. On the other hand, among Year 10 students in the LOVEBiTES program, this pattern was reversed, with males’ but not females’ attitudes improving. Still focusing on Year 10 students, males’ attitudes towards domestic violence improved to a greater degree than females’. Details: Wollongong: University of Wollongong, 2012. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2013 at: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/UW_Love-Bites-an-evaluation-of-the-LoveBites-and-respectful-relationships-program-in-a-Sydney-school_2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Dating Violence Shelf Number: 129384

Author: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Title: Reporting Racism: What You Say Matters Summary: Racism takes many different forms, ranging from discriminatory treatment, property damage or offensive materials to abusive language and even violence. Racism reduces people to stereotypes and reinforces social prejudice and inequality – this behaviour can also be against the law. Reporting racism: what you say matters, completes the first stage of a multi-tiered project to raise awareness of racism in the community and to build capacity for victims and bystanders to report racism and vilification when they experience it. The report sets out eight key actions the Commission will undertake in partnership with other agencies to respond to the issues raised. These range from working with community groups to deliver targeted community information sessions about rights; supporting bystanders on public transport who observe instances of racist behaviour, and partnering with schools, youth groups, sporting organisations, local governments, employers and other agencies to promote and implement the Anti-Hate campaign messages (see below for more information about this campaign) into existing programs and curriculum. Details: Carlton, VIC: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2013. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2013 at: http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/media/k2/attachments/Reporting_Racism_Web_low_res.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Bias Crimes Shelf Number: 129439

Author: Corcoran, Jonathan Title: Malicious Hoax Calls and Suspicious Fires: An examination of their spatial and temporal dynamics Summary: Malicious hoax calls for service and suspicious fires are a significant burden to the community financially and in the potential danger they present, yet little is known about the dynamics associated with their prevalence. The present research is the first of its kind in Australia to comprehensively examine these offences using unit-level location data supplied by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. The aim of this research is to identify the temporal and spatial patterning of malicious hoax calls and suspicious fires. Analyses employed advanced methods of geographic visualisation and statistics to track the changing spatial patterns of these events over 13 years. Understanding the patterning of fire events provides an evidence base for initiatives designed to reduce the incidence of hoax calls for service and suspicious fires. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 459: Accessed July 18, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi459.html Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Arson Shelf Number: 129442

Author: Price-Robertson, Rhys Title: Rarely an Isolated Incident: Acknowledging the interrelatedness of child maltreatment, victimisation and trauma Summary: It is increasingly recognised that experiences of child maltreatment are rarely isolated incidents; different forms of abuse often co-occur, and trauma often develops over prolonged periods. This paper provides practitioners, policy-makers and researchers with an overview of a number of influential recent approaches to conceptualising, recognising and responding to the complexity of child maltreatment and trauma. Key Messages -- One of the most recent major shifts in the focus of child maltreatment research has been recognition of the interrelatedness of childhood victimisation experiences. Two main frameworks have been developed to better understand and measure this interrelatedness: multi-type maltreatment and polyvictimisation. „„ Alongside this shift, has been the growing recognition in the fields of traumatology and psychiatry that traditional mental health diagnoses often do not adequately capture the effects of chronic and/or multiple types of victimisation. Complex trauma and cumulative harm are both popular models that account for complexity in traumatic outcomes. „„ Researchers investigating the consequences of a specific form of victimisation should account for the effects of other victimisation experiences, as well as for the effects of cumulative experiences. „„ Practice and policy responses to children who experience single maltreatment events should be different to those for children who experience multiple maltreatment events. Survivors of multiple maltreatment events are more likely to experience complex trauma and the negative effects of cumulative harm, both of which require more comprehensive intervention and treatment. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: CFCA Paper No. 15: Accessed July 18, 2013 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/cfca/pubs/papers/a144788/cfca15.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Australia) Shelf Number: 129455

Author: James, Lachlan Title: Final Report - Cloud Computing Threat Assessment for Small Business Summary: Small businesses are not simply scaled-down versions of big business. Compared with larger organisations, small businesses operate in a distinct and highly resource constrained operating and technical environment. They are time-poor, have minimal bargaining power, and limited or inconsistent financial, technical, legal and personnel resources. Above all, small businesses are typically focused on one thing: survival. It is therefore unsurprising that cloud computing—and its promise of smoothing cash flows and dramatically reducing IT overhead—is attractive to small business. Cloud computing shifts the delivery and maintenance of software, databases and storage to the internet, transforming them into Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) services accessed through a small business user’s web-browser. Cloud computing often comes with zero upfront costs, and scales (up and down) with the demands of the small business. Cloud computing services demand minimal technical skills: they are easy to setup and require little if any maintenance. Accessed via a secure login, for the small business, cloud computing typically represents increased standards of security. However, along with the benefits, cloud computing also embodies many risks for small business, including potential computer security, criminal, regulatory and civil liability issues. Cloud computing—like other new information technologies— challenges the application and understanding of many pre-existing areas of law. Examples of key criminal, regulatory and legal threats for small business adopting cloud computing include: • Cloud Providers are the Target, But Small Business is the Victim – While cloud service providers themselves hold much greater appeal to cybercriminals, it is the cloud service provider’s small business tenants— experiencing disrupted services and hence disruption to their already fragile revenues—that are the real victims. Lacking policies, procedures and training relating to cyber and network security, small businesses are particularly vulnerable to having account details stolen, and their cloud services hijacked. • Ever Changing Sea of International, National & Local Regulation – Where personal information—including financial and credit details—is stored in the cloud, a routine international commercial transaction may require a small business to comply with a myriad of ever changing international, national and state-level regulations and industry-specific standards. • Practical Benefits of Cloud Computing Potentially Non-Compliant – Even some simple, practical benefits of using the cloud—such as storing MYOB files on a cloud storage service (such as DropBox)—may render the small business non-compliant. • Inequality of Bargaining Power: “Take It or Leave It” Service Agreements – With almost no bargaining power and faced with industry-wide boilerplate terms and conditions, small business has little choice but to accept one-sided cloud agreements on a “take it or leave it” basis, leaving vendors absolved of substantially all liability. • Service Credits Inconsistent with Potential Damage to Small Business – Despite the potentially devastating impact of even relatively short service outages, small business is typically left with “service credits” (based on a proportion of monthly subscription fees) as their “sole and exclusive remedy.” • Overseas Legal Jurisdiction & Choice-of-Law – With cloud service agreements frequently setting the legal jurisdiction and choice-of-law to the vendor’s overseas headquarters, even the most simple legal action immediately becomes prohibitively expensive for all but the most successful small business. • Unilateral Termination of Accounts & Data Loss – Cloud service providers, particularly in relation to free accounts, often reserve the right to unilaterally terminate accounts with or without notice, potentially devastating the small business. Absolved of substantially all liability, the cloud service provider leaves the aggrieved small business with no cause of action and no right to recover. Findings – Responding to the Criminal, Regulatory & Legal Threats Technical & Commercial Practices to Reduce Risks – The research has found that there are technical and commercial practices that can be implemented today by small businesses to reduce at least some of the security and commercial risks: • Policies & Training – Small businesses can provide computer security training to personnel, and institute simple policies setting out (for example) how computer resources should be used, how often passwords should be changed, access rights for staff, and how and when employees may bring in and use their own devices. • Industry Education – Industry bodies can provide education and training to small businesses about appropriate practices and regulatory requirements. • Cyber & Cloud Insurance – Existing cyber liability insurance holds out some limited hope of compensating for losses as a result of cybercrime. However, the best hope for broader coverage rests with contingent business interruption insurance adapted to the unique circumstances of cloud computing (“cloud insurance”) being developed by new entrepreneurial ventures such as CloudInsure. Opportunities for Legislative Intervention – The research also identified the likely need for legislative intervention. The near-term future of cloud computing shows signs of bifurcation into budget solutions (much like existing offerings) and premium services with increased security and regulatory compliance, and greater acceptance of liability. But without a change in relative bargaining power between the cloud service provider and small business, it is unclear if competitive forces alone will be sufficient to bring about quality premium services at a price affordable to cost-conscious small business. To encourage cloud service providers to deliver more attractive, secure and cost effective solutions, inequality of bargaining power between cloud service providers and small business clients will need to be addressed. In this respect, there is significant opportunity for judiciously applied legislative intervention. Opportunities for such carefully considered intervention include: a refined doctrine of unconscionability; possible introduction of legal principles broadly akin to “contracts of adhesion” in the United States; and new regulatory powers—possibly adapted from the Communications Alliance (formerly the Australian Communications Industry Forum, Industry Code for Consumer Contracts, ACIF C620:2005)—to police the cloud computing industry. Acting in concert, a combination of technical and commercial solutions—including improved cybersecurity practices, industry education programs, and new species of “cloud insurance”—together with legislative programs may serve to place small business on substantially the same footing as larger businesses, enabling them to fully capture the true benefits of cloud computing while enduring a more equitable share of the risks. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/special/002/Cloud-Computing-DBCDE.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Cloud Computing (Australia) Shelf Number: 129472

Author: John Scougall Title: Keeping People Safe: An evaluation of the Nyoongar Patrol Outreach Service Summary: NPS is the only Aboriginal patrol service operating in the Perth metropolitan area. There have been many It began in 1998 as a fledgling volunteer managed service operating only three night patrols each week. Through many years of hard work NPS transformed itself into a professionally structured organisation with a strong board, experienced CEO and seventeen fulltime staff, all of whom participate in a programme of professional development. There are a further seven trained casual staff. Description of the Service The objectives of the NPS are: 􀂇􀀃 Safety and harmony 􀂇􀀃 Referring people who are in need to agencies that can assist 􀂇􀀃 Transporting people to safety 􀂇􀀃 Partnering and cooperating with other agencies 􀂇􀀃 Remaining a strong viable organisation with a professional reputation 􀂇􀀃 Providing greater social and economic support to youth. The NPS currently delivers a range of community services which contribute to community safety: 􀂇􀀃 Conflict mediation and defusion of incidents 􀂇􀀃 Street level support to the homeless 􀂇􀀃 Youth support and child protection 􀂇􀀃 Street level linkage of people to health services 􀂇􀀃 Employment and training 􀂇􀀃 Policy advocacy and planning input. The crime prevention role of NPS receives the most emphasis and is the source of most current funding, but it is not the only street level service NPS provides. There is a need to ensure that performance measures are in place to enable progress in all areas of service delivery to be measured. There is also a need to ensure the organisation is adequately funded to provide these services. Strategies used by NPS to deliver its services include: 􀂇􀀃 Street patrols to maintain a visible presence 􀂇􀀃 Referral of people to other services including shelters and refuges 􀂇􀀃 Providing diversionary transport to a safe place 􀂇􀀃 Improving cooperation and relationships between Aboriginal people, the business community, police and other services. The NPS is about early detection of Aboriginal people in jeopardy. The target group are Aboriginal people in public places in Perth whose safety is at risk. Youth, the homeless and people affected by substances are amongst the primary beneficiaries. Desired outcomes expected as the result of the work of the NPS include: 􀂇􀀃 a safer community 􀂇􀀃 fewer incidents 􀂇􀀃 reduced assault and violence 􀂇􀀃 reduced property damage and robbery 􀂇􀀃 reduced detention and arrests by police 􀂇􀀃 reduced homelessness 􀂇􀀃 better access to services by people at risk 􀂇􀀃 reduced truancy 􀂇􀀃 reduced child abuse 􀂇􀀃 a more effective community safety service sector. Details: Victoria Park, AU: John Scougall Consulting Services, 2012. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accesssed August 5, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/Keeping_People_Safe_NPS-Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 129531

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young People Aged 10–14 in the Youth Justice System 2011–12 Summary: Despite being a relatively small group, research indicates that young people aged 10-14 in the youth justice system are at risk of becoming chronic, long-term offenders. Data show that most (85%) young people born in 1993-94 who were supervised at age 10-14 returned to (or continued under) supervision when they were 15-17. They were more likely than those first supervised at older ages to experience all types of supervision when 15-17, and spent more time in total under supervision. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile justice series no.12; Accessed August 5, 2013 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129543941 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Justice Systems Shelf Number: 129532

Author: Snowball, Lucy Title: Is the Decrease in Assaults at Licensed Premises being Driven by Changes in Staff Reporting Rates? Summary: Aim: To determine whether changes to legislation and regulation of licensed premises have affected the willingness of staff in both Top 100 and unranked premises to report assaults on licensed premises. Method: A random sample of 1600 assaults over the period from January 2008 and December 2011, half from Top 100 premises and half from unranked premises. Kendall’s test for trend was used to determine whether there had been a change in behaviour over the period. Results: No change was detected in either series. Conclusion: The changes to legislation and regulation do not appear to have affected staff reporting rates in either Top 100 or unranked licensed premises overall. However changes in the behaviour of individual licensed premises cannot be ruled out. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue paper no. 87: Accessed August 6, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB87.pdf/$file/BB87.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 129551

Author: Jennings, Peter Title: The Emerging Agenda for Cybersecurity Summary: Cybersecurity is rapidly emerging as a high-priority policy challenge for the Australian Government. This rise reflects growing international concern about the impact of malicious cyberactivity. Notwithstanding recent government policy announcements, this paper, authored by Peter Jennings and Tobias Feakin, argues that significantly more needs to be done to ensure that Australia has the right policies in place to manage cybersecurity risk. The paper discusses the organisational problems that have slowed Australia’s work to develop a simple but effective cyber policy, and contrasts our experience with steps taken by our closest allies, the US and UK. It recommends things the government should do to develop a clear policy framework. Much of this work will need to be done quickly after the 2013 federal election so that Australia can play an influential role in shaping a global approach to cybersecurity. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Special Report: Accessed August 6, 2013 at: http://www.aspi.org.au/publications/publication_details.aspx?ContentID=369&pubtype=-1 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Cybercrime Shelf Number: 129553

Author: Baker, David Title: Tough on Crime: The rhetoric and reality of property crime and feeling safe in Australia Summary: Contrary to public perception, the property crime rate in Australia actually declined between 2001 and 2010. There is a reality gap between declining crime rates and the popular rhetoric of ‘tough on crime’ media stories and political policies. Campaigning in the recent West Australian, New South Wales and Victorian state elections saw both sides of politics rely on tried and tested ‘tough on crime’ approaches to justice policies. Despite the falling rate of property crime, a ‘tough on crime’ approach to property crime continues to be promoted and pursued in some jurisdictions. An example of this is the use of mandatory sentencing for property crimes in Western Australia. As the property crime rate has fallen, there has been a corresponding increase in reported feelings of safety. There was a smaller increase in reported safety levels in Western Australia compared with the national average, which suggests that mandatory sentencing has not provided a greater sense of safety. Perceptions of social disorder had the greatest overall influence on people's reported feelings of safety, followed by reported levels of nervousness. This finding suggests the ‘tough on crime’ rhetoric still used by some politicians and sections of the media may have had a counter influence on recorded increases in feelings of safety. Whenever politicians talk about getting ‘tough on crime’, or the media selectively reports criminal justice stories, there is the potential for an increase in public nervousness and perceptions of social disorder. Such an increase is going to reduce feelings of safety among some Australians. Alternatively, balanced reporting and considered policy proposals from politicians have the potential to improve feelings of safety. Localised crime prevention programs are an opportunity to demonstrate to the community that steps are being taken to address crime. Such initiatives have the potential to change how a neighbourhood is perceived and may affect people’s tendencies to feel nervous. Although community engagement policies have the potential to increase reported feelings of safety, improvements could be made to how such programs are implemented. This paper provides evidence that will support politicians who wish to propose constructive policy responses to criminal behaviour and people’s fears of crime, rather than falling back on well-worn ‘tough on crime’ responses. Similarly, balanced reporting that includes positive stories about declining crime rates is likely to influence how people perceive disorder in their neighbourhood and the amount of time they spend feeling nervous, with the potential to positively affect how safe they feel. The facts are that property crime rates in Australia fell between 2001 and 2010 and Australians reported feeling safer. There is a good news story in this paper. Details: Canberra: Australia Institute, 2013. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: policy Brief No. 56: Accessed August 8, 2013 at: https://www.tai.org.au/index.php?q=node%2F19&pubid=1203&act=display Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 129584

Author: Tyler, Meagan Title: Not Just Harmless Fun: The Strip Club Industry in Victoria Summary: This report shows the burgeoning strip club industry in Victoria, Australia, harms women and communities. Strip clubs harm the physical and mental health of women who strip, as well as the opportunities of all women who want equal sexual relationships with men. Strip clubs create no-go areas for women, and are responsible for increasing violence in the community. The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Australia (CATWA) argues that strip clubs need to be understood as part of the industry of prostitution and regulated in the same way as brothels. This means that they would be licensed, subject to planning restrictions, unable to obtain liquor licenses, and owners would need criminal record checks. To ensure that strip club are not seen merely as entertainment venues, like other night clubs, they should be regulated as commercial sex venues. Details: Melbourne, AUS: Coalition Against Trafficking Women, 2010. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2013 at:http://catwa.org.au/files/images/Strip_Club_Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking Shelf Number: 129610

Author: Smith, Bec Title: ‘Boys, You Wanna Give Me Some Action?’ Interventions into Policing of Racialised Communities in Melbourne Summary: This report examines African young people’s experiences of policing practices across three regions of Melbourne: the City of Greater Dandenong, Flemington and Braybrook. The report particularly examines African young people’s experience of ‘community policing’ activities in these areas. Policing has been consistently identified as one of the biggest issues confronting African young people across Australia. Despite this fact, this report highlights a vast gap between what African young people have to say about these issues and public discourse about these issues. This report brings to the fore the stories and analyses of African young people whose lives are heavily affected by policing. Policing renders visible broader social tensions to do with race and poverty. As such, an examination of policing can help us understand the nature of complex, broader issues. Details: Melbourne, AUS: Fitzroy Legal Service, Inc., 2012.40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2013 at: http://www.fitzroy-legal.org.au/cb_pages/files/LegalAid_RacialAdol_FA2.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Policing Shelf Number: 129611

Author: Stafford, Jennifer Title: Injecting Risk Behaviours, Self-reported mental health and crime; a comparison of recent heroin and non-heroin use from the 2012 IDRS Summary: The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) monitors emerging trends in the use, price, purity and availability of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and cannabis. In addition to a survey of people who inject drugs (PWID), the annual data collection also includes a survey of key experts (KE) who are professionals in the field of illicit drugs and the analysis of existing indicator data on drug-related issues. For the purpose of this bulletin PWID participants were divided into two groups: recent heroin use versus non-heroin use. The bulletin explores differences between these groups in relation to drug use, injecting risk behaviours, self-reported mental health, driving and crime. The participants recruited are a sentinel group able to provide information on a range of illicit drug trends and related issues. Therefore the information from the survey is not representative of illicit drug use in the general population, and is not representative of other illicit drug users (e.g. in other geographical areas, occasional users, etc), but it is indicative of emerging trends that may warrant further monitoring and/or investigation. Details: Sydney: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2013. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Trends Bulletin: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/IDRSjuly2013_0.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Australia) Shelf Number: 129623

Author: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse Title: The role of community patrols in improving safety in Indigenous communities Summary: Summary Community patrols have the potential to increase Indigenous community safety. They can assist in reducing crime rates and alcohol-related harm and empower the local community. The most successful community patrols tend to enjoy community involvement and ownership and strong collaboration with police and a network of community services. This paper summarises the key evidence in support of community patrols. It also summarises some of the evidence on best practice. What we know • Lack of safety in Indigenous communities in urban, regional and remote areas, adversely affects the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are over-represented as both perpetrators and victims of violent crime. This is confirmed by high hospitalisation and death rates due to assault, and by high detention and police apprehension rates for Indigenous people for ‘acts intended to cause injury’. • Community patrols vary in how they operate, reflecting the needs of their particular community. Their functions include safe transportation for those at risk of causing or being the victims of harm; dispute resolution and mediation; interventions to prevent self-harm, family violence, homelessness and substance misuse; and diversion from contact with the criminal justice system. Community patrols cooperate closely with other community-based programs and initiatives as well as the local police unit. • Indigenous community patrols are one type of safety initiative among a range of initiatives that are directly or indirectly designed to improve community safety. Together these initiatives enable a holistic approach to improving community safety. • Community patrols need to be independent from the police and justice sector, to allow them to take a flexible approach and keep their communities’ trust; however, good relationships with local police are crucial for the functioning of community patrols. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: Resource sheet no. 20: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2013/ctg-rs20.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Patrols (Australia) Shelf Number: 129625

Author: Day, Andrew Title: Programs to Improve Interpersonal Safety in Indigenous Communities: Evidence and Issues Summary: There is now a substantial amount of published literature describing the range of programs and interventions that have been implemented in an attempt to improve aspects of community safety. Only a small body of this work, however, has examined the outcomes of those programs delivered to Indigenous Australians or, indeed, the communities in which they live. This Issues paper provides an overview of those programs that were identified in a systematic search of relevant research databases. Although a wide range of programs have been described, the diversity of these programs—combined with the limited published data available that documents their outcomes—makes it difficult to articulate what constitutes effective practice in this area. It is concluded that an evidence-based approach to practice in this area is essential if the long-term aim of the Closing the Gap initiative is to be achieved. To generate this evidence, however, more attention is needed to develop evaluation methods that assess the impact of program activities on medium and longer term outcomes. In addition, information about program outcomes needs to be integrated with what is known about the mechanisms by which effective programs are delivered, as well as with knowledge about how they might be most effectively implemented in different communities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. 29p. Source: Internet Resosurce: Issues paper no. 4: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2013/ctg-ip04.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 129627

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Vulnerable Victims: Child Homicide by Parents Summary: Vulnerable victims are those who are susceptible to becoming victims of violence because of their limited capacity to protect and remove themselves from danger. Generally speaking, criminal investigations involving vulnerable victims are protracted, sensitive and labour-intensive. The investigations can be particularly complex and challenging to carry out using conventional law enforcement powers. For cases where conventional practices have not proved effective, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) may request access to the special investigative powers of the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC), if it is considered that the use of the coercive hearings power may benefit the investigation. Historically, these types of investigations were referred to the CMC on a case-by-case basis at the request of the Commissioner of Police. The CMC’s vulnerable victims research program was established to help the CMC to conduct coercive hearings under the new referral. Papers in the vulnerable victims research program review published literature from a range of subject areas, including law enforcement, criminology, psychology and pathology. This Research and Issues Paper focuses on cases of suspected homicide of vulnerable victims under the age of 16, particularly homicide perpetrated by a parent. Although police investigators are the paper’s primary audience, the paper is also a useful reference for professionals such as clinicians, ambulance officers or child protection workers who may encounter children at risk of being murdered by their parent. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2013. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Issues No. 10: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://www.cmc.qld.gov.au/research-and-publications/publications/research/vulnerable-victims-child-homicide-by-parents Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 129628

Author: Queensland. Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Title: Fatal Assault and Neglect of Queensland Children Report Summary: The purpose of the Fatal assault and neglect of Queensland children report (the report) was to examine a sample of fatal assault and neglect child deaths in Queensland to identify key risk factors and develop targeted prevention messages to reduce the incidence of these preventable child deaths. The report comprises an examination of all types of death (both natural and external cause deaths) for children under five years of age that occurred in Queensland between 2004 and 2006 and were reported to the coroner for investigation. This resulted in a total of 312 child deaths for review (29% of the 1061 child deaths for children under five that occurred during this timeframe). The Commission selected this broad scope to ensure that every child death that could not be readily medically accounted for was examined for the presence of circumstances indicative of fatal assault and neglect. Additionally, the report focused on children under five years as they are among the most vulnerable in our community and are over-represented in cases of fatal assault and neglect1. Key findings  There were 16 child deaths (of the 312 reviewed, or 5%) identified in Queensland between 2004 and 2006 where it was probable or confirmed that fatal assault or neglect caused the child’s death.  Males and females were equally represented in fatal assault and neglect child deaths (8 of 16, or 50% each).  Children under one year were over-represented in fatal assault and neglect child deaths (8 of 16, or 50%).  In all but one (15 of 16, or 94%) fatal assault and neglect child death, the child’s parents or step-parents were identified as the alleged perpetrator.  In all but one (15 of 16, or 94%) fatal assault and neglect child death, there was at least one reported vulnerability characteristic present in the child’s family (i.e. a history of domestic violence, parental drug/alcohol abuse, criminal offending, child protection concerns).  Domestic homicide was the most common type of death examined in the project sample (9 of 16, or 56%), more than double the occurrence of fatal child abuse which was the next most common type of death (4 of 16, or 25%).  In two-thirds of all domestic homicides (6 of 9, or 67%), there was evidence that a breakdown in the parental relationship was a factor. Details: Brisbane: Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/resources/publications/fatal-assault-and-neglect-of-Qld-children/Fatal_assault_and_neglect_of_Qld_children_report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 129629

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: The Decline in Robbery and Theft: Inter-state Comparisons Summary: Aim: To describe and discuss inter-jurisdictional trends in police-recorded robbery and theft offences. Method: Rates of recorded robbery and theft per head of population are calculated for each Australian jurisdiction from 1994/1995 to 2012. Rates of recorded robbery are disaggregated into armed and unarmed robbery. Rates of recorded theft are disaggregated into burglary, motor vehicle theft and other theft. Results: In most jurisdictions, trends in recorded robbery and theft offences rose during the late 1990s, peaked around 2001 and then fell from 2001 to 2012. Between 2001 and 2009, recorded rates of robbery offences in Australia fell by 49.1 per cent, recorded rates of burglary fell by 57.3 per cent, recorded rates of motor vehicle theft fell by 62.2 per cent and recorded rates of other theft fell by 39.3 per cent. Conclusion: The national decline in robbery and theft offences is partly due to a reduction in heroin use and partly due to improvements in the economy but other factors are likely to have also played a role. Research into the causes of the fall in crime is hampered by the absence of any regional breakdown in national recorded crime statistics. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 89; Accessed August 19, 2013 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB89.pdf/$file/BB89.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Burglary Shelf Number: 129631

Author: Hilferty, Fiona Title: Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect Through a Common Approach to Assessment, Referral and Support: Evaluating the Trial (Stage 2) Summary: This report presents the findings of a formative evaluation of a trial of the Common Approach to Assessment, Referral and Support (CAARS). The Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) commissioned researchers at the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to undertake the evaluation in April 2011. CAARS is an innovative tool that facilitates conversations between a wide range of practitioners and client children and families. The aim of CAARS is to help universal practitioners identify early signs of need in clients, and provide appropriate forms of support. The development of CAARS was funded by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). CAARS is identified as a National Priority Project within the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children (Commonwealth of Australia, 2009). This Framework promotes child protection as ‘everyone’s responsibility’ and CAARS attempts to achieve this by ensuring that universal practitioners who come into daily contact with children and families, know how to engage families in conversations that assist in the early identification of problems and the provision of support. Given the formative nature of the evaluation, the focus has been on highlighting lessons from the trial to further develop the tool and improve implementation. The key objectives of the evaluation are to: 1. Examine the appropriateness of CAARS in different contexts and with different client groups; 2. Examine how CAARS impacts on the working practices of practitioners who use the tool; 3. Examine the impact of CAARS on interagency collaboration in primary prevention; 4. Develop a better understanding of how families engage with CAARS; and 5. Provide insight into the process of implementation of CAARS in specific geographic locations and how this is likely to impact on any larger rollout of CAARS. Details: Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales,, 2012. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: SPRC Report 7/13: Accessed August 19, 2013 at: https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/Report7_13_SPRC_CAARS_Final_Report_November.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Australia) Shelf Number: 129651

Author: Wall, Liz Title: Issues in Evaluation of Complex Social Change Programs for Sexual Assault Prevention Summary: Preventing sexual violence before it occurs is known as primary prevention. Such prevention programs that aim for social change, as in sexual assault prevention, can challenge more traditional perceptions of program success and require consideration as to how success or failure is measured. Broader thinking is required to provide creative, solution-focused evaluation that can be incorporated into program design to enhance sexual assault prevention efforts. Key Messages: ◾The most valid, rigorous and reliable information for any evaluation is that which informs the stakeholders about what they need to know for prevention effectiveness. ◾The complexity of multi-level interventions for sexual assault primary prevention may require consideration of new techniques for evaluating. ◾Acceptance of innovative methods of evaluation is required at the policy and funding level to ensure progress towards effective assessment of primary prevention in sexual assault. ◾Evaluators should utilise an approach that best suits the evaluation question they are considering even if that requires innovative techniques. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, May 2013. 20 p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Issues No. 14: Accessed August 19, 2013 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/issue/i14/ Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Sex Crimes Shelf Number: 129658

Author: Macgregor, Sarah Title: Synthetic Cannabis: Prevalence of use among offenders, perception of risk and negative side effects experienced Summary: Key Points -- • Of 871 police detainees surveyed through the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, 4 per cent reported recent use of synthetic cannabis. This compares to almost half (46%) who reported recent use of natural cannabis • The most common source for obtaining synthetic cannabis (aside from ‘a friend’) was from some type of shop (42%) such as a tobacconist or sex shop • At the time of interview, several synthetic compounds had been added to Schedule nine of the 2011 Commonwealth Poisons Standard by the TGA and statewide bans on the possession and distribution of synthetic cannabis products had occurred in every jurisdiction. However over half (60%) of users still believed synthetic cannabis was legal to buy at the time • The majority of detainees did not agree that synthetic cannabis is safer to use than natural cannabis, and 33 detainees reported experiencing some type of negative side effect • Most common side effects included dizziness/nausea/vomiting (26%), paranoia/panic (18%) and headaches (15%). Other symptoms included delusional behaviour/anger outbursts, hallucinations and heart palpitations/chest pains requiring emergency care • The range of negative side effects experienced by detainees from using synthetic cannabis products raises concerns for treatment providers and correctional officers who deal with drug-using offenders, given that consumers of synthetic cannabinoids could be placing themselves at risk of harm and displaying unpredictable behaviour • Evidence from overseas suggests that banning a range of specific synthetic cannabinoid compounds has led to the increased availability of more harmful compounds with more severe side effects, on the market. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Criminal Justice Bulletin Series 11: Accessed August 19, 2013 at: http://ncpic.org.au/ncpic/publications/aic-bulletins/pdf/synthetic-cannabis-prevalence-of-use-among-offenders-perception-of-risk-and-negative-side-effects-experienced Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 129660

Author: Victoria (Australia). Department of Justice Title: Review of Sexual Offences: Consultation Paper Summary: Many of Victoria's sexual offence laws are complex, inconsistent and unclear. Nowhere is this problem worse than with the offence of rape. These problems make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a judge to explain the law to a jury in a clear and intelligible manner and for the jury to understand and apply the law to the facts in the case. These problems have resulted in numerous appeals, convictions being set aside and retrials being ordered, most notably in Worsnop v The Queen (2010) 28 VR 187 and Getachew v The Queen [2011] VSCA 164. There have been many calls for significant reform of Victoria's rape laws since these decisions. These calls have emanated from the judiciary, lawyers, academics, victim/survivor support groups and the media. The Attorney-General has publicly committed to reforming sexual offence laws and jury directions in order to address the current complexity, inconsistency and uncertainty. Victoria's sexual offence laws are also failing to respond adequately to the problem of persistent sexual abuse of a child. The current approach does not work effectively for child victims/survivors who, because of the repeated and systematic nature of the offending against them, are unable to distinguish between the different instances of abuse. A fresh approach to this problem is needed. While rape laws have been frequently amended in the last 20 years, other sexual offences have not received the same attention. As a consequence, some have become outdated, inconsistent and unclear in their scope, structure and terminology. Other offences fail to recognise that sexual offences can be committed in new ways through advances in technology. This review examines rape and other sexual offences in the Crimes Act 1958, focussing not only on policy issues, but also on the structure and components of each offence. This practical focus is essential for effective reform. Our aim is to make sexual offences as clear, simple, consistent and effective as possible. Simpler and clearer offences will assist judges to direct juries, and juries to understand and apply the law. This will help to reduce successful appeals against conviction for a sexual offence. A better functioning criminal justice system will help to improve the experience of victims/survivors who report a sexual offence to the police. The County Court is Victoria's principal trial court. Almost 50% of all trials that go to verdict in the County Court are sexual offence trials. In 2002/03 only 36% of all trials were sexual offence trials. Over the last 10 years there has been an 81% increase in the number of sexual offence trials. This reflects an increase in the proportion of sexual offence cases as well as an increase in the overall number of trials conducted. Better laws will deliver substantive justice in individual cases and, in combination with other proposed reforms to jury directions, will assist in reducing delay. This paper contains 49 proposals for, and 10 questions about, reform of Victoria's most important sexual offences and procedure. The paper also contains a number of options and questions about possible reforms. The Department of Justice seeks feedback on each of the proposals, options and questions in this paper in order to provide advice to the government on how best to reform sexual offences. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Justice, Criminal Law Review, 2013. 225p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 30, 2013 at: https://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/justice/resources/2b77afcd-3c35-4a89-913a-54ced67529c3/reviewofsexualoffencesconsultationpaper2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 131509

Author: Palmer, Darren Title: ID Scanners in the Night-Time Economy: Social Sorting or Social Order? Summary: This project investigates the introduction of ID scanners in 'high risk' entertainment venues in Geelong (Vic) as part of an attempt to enhance community safety. Recently the inner city area of Geelong has been transformed into a significant 'night-time economy'. However, such developments come with potential harms, such as increases in crime and anti--social behaviour. Networked ID scanners are a unique innovation introduced to address these issues. The project documents what has been done, why, with what impact and what potential (or actual) harms exist to serve as a model for future policy and programme development. The research has identified the current interest in ID scanners across Australia and either planned or actual implementation of scanner networks in all jurisdictions. Such developments point to the need for immediate policy development in what is effectively an unregulated security practice, somewhat similar to the initial introduction of CCTV. Policy recommendations stemming from this research are summarised here and discussed in more detail under 'Conclusions and Recommendations' at the end of this report. Details: Criminology Research Council, 2011. 182p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2013 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1213/42-0809-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 131579

Author: Ayling, Julie Title: Going Dutch? Comparing approaches to preventing organised crime in Australia and the Netherlands Summary: This article contributes to the growing literature on organised crime prevention by examining the approaches of two countries, Australia and the Netherlands. In many respects these countries are similar. They also have many organised crime problems in common. But their responses to those problems have been quite distinct. The Dutch administrative approach has been hailed as both unique and successful, while the Australian approach, primarily a reactive criminal law-based response, has encountered a storm of criticism. The article compares the two approaches and addresses the questions of whether and what Australia should learn from the Dutch approach. Details: Acton ACT: Australian National University; Australian National University (ANU) - Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet), 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: RegNet Research Paper, No. 2013/12: Accessed November 6, 2013 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2247758 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Motorcycle Gangs Shelf Number: 131592

Author: New South Wales. Audit Office Title: Cost of Alcohol Abuse to the NSW Government: Performance Audit Summary: While most people consume alcohol responsibly, there is a large group that consumes it at levels that present a risk of harm. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause physical, emotional and social problems. These include violence, liver disease, brain injury, and family and relationship problems. Government agencies devote much time and effort to reduce the harm caused by alcohol abuse. This ranges from proactive policing of alcohol hotspots to alcohol treatment services. The government has recently introduced specific initiatives to reduce the impact of alcohol abuse on the community. These include: - a new intoxicated and disorderly offence - 'three-strikes' laws for licensees or managers of licensed premises convicted of serious offences under the Liquor Act 2007 - management plans for problem areas like Kings Cross - a trial of sobering up centres. These activities and initiatives come at a considerable cost to the State. This audit assessed whether the NSW Government knows the costs incurred by State agencies as a result of alcohol abuse. We asked whether: - the NSW Government effectively monitors the cost of alcohol abuse so it can resource public services to address it - the NSW Government publicly reports the cost of alcohol abuse to inform the community of its impact on public services. For the purposes of this audit, 'alcohol abuse' means: - drinking at levels that are likely to cause significant injury or ill health, and - where drinking has led to a government intervention or response. A range of key performance indicators show that, in general, alcohol-related incidents are declining. For example, alcohol-related assaults have decreased 23 per cent since 2008. This is a good result which may be due to proactive policing, changes to licensing laws, public education campaigns, and a range of other government initiatives. Nevertheless, alcohol abuse remains a significant burden to both society and government. To design an effective response the government must know the extent of the problem and what it is costing to limit its harm. Therefore it is important for government to have good data on alcohol abuse including the cost to its services and to society. The community also has a right to know this information so it can inform public debate on drunkenness and the best ways to combat it. Details: Sydney: Audit Office of New South Wales, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/281/01_Cost_of_alcohol_abuse_NSW_Government_Full_Report.pdf.aspx?Embed=Y Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 131630

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Bail and Remand for Young People in Australia: A national research project Summary: Funded and endorsed by the Australasian Juvenile Justice Administrators, this is one of the first national scale research reports into the bail and remand practices for young Australians. A young person can be placed in custody on remand (ie refused bail) after being arrested by police in relation to a suspected criminal offence, before entering a plea, while awaiting trial, during trial or awaiting sentence. Although custodial remand plays an important role in Western criminal justice systems, minimising the unnecessary use of remand is important given the obligations Australia has under several UN instruments to use, as a last resort, youth detention of any kind. This research identifies trends in the use of custodial remand and explores the factors that influence its use for young people nationally and in each of Australia's jurisdictions. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no. 125: Accessed November 23, 2013 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/125/rpp125.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 131685

Author: New South Wales. Ombudsman Title: Consorting issues paper: review of the use of the consorting provisions by the NSW Police Force Summary: Consorting with criminals has been an offence in NSW since the late 1920s; however over the years the offence has fallen into disuse. On 9 April 2012 a 'modernised' version of the offence of consorting commenced in NSW. The new consorting provisions are contained in Division 7, Part 3A of the Crimes Act 1900. It is now a criminal offence to continue to associate with two people who have both previously been convicted of an indictable offence if you have been warned by police about their convictions and advised that to continue to associate with them is an offence. Consorting now includes associating in person and communicating by telephone, email or by other electronic means. The offence attracts a possible three year prison sentence and/or a $16,500 fine (150 penalty units). The consorting provisions have been widely used across NSW, although the majority of uses have occurred in the Sydney metropolitan area. The first 12 months of police data indicates in excess of 1,000 official police warnings have been issued, although only 16 charges have been laid. The constitutionality of the provisions is currently subject to challenge in the NSW Court of Appeal with a hearing date of 5 November 2013. Between late 2011 and early 2012 there was a spate of shootings across Sydney. Media coverage of these incidents was extensive and heightened public concern about escalating gun violence and its suspected connection to the activities of criminal gangs. While most categories of crime involving firearms have significantly decreased or remained stable since 1995, the number of incidents of drive-by shootings more than doubled from 41 in 1995 to 100 in 2011. According to recent analysis by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research: ... the trends in discharge firearm into premises, shoot with intent and unlawfully discharge firearm, individually and in total, have not shown statistically significant increases in the 2 years, 5 years, 10 years or 15 years up to December 2012. Generally speaking the pattern has been one of surges in the frequency of such incidence followed by periods of relative quiescence; ... On 14 and 15 of February 2012, the government introduced a package of reforms designed to 'combat organised crime in further support of police in their war on drive-by shootings'. The reforms included the Crimes Amendment (Consorting and Organised Crime) Bill 2012; the Crimes (Criminal Organisations Control) Bill 2012; and the Firearms Amendment (Ammunition Control) Bill 2012. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2013. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2013 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/12996/Consorting-Issues-Paper-Review-of-the-use-of-the-consorting-provisions-by-the-NSW-Police-Force.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drive-By Shootings Shelf Number: 131711

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Using the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set to measure youth recidivism Summary: This report reviewed results and recommendations of a project exploring youth recidivism, including determining whether youth recidivism could be analysed using data from the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS). There are substantial benefits in using a longitudinal data collection such as the JJ NMDS, but also some limitations. Preliminary data analysed showed that nationally, over two-fifths (43%) of young people with sentenced supervision in 2010-11 had returned to sentenced supervision within 1 year, while over three-fifths (63%) of those with sentenced supervision in 2009-10 had returned to sentenced supervision within 2 years. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 14: Accessed December 4, 2013 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Research/AIHW_UsingTheJuvenileJusticeNationalMinimumDataSetToMeasureJuvenileRecidivism_Dec_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Justice (Australia) Shelf Number: 131733

Author: Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency Title: Women in Policing: A Business Priority Summary: In 2012, the ANZPAA Board requested that ANZPAA establish the Women in Policing Reference Group (AWIPRG) to provide advice on current issues, trends and developments regarding women in policing and to identify priority areas for the Board's consideration. Issues surrounding gender and the workplace are many, varied and often complex. During the development of this report, a timely and appropriate theme for policing emerged: that is, women are good for business. In going about the business of delivering policing services, Australia and New Zealand police organisations often encounter the same challenges faced by any business enterprise. This includes the need for increased efficiency, improved effectiveness and the need to compete with the wider business community for their share of the talent pool. There is a growing body of evidence and a renewed interest from both business and governments in the 'gender dividend'. Research strongly suggests that women increase corporate performance, contribute to good governance, enhance organisational reputation and play an important role in the overall success of businesses. The nexus between 'gender equality,' which is achieved when people can access and enjoy the same rewards, resources and opportunities, irrespective of gender, and potential economic gains is solidifying. Ultimately, the participation, progression and development of women in the workforce can no longer be considered predominantly from traditional social, ethical or compliance vantage points, but rather as a business priority. While there is an extraordinary amount of information and data available on the economic value of women in the workforce, the AWIPRG has focused on four priorities for the consideration of the ANZPAA Board, namely: metrics and trends; objectives and strategies (with an emphasis on attraction, retention and flexibility); executive sponsorship; and, representation of women in leadership. The AWIPRG, working with ANZPAA, has developed this report to assist the ANZPAA Board to capture the 'diversity advantage' of women in policing, particularly with respect to sworn women police members. This is important not only for their respective agencies but for the environment in which police organisations operate and the communities they serve. Details: Docklands, Victoria, Australia: Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency, 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 14, 2013 at Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Police Officers (Australia) (New Zealand) Shelf Number: 131760

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Male victims of non-sexual and non-domestic violence: Service needs and experiences in court Summary: While a great deal of research has been undertaken into female victims of violence, male-focused victimology research undertaken in Australia and internationally is scant. This means it is currently unclear what the support needs of male victims are and if these support needs are being met by the currently available services and programs. The findings of this report derive from a study commissioned by the NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice Victims Services that sought to address this knowledge gap by exploring the experiences and support needs of male victims of violence (excluding sexual assault and domestic violence) living in New South Wales. The study involved a comprehensive review of the currently available literature and interviews and focus groups with criminal justice and support service representatives who have contact with male victims of violence as part of their everyday work. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 83p. Source: AIC Reports, Research and Public Policy Series 126: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2014 at Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Male Victims (Australia) Shelf Number: 131761

Author: Ware, Vicki-Ann Title: Mentoring programs for Indigenous youth at risk Summary: This Resource Sheet examines evidence for the effectiveness of mentoring programs in helping to set Indigenous young people at risk of engaging in antisocial and risky behaviours on healthier life pathways. Mentoring is a relationship intervention strategy that research is showing can have powerful and lasting positive impacts on behavioural, academic and vocational outcomes for at-risk youth. Costello and Thomson (2011:1) describe youth mentoring as follows: Youth mentoring is, according to the Australian Youth Mentoring Network, defined as 'a structured and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support and encouragement'. The goal of youth mentoring is to enhance social engagement and thereby minimise negative behaviours through growth in social and developmental behaviours. There are two types of mentoring style found in the literature-natural and planned. Among Indigenous Australians, the natural or informal form of mentoring is often spontaneous through the Elders' traditional role of sharing the wisdom, the knowledge and the spirit, which can draw Aboriginal people back to traditional ways. Elders play an extremely important role in Aboriginal families as role models, care providers and educators (Walker 1993). This Resource Sheet focuses on the planned or formal form of mentoring, which often includes Elders as part of these programs. It does not, however, cover the following formal forms of mentoring: a detailed analysis of mentoring, which occurs within sporting and other programs. (This is covered, where relevant, in a forthcoming Resource Sheet titled Supporting healthy communities through sports and recreation programs.); mentoring embedded within broader youth diversionary or justice programs; mentoring within cadetship or other vocational education programs. There is a strong body of literature on the types of youth mentoring programs and the dynamics of successful programs and mentoring relationships. This Resource Sheet draws on evidence from 45 studies. Over half were Australian studies, with additional evidence from research in other colonised nations such as New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Two-thirds of the studies were Indigenous-specific. A range of methodologies was used including evaluations, critical descriptions of programs, meta-analyses and research syntheses. Details: Canberra: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. 20p. Source: Closing the Gap Clearinghous Resource Sheet No. 22: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2014 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 131778

Author: Reid, Mike Title: Drinking-related lifestyle influences on Victorians' alcohol consumption. Quantitative Research Report Summary: Alcohol is a major part of the cultural fabric of many western countries and often plays an integral role in many people's social lives. The significant impact of social and health problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption, both at a personal and societal level, have become a central focus of governments. Victorian culture has a high tolerance for alcohol consumption and an acceptance of heavy drinking across an extensive range of social contexts. Drinking is inextricably linked with the cultural and social life of Victorians; it is multifaceted and entrenched in nearly every area of our lives, with rituals and habits providing structure, comfort and a sense of belonging. While understanding single-act behaviours such as binge drinking is important, arguably more important is understanding the deeper lifestyle-related connections to alcohol consumption and how lifestyle and culture can shape problem drinking and associated behaviours. Similarly, there needs to be a focus on alcohol consumption and problem drinking amongst the broader population as well as an understanding of specific sub-cultures and population groups such as youth. This research adopts and implements a drinking-related lifestyle (DRL) framework to understand and determine how best to target and influence specific Victorian drinker segments through improved media- and message-based activities about reducing alcohol consumption. Overall, the aims of this report are to: 1. implement a DRL framework and profile drinker types based on a means-end chain approach incorporating values, lifestyle and behavioural similarities 2. examine identified segments and model each to understand the values and lifestyle drivers of drinking styles and behaviour that are similar and unique to particular segments 3. extend alcohol drinking segment profiles to include traditional, electronic and social media preferences to better target communications (channels and messages) including word-of-mouth strategies. 5 Details: Melbourne: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, 2013. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2014 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/~/media/ResourceCentre/PublicationsandResources/alcohol%20misuse/Drinking-Related-Lifestyles/RMIT-DRL_Quantitative%20Report.ashx Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 131793

Author: Queensland. Department of Community Safety Title: Sustaining the unsustainable : Police and Community Safety review, final report. Summary: The Police and Community Safety Review (the Review) was initiated by the Minister for Police and Community Safety in late 2012. The Review commenced on 2 January 2013 against the background Queensland public sector reform and a restructure of the Queensland Police Service undertaken by the recently appointed Commissioner.The Terms of Reference for the Review are attached. The review was to cover the two departments within the Minister's portfolio i.e. the Queensland Police Service and the Department of Community Safety. It is to be noted the Department of Community Safety is comprised of a number of discrete operational agencies - the Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Corrective Services, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (which incorporates the Rural Fire Service) and Emergency Management Queensland (which incorporates the State Emergency Service). The portfolio of Police and Community Safety has a combined budget of approximately $4 billion and more than 25,000 full-time equivalent staff. Given the size and complexity of the portfolio, the review team has taken the approach, in consultation with the Minister, to focus on interoperability across the portfolio and issues that impact on interoperability and good practice. Hence the review does not focus in detail on individual agencies, and instead is concerned with issues that prevent efficiencies, effectiveness and interoperability across the portfolio of Police and Community Safety. The Queensland Commission of Audit Report and the Callinan Review of the Crime and Misconduct Commission were also delivered during the course of the Review, as was The Malone Review into Rural Fire Services in Queensland 2013 (The Malone Review) on Rural Fire. In addition, the Queensland Government had commenced a review of the various air services contracted to several different Government agencies. The Review has been conducted independently of these initiatives, although the Review team has provided advice to the Minister on the outcomes of the Malone Review. The Review is only a review, not an Inquiry and hence had no powers to apply to its processes, such as calling for submissions and taking evidence. We relied solely upon the goodwill and cooperation of government agencies, employee representative groups, academics and other persons with a genuine desire to improve the delivery of front line services. For example, the Commissioner, South Australian Police provided a very comprehensive submission to the Review. Additionally, on 6 February 2013 the Minister for Police and Community Safety wrote to the Review team requesting the review team include in its final report a review of the 2013 flooding events, limited to the Review Terms of Reference. The Review team wrote to each agency and also received several representations although there was no general call for submissions. We sought to understand the strategic alignment of each agency as well as the level of interoperability. The Review team conducted interviews across the state with representatives from all of the portfolio agencies. The Review team either met with or conducted video conferences with several interstate and overseas agencies in Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, South Australia and the Commonwealth agencies, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada. The team visited, Gatton, Cairns, Townsville, Mareeba, Emerald, Rockhampton, Logan, Gold Coast, Pine Rivers, Bundaberg and many districts within the Brisbane metropolitan area. In all, 265 interviews or meetings were conducted. During the course of conducting the Review, several submissions were made to the Public Sector Renewal Board and an Interim Report was delivered to the Minister on 27 March 2013. As sections of this report on each of the agencies were completed, they were sense checked wherever possible with members of the relevant agency and then released to government, as we were very much aware of the impending 2013-14 storm season. It is clear that over recent times most of the Department of Community Safety agencies have featured prominently in what have been a series of high profile natural disaster responses, criminal investigations, public order events and tragic fires. Some of these events have resulted in multiple deaths and/or injuries. It follows that the portfolio is a critical one for both the government and the Queensland community. It is a portfolio of agencies that is often at the centre of news stories and is therefore always high in profile. Details: Brisbane: Department of the Premier and Cabinet, 2013. 361p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 24, 2014 at: http://statements.qld.gov.au/Content/MediaAttachments/2013/pdf/Police%20and%20Community%20Safety%20Review%20Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Disasters Shelf Number: 131795

Author: Birdsey, Emma M. Title: Reporting Violence to Police: A survey of victims attending domestic violence services Summary: Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate what proportion of domestic violence (DV) victims who seek help from DV services choose not to report the violence to police and to investigate factors and reasons associated with non-reporting. Method: Data was collected by interviewing 300 victims attending DV services. The interview was conducted by telephone and included questions on (a) victim characteristics, (b) characteristics of victims' most recent incident, and (c) victims' reasons for not reporting to police. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were undertaken to determine characteristics associated with the decision to report a domestic violence incident to police. Results: Approximately half (51.8%) of victims reported their most recent incident to the police. Victims were more likely to report if they had an AVO against the offender, if their property had been damaged, if they were physically injured, if the abuse was physical or sexual, if they felt their children were at risk or if they had reported previous DV incidents. Victims were less likely to report if they were pregnant or experienced more than 5 previous incidents of abuse. The top three reasons for not reporting to police were fear of revenge/further violence (13.9%), embarrassment/shame (11.8%), or the incident was too trivial/unimportant (11.8%). The primary barrier to reporting, according to those interviewed, is that police either do not understand or are not proactive in handling DV (17.1%). Conclusion: Half of victims reported DV to the police, leaving the remainder without official legal intervention and professional support. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 91: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/280912/Reporting_Violence_to_the_Police_-_BOCSAR_survey.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Battered Women Shelf Number: 131804

Author: Senior, Kate Title: Developing Successful Diversionary Schemes for Youth from Remote Aboriginal Communities Summary: This report explores the experiences and aspirations of youth in Wadeye, a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory which has become synonymous with the deviant behaviours of its young people. The research was undertaken over a three year period, and builds upon a previous ten year period of community based research. As such it forms a unique longitudinal study of young people during a period of extreme change in their lives. The research applied a mixed methods approach, utilising ethnography, interviews and the application of a community wide survey. Although young community based people were the primary focus of the study, the research also included the wider community perspectives, service providers and a sample of imprisoned community members. The proliferation of gangs in the Wadeye community has become a primary focus for outsiders' interpretation of social issues in the community. These gangs have been defined by their violent and oppositional cultures. This period of research and the research which preceded it, emphasise the complexity of gang cultures and gang dynamics in this community. The report also emphasises that a primary focus on gangs serves to obscure other factors influencing young people's lives and behaviours. This includes those youth who do not engage in deviant behaviour, who attend school and progress to employment. It also includes youth who engage in non-gang related violent and anti-social behaviour. The report argues that effective service delivery and the development of appropriate diversion activities for young people must recognise the diversity and complexity of the youth experience in the community and recognise and develop their current strengths. Feedback from elders, young people and long-term community workers, advocates that more partnership approaches to further research and program evaluation must become an integral part of the process. Involving young people themselves as part of this research process will provide opportunities to create new roles for them and to establish a positive foundation for the future of the community. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Group, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/26-0809-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 131811

Author: Reid, Mike Title: Drinking-related lifestyles: exploring the role of alcohol in Victorians' lives. Qualitative research report Summary: Australian culture has a high tolerance for alcohol consumption and an acceptance for heavy drinking across an extensive range of social contexts. Drinking is embedded in Australian culture; it is multifaceted and entrenched in many aspects of our lives, with rituals and habits providing structure, comfort and generating a sense of belonging. Our drinking culture is even manifest in established drinking language, in which those who drink to excess are celebrated and moderate or non-drinkers are negatively labelled. Our drinking behaviour is continually reinforced by our culture and, in turn, our culture is reinforced by our drinking behaviour. Whether we're celebrating, socialising, networking, relaxing, commiserating or rewarding ourselves, alcohol plays an integral role. Drinking is expected to be part of almost all social events, but more concerning is the acceptance of excessive drinking at many of these occasions. Both family and friends influence our drinking behaviour. It is when socialising with others that our drinking is most likely to become excessive. The encouragement and pressure (both subtle and overt) from others to 'join in the drinking' is powerful. To join in is to join the group, join the fun, join the ritual and join the tribe. The power of this pressure is extraordinary. While the risks of heavy drinking are readily recognised, few people are willing to accept that this drinking behaviour is problematic. There are few effective incentives to encourage a more moderate approach and even fewer socially acceptable 'excuses' to drink less. Social benefits of drinking (to excess) far outweigh any perceived likely negative outcomes. Given the highly positive, habitual and social nature of our attitudes, changing behaviours will be particularly challenging. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2013. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2014 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/~/media/ResourceCentre/PublicationsandResources/alcohol%20misuse/Drinking-Related-Lifestyles/RMIT-DRL_Qualitative%20Report.ashx Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 131792

Author: Spratley, Susan Title: Health and Wellbeing Outcomes for Defendants Entering the Alcohol-MERIT Programs Summary: Aim: To assess whether the NSW Alcohol-MERIT program improves the health and wellbeing of defendants. Method: Before their participation in the Alcohol-MERIT program, the health and wellbeing of 123 defendants was measured using the SF-36, Kessler-10 psychological distress scale and the SADQ for alcohol dependence level. These defendants were then followed-up two and six months after this baseline interview. Changes in the SF-36, Kessler-10 and SADQ responses were examined between: (1) baseline and the two-month interview and; (2) baseline and the six-month interview. Results: Two months after commencing the Alcohol-MERIT program, there were significant improvements in the SF-36 scores for defendants across four of the eight dimensions, significantly lower levels of psychological distress (Kessler-10) and lower levels of dependence on alcohol (SADQ). Six months after commencing the Alcohol-MERIT program, there were significant improvements in the SF-36 scores for defendants across six of the eight dimensions, significantly less psychological distress and dependence on alcohol. Conclusion: Defendants reported significant improvements in their health and wellbeing after participating in the Alcohol-MERIT program. However, attributing these improvements to the Alcohol-MERIT program alone is not possible given the absence of a relevant comparison group. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief; Issue Paper No. 92: Accessed February 3, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb92.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 131840

Author: Mutch, Raewyn Title: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Knowledge, attitudes and practice within the Western Autralian justice system Summary: The aims of the project were to: assess justice professionals' awareness and knowledge of FASD; assess the perceived impact of FASD on practice within the justice system; and identify the information needs relating to FASD for the justice system in WA. A Reference Group was established to provide advice on study design and facilitate participant recruitment. A review of the literature was conducted to identify existing surveys or questionnaires that assessed FASD knowledge, attitudes and practice within justice systems that could be used as a basis for survey development. To enable the investigation of issues specific to each sector of the WA justice system, separate surveys were developed for people working in all four sectors of the justice system: judicial, legal, corrections and police. Each survey assessed socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of FASD, sources of information about FASD, and information and training needs. Additional sector specific questionnaire items assessed participant experiences and practices using language particular to each sector. Surveys were pilot tested within each sector to ensure the questions were clear and easily understandable. The surveys were administered to 133 judicial officers, 90 lawyers, 650 Department of Corrective Services (DCS) staff and 1000 police officers. Results were summarised using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Response to the survey was low (23%) and relatively consistent across sectors. Over 90% of judicial officers, lawyers and DCS staff, and almost 75% of police officers were aware of FAS. Awareness of FASD was lower than for FAS across all sectors. Almost 80% of participants agreed that FASD is real, and that the negative effect of alcohol on fetal development has been proven. When participants were asked to describe their understanding of FASD, we found few differences in response between the judicial, legal and corrections sectors in the frequency of identification of the following four key aspects of FASD: identification of the cause as alcohol consumption during pregnancy, identification of potential impacts on physical and psychological development, and recognition that the damage is permanent. Across all four sectors of the justice system most participants reported only a basic understanding of FASD and how it affects individuals. Participants were most knowledgeable about the cause of FASD, and factors therefore important for prevention. Notably, some participants described FASD as caused by excessive alcohol use, alcohol abuse or dependence. More than 75% of judicial officers, 85% of lawyers and DCS staff, and almost 50% of police officers perceived FASD as relevant to their work. Consistent with the importance of formal training or professional development as a source of information on FASD among DCS staff, knowledge about FASD was highest among DCS staff, who were more likely to report a good understanding of how FASD affects children and adults (44%) than participants from the other sectors. Few DCS staff reported not being aware of how FASD affects children and adults (5%) compared with 30% or more among participants from other sectors. Participants across all sectors frequently reported recognition of suspected FASD among individuals they dealt with, and raised concerns about the management of these individuals within the justice system. Approximately 60% of participants from the judicial and legal sectors, 67% of staff from the corrections sector, and 43% from the police sector reported ever dealing with a person who may have been affected by FASD. Suspicion of FASD was most commonly based on identification of a poor attention span, low intelligence quotient (IQ), maternal history of alcoholism and physical appearance. We found widespread agreement among judicial officers (79%), lawyers (92%) and DCS staff (84%) that the assessment and diagnosis of FASD would improve the possibilities of appropriate consequences for unacceptable behaviour. Most participants (72%) also indicated a need for more information about FASD, including information to improve the identification of individuals in need of specialist assessment, and guidelines on how to deal with people with FASD. We also found strong support across all sectors for the development of appropriate alternative or diversionary sentencing options for people with FASD. Details: Perth: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, 2013. 118p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2014 at: http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Report-FASD-Justice-System.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 131844

Author: Burgess, Melissa Title: Crime on the NSW Rail System Summary: Aim: To provide an overview of the incidence of offences against the person on the NSW rail system. Method: Analysis of data from the NSW Police Force�s Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS). Results: Recorded rates of personal crime on the NSW rail system are generally very low. On a typical weekday across NSW the rate of personal crimes on trains is 0.3 incidents per 100,000 passenger journeys. Similarly, the rate of personal crimes on railway stations is 0.04 per 100,000 passenger interchanges. Not all stations carry the same risk. On stations where personal offences had occurred, the risk varied from 0.02 per 100,000 interchanges at North Sydney station to 3.2 per 100,000 interchanges at Waratah station. Non-domestic assault is the most commonly recorded personal offence (49.5% of incidents), followed by steal from person (30.2% of incidents), robbery (12.2% of incidents), other sexual offences (7.5% of incidents) and sexual assault (0.6% of incidents). The overall risk of victimisation on weekdays is highest during the afternoon commuter period (3:00pm to 6:30pm) and lowest during the early morning travel period (2:00am to 6:00am). Risk of victimisation on weekends is highest in evening (6:30pm to 2:00am) and early morning (2:00am to 6:00am) periods. Conclusion: Crime on the rail system is not evenly distributed across time and space. It is hoped that the current findings are a useful source of information for public transport users and for policy makers who are tasked with making decisions about crime control on the NSW rail system. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 64: Accessed March 10, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/bocsar/documents/pdf/bb64.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Railroads Shelf Number: 131846

Author: Dinning, Brooke Title: Project Cyril: Using the NSW Police Force Complaints System to Identify System Problems and Solutions Summary: In addition to providing a mechanism for determining whether or not there is evidence an individual officer has engaged in misconduct or criminal offences, the effective investigation and analysis of complaints can enable police agencies to identify systemic or organisational factors which may have contributed to the conduct under investigation. Research & Issues Paper no. 10 looks at how the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) complaints system is used to identify system problems and develop solutions so as to prevent future misconduct. Such solutions include improving policies, procedures, training, and communication and management practices. This paper contains the Commission's recommendations as to how the identification of system problems and solutions through the NSWPF complaints system may be improved. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2014. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Issues Paper, no. 10: Accessed March 11, 2014 at: http://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/files/reports/Project%20Cyril%20Research%20&%20Issues%20Paper.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 131848

Author: d'Abbs, Peter Title: Monitoring Trends in Prevalence of Petrol Sniffing in Selected Aboriginal Communities: An Interim Report Summary: This report presents interim findings from a study of petrol sniffing prevalence in a sample of Australian Aboriginal communities that commenced in 2011 and is scheduled for completion in 2014. The study was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing in order to contribute to monitoring the impact of an ongoing rollout of low aromatic fuel (LAF) in communities beset by petrol sniffing, and is being conducted by Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, in partnership with Bowchung Pty Ltd, Canberra. Preparation of the report is also a response to a recommendation by the Senate Community Affairs Committee which, in a report of an inquiry into the Low Aromatic Fuel Bill tabled in 2012, stated: The committee recommends that the Government release an interim report based on the first round of data collection being undertaken by the Menzies School of Health Research. (Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, 2012, Recommendation 1). The report contains four sections: 1. background to attempts to date to monitor prevalence of petrol sniffing in Australian Aboriginal communities in general and, in particular, to monitor the impact of rolling out LAF; 2. methodological issues entailed in monitoring prevalence of petrol sniffing in communities; 3. the methodology adopted in the present study; and 4. interim findings of the study to date. Details: Darwin: Menzies School of Health Research, 2013. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.menzies.edu.au/icms_docs/176151_Final_Menzies_interim_report_May_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 131861

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: The Management of Young Women and Girls at Banksia Hill Detention Centre Summary: The riot at the Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre ('Banksia Hill') on 20 January 2013, the ensuing court casesi1and the publication of two independent reportsii2have resulted in considerable debate in government, the media and the non-government sector about youth justice services in Western Australia. It appears to be accepted that the shortcomings that led to the riot were reflective of systemic problems and that organisational and cultural change is needed to improve service delivery, efficiencies and correctional outcomes. The boys held in detention have attracted the most attention. This is not surprising: they represent by far the majority of detainees (over 90 per cent), it was the boys who were responsible for the 20 January riot, and it was the boys who were subsequently transferred to Hakea Prison. However, it is vitally important that the specific needs and challenges of girls in detention are not subsumed by the demands of the boys. This report aims to assess the current 'state of play' with respect to incarcerated girls and to promote further debate and focus. The report is the outcome of an inspection of the girls' unit at Banksia Hill (Yeeda Unit) in April/May 2013. It contains a number of recommendations regarding services and systems and also some more strategic recommendations. While the report stands in its own right, it needs to be read alongside the report of the directed review into the Banksia Hill riot.Pleasingly, the Department of Corrective Services ('DCS') has supported almost all the recommendations. Details: Perth, WA, AUS: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2014. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Report no. 86: Accessed March 12, 2014 at: http://www.oics.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?objectID=F9248052-0B7C-FDCB-7578862113D36911 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Detention Centers Shelf Number: 131863

Author: National Justice Chief Executive Officers Group Title: Staying Strong on the Outside: Indigenous Young Adults: Final Report Summary: The Staying Strong on the Outside project, an initiative of the National Justice Chief Executive Officers (NJCEOs) Group, sought to identify factors that contribute to positive outcomes for Indigenous young adults aged 18 to 25 years released from custody and to highlight programs and initiatives that offer promise in this area. - The Project was undertaken in 2008 to 2009 and had three components: a review of research; a practice survey distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand; and a Forum attended by more than 80 policy-makers and practitioners from both countries. - The over-representation of Indigenous persons in custody has been well documented. The Australian Bureau of Statistics National Prisoner Census indicates that on 30 June 2008, 24% of the adult prisoner population were Indigenous, despite this group making up only 2% of the Australian population. There were 1,795 Indigenous persons aged 18 to 24 years in custody, which equates to 6.5% of the total prison population. Around one third of these young adults were imprisoned in New South Wales. Māori, particularly young adults, are also over-represented within the New Zealand prison population. - Stakeholders engaged through this project supported the decision by the NJCEOs to focus on Indigenous young adults, given this is a pivotal point marked by the transition to adulthood and in light of the intergenerational effects of Indigenous incarceration. They also highlighted the importance of considering the needs of particular sub-groups within this population, including young women and persons from rural and remote locations. - The practice survey identified 36 programs in Australia or New Zealand that offer re-entry services to Indigenous young adults. Of the 36 programs, only two were aimed exclusively at the 18 - 25 year age group. Both programs were in New South Wales. Nevertheless, most of the programs aimed to offer an individualised and holistic service, and were therefore able to address the specific needs of Indigenous young adults. - While generally focused on any adult prisoner, the 36 practice examples considered for this project were highly diverse. They addressed a variety of risk factors, involved a range of partners, had varied funding and had been operating for different time periods. Programs ranged from initiatives to create pathways to employment (Western Australian Mining Industry Employment Linkages); to provision of identification to exiting prisoners (Larrakia Nation Proof of ID); to programs to address offending behaviour in a cultural context (Queensland's Ending Offending Program). - Nine of the 36 examples had been evaluated and four of the nine evaluation reports were provided to the Project Team. While some of these evaluations are now quite dated, the findings were generally positive. Nine of the 36 initiatives commenced in 2008 and therefore it is too early for any evaluation results to be available. This applied to the Bugilmah Burube Wullinje Balund-a (Tabulam) centre in New South Wales and the Konnect Program in Victoria. - A number of key principles were identified through the three components of the project as important contributors to the successful reintegration of Indigenous young adults. These are: - interventions should address the cognitive and behavioural causes of offending. Research suggests that cognitive-behavioural skills programs are among the most effective in offender rehabilitation. - programs should be designed, developed and delivered in a culturally appropriate manner. Evidence suggests that participants in programs that are delivered in a culturally appropriate manner are more likely to complete the program and less likely to re-offend. - services aimed at reintegration should be provided from the beginning of a sentence and continue post-release (throughcare). - interventions should be holistic and, in particular, should ensure that practical health and welfare needs are met so that the client can effectively address behavioural change. -interventions should acknowledge the strengths of Indigenous young offenders, recognizing achievements, ability and potential, while addressing the need to build capacity. - interventions should empower individuals by imparting practical 'life skills', building self-sufficiency and encouraging active participation in rehabilitation. - effective partnerships, information sharing and joined up service delivery are fundamental to the success of initiatives. - the needs of victims should be recognised and addressed, particularly where the victim lives in the same community as the offender. - The project identified the following as key areas of need that should be addressed by interventions: - ensure that connections are made with education, vocational training and employment services; - where possible, maintain, re-establish and strengthen family and community relationships, and involve family members in the reintegration process; and - address substance abuse, as drug and alcohol abuse are risk factors for offending. - The project also identified those features of program delivery that contribute to better outcomes for young Indigenous offenders: - trained and committed staff; - programs targeted at high risk offenders; - treatment styles matched with the learning styles of participants; and - investment in lengthy and intensive programs. - Program evaluation is necessary to identify obstacles to implementation and to determine whether the desired outcomes are achieved. Allied to this issue is the need to provide adequate and long-term funding for programs to ensure a degree of continuity and allow sufficient time for those programs to develop, mature and show results. Details: Canberra(?):Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2009. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2014 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/stayingstrong.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 131939

Author: Larsen, Jacqueline Joudo Title: Restorative Justice in the Australian Criminal Justice System Summary: In 2001, Heather Strang prepared a report for the Criminology Research Council summarising restorative justice programs in Australia (Strang 2001). At that time, restorative justice was largely seen as suitable for juvenile offenders and for less serious offences. Every state and territory had a youth conferencing scheme in place, while only Queensland, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory were using conferencing with adult offenders. At the time, the use of restorative justice beyond police and courts was beginning to be explored. In 2013, the Australian Institute of Criminology undertook to build on this early work by reviewing restorative justice programs currently operating within Australian criminal justice systems and identifying the issues currently facing restorative justice. The final report comprises four sections: section one provides a brief discussion relating to definitions and key concepts underpinning restorative justice; section two presents an overview of restorative justice programs currently operating across Australia; section three provides a summary of the literature regarding the impact of restorative justice; and section four discusses current challenges with reference to those highlighted by Strang in 2001 and also considers future challenges for restorative justice. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series, no. 127: Accessed March 17, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/rpp127.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Restorative Justice Shelf Number: 131949

Author: Allison, Fiona Title: Indigenous Justice Agreements Summary: Over the last two decades, some Australian States and Territories have introduced Indigenous Justice Agreements (IJAs) and related strategic frameworks in the hope of addressing consistently high rates of Indigenous incarceration and improving justice service delivery to Indigenous people. Drawing on previous research by the authors, this Research Brief provides an overview and analysis of the IJAs, and examines whether strategic planning on Indigenous justice issues is improving Indigenous justice outcomes as intended. We identify four key factors for success of IJAs, along with key challenges likely to impact upon their effectiveness. Despite significant shortcomings, we conclude that IJAs do have a positive impact, in particular by providing Indigenous people with input into strategic planning, and providing government with a systematic and coherent strategy to address Indigenous justice issues, including over-representation and victimisation. Details: Sydney: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2013. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Current Initiatives Paper 4: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/initiatives/initiative004.pdfAccessed march 21, 2014 at: Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice Systems Shelf Number: 104856

Author: Van Buskirk, J. Title: Drugs and the Internet Summary: To date the availability of illicit drugs in Australia has largely been examined through interviews with people who use drugs (e.g. the Ecstasy and related Drugs Reporting System, EDRS); indicators such as drug seizures and arrests; and analyses of hospital admissions and drug-related deaths. Over the past decade there has been an increasing awareness and interest in online marketplaces as a source for discussion about and purchase of drugs (Walsh, 2011). There are now many internet sites selling substances such as prescription opioids, substances marketed as �legal� highs (e.g. herbal smoking blends) and substances that have been listed as controlled drugs (e.g. emerging psychoactive substance � EPS � such as mephedrone and synthetic cannabinoids). EPS is a general term used to refer to substances that have similar subjective effects to existing illicit psychoactive substances, and many of these are now listed as controlled drugs (i.e. they are now illicit) in Australia. The advent of the Silk Road in 2011, as an online marketplace, has broadened out the availability of EPS and other more conventional illicit substances (such as cannabis and MDMA). This bulletin is the first in a new Drug Trends series that provides analysis of trends over time in the availability and type of substances sold via the internet to Australia. The current bulletin reports for the time period September 2012 to February 2013. Key findings � The number of retailers on the Silk Road increased (from 282 at time 1 to 374 at the last time point), while the number of retailers on the surface web remained relatively stable (92 at time 1 and 101 at the last time point). The increase on the Silk Road is largely driven by international rather than domestic retailers. � On the Silk Road, cannabis and EPS were sold by the largest number of retailers consistently across all time points, followed by MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-Nmethylamphetamine) and pharmaceuticals (primarily benzodiazepines and sildenafil). � The type of EPS available from surface web retailers differed substantially from the EPS available from those selling on the Silk Road. EPS sold on the Silk Road more closely mirrored those most commonly used by EDRS participants (i.e. people who regularly use psychostimulants) including drugs from the 2C-x and NBOMe categories, followed by DMT (dimethyltryptamine), Mephedrone and Methylone. Average prices of methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy being sold on the Silk Road remained stable across the time period. Average domestic prices for common quantities of these substances were comparable to prices paid for these same quantities by 2012 EDRS participants. Average international prices for these substances were substantially lower. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2013. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue 1: Accessed March 21, 2014 at: http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/DrugsTheInternet_Newsletter%20FINAL%20with%20ISSN.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 104854

Author: Cussen, Tracy Title: Policing Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Matropolitan Environments Summary: Policing affords many opportunities for individual officers and police services to improve outcomes for community members and reduce the burden of substance misuse on the community. Key points highlighted concerning metropolitan areas include: ◾A broad spectrum of services is available (albeit acknowledged to often be under-resourced), providing police with a range of referral points for and information sources about local area issues. ◾Service providers and other agencies may also be variously accountable for public safety. Police may develop partnerships with these agencies, ensuring that tight resources can be appropriately directed to meet community needs. Service providers can help police to better understand the complex life circumstances of individuals affected by alcohol and other drugs. Benefits of information exchanges can be twofold i.e. improved police confidence in handling complex situations; and increased awareness within the service sector of the range of tasks and behaviours police are expected to perform and manage. Details: Canberra: National Drug Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2014. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 48: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph48.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 132015

Author: Australian Crime Commission Title: Organised Crime in Australia 2013 Summary: The Organised Crime in Australia 2013 report provides the most comprehensive contemporary profile of serious and organised crime in Australia. The report provides the context in which organised crime operates in Australia and gives an overview of each of the key illicit markets and the activities which fundamentally enable serious and organised crime. The report provides government, industry and the public with information they need to better respond to the threat of organised crime, now and into the future. Organised Crime in Australia is an unclassified version of the Australian Crime Commission's Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA) which is part of the Picture of Criminality in Australia suite of products. The OCTA is a classified assessment of the level of risk posed by various organised crime threats, categorised by activity, market and enabler. Details: Canberra: Australian Crime Commission, 2014. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2014 at: https://www.crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/ACC%20OCA%202013-1.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Fraud Shelf Number: 132047

Author: Flood, Michael Title: Respectful Relationships Education: Violence Prevention and Respectful Relationships Education in Victorian Secondary Schools Summary: This report is intended to advance violence prevention efforts in schools in Victoria and around Australia. It is the outcome of the Violence Prevention, Intervention and Respectful Relationships Education in Victorian Secondary Schools Project, undertaken by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) on behalf of the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). The report is designed to achieve the following goals: - to map the violence prevention, intervention and respectful relationships programs that are currently running in Victorian government secondary schools - to identify and explore best practice in violence prevention, intervention and respectful relationships education in schools in Victoria and elsewhere - to inform the development and implementation of violence prevention and respectful relationships policy and programming in Victoria - to increase DEECD's ability to respond more effectively to queries from other government departments, the media and the general public regarding the role of schools in violence prevention and the promotion of respectful relationships. The report focuses on the prevention of forms of violence that occur in intimate and family relationships, including physical or sexual violence by boyfriends and girlfriends, intimate partners or ex-partners, family members and others. Such forms of violence may overlap, or have similarities, with other forms of violence such as bullying, homophobic violence and racist violence. However, these other forms of violence are not the focus of this report. The report does not seek to make recommendations for policies, programs or processes, but rather enhances the evidence base for respectful relationship education in schools. The report is based on a review of violence prevention programs in Victoria that occurred in two stages. Stage One (May to August 2008) aimed to identify violence prevention and respectful relationships programs currently operating in, or being delivered to, Victorian government secondary schools, as well as to distil principles of good practice in schools-based programs from the national and international literature. Stage Two (September 2008 to May 2009) involved a more detailed analysis of programs identified as good practice or 'promising practice' models, interviews with key informants and further analysis of existing research on violence prevention. Comments by key informants have been integrated into the text, but in order to protect confidentiality have not been attributed to individuals. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2009. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/stuman/wellbeing/respectful_relationships/respectful-relationships.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Dating Violence Shelf Number: 132072

Author: Tasmania Law Reform Institute Title: Protecting the Anonymity of Victims of Sexual Crimes Summary: The purpose of this Report is to review the operation of s 194K of the Evidence Act 2001 (Tas) which prohibits the publication of information likely to identify the complainant in sexual offences cases. It examines the adequacy of the law in achieving its objective of affording appropriate protection to victims of crimes of sexual assault. The Report also considers the position of victims who do not seek the protection of anonymity but who prefer that their voice be heard. The prohibition also applies to information likely to identify other witnesses in sexual offences cases, with the exception of the defendant. Although in some instances the observations and recommendations made may apply equally to other witnesses in sexual offences trials, the principal focus of this report is on the victims of sexual crimes. A related matter that falls outside the terms of reference for this Report is the extent to which authorised reports of cases, such as the Supreme Court�s published Comments on Passing Sentence, are edited to ensure compliance with the requirements of s 194K. In responding to IP 18, Women�s Legal Service Tasmania noted that the details contained in these can lead to identification whereas media reports are edited to avoid that likelihood. Detailed consideration of these issues is beyond the scope of this inquiry, although it may be something that the Court may like to pursue. The Report examines whether the current law requires clarification both of its scope and terminology, whether its purposes might be better achieved either by the introduction of additional features into s 194K or by the creation of a new statutory scheme, and whether it strikes the appropriate balance between protecting victims of sexual assault and the paramount public interest in open justice. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmania Law Reform Institute, 2013. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/461768/S194k_Final_05_A4.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Sex Offenses Shelf Number: 132075

Author: McGregor, Catherine Title: Youth Offenders Risk Identification (YORI): A Screening Tool for Youth Offenders in Western Australia Summary: The present study arose from early discussions between representatives of the Department of Corrective Services (DCS), Youth Justice and the School of Law and Justice at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in August 2009. Investigators from the School of Law and Justice were already involved in a study with DotAG within the children court aimed at identifying the correlates and risk factors involved in youth offending in Western Australia using a content analysis of existing court reports at five year intervals from 1994 to 2009. This project was known as Uncouth Youth? Building a profile of juvenile offenders in Western Australia ("Uncouth Youth"). Discussions with DCS identified an urgent need to develop a brief, valid and user-friendly tool to assist in targeting services towards youth offenders at the greatest risk of re-offending. A valid and reliable screening tool would allow for the triaging of young offenders coming into contact with DCS. This triage system would operate in the same way as those in hospital emergency departments by identifying those young people who should undergo more intensive intervention. There are a number of available instruments designed to identify young offenders at risk of re-offending and to help guide the selection of appropriate interventions aimed at reducing that risk. However, these instruments are generally too lengthy and detailed for standard operational use by busy frontline staff coming into contact with substantial numbers of young offenders and there is a clear need for a more user-friendly tool. Details: Perth: Edith Cowan University, 2010. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2014 at: https://www.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/83661/Young-Offender-Risk-Identification-YORI-Report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Shelf Number: 132093

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Investigation into Deaths and Harm in Custody Summary: The State owes a duty of care to every person detained in custody to ensure their safety and wellbeing. For example, in the Victorian prison system the Secretary of the Department of Justice has a statutory duty to ensure the safe custody and welfare of prisoners and offenders in the Secretary's custody. There are a number of rights that are engaged under the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 when a person is detained in custody, including a person's right to humane treatment and the right not to be arbitrarily deprived of life. The Victorian community should have confidence in what happens behind the closed doors of custodial facilities - that detainees are managed in a fair and consistent manner; that they are treated with dignity and respect for their human rights; and that those responsible for caring for detainees are held accountable for their actions. Many people in custody are vulnerable, often with complex social, legal and medical histories. Each year a number of people die in custody, while many more experience some form of harm, injury or illness. For over 40 years, the welfare of people in custody has been a concern of the Victorian Ombudsman. In a number of my reports to Parliament I have identified concerns about the treatment of people in custody and made recommendations to address such concerns. Given continuing overcrowding in Victorian prisons and police cells, coinciding with an increase in the number of prisoner deaths in 2012-13, I decided that an own motion investigation into deaths in Victorian custodial facilities was warranted. My investigation focussed on Victorian prisons, police cells, the youth justice precincts and the secure psychiatric hospital for people with serious mental illness admitted under the Mental Health Act 1986. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2014. 152p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2014 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/2998b6e6-491a-4dfe-b081-9d86fe4d4921/reports-publications/parliamentary-reports/investigation-into-deaths-and-harm-in-custody.aspx Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Deaths in Custody Shelf Number: 132095

Author: Webster, Julianne Title: Innovative Police Responses to Drug Problems: Exploring a Third-Party Policing Partnership Between Police and Community Pharmacy Summary: Third-party policing partnerships are a policing innovation increasingly discussed in the crime prevention literature, but what we actually know about third-party policing partnerships is extremely limited. In the main, studies examine voluntary community-oriented partnerships, 'hot-spots' approaches and strategies utilising legal-levers to mobilise third-parties to perform a crime prevention or crime control response. Typically, the results of such studies are observed through changes to crime and disorder concerning the particular intervention at the designated place. However rarely do studies seek to understand the processes underpinning the development and implementation of third-party policing partnerships which are mandated by regulation; the role of third-parties; the role of regulation in the mobilisation of the partnership; the impact of the intervention for the third-party; or the effectiveness of the strategy from the perspective of the regulated third-parties. This dissertation seeks to further understand how such third-party policing partnerships are developed; how they are implemented; the nature of their impact; and how they perform against their crime control objectives. This study of third-party policing partnerships draws upon a case study of a policing partnership implemented to control access to pseudoephedrine products from community pharmacies. Products containing pseudoephedrine are utilised as a key precursor chemical in the domestic manufacture of illicit synthetic drugs such as methylamphetamine in clandestine laboratories. Hence the diversion of these products for non-therapeutic purposes represents a serious crime problem. Details: Mt. Gravatt, QLD: Griffith University, Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance, 2012. 350p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: https://www120.secure.griffith.edu.au/rch/file/de2de64f-4945-5f94-96ea-b1615c5f831c/1/Webster_2012_02Thesis.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Collaboration Shelf Number: 132110

Author: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria Title: Justice or Judgement? The Impact of Victorian Homicide Law Reforms on Responses to Women Who Kill Intimate Partners Summary: Over the past decade in Australia, reviews of homicide laws have been undertaken in most jurisdictions with the aim of addressing concerns about legal responses to intimate partner homicides. In Victoria, problems were identified with the application of the partial defence of provocation, particularly in the case of men who kill their female intimate partners, while self-defence has been seen to be failing women who kill to protect themselves from their male partner's violence. In both contexts there has been a systemic failure to recognise the nature and impact of family violence. Significant changes to homicide laws were enacted in Victoria in 2005 which have been held up as a 'trendsetting' example of feminist-inspired reforms to remediate gender imbalances in legal responses (Ramsey 2010; Forell 2006). The rationale for key aspects of the reforms was to better accommodate the experiences of victims who kill violent family members (Victorian Law Reform Commission [VLRC] 2002; Australian Law Reform Commission [ALRC] and New South Wales Law Reform Commission [NSWLRC] 2010, p. 622). This discussion paper examines legal outcomes in the cases of women who have killed their intimate partners in the eight years since the reforms were implemented in Victoria. The focus of this paper is on whether, and to what extent, the reforms have improved the recognition of family violence and legal understandings of the circumstances in which women kill in response to violence by an intimate partner. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria, 2013. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: http://dvrcv.sites.go1.com.au/sites/thelookout.sites.go1.com.au/files/DVRCV-DiscussionPaper-9-2013-web.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Law Shelf Number: 132119

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth Detention Population in Australia 2013 Summary: This report examines the numbers and rates of young people who were in youth detention in Australia due to their involvement or alleged involvement in crime. It focuses on trends over the 4-year period from the June quarter 2009 to the June quarter 2013. Fewer than 1,000 young people in detention on an average night -- There were 970 young people in youth detention on an average night in the June quarter 2013. The vast majority (90%) were male. About half (51%) were unsentenced - that is, they were awaiting the outcome of their court matter or sentencing - and the remainder were serving a sentence. About three-quarters (76%) of those in detention were aged 10-17. This equates to 3.3 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000 in the Australian population, or about 1 in every 3,000 young people. The other detainees were aged 18 or over. Numbers are stable, but rates have decreased -- Over the 4-year period, the national youth detention population remained relatively stable, with 948 to 1,081 young people in detention on an average night each quarter. However, when only those aged 10-17 are considered, there was a small but steady downward trend in the number in detention and in the rate of detention, from 3.6 to 3.3 young people per 10,000 on an average night. The rate was highest during 2010 (3.9 per 10,000 in the March quarter 2010) and lower from late 2011 onwards. Decrease in sentenced detention rate -- The decrease in the rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention was mainly due to a decrease in the sentenced detention rate. While the rate of young people aged 10-17 in unsentenced detention remained relatively stable (2.0 per 10,000 in the June quarter 2013), there was a decrease in the rate of sentenced detention over the period (from 1.6 to 1.2 per 10,000). Most of the decrease occurred from late 2011 onwards. One in two in detention are Indigenous -- About half (51%) of those in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2013 were Indigenous. Over the 4-year period, there was an increase in the rate ratio (the rate of detention for Indigenous young people aged 10-17 compared to the rate of non-Indigenous young people) from 26 to 31, mainly due to a decrease in the rate of non-Indigenous young people in detention. Different trends among the states and territories -- There were different trends in the youth detention population among the states and territories. Over the 4-year period, the rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention on an average night decreased in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, increased in Queensland and the Northern Territory, and fluctuated or remained stable in the remaining states and territories. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2013. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 13: Accessed April 24, 2014 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129545393 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention (Australia) Shelf Number: 132154

Author: Victoria Police Title: Evaluation of Victoria Police Conducted Energy Device Pilot Project Summary: The Taser X26 is a brand of conducted energy device (CED); a 'less lethal' device that is used to cause temporary incapacitation to a person. Emitting electricity via wires and probes, they are employed as a resolution option by national and international law enforcement agencies against persons causing or threatening serious harm to themselves or others. CEDs have been in use by specialist areas within Victoria Police since 2004 (Special Operations Group [SOG], 2004, and the Critical Incident Response Teams [CIRT], 2005). With these specialist areas responding from their bases in Melbourne, a service delivery gap exists in regional and rural areas of Victoria. In February, 2010, Victoria Police commenced a pilot project to trial CEDs in the Bendigo and Morwell response zones. Analysis of Use of Force data identified these response zones as having a higher number of incidents involving the use of force, persons with a mental illness, sieges and instances where offenders have used weapons against police. Even though police effectively resolve a high volume of these incidents on a daily basis without recourse to the use of force, the aim of the project was to introduce CEDs to general duties and Highway Patrol police from these pilot sites and provide them with an enhanced less lethal capability to minimise the likelihood of recourse to lethal force when responding to incidents of this nature. The trial commenced on the 4th of July, 2010, and initially ran for a twelve month period before being extended pending the outcome of a formal evaluation process. In August 2011, Victoria Police's Deputy Commissioner for Regional and Road Policing, Mr Kieran Walshe APM, instigated an evaluation of the Conducted Energy Device Pilot Project. This evaluation examined and assessed the project that saw the equipping of front line police at the pilot sites with the Taser X26 CED. In order to ensure the evaluation was robust and objective, Victoria Police approached New South Wales Police seeking the assistance of an appropriately experienced senior officer. Assistant Commissioner Alan Clarke APM, the Chairperson of the NSW Police Force Taser Executive Committee, was subsequently engaged to lead the evaluation with assistance provided by staff from the Victoria Police Inspectorate. This final evaluation of the Victoria Police Conducted Energy Device Pilot Project builds upon the Interim Evaluation completed by the Conducted Energy Device Pilot Project team. The Evaluation Team, where appropriate, identified opportunities for improvement and made recommendations. The range of material examined during the evaluation supports the assertion that the CED is an effective weapon in assisting in the resolution of some incidents; this was further supported by the feedback supplied by the police attending the incidents where CED was used. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Police, 2011. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 24, 2014 at: http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=31234 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Non-lethal Weapons Shelf Number: 132175

Author: Stathopoulos, Mary Title: The Exception that Proves the Rule: Female Sex offending and the Gendered Nature of Sexual Violence Summary: This Research Summary demonstrates that female sex offending, although a serious issue, makes up a very small percentage of all sex offences. Correctional services data show a prevalence rate of just under 5% (Cortoni & Hanson, 2005). This paper explores prevalence statistics as well as offender and offence characteristics from data collected about female sex offenders. Data limitations with this population include very small samples, usually limited to custodial populations. This summary outlines the impacts on victims of sex offences by women, as well as issues related to disclosing the abuse. The available literature on prevention as well as treatment options is also explored. Details: Melbourne: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Research Summary: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/researchsummary/ressum5/ressum5.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Offenders Shelf Number: 132182

Author: Bluett-Boyd, Nicole Title: Victim/Survivor-Focused Justice Responses and Reform to Criminal Court Procedure: Implementation, Current Practice and Future Directions Summary: Many of the key narratives of sexual assault that have informed approaches to law reform highlight the unique disadvantage that victim/survivors face within the criminal justice process. Primarily, these concepts - including definitions of the "real" rape standard and the existence of an "ideal" "victim/survivor" draw on problematic, gendered social constructs and requirements that are rarely met by the reality of sexual assault. When projected onto trial settings, these constructs are often exploited through the practices of legal actors and the flexibility of current legislation. This ensures that the process of a criminal trial, and of providing testimony in particular, is traumatising for victim/survivors of sexual assault. The past three decades have seen reform at numerous levels to address these issues, both within and outside of the criminal justice process. While reforms are variable across jurisdictions, key changes include: - the expansion of counsellor/advocate services; - increased specialisation of police and prosecutions; - legislative amendments to the types of evidence that can be introduced at trial; - alternative provisions for giving evidence at trial; and - changes to the instructions given by the judiciary to the jury, including efforts to contextualise sexual assault. Many of these reforms are based on an understanding of the needs of victim/survivors within the criminal justice process. Until relatively recently these needs have conceptually been aligned with those of the justice system; with a focus on increasing convictions and ensuring punitive measures are taken. Recent reforms, including those identified above, appear to reflect an expanded definition of "justice needs", recognising that the criminal justice process intersects with therapeutic and social forms of redress. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report No. 27: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/resreport27/rr27.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts Shelf Number: 132184

Author: Australian National Audit Office Title: Policing at Australian International Airports Summary: The objective of the audit was to assess the Australian Federal Police's (AFP's) management of policing services at Australian international airports. In order to form a conclusion against this audit objective, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) examined if: - the transition to the 'All In' model of policing at airports (Project Macer) had been delivered effectively; - appropriate processes are in place for managing risk and operational planning; - effective stakeholder engagement, relationship management and information sharing arrangements are in place; - facilities at the airports are adequate and appropriate; and - appropriate mechanisms for measuring the effectiveness of policing at airports have been developed and implemented. Details: Barton, ACT: National Audit Office, 2014. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Audit Report No. 23 2013-14: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://www.anao.gov.au/~/media/Files/Audit%20Reports/2013%202014/Audit%20Report%2023/AuditReport_2013-2014_23.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Airport Security Shelf Number: 132192

Author: McFadden, Michael Title: Targeting the Profits of Illicit Drug Trafficking through Proceeds of Crime Actions Summary: Current methods of reporting the impact of proceeds of crime action typically underreport their effect on drug trafficking activity. This is because they rely principally on the raw value of confiscated assets without considering the downstream impact of assets denied on the future operations of the drug trafficking organisation. To address this deficit, the authors developed the Proceeds of Crime Drug Disruption Index (POCDDI), which attempts to better capture the short and medium-term impact of proceeds of crime action, taking into account current knowledge regarding the profitability and reinvestment behaviour of drug traffickers at different stages of the production and distribution process. Results support the argument that the raw value of confiscated assets substantially underestimate the real impact of proceeds of crime action, with medium-term estimates suggesting an impact of 11.9 times raw value for distributors, importers and producers of illicit drugs. Analyses of data provided by the Australian Federal Police also addressed the question of what factors are associated with successful or unsuccessful proceeds of crime actions, taking into account asset type, value, offence type and time elapsed at different stages of the case. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2014. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 52: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph52.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeiture Shelf Number: 132193

Author: Kirkwood, Debbie Title: 'Just Say Goodbye': Parents Who Kill Their Children in the Context of Separation Summary: This Discussion Paper, 'Just Say Goodbye', examines the motives and background to 'filicide' - the killing of children by a parent. While these deaths are often described in the media as 'inexplicable', this new research identifies a link between the killing of children and violence against women. The paper considers international research, Australian Institute of Criminology data and case examples of both fathers and mothers who kill their children. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria, 2012. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper No. 8: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.dvrcv.org.au/sites/thelookout.sites.go1.com.au/files/%E2%80%98Just%20Say%20Goodbye%E2%80%99%20%28January%202013%20online%20edition%29.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 132219

Author: Clare, Mike Title: Examination of the Extent of Elder Abuse in Western Australia. A Qualitative and Quantitative Investigation of Existing Agency Policy, Service Responses and Recorded Data Summary: Elder abuse is a significant issue for the Western Australian community, as the population is ageing and the percentage of people over age 65 is increasing exponentially. This research examines the extent of elder abuse in Western Australia, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative information from organisations working with elder abuse in order to provide a coherent, consistent estimate of the scope of elder abuse in Western Australia and the capacity of agencies to address this issue. Funding for this research was received through a grant application made by Advocare Inc. to LotteryWest, and researchers from the Crime Research Centre at the University of Western Australia were employed to conduct the research. Fourteen interviews were conducted with professionals from 10 organisations that respond to elder abuse in Western Australia. These included a total of 26 people, as some wished to be interviewed jointly. Eight of the organisations form part of the Alliance for the Prevention of Elder Abuse: WA (APEA: WA); the other two organisations were the Older Person‟s Rights Service and the State Administration Tribunal, which also deal with elder abuse cases. Where possible, organisations also provided de-identified quantitative data in order to give insight into the volume and variety of elder abuse that each agency encounters. Two focus groups were also conducted with representatives from a variety of non-APEA: WA agencies that may come across elder abuse in their work; one comprised of three participants, the other of seven. Data analysis uncovered the following themes and issues: - There are problems with the definition of elder abuse that require further exploration. Different definitions are used nationally, internationally, and between the different APEA: WA organisations. Some include paid carers and people providing services, e.g. financial advisers. Others are narrowly focused, depending on an agency's service mandate and funding arrangements. The definition of "elder" is also contested, with different definitions based on different age limits. There are also questions raised about how elder abuse should be perceived and contextualised - should it be seen as a crime? As a private family issue? Also, where does domestic violence end and elder abuse begin? - Financial abuse was by far the most frequently mentioned type of abuse during the interviews and focus groups and it is also the most common type of abuse recorded in the agencies' quantitative data. Misuse of Enduring Powers of Attorney was the most frequently mentioned financial abuse issue, followed by the perceived responsibilities of Banks to increase protection of vulnerable older people's accounts. - Qualitative data showed indications of an overall trend for increased volume of cases involving older members of the Western Australian community. However, there was also a consistent degree of uncertainty about the relevance and quality of data provided. There is no uniformity in the way that statistics are gathered; therefore, it is not easy to collate information to gain a picture of what is occurring in relation to elder abuse in Western Australia. - There does not seem to be a cohesive approach to elder abuse across government and non-government organisations. A strong government department is required to take leadership of this issue and to develop a broad and articulate multi-level elder abuse strategy. There is also a need to develop a better first-level response to elder abuse, perhaps involving a multi-agency team approach. Other options to pressing charges against perpetrators or doing nothing need to be made available to people experiencing elder abuse, e.g. family counselling and mediation. - Elder abuse lags far behind child abuse and domestic violence in terms of public recognition and social responses. A public education campaign is required to promote the importance of this issue and alert people about older people's rights and assistance available. A number of recommendations were made to address the issues raised above, and these are listed in the following section. It has been noted that elder abuse research, policy and practice is about thirty years behind research, policy and practice in child abuse and domestic violence. Due to this fact, it tends to lack conceptual clarity and be poorly defined and measured. While a problematic concept, elder abuse is an issue of deepening concern in our ageing society and the challenge for government and welfare agencies is to ensure that there are adequate resources available to respond to it effectively. It is hoped that the results of this research will inform elder abuse prevention practices for a number of local agencies and allow key agencies working with elder abuse to improve their responses and address perceived gaps in current processes. Details: Crawley: Crime Research Centre, University of Western Australia, 2011. 123p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.law.uwa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/2129606/2011-Examination-of-the-Extent-of-Elder-Abuse-in-Western-Australia.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 132223

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Identity Crime and Misuse in Australia: Results of the 2013 Online Survey Summary: Identity crime and misuse of personal information affect all sectors in Australia and cost individuals, business and government many millions of dollars annually. In the public sector, the misuse of personal information has been recognised in income tax evasion, customs duty and GST fraud, superannuation fraud, obtaining welfare and health care benefit fraud achieved through the use of false names, immigration fraud and taking English language tests (a key requirement for visas) for someone else. In the private sector, the problem areas have been identified as opening bank accounts in false names to obtain finance, ATM fraud, online and mobile banking and payment card fraud, funds transfer fraud, and securities and investment fraud. In addition to these and other financial crime risks, misuse of identity can also arise in connection with violent crime, such as where individuals have sought to avoid detection and prosecution for murder, robbery and acts of terrorism by pretending to be someone else. In May 2013, in order to explore the nature and scope of identity crime and misuse in Australia, the Australian Institute of Criminology was commissioned by the Attorney-General's Department to undertake a national survey. This project is one of a series of initiatives that are being implemented as part of the National Identity Security Strategy, Australia's national response to enhancing identity security, which seeks to prevent identity crime and misuse, contribute to national security and facilitate the benefits of the digital economy. Subsequently, the Australian Institute of Criminology used an online research panel to generate a sample of 5,000 Australians aged 15 years and over to measure personal experiences of identity crime. The survey covered the number of contacts, responses and victimisation incidents experienced, as well as financial loss and other impacts, reporting and response activities, and victims' perceptions of changing levels of risk. Detailed demographic information was also collected that enabled profiles of victims to be created. This report presents the results of the survey. The findings confirm prior research that has found that identity crime affects a relatively high proportion of Australians who report substantial financial and other impacts. Raising awareness of the risks that individuals face, and gathering sound statistical data on the problem, is an effective way to address the problem. In order to monitor changes from year to year in the nature and extent of identity crime, it is proposed that this survey will be replicated on a regular basis. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series 128: Accessed May 5, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/128/rpp128.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 132240

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: The Impact of Intensive Correction Orders on Re-Offending Summary: Aim: To examine the risk of re-offending of those who received an intensive correction order (ICO), relative to those who received periodic detention and suspended sentences with supervision. Method: Details of offenders' demographic and offence characteristics, prior convictions and penalties received, and re-offences were extracted from the Re-offending Database maintained by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Using propensity score modelling, offenders who received an ICO as a principal penalty in a NSW court between 1 October 2010 and 30 September 2012 were matched to two comparable groups of offenders who received periodic detention between 1 October 2007 and 30 September 2009 and suspended sentences with supervision between 1 October 2010 and 30 September 2012. A supplementary comparison with those who received suspended sentences with supervision included matching on Level of Service Inventory - Revised (LSI-R) assessment scores, in addition to demographic and offending characteristics. Time to first re-offence was estimated using the Nelson-Aalen estimator of the cumulative hazard rate function and compared between groups using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: An offender on an ICO had 33 per cent less risk of re-offending than an offender on periodic detention (HR=0.67, 95% confidence interval (0.55, 0.83), p<.001). There was no significant difference in re-offending between those who received ICOs and supervised suspended sentences after taking into account LSI-R assessment scores. Conclusion: There is some evidence to suggest that ICOs are more effective than periodic detention in terms of re-offending rates. However, future evaluations should include more detailed offender, treatment and program participation information in order to better understand any observed differences between comparison groups. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 176: Accessed May 7, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb176.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 132261

Author: Sowerwine, Sam Title: Sentencing contradictions - Difficulties faced by people living with mental illness in contact with the criminal justice system Summary: This discussion paper focuses on the need to ensure the diversion of people who are homeless and those with a mental illness out of the criminal justice system. Where such diversion does not occur, sentencing options should be focused on addressing the underlying causes of criminal activity. There is a public interest in reducing recidivism and supporting 'justice reinvestment' approaches that move funds away from more expensive, end-of-process crime control options, such as incarceration, towards programs that target the factors that cause offenders to commit crime. This reinvestment should take place both internally and external to the criminal justice system. However, it is imperative that community service organisations - generally the core service providers of such programs - are adequately resourced. There is also a need for specially tailored services to meet the complex needs of people with mental illness. For this reason, it is important that treatment and care under diversionary programs take a multi-disciplinary and multi-stranded approach. Details: Sydney: Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Ltd., 2013. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2014 at: http://www.piac.asn.au/sites/default/files/publications/extras/13.10.15_sentencing_contradictions_-_difficulties_faced_by_people_living_with_mental_illness_and_the_criminal_justice_system_-_briefing_paper.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 132288

Author: McGuinness, Kate Title: Community Education and Social Marketing Literature Review: To inform a campaign to prevent child abuse and neglect in the Northern Territory Summary: The aim of this review is to inform a community education and social marketing strategy to improve the safety and wellbeing of children in the Northern Territory (NT). Examining national and international literature provides an overview of the current research on i) what helps communities and families to keep their children safe; ii) the use and effectiveness of social marketing and community education approaches for the prevention of child abuse and neglect and/or approaches in remote and/or Aboriginal contexts and iii) their applicability to the NT context. In doing so the review seeks to answer the following questions: - Why is there a need for a community education and social marketing campaign in the NT? - Why do strategies need to reach Aboriginal families? - What helps communities and families to keep their children safe? - What methods of delivery (what strategies) are best for achieving change? - Who should key messages be targeted at? Details: Darwin, NT, AUS: The Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, 2013. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2014 at: http://ccde.menzies.edu.au/sites/default/files/Menzies-SocialMarketing-Review-Final-May.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 132292

Author: Magistrates Court Tasmania Title: Hobart Specialised Youth Justice Court Pilot: Evaluation Report Summary: The Specialised Youth Justice Court Pilot commenced operation in the Hobart registry of the Magistrates Court of Tasmania in January 2011. The evaluation period ranges from commencement until September 2012. The Pilot will formally end with the Magistrates Court's acceptance of this report in October 2013. If the recommendations of this report are accepted, the SYJC will continue in the Hobart registry of the Magistrates Court, and be adopted in Launceston in 2014. The Specialised Youth Justice Court operates as a specialist list in Hobart, but it is not a separate or distinct court. Over the course of its operation it has been presided over by a designated or 'specialist' youth justice magistrate, with a relief magistrate presiding over a small youth justice case load and available to cover situations where the primary magistrate has not been available. The Pilot has operated without any specific or additional budgetary allocation to the Court or any of the agencies involved in its development and implementation. Rather, the operational arrangements were absorbed by existing budgets and integrated into established business practices. The Hobart Specialised Youth Justice Court consists of two related streams. Firstly, there is a general stream in which all youth justice matters triable summarily are listed. This is, in effect the Youth Justice Division of the Magistrates Court, a court constituted by a magistrate to hear and determine criminal charges against people under the age of 18. The Pilot altered the legal landscape in Hobart by allocating a primary and a relief magistrate to the Youth Justice Division, as distinct from the eight magistrates who presided prior to the Pilot. Secondly, the Pilot introduced a 'Special List' as a subset of the general youth justice list that would hear and determine complex matters assessed as needing a therapeutic jurisprudence approach. The Special List is concerned with vulnerable young offenders, such as those with drug and alcohol and/or mental health problems or other serious vulnerability. The Special List uses regular judicial case supervision to try to improve the circumstances of the offender, and support them to develop the skills and resilience needed to escape cycles of disadvantage and offending behaviour. The specific aims of the Pilot were to achieve: - Improved timeliness to finalisation of youth justice matters - Encouragement of more consistency in the court's decisions - Greater development and application of expertise in youth justice matters - Better coordination of youth justice support services to the court - Increased collaborative approaches between the agencies involved in youth. Details: Hobart: Magistrates Court Tasmania, 2013. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2014 at: http://www.magistratescourt.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/269718/Hobart_Specialised_Youth_Justice_Court_Pilot_-_Evaluation_Report_Sept_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Court Shelf Number: 132318

Author: New South Wales Department of Attorney General & Justice Title: Graffiti Vandalism: The Motivations and Modus Operandi of Persons Who Do Graffiti Summary: There has been a significant increase in the number of graffiti vandalism incidents recorded by the NSW Police over the last decade. Graffiti vandalism is a crime that has significant financial and social impacts on the NSW community, affecting government utilities, public transport operators, local government, business owners and residents. The cost of graffiti management diverts government funds from important services for the community. The NSW Government has a long-standing commitment to dealing with the problem of graffiti in the NSW community. This commitment has seen the establishment of graffiti taskforces, such as the Anti-Graffiti Action Team (AGAT, established in 2006), changes to legislation and the provision of funds to Local Councils to implement targeted graffiti management strategies. The NSW State Plan deals with graffiti management under Priority R3: Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour. A broad range of programs and initiatives aimed at reducing graffiti vandalism have been introduced across Australia and internationally. However, there is little evidence available on the motivations and modus operandi of the people who commit graffiti vandalism. Details: Sydney: NSW Department of Justice and Attorney General, 2009. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 12, 2014 at: http://www.melbournegraffiti.com/news/The-motivations-and-modus-operandi-of-persons-who-do-graffiti.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Shelf Number: 132342

Author: Stathopoulos, Mary Title: Sexual Revictimisation: Individual, interpersonal and contextual factors Summary: There is a complex array of variables related to sexual revictimisation. Although prevalence is difficult to ascertain, several studies relate that people who have been sexually abused as children are two to three times more likely to be sexually revictimised in adolescence and/or adulthood. Much of the literature on sexual revictimisation focuses on the individual risk factors for the victim/survivor - their risk perception and emotional dysregulation resulting from initial sexual victimization - and how these create vulnerability for sexual revictimisation. Broader contextual factors beyond the victim/survivor, however, are often ignored. These contextual factors are explored here with a particular emphasis on minority groups, such as people with a disability; gay, lesbian and bisexual people; and Indigenous people. This focus demonstrates that individual risk factors often do not account for how perpetrators may target vulnerable people who have previously been victimised, how community and organizational attitudes and norms may support sexual revictimisation, and how broader social norms create vulnerability for certain groups. A focus on these broader contextual factors helps to inform prevention strategies. Details: Melbourne: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, 2014. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Summary: Accessed May 14, 2014 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/acssa_sexualrevictimisationindividualinterpersonalandcontextualfactors_may_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 132347

Author: Goh, Derek Title: An update of long-term trends in property and violent crime in New South Wales: 1990-2013 Summary: Aim: The aim of this paper is to analyse the trends in the rates of annual recorded incidents of 10 categories of property and violent crime for the period 1990 to 2013 in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Offence rates were calculated using criminal incident data from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) for the period 1995 to 2013, and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research's recorded crime statistics report series for the period 1990 to 1994. Kendall's trend test was run on the 24 annual rates for each of the 10 offence categories. Results: Some categories of crime in NSW are now at the lowest recorded levels they have been for over 20 years. Comparing per capita rates of crime in 2013 with per capita rates in 1990, lower rates were found for: motor vehicle theft (77% lower), robbery with a firearm (73% lower), break and enter non-dwelling (68% lower), break and enter dwelling (52% lower), murder (43% lower), robbery without a weapon (35% lower), and robbery with a weapon not a firearm (29% lower). Three of the ten offence types analysed in this report were found to have recorded rates higher in 2013 than in 1990: sexual assault (125% higher), other sexual offences (95% higher) and assault (74% higher). Conclusion: In the period since 1990, assault and sexual assault rates recorded significant long term upward trends whilst the other eight offences analysed in this report were trending down or stable. The 2013 recorded sexual assault rate was marginally below the highest in that series (occurring in 2012) and the rate since 2000 has recorded a significant uptrend. Apart from sexual assault and 'other' sexual offences, the remaining eight offence types recorded significant downtrends in recorded rates since 2000. The three robbery and three property crime series all recorded falls of more than 60 percent since 2000. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper No. 93: Accessed May 14, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb93.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 132348

Author: Brown, Rick Title: Regulating crime prevention design into consumer products: Learning the lessons from electronic vehicle immobilisation Summary: Despite significant reductions in recent years, acquisitive property crime remains the single largest crime category, with over 700,000 offences recorded annually by police in Australia. There is potential to further reduce the scale of such offending and the subsequent costs to society by focusing attention on the design of frequently stolen consumer products in order to reduce their vulnerability to theft. While there is a variety of ways of engaging with manufacturers, government regulation may ultimately be required if other approaches prove unsuccessful. This paper examines the lessons that can be learned as a result of the regulation of motor manufacturers to install electronic immobilisers on all new cars from July 2001, which has contributed to significant reductions in vehicle crime over the past decade. Eight generic lessons for future regulation of crime prevention design in consumer products are outlined. These lessons should assist policymakers to identify how the costs incurred by the criminal justice system in dealing with acquisitive property crime could be shifted to manufacturers, who arguably contribute to the problem by the way they design and market their consumer products. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no. 453: Accessed May 14, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi453.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 132350

Author: Tassone, Christopher Title: Mobile Device Forensics: A Snapshot Summary: In the increasingly dynamic environment of mobile forensics, this paper provides an overview of the capabilities of three popular mobile forensic tools on three mobile phones based on Apple's iOS, Google's Android and RIM's BlackBerry operating systems. The paper identifies where each specific tool is best applied and also describes the limitations of each in accessing contacts, call history, message data (SMS, MMS and emails), media files and other data. New releases of forensic tools and mobile operating systems may change the way the data are acquired and preserved in the future. It is therefore hoped that future research will continue to provide the digital forensics community with the most up-to-date overview of mobile forensics capabilities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no. 460: Accessed May 14, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi460.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Mobile Communications Shelf Number: 132351

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Why is the NSW Prison Population Growing? Summary: Aim: To provide a preliminary analysis of the rapid rise in the NSW prison population from January 2013 to March 2014. Method: Descriptive analysis of court, crime, arrest and correctional data, and ARIMA modelling of prison trends. Results: The key factors responsible for the recent rise in the NSW prison population appear to be a higher rate of arrest for serious crime and an increase in the proportion of convicted offenders given a prison sentence. There is no evidence that prisoners during 2013 are spending longer in custody but there is evidence the length of stay in custody may increase over the coming year. If the current trend in inmate numbers continues, the NSW prison population will rise by another 17 per cent (i.e., to about 12,500 inmates) by March 2015. Conclusion: Early consideration should be given to measures that reduce the demand for prison accommodation and/or expand prison capacity. Keywords: prison, Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 95: Accessed May 15, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb95.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Imprisonment Shelf Number: 132355

Author: Connery, David Title: The Commonwealth's Part in the fight Against Organised Crime: It's worth doing more Summary: Organised crime is a significant threat to Australia's society and economy, and Australian governments already devote much attention and resources to combating it. This attention includes a new initiative to enhance Commonwealth - state law enforcement cooperation: an anti-gangs squad. The new squad will bring a range of new information sources to help state police forces in practical and direct ways. It will be welcome and is likely to enhance the existing effort against organised crime. But there's another area where the Commonwealth could show leadership: by helping all Australian jurisdictions to build capability to counter organised crime. Capability is simply the mixture of people, equipment, processes and training that gives an organisation the potential to achieve its mission. But capability development, as it's known, is an active process that requires money and attention. After making the case for the Commonwealth to do more in the area of organised crime, and outlining the role and function of the Australian Government's anti-gangs squad initiative, this paper proposes two options for how the government could promote nationwide capability development in this area. The first is to expand the function and resources given to the Senior Officers Group on Organised Crime (SOG on OC) so that it has the funds and support to make a plan for new, nationally consistent capability. This option would cost around $18 million a year and require an expansion of the committee. The second option is to extend the remit of the Australia - New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee. This option would leverage the extensive (but not complete) overlap between the needs of countering terrorism and countering organised crime. Of the two options, expanding and funding the SOG on OC, using money from proceeds-of-crime or unexplained wealth confiscations, is suggested as a good first step because it involves the least amount of change. But it should be only an interim step. What should also occur at the same time is an extensive review of the interjurisdictional governance arrangements for domestically oriented security challenges in Australia. The review should aim to minimise the current duplications among committees and enhance the effectiveness of the Commonwealth-state partnerships in areas including crime fighting, counterterrorism, emergency management and cybersecurity. Details: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2014 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/the-commonwealths-part-in-the-fight-against-organised-crime/SR61_Organised_crime.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 132379

Author: Field-Pimm, Melanie Title: Parenting Status of Community Correctional Clients: Informing Service Planning Summary: No single agency or government department routinely collects data about the parental status of offenders or the characteristics or needs of offenders' families and children. This lack of hard data is partly responsible for difficulties in planning and targeting of services. More broadly, the lack of data prevents rational discussion of this issue. As a result, the population of parents, children and families is 'unmonitored, under-researched and unsupported by the statutory sector' (Murray, 2007:55). In response, this paper recommends a planned approach for informed service delivery aimed at improving the family circumstances of offenders who are also parents in Victoria. The data collected in this project represents a first step towards this planning. The Victorian Correctional System itself already has a number of responses in place for offenders who are parents. These include the Springhill Unit in Marngoneet Correctional Centre (designed to provide a targeted parenting program for fathers), the Mother & Baby Units in the Women's Prisons, and The Family Support Service at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. Community based organisations offer a myriad of individual services. However these are i) ad hoc and ii) connected to correctional centres rather than the community correctional system. Partly as a result of recent legislative changes to the application of Parole in Victoria coming into effect as of September 2013, the number of parole breaches has increased. It is anticipated that this will significantly impact on families, particularly when the offender is a parent and is moving through or back to a period of incarceration due to the breach. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Association for the Care & Resettlement of Offenders, 2014. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2014 at: http://www.vacro.org.au/Portals/0/PDF/Research/Publications/Parenting%20Status%20of%20Community%20Correctional%20Clients.2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Children of Prisoners (Australia) Shelf Number: 132380

Author: Mathews, Rebecca Title: Risk-Based Licensing and Alcohol-Related Offences in the Australian Capital Territory Summary: Since December 2010, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has calculated and set liquor licensing fees according to venue type, occupancy, and trading hours, a practice known as risk-based licensing (RBL). RBL was introduced in the ACT amid growing concerns about the prevalence of alcohol-related problems at licensed premises, increases in the proportion of assaults involving alcohol and increases in hospitalisations for alcohol-related injury. RBL aims to recover some of the policing and regulatory costs of alcohol-related offences with higher risk licensees required to contribute proportionally more to these costs by paying higher licensing fees. In 2012, the Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety Inquiry into Liquor Licensing Fees and Subordinate Legislation reported that one year after the introduction of RBL in the ACT, alcohol-related offences had declined. However it was not clear to what degree alcohol-related offences had declined at licensed premises in entertainment precincts after midnight. Also, concerns persisted, particularly among licensees, that RBL disadvantaged some licensees and failed to address the contribution of off-trade licensees and pre-loading to alcohol-related harms. This study investigated the impacts of RBL on patterns of alcohol-related offences in the ACT and stakeholders' perceptions of its efficacy and limitations. It is the first study to attempt to evaluate the impacts of RBL on alcohol-related offences and to seek input from key stakeholders as to its efficacy and limitations. Details: Deakin, AUS: Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education, 2013 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2014 at: http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Risk-based-licensing-and-alcohol-related-offences-in-the-ACT-Final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 132381

Author: Australia. Office of the Status of Women Title: Indigenous Family Violence : Phase 1 meta-evaluation report Summary: A meta evaluation has been conducted of the first phase of the $50 million Partnerships Against Domestic Violence Initiative (PADV1), which aims to find better ways of working to prevent, reduce and respond to domestic violence. This volume of the meta evaluation discusses the incidence of family violence in Australian Indigenous communities, barriers to reporting this and Indigenous perspectives and approaches to family violence, and then documents the key findings from the meta evaluation of the range of PADV1 and associated Indigenous family violence projects funded by the Australian Government. The projects are categorised into six broad groups: prevention; community education and development; collaboration; counselling and therapeutic interventions; working with men; and community capacity building. The report finds that considerable experience has been gained and effective approaches developed through the PADV process, and concludes with a discussion of key findings and priorities for future action. Details: Barton, A.C.T. : Office of the Status of Women, 2003. 106p. Source: Available from the Rutgers Criminal Justice Library, and other libraries Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Women Shelf Number: 132383

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 2014: Discussion Paper Summary: The purpose of this inquiry is to investigate the ways in which life in immigration detention affects the health, well-being and development of children. The inquiry will assess the impact on children by seeking the views of people who were previously detained as children in closed immigration detention and by assessing the current circumstances and responses of children to immigration detention. Ten years ago the Australian Human Rights Commission released A last resort? the report of the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention (National Inquiry). The National Inquiry found that Australia's system of mandatory immigration detention of children was fundamentally inconsistent with Australia's human rights obligations. The National Inquiry also found that children in immigration detention for long periods of time are at high risk of serious mental harm. Since the National Inquiry there have been significant positive developments including the removal of children from high security Immigration Detention Centres, the creation of the Community Detention system and the use of bridging visas for asylum seekers who arrive by boat. Today, however there are approximately 1,000 children in closed immigration detention. This is a higher number than at any point during the period covered by the last inquiry, and the Commission's monitoring work reveals that key concerns remain. With this increase in child detainees, it is time to look at this issue again. This inquiry will be able to discover what has changed in the ten years since the last investigation, and find out whether Australia is meeting its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The benefit of a national inquiry is that it gives a voice to children and families who are directly affected by detention. It also allows professionals, experts and others to have a voice through public hearings and submissions. Details: Sydney: Australian Human Rights Commission, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2014 at https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/Children_Detention2014_Discussion_paperFINAL.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Immigrant Detention (Australia) Shelf Number: 132412

Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Help-seeking strategies of victim/survivors of human trafficking involving partner migration Summary: Victim/survivors of human trafficking involving partner migration employ diverse help-seeking strategies, both formal and informal, to exit their exploitative situations. Drawing on primary research conducted by Lyneham and Richards (forthcoming), the authors highlight the importance of educating the community and professionals from a wide range of sectors - including health, mental health, child protection, social welfare, social work, domestic violence, migration, legal and law enforcement services - about human trafficking and the help-seeking strategies of victims/survivors in order to support them to leave exploitative situations. Enhancing Australia's knowledge of victim/survivors' help-seeking strategies will better inform government and community responses to this crime, improve detection and identification of human trafficking matters and subsequent referral to appropriate victim services. Details: Syndney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 10p. Source: AIC Trends & Issues No. 468: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2014 at http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi468.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking Victims Shelf Number: 132415

Author: Rogers, Colin Title: Maintaining democratic policing: the challenge for police leaders Summary: The policing function in most democratic countries is currently undergoing a series of radical changes, not only economically through different austerity measures, but organisationally and structurally through the introduction of various reviews into police pay, working conditions etc. For example, in the UK the Audit Commission (2010) and Winsor (2011) have suggested such changes as direct entry schemes to the rank of inspector and superintendent as well as setting different levels of advancement for payment of constables. These changes may appear to some as superficial tinkering with the way the police perform their practical function, and indeed appear to be aimed at the delivery of street level policing. However, the effects of such changes may manifest themselves in a far more subtle manner surrounding the very philosophy of policing as understood since its modern inception. The unforeseen implications of such changes have the potential to store up challenges and problems for police leaders if not recognised and understood. Contemporary democratic policing normally claims its roots and legitimacy in the fact that it is supported by communities in the carrying out of their duties. Hence respect for and continued interaction with communities is vital support to allow the police to carry out their function. This is particularly so when discussing the democratic policing model. Details: Manly, NSW, Australia: Australian Institute of Police Management, 2014. 7p. Source: AIPM Research Focus, Vol 2(2); Internet Resource: Accessed June 9, 2014 at http://www.aipm.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Research-Focus-Vol2-Iss2-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Democratic Policing Shelf Number: 132422

Author: Cross, Cassandra Title: Challenges of responding to online fraud victimisation in Australia Summary: Online fraud occurs when an individual or a business responds in some manner to an unsolicited invitation received via the internet and suffers financial or other detrimental effects as a result. In 2010-11, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012) found that over 1.2 million Australians (6.7% of the population aged 15 years and over) had been a victim of personal fraud, losing approximately $1.4b in the preceding 12 months. More than half of these victims (55.7%) were contacted via the internet or email (online victimisation). In addition to monetary losses, victims of online fraud suffer serious psychological, emotional, social and even physical problems as a consequence of their victimisation. This paper explores the challenges of responding to online fraud victimisation in Australia and describes some of the specific support services that have recently emerged to support victims of this crime. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 6p. Source: AIC Trends & Issues No. 474: Internet Resource: Accessed June 9, 2014 at http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi474.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Online Fraud (Australia) Shelf Number: 132433

Author: Lyneham, Samantha Title: Human Trafficking Involving Marriage and Partner Migration to Australia Summary: In this report, what is known about human trafficking involving marriage and partner migration to Australia is described, drawing on primary information obtained from victim/survivor testimonies, stakeholder knowledge and expertise, and reported cases that progressed through the Australian justice system. While past research has focused on commercial labour and sexual exploitation, this report draws attention to trafficking that can occur in non-commercial contexts. Although forced marriage has increasingly gained attention over the past three years and a small number of legal proceedings have substantiated attempted or actual cases of forced marriage involving girls and young women, less attention has been paid to the exploitation of migrant brides in other ways. This research is the first in Australia to confirm that marriage has been used to recruit or attract women to Australia for the purposes of exploitation as domestic servants, to provide private or commercial sexual services and/or to be exploited in the home as wives. The lack of data and information on human trafficking generally, and on human trafficking involving marriage and partner migration specifically, has implications for the way the problem is conceptualised, measured and responded to. While current knowledge in related areas, such as violence against women in general, violence against migrant spouses, domestic violence and sexual violence, can provide information on the context and environment in which human trafficking involving intimate partner relationships can occur, this research provides the first evidence of this form of human trafficking in Australia. Although exploratory in nature, this research makes a significant contribution to the limited body of knowledge on exploitative marriages in the context of human trafficking, providing an initial insight into the nature of this crime. Further, more detailed assessment, is required to understand the extent of the problem and to inform prevention, detection and enforcement strategies. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no. 124: Accessed June 14, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/124/rpp124.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking (Australia) Shelf Number: 132457

Author: Goodman-Delahunty, Jane Title: Profiling Parental Child Sex Abuse Summary: Almost universally, including every Australian state and self-governing territory, sexual relations between a parent and child constitute child sexual abuse (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989), although definitions of the crime and penalties vary by jurisdiction. Despite cultural taboos against incest and pervasive social opprobrium, complicity and silence about this offence impedes research advances (Sacco 2009). Studies in correctional settings typically include all subtypes of sex offenders and focus on high-risk extrafamilial offenders, leading to inconsistent findings about the treatment, risk management and prevention of intrafamilial offending (Butler, Goodman-Delahunty & Lulham 2012). Disclosure by popular celebrities of their personal experiences of incest has raised awareness of the widespread nature of this furtive offence (Phillips 2009; Winfrey 2011) but the topic remains understudied, misunderstood and inadequately addressed. Information specific to offender subtypes can inform theory and assist in the development of evidence-based policies and interventions to more effectively reduce crime and enhance protections available to Australian children. To remedy the dearth of information about this covert crime and assess the distinctiveness of this subgroup of child sex offenders, this paper presents findings from an Australian parental sex offender sample referred to a community-based diversion program. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice no. 465: Accessed June 17, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/461-480/tandi465.html Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 132486

Author: Hughes, Caitlin Title: Evaluating Australian Drug Trafficking Thresholds: Proportionate, Equitable and Just? Summary: Drug trafficking in Australia is deemed a very serious offence, one for which legislators and courts have ruled general deterrence is paramount and 'little mercy' should be shown (Clune [1989] VR 567, O'Bryan and Marks JJ, 576). A principal challenge has been how to effectively differentiate and sanction participants in the drug trade: particularly how to differentiate 'traffickers' from those who solely purchase or consume illicit drugs (people whom legislators and courts have determined ought be sanctioned more leniently). To assist in this endeavour all states and territories have adopted drug trafficking thresholds which specify quantities of drugs, for possession of more than which it is presumed an offender has committed an offence of drug trafficking (or of mid or high level trafficking, depending on the quantity). For numerous reasons the Australian system of drug trafficking thresholds is unique. First, Australia is one of the few countries that specifies quantities as threshold limits for distinguishing between drug offences with different penalty scales. These thresholds vary by drug type and by jurisdiction, and are largely set at 2 to 3 grams in most jurisdictions (see below). The quantity is not the sole factor considered in sentencing. The nature and circumstances of the alleged possession, such as the presence or absence of large sums of money or other indicia of supply often act as mitigating or aggravating circumstances. Yet particularly for thresholds that distinguish trafficking from use, the threshold is often the most important factor affecting prosecution and sentencing. Second, to assist in the successful prosecution of drug traffickers the Australian drug trafficking thresholds are attached to deemed supply laws which reverse the traditional burden of proof from prosecutors onto defendants. Such laws mean that possession of the trafficable threshold amount will constitute a presumption of trafficking placing the onus on the alleged offender to prove that the possessed amount was not for the purposes of trafficking ('deemed supply'). Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2014. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/35-1112-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 132488

Author: Townsley, Michael Title: Crime in High-Rise Buildings: Planning for Vertical Community Safety Summary: The aim of this research is to inform housing and planning policy development by exploring the variation in types and volumes of crime in a range of existing high-density communities. By analysing actual rates and types of crime, building management styles and perceptions of fear of crime, the research will reveal how policing and high-rise building management styles can coalesce to create safer vertical communities. The methodological approach was multi-method, comprising quantitative analysis, in depth interviews, a systematic observational instrument and resident surveys. The research was partitioned into three separate studies, each differentiated by the corresponding data sources and methodological approach. Qualitative analyses of police recorded crime incidents (Study 1) showed a high degree of concentration of crimes in a small proportion of high-rise buildings. This pattern was observed regardless of crime type or time of year. Building characteristics were examined and it was found that residential tenure appeared to have a relationship with the amount of crime recorded at the building level. Buildings with long-term residents recorded the lowest levels of crime, on average. Buildings with short-term tenancies (holiday apartments, hotels) had the next highest, and buildings with mixed tenure (both long and short term tenancies) recording the highest levels of crime. The second study took a subsample of high-rise buildings and used an observational protocol to make ratings about place management, guardianship, and physical security. The most notable finding was that unlike findings internationally, place management and active guardianship did not appear to be positively correlated. That is, theory would suggest that locations with high levels of active guardianship should also have high levels of place management, but we did not observe this at the buildings in our sample. Strong positive correlations between place management and territoriality, image and physical security were observed. The third study involved interviewing residents, police officers, and building managers with a focus on the relationship between perceptions of safety and high-rise living. The findings indicated that the tenure and design aspects of the buildings had a significant influence upon perceived safety and security. Buildings of mixed tenures (short term or holiday letting and longer term residential) were most vocal in discussing the challenges of security and safety. Importantly, design and building management alone are not the sole panacea and individuals also had to take responsibility for considering their safety and security within high density environments. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2013. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/29-1112-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Building Security Shelf Number: 132492

Author: International Fund for Animal Welfare Title: Click to Delete: Australian Websites Selling Endangered Wildlife Summary: Wildlife crime ranks among the most lucrative of serious and organised international crimes along with human trafficking, drug running and illegal arms and in many ways can be just as dangerous and damaging. Various organisations and reports estimate that the trade is worth at least NZ$22 billion per year worldwide1 and the threat it poses to many of the world's most iconic species including elephants, rhinos and big cats is now widely recognised. Details: Sydney: IFAW Oceania, 2014. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 17, 2014 at: http://www.ifaw.org/sites/default/files/IFAW_Internet%20Trade%20Report_NZ%20web.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Endangered Wildlife Shelf Number: 132493

Author: Freeman, Karen Title: Understanding the relationship between crime victimisation and mental health: a longitudinal analysis of population data Summary: Aim: To determine whether a change in crime victimisation status (from non-victim to victim) affects mental health. Method: Fixed effects models were used to examine the effect of physical violence and property crime victimisation in the past year on future mental health. The sample pooled 110,671 records from 16,187 persons aged 15 years or older who participated in at least two waves of the Australian Household, Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) survey between 2002 and 2011. The analysis controlled for all time-stable factors as well as a wide range of dynamic variables known to be associated with mental health (i.e., partner status, area of residence, labour force status, financial prosperity, ability to raise funds in an emergency, alcohol consumption, smoking status, physical activity, general health, social networks and number of life events). Results: The analysis revealed that becoming a victim of violent crime results in a decrease in mental health. Females had a more pronounced decline in mental health after becoming a victim of violence compared with males. By contrast, there was no evidence that becoming a victim of property crime has a detectable impact on mental health for either females or males. Conclusion: Being a victim of violent crime has an adverse effect on mental health. This effect is apparent for both male and female victims, however there is a greater effect of violent crime on women's mental health. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 177: Accessed June 18, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb177.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Gender Shelf Number: 132498

Author: Wall, Liz Title: Gender Equality and Violence against Women. What's the Connection? Summary: The perpetration of men's violence against women is understood to be a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women. But unravelling the link between gender inequality and male perpetration of violence against women requires a multi-dimensional perspective. Prevention efforts have focused on gender inequality as the problem, but in striving for improvement, there is no existing model of gender equality to aspire to or to demonstrate the end product. There is also a lack of research and data around whether some aspects of gender equality are more important than others in preventing violence, and how the gender power imbalance works with disadvantage in other social categories such as race and class. These add further complexity to the issue of gender equality. Key Messages -- ◾Gender inequality is cited as a key determinant or factor that underpins violence against women - the connection, however, is complex and requires consideration from different perspectives. ◾An ecological framework provides a strong basis for a prevention/public health approach to violence against women by enabling the interaction of social and other influences to be examined. ◾Implementation of gender equality policies should include consideration of other sources and intersections of disadvantage, such as class and race, which may compound gender disadvantage. ◾More research is required to understand which aspects of gender inequality have the most impact on violence against women. ◾Gender equality goes beyond economics to include less tangible factors such as the relative social status of unequal groups, social norms and attitudes. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute for Family Studies, Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, 2014. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Research Summary no. 7: Accessed June 18, 2014 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/researchsummary/ressum7/ressum7.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Battered Women Shelf Number: 132500

Author: Origin Consulting Title: Whole of Strategy Evaluation of the Petrol Sniffing Strategy: Future Directions for the PSS 2013 Summary: This report provides a high-level strategic review of the implementation of the Petrol Sniffing Strategy (PSS) since its inception and provides guidance on the future management and structure of the PSS. The evaluation examines the management and implementation of the PSS Eight Point Plan to control petrol sniffing, the extent to which it has been coordinated at a regional/community level, and its impact at a national level. The evaluation uses case studies in the East Kimberley and Ngaanyatjarra Lands in Western Australia to investigate how well components of the PSS interact at specific locations, whether it is effective and sustainable at a regional level and how effective the partnership approach is at the whole of government level. These regions were chosen as case studies because of their distinctly different histories and responses to petrol sniffing Details: Balmain, NSW, Australia: Origin Consulting, 2013. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2014 at: http://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/04_2013/petrol_sniffing_strategy_evaluation_report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 132502

Author: Goodman-Delahunty, Jane Title: Reoffence Risk in Intrafamilial Child Sexual Offenders Summary: The sexual abuse of children by a parent is one of the most serious crimes in Australian society. Because of the covert nature of the crime, misperceptions of parental offenders and victims are widespread and traditional criminal justice responses are ineffective. As a result, assessing risk, selecting appropriate rehabilitative interventions, and managing parental offenders in the community has been problematic. Child sex offenders are universally reviled, but data on the parental subgroup of intrafamilial offenders are extremely limited. Although significant differences between intrafamilial and extrafamilial sex offences and offenders have been observed, these distinctions are rarely considered by policy makers. Parental offenders are typically viewed as low risk and amenable to treatment, but little systematic empirical research on this topic exists to verify these presumptions. The current study filled this gap in the literature. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2014. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/44-1011-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 132503

Author: Lindo, Jason M. Title: Breaking the Link Between Legal Access to Alcohol and Motor Vehicle Accidents: Evidence from New South Wales Summary: A large literature has documented significant public health benefits associated with the minimum legal drinking age in the United States, particularly because of the resulting effects on motor vehicle accidents. These benefits form the primary basis for continued efforts to restrict youth access to alcohol. It is important to keep in mind, though, that policymakers have a wide variety of alcohol-control options available to them, and understanding how these policies may complement or substitute for one another can improve policy making moving forward. Towards this end, we propose that investigating the causal effects of the minimum legal drinking age in New South Wales, Australia provides a particularly informative case study, because Australian states are among the world leaders in their efforts against drunk driving. Using an age-based regression-discontinuity design applied to restricted-use data from several sources, we find no evidence that legal access to alcohol has effects on motor vehicle accidents of any type in New South Wales, despite having large effects on drinking and on hospitalizations due to alcohol abuse. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2014. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper No. 7930: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp7930.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 132505

Author: Corcoran, Jonathan Title: Community variations in hoax calls and suspicious fires : geographic, temporal and socio-economic dimensions and trajectories Summary: The present project seeks to better understand the spatial dynamics of suspicious fires and malicious hoax calls across Queensland. Currently an extensive body of empirical research considers the psychological motivations and disorders related to fire setting behaviour. Not surprisingly policy and prevention initiatives also focus on individual behaviours or predispositions. While some studies are beginning to consider the spatial and environmental characteristics where fires occur, the current project is the first to examine fire incidents over such a large geographic area (State of Queensland) and time period (13 years). In so doing it makes central the spaces in which malicious hoax calls and suspicious fires occur and how these incidents in these spaces change over time. Research objectives This research aims to examine and capture the spatial and temporal patterning of malicious hoax calls and suspicious fires across Queensland. It takes a longitudinal approach examining the geographical trajectories of malicious hoax calls and suspicious fires over time. This project aims to identify changing patterns of malicious hoax calls and suspicious fires over time by categorising changes into persistent, transient or emergent spatial concentrations. Further it identifies the most salient socio-economic characteristics of spatial areas that predict the occurrence and spatial patterning of malicious hoax calls and suspicious fires. Details: Canberra : Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2012. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/48-1011-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Arson Shelf Number: 132516

Author: Marriott, Philip Title: Innovative Solutions for Enhanced Illicit Drugs Profiling Using Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Technologies Summary: Analytical gas chromatographic methods usually rely upon a single dimension (ie single column) high-resolution capillary GC column to provide separation of target analyses. When a matrix is especially complex, the ability of the column to provide adequate resolution is severely compromised. Often, mass spectrometry may provide the ability to uniquely measure the target compounds, but if the matrix generates similar ions to the target compounds, this can lead to confounded analysis. Mass spectrometry offers many potential solutions to the lack of resolution of GC; however, this usually involves selected ion monitoring or similar approaches. This removes the important opportunity to use a full-scan spectrum to match with a database library. In the present project, high-resolution GC analysis using the multidimensional separation method of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) was used to provide sufficient resolution to allow full-scan acquisition with library confirmation of illicit drug identity. It was shown that the WADA criteria for a selection of test steroid compounds could be suitably met under this new high-resolution environment. In addition, analysis of samples of ecstasy were profiled and all synthetic residues involved in the synthesis of ecstasy could be fully resolved and located in the 2D separation space with excellent library matches, even though the underlying matrix was very complicated and would have strongly interfered in a 1D separation analysis. This will allow facile profiling of the reaction procedure for ecstasy synthesis. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2014. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 50: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph50.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 132524

Author: Richardson, Roslyn Title: Fighting Fire with Fire: Target audience responses to online anti-violence campaigns Summary: This report documents young Muslim Sydneysiders' responses to a variety of online campaigns that promote non-violent political activism or aim to 'counter violent extremism' (CVE). In undertaking this study, which involved interviews with Muslim communities in Western Sydney - communities that have been targeted by both violent propaganda and government communication campaigns - two things became apparent. First, there's a pool of highly educated, discerning and media-savvy young people in these communities. Second, rather than merely being an audience for government-sponsored communication campaigns, they're creating their own websites, YouTube clips, radio programs and Facebook groups. - Some of these websites and other initiatives directly challenge violent narratives while others provide avenues for non‑violent political protest and expression. The popularity and reach of this entirely community-generated web content significantly outshines the reach of any government-sponsored internet-based CVE strategies developed to date. - The young people responsible for these initiatives, some of whom are communication professionals, understand and to some extent share their target audiences' needs and wants. As journalism and marketing graduates, they also have the professional know-how to produce high quality and attention-grabbing campaigns. Furthermore, when they take the lead in creating these initiatives they generate more interest and praise from their target audiences than when they merely support government‑sponsored programs. - Outside of the online space, young people from across Sydney's Muslim communities engage in a range of activities that directly assist others to move away from violent and criminal paths. A number of the respondents in this study, for example, are volunteer youth mentors who assist young people identified by their schools, the justice system or both as 'vulnerable' (to criminalisation). These interventions in real life are augmented by their efforts through online forums to reach out to young people they identify as at risk. - The efforts of these young volunteers both inside and outside the online space seem largely unknown beyond their immediate communities. Nevertheless their contribution in creating communities that are empowered and resilient to violent messaging may be considerable. The core recommendation of this report is: Where possible, government agencies should support existing popular community-driven anti-violence online campaigns rather than prioritising the development of new websites to counter violent narratives. Government agencies should directly engage with the young people involved in these popular initiatives and investigate ways to support them and their campaigns where possible. - While this study offers many findings that government agencies and communities might view with optimism, it also reveals that there are significant barriers that undermine young Muslim Sydneysiders' engagement with CVE communication campaigns and government agencies. These barriers are also likely to undermine government agencies' engagement with the young communication professionals who are currently producing a range of popular anti-violence campaigns. The report identifies and discusses these barriers. However, it is anticipated that from the large amount of data collected there will be subsequent publications describing some in greater detail. - The most significant barrier identified in this study relates to the pervasive prejudice young Muslims report experiencing as a result of being Muslim and/or of Arab background. Many of the study's respondents rejected government-produced CVE websites because they felt such strategies perpetuate the stereotyping of Muslim communities as potentially threatening and deviant. From their perspective, Australia's CVE agenda fuels Islamophobia, making them more vulnerable to discrimination including verbal and physical attacks. - The respondents also rejected the government's CVE agenda because they perceived government agencies as doing little to address social issues of greater importance to them. This includes the violent crime and socioeconomic disadvantage experienced by those living in their Western Sydney suburbs. In this respect, they believed that government agencies' engagement with them on CVE issues is largely self-serving and does little to address the 'real' violence they see afflicting their communities. - Another significant barrier undermining young Muslim Sydneysiders' engagement with Australia's CVE agenda is their lack of trust in government agencies. Some perceive an irony when the Australian Government asks them to support campaigns denouncing violence when it is waging violent wars in other countries. Government CVE interventions in Muslim communities have also fuelled community paranoia and young Muslims' belief that they are under constant surveillance. As a result of a variety of issues affecting Muslim communities inside and outside Australia, the respondents perceived the Australian Government as not being 'on their side' and not representing their interests. - While some respondents displayed a deep cynicism about the Australian Government and its CVE agenda, for moral and religious reasons many were devoted to assisting 'at risk' youth in their communities. The ASPI research team also found that even self-described 'radicals', 'conservatives' and those who decry Australia's counterterrorism policies, want to engage better with police and other government agencies. This report offers 13 recommendations to facilitate this engagement and enhance communication campaigns that challenge violence. - However, this report also offers a warning that online communication strategies are unlikely to provide a solution for those at greatest risk of becoming involved in violent extremism. The respondents of this study, who included sheikhs involved in deradicalisation work, argued that one-on-one intervention strategies are a far more effective way to reach and influence vulnerable individuals. - This study shows that it's difficult to motivate young people to view government-sponsored CVE websites; it's undoubtedly much more of a challenge to entice 'at risk' youth to visit such sites. - By focusing on Muslim youth this report potentially supports discourses that position Muslim Australians as a 'problem community' and security threat. The research team doesn't support such views and sees them as counterproductive to our aim of enhancing government agencies' interaction with young Muslims. In fact, this study shows that the securitisation of Muslim communities directly causes young Muslim Sydneysiders to reject CVE websites and shun interaction with government agencies. - Nevertheless, some of our respondents expressed deep concern about groups and individuals in their communities sympathetic to using violence to achieve political-religious aims. Some believed it was important for their communities to develop online strategies to challenge violent narratives and provide more avenues for young people to express their views in a non-violent manner. In addition, some felt it was the correct role of government agencies to support communities in these endeavours. - On the whole this report challenges approaches that only discuss Muslim youth as being highly vulnerable and in dire need of empowerment to resist violent propaganda. Instead, it shows that some have taken a lead role in challenging violent narratives and are empowering themselves. This report is intended for use by government agencies and communities to inform their future work in this area. - Included as an appendix to this report is a separate ASPI study examining the online CVE strategies developed by five countries: UK, US, the Netherlands, Canada and Denmark. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2013. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2014 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/fighting-fire-with-fire-target-audience-responses-to-online-anti-violence-campaigns/Fight_fire_long_paper_web.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 132545

Author: Sullivan, Gary Title: Poor, Powerless and in Trouble with the Law: Achieving Just Outcomes through Problem-Solving Principles Summary: Serious criminal activity by professional criminals is a numerically small part of criminal behavior. It is not inconsequential but the criminal justice system is constructed as if it is central to its operation. To put it another way, the justice system is distorted by a focus in its systems and processes on exceptional crime. The system acknowledges the threat of punishment, and utilises due process, via the adversarial system. People charged have rights, but the elimination of serious crime is the aim. This is an understandable focus but ultimately unachievable. Serious organised crime will never be completely eliminated, and the bulk of the criminal justice system's work will be with high prevalence, unremarkable crime committed by the poor and powerless. The State is increasingly transferring minor matters from the traditional criminal courts into the inflexible infringements system. It imposes penalties without taking a person's circumstances into account. Rich and poor are fined the same amount for the same infraction. The infringements system therefore impacts more heavily on the poor. After more than 30 years working in a legal service in a poor community, I have provided legal advice and representation to countless individuals and several gen-erations of families, and participated in reform activities in tenancy law, credit law, the Children's Court of Victoria, the infringements system, consumer protection and police behaviour. I have also played a role in monitoring and improving the legal professional standards in community legal services. Over this period there have been significant changes in the nature of Australian society, welfare support mechanisms and legal systems. Apart from helping relatively few individuals among the poor and powerless, these changes have not had a major positive impact, and in some areas the impact is negative. Disproportionate to their numbers in the population, the poor and powerless continue to be gathered up in the justice system. Conditions of poverty generate a high incidence of low-level crime. This commonplace criminal activity is not adequately addressed. The relationship between poverty and crime is not so much ignored but tolerated in the justice system, reflecting a view that poverty is eternal and unchanging. Addressing this imbalance in the impact of the justice system on the poor and powerless requires a more comprehensive approach to rehabilitation that addresses the root cause of the criminality, while continuing to uphold a civil society. Such an approach, based on problem-solving principles, addresses the quiet desperation, chaotic lifestyles and multiple disadvantages that bring the poor and powerless into conflict with the broader community and the justice system. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Law Foundation, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.victorialawfoundation.org.au/images/stories/files/CLC_Report_2010-11(1).pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Assistance to the Poor Shelf Number: 132589

Author: Holmes, Jessie Title: NSW Police Recorded Female Persons of Interest: Has there been an increase in the 10 years to June 2013? Summary: Aim: To investigate characteristics and trends from 2003/04 to 2012/13 in female persons of interest (POIs) recorded by NSW Police. Method: The number of female and male POIs were informed by data on POIs proceeded against by police from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System. Characteristics of female POIs are described and trends over the 10 years to June 2013 were analysed using Kendall's rank-order correlation test. Results: Over the decade ending June 2013 both adult female and male POIs increased in number. However the number of adult female POIs increased at a greater rate than their male counterparts. Adult females were most likely to be apprehended by police for shoplifting and assault. Unlike adult female POIs, juvenile female POIs have not generally increased over the past decade. Instead they rose, stabilised, then fell, so that by 2012/13 the number of juvenile female POIs were only slightly higher than in 2003/04. Over the most recent three years there were no significant increases for juvenile females for any of the offences examined. The offences committed by juvenile females were very similar to those committed by adult females, with shoplifting having the largest proportion of juvenile female POIs associated, followed by assault, breach of bail conditions and then malicious damage. Conclusion: Females are still in the minority among POIs but their numbers are growing. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper No. 94: Accessed July 2, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb94.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 132598

Author: Townsley, Michael Title: Risky Facilities: Analysis of crime concentration in high-rise buildings Summary: Current town planning and housing policies suggest that in the very near future, housing density in major Australian cities will be much higher than current levels. To date, little attention has been paid to how these policy shifts will impact levels of crime and fear of crime. The aim of this research is to contribute to the development of strategic policy for the secure management of high-density housing. By analysing actual rates and types of crime, guardianship levels, building management styles and perceptions of fear of crime, the research will reveal how planning policies and high-rise building management styles can coalesce to create safer vertical communities. The research focuses on high-rise apartments and touristic buildings on the Gold Coast (specifically Surfers Paradise) and identifies the disproportionate concentration of crimes among a handful of buildings. Results may help state and local governments in Australia to avoid repeating the housing policy mistakes experienced by other countries. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 476: Accessed July 9, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi476.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Building Security Shelf Number: 132633

Author: Patton, Shirley Title: Pathways: How women leave violent men Summary: At the Justice and Change Conference held in Canberra (1999), Professor Liz Kelly (Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, University of North London) argued that there should be a shift in the direction of domestic violence policy and service research, from what prevents women from leaving a male partner who assaults them, to what enables them to do so. This research is a response to that challenge. It has focused on who and what enabled women to leave a male partner who had assaulted them - the pathways to leaving and establishing a new life. The study differs from previous research in that it focuses on: 1. Women's own identification of what enabled them to negotiate their way successfully out of violent relationships. 2. The identification and analysis of effective supports, services and strategies for establishing violence-free lives. The research is of both National and State significance, with the issue of domestic violence on political agendas at both levels. Most recently, the Tasmanian Government committed to: 'Reduce by one-third the incidence of family violence by 2020' (Tasmania Together 2001). Women Tasmania, the government department that has key responsibility for women's policy issues, commissioned this research, with funding provided by the Federal Partnerships Against Domestic Violence (PADV) strategy. Research aims and questions The primary aim of the research has been to identify how and where government and nongovernment policy makers and service providers could best use their resources to provide more timely and appropriate assistance to women leaving violent male partners, and to maximise their safety. To this end, it worked with women in Tasmania to identify and explore the formal and informal pathways they used to leave a male partner who assaulted them, the pathways they used to establish and maintain a new, violence-free life for themselves and their children, and what has assisted them in this process. The main research question was: What are women's perceptions of the turning points and pathways in leaving and remaining out of a violent relationship with a male partner? Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Women Tasmania, Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2003. 222p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2014 at: http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/47012/pathways_how_women_leave_violent_men.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 132642

Author: Ritter, Alison Title: Australian Alcohol and other Drug Treatment Spending Summary: This working paper provides an estimate of the total spending on alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment in Australia (which we estimate to be about $1.1 billion per annum) and examines the respective contributions of different funders. This has not been attempted before and hence the working paper should be seen as a first attempt which can be built on in subsequent research. As with any such exercise in estimating expenditure, the data are often missing, or come in ways that are not directly comparable. Despite the methodological challenges, it is an important research task and provides fundamental information for any analysis of AOD treatment funding in Australia. Details: Sydney: Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, 2014. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper no. 7: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://dpmp.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/dpmp/page/WP7.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 132647

Author: Koleth, Elsa Title: Medical Cannabis Summary: The first half of this Issues Backgrounder considers the key legal issues that arise in relation to medical cannabis, in particular the relationship between Commonwealth and State laws. The second half sets out some of the key background parliamentary, scientific and legal sources. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2014. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Backgrounder: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/Medicalcannabis/$File/Medical+cannabis,+Issues+Backgrounder+June+2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Medical Marijuana (Australia) Shelf Number: 132648

Author: Aird, Elyse Title: Impact of ICAN Flexible Learning Options on Participant Offending Behaviour Summary: Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN) is a Department for Education and Child Development (DECD)-led community driven social inclusion initiative that aims to re-engage young people who have disengaged from school or are at risk of doing so. An ICAN developed learning strategy known as a Flexible Learning Option (FLO) provides funding and support for young people to engage in different accredited learning and engagement activities while still enrolled in their school. OCSAR was approached by ICAN representatives and asked to investigate the offending behaviour of FLO participants. Anecdotal evidence suggests that involvement in ICAN and FLO may be associated with a reduction in offending behaviour (ARTD Consultants 2012, Atelier Learning Solutions 2007). Although preventing offending is not a primary objective of ICAN, it is known that disengagement from education is associated with an increased risk of contact with the justice system (Henry, Knight & Thornberry 2012), and it is therefore possible that an improvement in engagement in education would be associated with a reduction in contact with the justice system. The aims of the current study are to: - determine the offending profile of a group of ICAN Flexible Learning Options (FLO) participants before, during and after enrolment in FLO; and - examine the impact of the ICAN FLO strategy on participant offending behaviour. The specific research questions for the study are: - What proportion of FLO students had a record of recent formal contact with the police and/or a proven conviction/s prior to FLO enrolment? - For those who had recent formal contact with police or had been convicted of an offence/s, what is the nature of the offending? - How did the offending profile of FLO students change during and after their FLO enrolment, in terms of rate, type and severity of offending? - How do outcomes following FLO vary according to student characteristics such as Indigenous status, disability status, geographical area and Guardianship status? - How do the age-specific offending rates for FLO-enrolled young people compare with those of the South Australian population? Details: Adelaide, SA: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, Strategic Policy and Organisational Performance, South Australian Attorney-General's Department, 2014. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/ICAN.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Shelf Number: 132746

Author: Herrington, Victoria Title: Return on Investment from Public Safety Leadership Education: An Impact Evaluation of the AIPM Graduate Programs Summary: The AIPM delivers two graduate-level programs: the Graduate Certificate in Applied Management, and the Graduate Diploma in Executive Leadership. These programs service the needs of police and emergency services in Australia and New Zealand, as well as further afield, and have been running in one form or another since 2002. Whilst there is considerable anecdotal evidence to suggest that these programs are well received by participants, and valued by the jurisdictions that sponsor participants' attendance, these programs have never before been formally evaluated for their impact on leaders' behaviour, and the flow on benefits to organisations. This report presents data from such an evaluation. A mixed-methods approach was adopted and data were collected between March 2012 and November 2013. Data were collected from course participants both before and after their engagement in the graduate program; from former course participants who had completed their studies between 12 and 24 months prior; from the managers of course participants; and from jurisdictional stakeholders. KEY FINDINGS The graduate programs were positively regarded by participants, managers and stakeholders, and had notable impacts on individual behaviour and workplace practice. This led to significant benefits for organisations. Specifically: - The graduate programs had a statistically significant and positive impact on confidence in one�s leadership skills. - The graduate programs had a statistically significant and positive impact on self-reported behaviour in the five domains of the Leadership Capability Framework: setting strategic direction, achieving results, building and managing relationships, communicating with influence, and personal drive and integrity. - The graduate programs had a statistically significant impact on confidence and behaviour associated with policing and industry-relevant skills. - The small opportunity sample of managers interviewed largely concurred with participants' behavioural self-assessments following their graduate program, suggesting that self-assessments were accurate reflections of workplace behaviour. Two notable exceptions were the achieving results and personal drive and integrity domains, where manager assessments were more positive. - Qualitative data from former students showed that they had implemented their learning from the graduate program in a number of ways. The impact of which had led to enhanced staff wellbeing, productivity, and improved outcomes against organisational goals. - Qualitative data from former students also suggested that leadership development was an ongoing process, and continued beyond the end of the graduate program, with workplace experience marrying well with their formal learning to lead to exponential benefits over time. - The return on investment (ROI) to organisations for sending employees to AIPM graduate programs was calculated using an established formula, but as with all ROI calculation caution must be used in interpreting the results because of the number of assumptions involved. Nonetheless the calculated ROI for the graduate programs ranged from 164% to 3326% depending on the hypothesised duration of the training effect. Organisations can expect a 164% return on investment if the impact of the training lasts for one year, and a 3326% return on investment if it lasts for the remainder of the individual's career (estimated at 13 years). In conclusion, this research represents a methodologically robust evaluation of the AIPM's graduate programs and draws on multiple sources of data. To our knowledge, there have been no similarly robust evaluations of police leadership programs to date across the world, and as such this research represents an important contribution to knowledge. That these findings indicate that AIPM's graduate programs have a significant impact on leadership behaviour in line with the expectations of sponsoring organisations, and that there seem to be considerable organisational gains to be had from this ongoing investment, should be of interest to sponsoring organisations, further highlighting the importance of this work. Of course, and as with all research, there are limitations that need to be considered. Accurately assessing the longitudinal impact of these programs is one area that requires further investigation. Details: Manly, NSW: Australian Institute of Police Management, 2014. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://www.aipm.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/ROI-from-PS-Education-March-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Administration Shelf Number: 132650

Author: Meyer, Silke Title: Victims' Experiences of Short- and Long-Term Safety and Wellbeing: Findings from an examination of an integrated response to domestic violence Summary: One in three Australian women experience domestic violence at some point during their adult life and it is women and their children who typically suffer the most severe short and long-term consequences of this violence. In this paper the findings are presented from an evaluation of a Queensland police-led integrated service response to domestic violence incidents that was designed to better address women and children's needs for short and long-term safety. The findings indicated that a significant improvement in women's self-rated safety and well-being was generated throughout the initial six-week support period. However, subsequent follow-up interviews with a sample of participants identified that the women had continued to experience a range of abuse, harassment and stalking after the initial support period had ended. This suggests a need to provide ongoing support to women and children escaping domestic violence, as well as a stronger focus on perpetrator accountability, if improvements to the safety and well-being of women and children escaping domestic violence are to be sustained. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 478: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi478.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 132653

Author: Ronken, Carol Title: Child Sexual Assault: Facts and Statistics Summary: Determining a definitive estimate of the prevalence of child sexual assault in our society is difficult. Available figures are rare. Goldman and Padayachi (1997) suggest that aside from �anecdotal evidence from fragmented sources� there are no National, or State data available on child sexual assault in Australia. However, research over the past decade have provided us with an indication of the prevalence and effects of child sexual assault. This document contains statistics and facts on child sexual assault that have been compiled by Bravehearts. Every effort has been made to ensure complete references have been provided. Details: Arundel, QLD: Bravehearts, 2012. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://www.bravehearts.org.au/files/Facts%20and%20Stats_updated141212.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 132654

Author: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Title: Targeting Scams: Report of the ACCC on Scams Activity 2013 Summary: This report explains key trends in scam activity and highlights the impact of scams on the community. It highlights the cooperative work of the ACCC, other regulators and law enforcement agencies to disrupt scams and educate consumers. Overall contacts levels and financial losses - In 2013 the ACCC continued to observe a high level of scams activity in Australia, with 91 927 scam-related contacts received from consumers and small businesses, an increase of nearly 10 per cent over 2012. - Estimated scam losses reported to the ACCC totalled $89 136 975, representing an almost 5 per cent decrease from 2012 ($93 423 030) - a reversal in trend from 2011 and 2012 where large increases were observed. However, actual losses are likely to be higher as many scams go unreported and the ACCC is only one of several agencies that receive scam reports. Most reported scams - In 2013 dating and romance scams moved to number one position in terms of financial losses, with $25 247 418 reported lost. For the third consecutive year the ACCC has observed a decrease in the conversion rate of people who responded to an approach by a scam admirer and subsequently lost money - from 48 per cent in 2011 to 46 per cent in 2012 to 43 per cent in 2013. However, financial losses continue to remain substantially disproportionate to contacts, with dating and romance scams making up only 3 per cent of all scam-related contacts in 2013. - Similar to previous years, the majority of people contacting the ACCC about scam-related activities in 2013 (slightly over 86 per cent) reported no financial loss. Nearly one third of people who lost money reported losing between $100 and $499, which indicates scammers continuing to prefer 'high volume scams' - that is, scams that are delivered to large numbers of recipients but cause smaller amounts of loss per victim. - At the same time, the ACCC continued to receive reports of individuals suffering significant losses. Over 10 per cent of scam contacts reported losing above $10 000. However, there were only two reports of losses above $1 million in 2013 compared to six reports in 2012. - In 2013 the top 10 scams reported to the ACCC in terms of contact levels remained the same with some minor movements in ranking. The three most commonly reported scams were advance-fee fraud, phishing and identity theft, and computer hacking scams. - The ACCC observed a significant increase in phishing and identity theft scams, with reports increasing by over 73 per cent from 2012 to 15 264 contacts. Actual financial losses remained low, suggesting that scammers are instead seeking personal information for later gain. - Computer prediction software scams saw a significant increase in both contacts and financial losses from the previous year, with an increase of 41 per cent in contact levels and associated losses more than doubling to a total of $9 144 288. This increase is likely attributable to a collapsed gambling system in Victoria, which received widespread media coverage. Age range and location demographics - In 2013, of all individuals who contacted the ACCC and provided their age, scams were most commonly reported by persons in the 45 to 54 age category. The percentage of reports from people who identified as 65 years and over nearly doubled to 18 per cent. - The greatest amount of scam reports came from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. Contact levels and associated losses were largely consistent with the percentage of the Australian population by state and territory. - At the end of 2013 the ACCC updated its data collection process and in 2014 will be able to analyse scam categories against new fields such as a victim's gender, whether they are a small business, or may be disadvantaged or vulnerable. Scam delivery method - In line with a shift in recent years, in 2013 over half (52 per cent) of scams were delivered via phone and text message, with combined total financial losses of $29 391 887. Telephone calls remained the most popular delivery method, with reports and losses rising in parallel by nearly 13 and 14 per cent respectively, and losses totalling $3 335 763. Scams delivered by text message decreased by around 35 per cent, while reported losses more than doubled to $1 848 805. - Despite representing a lower percentage of contacts (40 per cent), scams delivered online caused the greatest financial harm with associated losses totalling $41 781 071. While contacts of reports delivered via email increased by nearly 14 per cent, financial losses almost halved (49 per cent), which could indicate scammers using email to 'fish' for personal information but turning to other online communication platforms such as social networking sites for monetary gain. The ACCC's education and awareness raising activities - The ACCC continued to educate the public about how to identify and avoid scams, and raise community awareness about current scams targeting Australians. SCAMwatch, the Australian Government's website for information about scams that is run by the ACCC, received 1 228 599 unique visitors in 2013, an increase of over 26 per cent from the previous year. - The ACCC also continued to issue SCAMwatch radar alerts to its free subscription base, which in 2013 increased by 30 per cent to reach 29 150 subscribers. A total of 18 SCAMwatch alerts were issued warning about current scams, including joint radars issued with other government agencies and companies about scammers misusing consumer trust in these well-known entities. - The ACCC's SCAMwatch_gov Twitter profile also continued to communicate with its 4374 followers in real time as scams emerged, with 583 tweets posted during the year. - The 2013 National Consumer Fraud Week campaign, 'Outsmart the scammers!' (17-23 June), received significant media coverage as the ACCC and the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce urged people to stay one click ahead of scammers when shopping online. - The Little Black Book of Scams is the ACCC's most popular publication and 91 203 copies were distributed in 2013. A new small business scams factsheet was also produced. The ACCC's collaboration, disruption and enforcement activities - In 2013 the ACCC worked with a range of private and public sector representatives to disrupt scams including online shopping scams and the 'Yellow Pages' small business scam. - The ACCC continued to chair the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, and hosted a conference and workshop as part of National Consumer Fraud Week where representatives across government, industry and academia explored how to minimise scams activity in the digital economy. - The ACCC successfully prosecuted the perpetrators behind schemes targeting small businesses including the operators of a pyramid selling scheme, an online business directory scam with a philanthropic slant, and an office supply scheme. - The ACCC also commenced planning for a national disruption project aimed at relationship scams, which is a 2014 compliance and enforcement priority. The ACCC will work closely with other agencies on this project, building upon previous work undertaken to disrupt relationship scams. Details: Canberra: ACCC, 2014. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Targeting%20Scams%202013.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Protection and Fraud Shelf Number: 132658

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Measuring Recidivism: Police Versus Court Data Summary: Aim: To compare estimates of re-offending obtained from two sources, police data on persons of interest proceeded against and court finalisation data. Method: Offenders who were convicted in a NSW Local or Higher Court in 2009 and received a non-custodial penalty were identified. For these offenders, rates of re-offending at 12 and 24 months were estimated using police and court data. Differences between the estimates obtained from these data sources, and the effect of offender and offence characteristics on these estimates, were investigated. In addition, the time taken for a re-offence to be proceeded against by police or finalised in court was examined and the impact of allowing shorter versus longer periods of time for re-offences to be captured in the data sources was explored. Results: As at 30 June 2011, the proportion of offenders estimated to have re-offended within 12 months was 20.1 per cent using proven offences in court, 21.7 per cent using court finalisations (regardless of outcome), 21.9 per cent using police data where persons of interest were proceeded against to court, and 23.1 per cent where persons of interest were proceeded against more generally (i.e., to court, criminal infringement notice, cannabis caution). Most, but not all, offenders (94%) identified as having re-offended using court data were identified as having re-offended using police data. Estimates of re-offending by offender and offence characteristics were similar across data sources. The median time between a re-offence occurring and police commencing court proceedings against the person of interest was 1 day, while the median time between a re-offence occurring and being finalised in court as a proven re-offence was 86 days. Conclusion: Data on persons of interest proceeded against by police may provide a more timely measure of re-offending than court finalisations data, potentially enabling program evaluations to be conducted 6 months earlier than current practice. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 175: Accessed July 14, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb175.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 132674

Author: Diec, Jessica Title: Designing a Public Train Station Shelter to Minimise Anti-social Behaviour and Crime in Melbourne's Metropolitan Rail Environment Summary: The Melbourne metropolitan train network has experienced incidents of anti-social behaviour and crime across the network over recent years. Identification of this problem has lead to design research aimed at exploring ways to minimise anti-social behaviour, improve passenger security and the perceptions of Melbourne�s railway system. A literature review has revealed that good sightlines and visibility, minimised obstructions, sufficient lighting solutions, and controlled access are the principal factors that contribute to a safe and successful station environment. The key findings, used as guidelines, are intended to inform a design process in developing a potential design solution that is novel and adaptable. This paper examines the design and function of a shelter system design concept emerging from the research, and how it might be implemented into Melbourne�s train network in the near future. It is proposed that the system not only deters anti-social behaviour and crime, but also improves the quality of life of patrons at varying railway stations. Details: Melbourne, AUS: Department of Design, Monash University, 2010. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2014 at: http://www.worldtransitresearch.info/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5067&context=research Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 132675

Author: Wagland, Paul Title: Youths in Custody in NSW: Aspirations and Strategies for the Future Summary: Aim: To investigate the extent to which youths in custody 1) rate specific life goals as important and likely to eventuate; 2) have strategies to achieve their goals; and 3) can anticipate barriers to achieving their goals. Method: A total of 107 detainees drawn from NSW Juvenile Justice centres were interviewed about their life goals. Results: Most youths rated specific life goals, such as having a well-paying job and avoiding trouble with the police, as 'quite important' or 'very important' goals to achieve in the future. When youths were asked how likely it was that these specific goals would be realised, the most common response was 'quite likely' or 'very likely'. The most frequently identified strategies for having a well-paying job included getting the necessary diplomas and starting in a junior position to get experience. The most frequently identified strategies for avoiding trouble with the police were resisting peer pressure and obeying the law. Commonly reported barriers to achieving these goals included associating with antisocial peers, drugs and alcohol usage. Many youths also recognised that getting into trouble with the law would also be a barrier to having a well-paying job. Conclusion: Most youths interviewed in this study placed high importance on specific life goals and were generally optimistic about achieving them. Furthermore, most youths could think of strategies that would help them achieve their goals as well as identify possible barriers to achieving them. These findings have the potential to help service providers and policy makers target their services and policies appropriately. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 173: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb173.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 132684

Author: Rowe, Elizabeth Title: Organised Crime and Public Sector Corruption: A crime scripts analysis of tactical displacement risks Summary: Organised crime in Australia has received increased attention over the last decade, with the enactment of legislation and the development of other interventions that have sought to control this serious criminal phenomenon. Although the success of such interventions in reducing organised crime is yet to be subject to detailed evaluation, prior research has identified certain risks associated with policy responses that could, arguably, also lead to counterproductive consequences (Guerette & Bowers 2009; Smith, Wolanin & Worthington 2003). One consequence of enhanced legislation and/or law enforcement approaches developed to combat organised crime is so-called 'tactical crime displacement', namely that criminals may modify their tactics in order to circumvent the effects of new legislation or increased law enforcement activity, thus allowing them to continue to offend with a reduced risk of detection or criminal justice action taking place. One particular risk of tactical crime displacement is the potential for organised crime groups to focus more on forming corrupt relationships with public officials in order to obtain information that minimises the risk of detection and prosecution. This paper illustrates how organised criminal groups can alter their patterns of offending by inducing public officials into corruptly disclosing information relevant to the facilitation of further criminal activity. This process of corruption is explained using the notion of 'crime scripts', as developed by Cornish (1994), and applied in the context of organised crime. Following an analysis of the crime scripts used by organised criminals in relation to the corruption of public servants in selected cases in Australia, various situational crime prevention solutions based on Ekblom's (2011) 5Is approach to crime prevention are explored as potential ways in which to minimise risks of this nature. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 444: Accessed Jhttp://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi444.pdfuly 16, 2014 at: Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Corruption Shelf Number: 132693

Author: Simmons, Frances Title: Human Trafficking and Slavery Offenders in Australia Summary: The United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (the Trafficking Protocol) came into force in 2003 under the umbrella of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC). Since then, a growing number of countries, including Australia, have introduced or strengthened laws that criminalise a range of practices related to human trafficking. In Australia, between 1 January 2004 and 30 June 2012, 15 offenders (involving at least 37 victims and 9 schemes) have been convicted of trafficking in persons, slavery and slavery-like offences. Given the relatively recent focus on these types of crimes, there has been little research on offenders in Australia or internationally (Aronowitz, Theuermann & Tyurykanova 2010; David 2012). This paper presents the first analysis of convicted offenders in Australian cases. It provides an overview of the limited international literature on offenders in trafficking in persons, slavery and slavery-like crimes before analysing the characteristics of convicted offences in Australian cases. Although there have only been a small number of convictions in Australia, this paper provides the first analysis of the characteristics of Australian offenders and identifies the similarities and differences between offending in the Australian context and elsewhere. The conclusion identifies how these findings may inform strategies to prevent and deter offending. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2013. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 464: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi464.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Traffickers Shelf Number: 132699

Author: Arnot, Alison Title: Legalisation of the Sex Industry in the State of Victoria, Autralia: The impact of prostitution law reform on the working and Summary: In 1984 the State Parliament of Victoria began the process of legalising sectors of the Victorian sex industry. Reforming legislation was enacted in 1984, 1986 and 1994. To date there has been no research assessing the changes to the industry that have occurred as a result of the legalisation process, and in particular, the effect it has had on the lives of the women working in the industry. This research has examined the impact of sex industry law reform on the working and private lives of women in the Victorian sex industry. Interviews were conducted with twenty women, nine of whom had worked in the industry prior to legalisation. All but four of the interviewees had experienced work in the industry before and after reforms. A number of significant findings were made. Since legalisation brothels have become cleaner and physical surroundings have been improved. However, the owners and managers of industry businesses have increased their level of control over workers by determining services to be offered, fees to be charged and clothes to be worn. While brothel workers have always felt safe in their workplaces, escort workers now feel safer. The main reason given for this is that the work is now legal and the specific safety regulations contained within the legislation was thought to be of little consequence. Escort workers now feel that they have more control over the client, whereas brothel workers have always felt a level of control in the relationship. This feeling of control did not however, result from a willingness to report crimes perpetrated by clients against the women. Similarly workers were largely unwilling to report the unethical or illegal behaviour of owners or managers of sex industry businesses. It is argued that legalisation does not increase women's access to the justice system. Legalisation has created a sex industry where the illegal industry operates alongside the legal industry. This part of the industry includes illegal brothels and individual women working outside of the requirements for solo operators included in the Prostitution Control Act. Sex industry employment has a significant impact on women's private lives, and it would appear the changing legal structure surrounding the sex industry, has had little or no effect on this. Interviewees reported the hardest thing about working in the industry was having to hide their profession from those closest to them. This tendency stemmed from the women's perceptions that society, while it had become somewhat more accepting of the industry as a whole, still did not approve of sex work. The women believed that being open about their work could impact on their families, their jobs outside of the industry, their intimate relationships, and their friendships. This research shows that the Victorian system of law reform and its associated politics have served to reinforce negative views of the sex industry. It is argued that it is not enough to make sex work a legal occupation. Both legislators and the general public need to consider it a legitimate occupation of choice. Details: Melbourne: University of Melbourne, 2002. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed July 18, 2014 at: http://www.scarletalliance.org.au/library/a-arnot02 Year: 2002 Country: Australia Keywords: Prostitutes (Australia) Shelf Number: 132053

Author: Wall, Liz Title: Under the Influence? Considering the role of alcohol and sexual assault in social contexts Summary: Alcohol has a culturally accepted place in social situations, particularly when young people congregate, however, it is also widely acknowledged that alcohol is often present in many sexual assaults that occur within these social contexts. Although there is extensive research on the link between alcohol and sexual assault, there is still a lack of clarity about the exact role that alcohol plays in facilitating this type of sexual violence. Perpetrators are able to use alcohol to their advantage in a number of ways. Clearly, alcohol is not a causative factor on its own, as many people drink without perpetrating violence. It seems most likely that alcohol acts in multiple ways and interacts with a range of social and individual factors to influence the perpetration of sexual assault. Key messages ◾Alcohol is a feature in a high proportion of sexual assaults. ◾It appears that alcohol has a multi-faceted role in facilitating sexual assault. ◾There are social and gender issues around alcohol consumption that perpetrators are able to exploit to their advantage. ◾Alcohol is used as a tool by perpetrators to increase victim vulnerability and enhance their own confidence. ◾Alcohol is used as an excuse by perpetrators to reduce their culpability and accountability. ◾Alcohol may be consumed voluntarily by victims or perpetrators may coerce consumption or covertly administer alcohol. ◾Alcohol on its own is not a causative factor for sexual assault but it acts together with social and cultural factors that influence behaviour in relation to social scripts and sexual interactions. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Issues No. 18: Accessed July 19, 2014 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/acssa/pubs/issue/i18/acssa-issues18.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 132716

Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: Traversing the Maze of 'Evidence' and 'Best Practice' in Domestic and Family Violence Service Provision in Australia Summary: This paper considers how 'evidence' is constructed and translated into 'best practice'. It contends that the experience and understanding of practitioners within domestic and family violence (DFV) services constitute important contributing knowledge for the evidence-base. However, practice wisdom alone is not sufficient, since other forms of knowledge also play an important role in optimising outcomes. Ultimately this paper promotes the engagement of DFV practitioners in formal research and evaluation, not only to substantially inform the evidence but also to critically examine the effects of their interventions against all manner of valid evidence, in a recursive process of knowledge translation. It is suggested that a critical, reflexive engagement with formal evidence is ultimately the defining feature of 'best practice' in the continuous drive towards an effective response to violence against women. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2014. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 26: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://anrows.org.au/sites/default/files/page-attachments/IssuesPaper26-May2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 132738

Author: Victoria (Australia). Auditor General Title: Prisoner Transportation Summary: In Victoria, there is a minimum of 58 000 prisoner movements per year. Prisoners need to be moved for a range of reasons - including being transported for medical treatment and to attend court. The audit focused on how effectively, efficiently and economically prisoners have been transported throughout Victoria's criminal justice system. It looked at the movement of prisoners by Corrections Victoria, Victoria Police and a prisoner transport contractor, and the extent to which outsourced prisoner transport services have supported effective service delivery. The audit found a lack of overarching and coordinated oversight of prisoner transportation. Governance and risk management processes do not cover the full movement of prisoners within the justice system, but instead focus on each area separately and in isolation from each other. It found that the full cost of prisoner transportation is not known and that current arrangements do not drive efficiencies. Neither Corrections Victoria nor Victoria Police collects information about the total number and cost of prisoner movements across the justice system, which means they cannot assess whether current contractual arrangements are minimising the cost and maximising the efficiency of prisoner transportation. The audit identified some initiatives in place which are designed to improve the efficiency of the system. However, the audit also identified opportunities to improve service delivery outcomes specifically related to prisoner separation and the timely delivery of prisoners. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Auditor-General, 2014. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2014 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20140611-Prisoner-Transport/20140611-Prisoner-Transport.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Corrections Shelf Number: 132770

Author: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Title: Beyond Doubt: The experiences of people with disabilities reporting crime Summary: This research sought to examine whether police services in Victoria are delivered on an equal basis for people with disabilities who are victims of crime, compared to those without disability. Our study aimed to: - explore what factors have an impact - both positive and negative - on the initial contact between a person with disability and police when a crime is reported - gain a better understanding of the environments in which crimes against people with disabilities occur and how this affects the reporting process - identify what is and isn't working well across the justice system, including during reporting, interviewing, investigation and prosecution. The study focused on people with disabilities who have been victims of crimes against the person in the last two years in Victoria. These crimes include assault, sexual assault, indecent assault causing serious injury and family violence. We used a qualitative approach that included: - twenty-seven in-depth case study interviews with people who had experienced a crime, supported someone to report a crime or who worked in the justice system - twenty-four key informant interviews with those who have specialist knowledge of disability, crime victimisation and reporting - thirteen focus groups, involving 61 people, including with groups of police members, Independent Third Persons, people with disabilities, advocates, Auslan interpreters and people who provide care and support - reviewing submissions from a range of organisations and examining aggregate de-identified data from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Department of Justice Victims Support Agency (VSA) - a confidential survey that asked respondents about their experience of crime, reporting crime and the police response. We received 63 responses, including 52 from people with disabilities and 11 from people who provide care and support for people with disabilities. In addition, the Commission undertook a legislative and policy review, reviewed relevant research and completed a comparative analysis of other jurisdictions to identify potential policy solutions. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2014. 159p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/our-resources-and-publications/reports/item/894-beyond-doubt-the-experiences-of-people-with-disabilities-reporting-crime Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Disability Shelf Number: 132784

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: The Imposition and Enforcement of Court Fines and Infringement Penalties in Victoria: Report Summary: Court fines and infringement penalties are the most common sanctions for criminal behavior imposed in Victoria. For most members of the community, the only interaction they will experience with the criminal justice system as offenders is as the recipient of an infringement notice, most likely for a driving- or parking-related offence. While infringement offending is of a relatively low level of seriousness when compared with offending sentenced in the courts, the sheer volume of infringement notices issued each year (some 6 million in 2012-13) means that their enforcement has far reaching consequences for the credibility of the criminal justice system. Similarly, given the large number of sentences handed down in Victorian courts that are fines, the enforcement of court fines affects both the credibility of, and judicial confidence in, the imposition of fines as a sentence. Currently, a substantial number of people do not pay their court fines and infringement penalties. Around a third of all infringement penalties are not paid prior to enforcement action, and around two-fifths of Magistrates' Court fines are neither paid nor discharged. Until a fine or penalty is paid or discharged, the recipient has effectively avoided the penal consequence of their offending behaviour. Enforcement - through payment, or through discharge by non-monetary means - is therefore crucial to achieving the purposes of an infringement penalty or the purposes of sentencing for which a fine was imposed. This report represents the Sentencing Advisory Council's response to the Attorney-General's request for advice on the imposition and enforcement of fines as a sentence by Victorian courts. This report also presents recommendations in relation to the Attorney's request for advice on particular matters, such as the number of infringement matters heard in open court, the conversion of fines to an order for community work or an order for imprisonment, and harmonising the enforcement procedures for court fines with those for infringement penalties. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2014. 435p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Imposition%20and%20Enforcement%20of%20Court%20Fines%20and%20Infringement%20Penalties%20in%20Victoria.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Fines (Australia) Shelf Number: 132785

Author: Centre for Innovative Justice Title: Innovative Justice Responses to Sexual Offending: Pathways to better outcomes for victims, offenders and the community Summary: Sexual assault is complex, pervasive and insidious. The criminal justice system is expected to deliver a sense that justice has been done, yet its current response is inadequate for the large majority of sexual assault victims. Victims of sexual assault have historically been met with denial and disbelief, with society failing to develop an adequate response to a crime it did not fully recognise or understand, and to gendered assumptions it refused to relinquish. In recent decades, hard won improvements - called for by reformers and feminists, and implemented by well-intentioned governments - have seen sexual assault taken more seriously in legal and political arenas alike. Investigation, prosecution and court procedures have improved; specialisation has been encouraged; and victims have been provided with fairer treatment and additional support services. Despite this, however, sexual assault remains the most under-reported form of personal violence, while estimates suggest that the crucial evidentiary requirements and standards of proof demanded by the criminal process mean that the chance of a sexual assault incident resulting in a conviction is as low as, and potentially lower than, one in one hundred. Hard hitting policies of tougher penalties, longer sentences and stringent release practices, meanwhile, do little to address the majority of sexual offending, instead making offenders reluctant to take responsibility or their offending and choosing to contest the allegations. This in turn makes victims reluctant to pursue a prosecution, not wanting to be drawn into the protracted adversarial process. In other words, most victims of sexual assault do not report to the police, do not pursue a prosecution, or if they do, do not secure a conviction. This means that the conventional criminal justice system, with its single option of investigation by police and prosecution through the courts, is failing to provide an adequate response to the majority of victims of sexual assault. While the prosecution and collective denunciation of sexual offending should continue to be pursued, and while ongoing efforts to reform the conventional criminal justice system remain critical, alone they will not markedly change this state of affairs. Additional non-criminal law based avenues, meanwhile, such as the pursuit of statutory compensation or damages through the civil jurisdiction, have significant limitations attached. Clearly, victims need more choice in their pursuit of justice - a suite of options from which they can identify the path or paths that best suit their circumstances; options that provide them with the opportunity to tell their story, to have the harm acknowledged, to participate in the process and to have a say in the outcome. Some of these options may, to date, not have been pursued precisely because the area of sexual assault is so complex, yet may improve the justice system's response if implemented in the right way. Accordingly, this report argues that the justice system should be responsive, inclusive, flexible and fair - that justice processes should be designed in a way that make them accessible and a more realistic prospect to more victims of sexual assault, rather than reserved for a select few who happen to have cases which are able to meet high legal thresholds. This report by the Centre for Innovative Justice (CIJ) was commissioned by the Attorney-General's Department (Cth) as one of a series of reports identifying important innovations in the justice system. The CIJ's objective in this report is to identify innovative justice processes that have the potential to meet more of the needs of victims of sexual offending; to address public interest concerns; and to prevent reoffending in ways that the conventional justice system has limited capacity to achieve. In doing so, the report suggests that reform does not depend upon a choice between a 'tough' and a 'soft' response but, rather, upon providing an appropriate response - one that is able to meet the disparate needs of victims, while maintaining the integrity of the rights of offenders. As such, the report builds upon existing theoretical work and proposes a best practice, sexual offence restorative justice conferencing model and framework, influenced by national and international innovations, and which is able to be tailored and implemented in all Australian jurisdictions. Restorative justice conferencing involves a facilitated, safe and structured encounter between the victim and the offender, providing an opportunity to repair the harm caused by the offending. The report explains that, to date, restorative justice conferencing practices have tended to exist on the periphery of Australian criminal justice systems and have not been extended to sexual offending in the adult jurisdiction. This is primarily because of legitimate concerns about victims being re-victimised and sexual assault being re-privatised, rather than condemned in the public sphere. While these concerns must be heeded, the CIJ draws from a range of existing examples and concludes that - with comprehensive safeguards and a coordinated, properly resourced system - sexual offence restorative justice conferencing has the potential to meet more of the justice needs of those victims who are being failed by the existing system. In detailing a best practice restorative justice conferencing model for sexual offending, the report addresses such issues as: - The importance of legislation, overarching principles and operational guidelines - The importance of a restorative justice oversight body, incorporating a specialist gender violence team, to oversee and monitor the implementation of the model - The need for skilled and specialist restorative justice conference facilitators - The need for an expert assessment panel to determine the suitability of individual cases for restorative justice conferencing - The importance of basic eligibility criteria, including that all parties consent, and the need for offender and victim age limits - Pathways into and out of restorative justice conferencing, with appropriate police, prosecution and judicial oversight at different stages of the process - The need for protections around admissions made during a conference - The importance of consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and culturally and linguistically diverse communities around any innovative justice initiatives - The importance of restorative justice processes being responsive to the needs of victims and offenders with cognitive impairments, disabilities and mental illness - The potential outcome agreements and what to do in the event of breakdown - The importance of funded, accessible community based sexual offender treatment programs to complement a restorative justice approach, and - The balance required between victim autonomy and public policy considerations. Details: Melbourne: RMIT, Centre for Innovative Justice, 2014. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2014 at: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/qt1g6twlv0q3.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 132790

Author: Flynn, David Title: Fathers, Fathering and Preventing Violence Against Women Summary: Contributing to the prevention of men's violence against women requires more than simply being a non-violent man. It requires an understanding of the factors which underlie and contribute to violence against women and how these factors are deeply engrained in our culture, to the degree to which they are sometimes not immediately obvious. It requires an awareness of how these factors influence our beliefs, attitudes and behaviours - about what it is to be a man and how to relate to others. It requires the courage to change, to adopt new beliefs and new attitudes, and it requires the knowledge and skills to put new actions and behaviours in place. Fatherhood provides this opportunity. Perhaps more than any other life stage, it delivers the chance for men to examine how the factors that contribute to violence against women impact on their choices and behaviours on a daily basis. A good father is a non-violent father. Yet fathers can do much more to prevent violence against women than being non-violent men themselves. Through their relationships with women and children and their involvement in family tasks and responsibilities, fathers are well positioned to reflect on issues of masculinity and gendered power relations, to do more than just practice non-violence, but actively work towards the creation and maintenance of equal and respectful relationships, and to contribute significantly to the prevention of men's violence against women. Details: Sydney, AUS: White Ribbon Foundation, 2012. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: White Ribbon Research Series - Preventing Men's Violence Against Women, Report No. 5: Accessed July 30, 2014 at: http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/uploads/media/microsites/fathers/whiteribbon-fd-report-2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 132817

Author: Ogloff, James R.P. Title: Koori Prisoner Mental Health and Cognitive Function Study Summary: The Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Monash University (CFBS) and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) were engaged by the Department of Justice to examine the mental health, cognitive functioning, and social and emotional wellbeing of Koori prisoners in Victoria. The study arose from the policies and priorities articulated by the original Aboriginal Justice Agreement (AJA) released in 2000 to address Koori overrepresentation in the criminal justice system and the expanded AJA2 of 2006. The study was jointly overseen by Justice Health and the Koori Justice Unit. The project firstly sought to conduct a thorough assessment of needs from the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners in Victoria, and secondly, to gain an understanding of the service gaps and needs from the perspective of key stakeholders in Victoria. To this end, the aims of the project were to: - Identify the Social and Emotional Well-Being (SEWB) strengths and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, including levels of psychological distress - Identify the nature and extent of mental illness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners and their associated needs- Assess the cognitive functioning of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners and their associated needs- Identify barriers to accessing services and other potential gaps in meeting identified needs- Develop recommendations for improving current service systems and clinical practice Details: Clifton Hill, VIC: Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Monash University, 2013. 155p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2014 at: https://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/corrections/resources/07c438bf-63a6-49bb-8426-d7fd073808a6/koori_prisoner_mental_health.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 120181

Author: ACT Human Rights and Discrimination Commissioner Title: Human Rights Audit on the Conditions of Detention of Women at the Alexander Maconochie Centre Summary: On 30 January 2013, the ACT Human Rights and Discrimination Commissioner announced a review of the effect and implementation of Territory laws governing the treatment of women detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) pursuant to s 41 of the Human Rights Act 2004 (HR Act) and her functions under the Discrimination Act 1991 and the Human Rights Commission Act 2005. This Audit was commenced in response to concerns raised with the Commissioner by a number of stakeholders about perceived inequalities faced by the small number of women detained at the AMC compared with the much larger male population in the prison. The Audit assesses the law, policy and practices of the AMC, which has been operational for five years, in relation to the treatment of women detainees against the benchmark of international human rights norms enshrined in the HR Act, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other relevant international standards. These include the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders. Details: Civic, ACT, AUS: ACT Human Rights Commission Commission, 2014. 232p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2014 at: http://www.hrc.act.gov.au/res/HRC%20Womens%20Audit%202014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Inmates (Australia) Shelf Number: 132860

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Northern Territory Safe Streets Audit Summary: This Special Report is a research driven response to community concerns regarding the level of crime and fear of crime in the Northern Territory. The Northern Institute at Charles Darwin University and the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) were commissioned by the Northern Territory Police Force (NT Police) to undertake the NT Safe Streets Audit. The purpose of the Safe Streets Audit was to examine crime and safety issues in the Northern Territory urban communities of Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs and to help inform effective strategies to reduce the actual and perceived risk of victimisation. The audit involved a literature review exploring issues impacting on the fear of crime in the Northern Territory, focus groups with a range of stakeholders in Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine, the analysis of media articles on crime and policing, the analysis of incident data from NT Police on assault offences and public disorder incidents, and a rapid evidence assessment of the effectiveness of strategies targeting NT crime problems. Implications for future crime reduction approaches in the Northern Territory were then identified. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology and Charles Darwin University Northern Institute, 2014. 130p. Source: Internet Resource: Special Report: Accessed August 4, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/special/004/NT-Safe-Streets-Audit.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Shelf Number: 132879

Author: KPMG Title: Illicit Tobacco in Australia Summary: For the first time since the implementation of Australia's plain packaging experiment we now have hard data to replace the anecdotes and predictions about its true impact, and the data show that since the introduction of this policy the black market has grown while consumption of tobacco overall has not declined. This report shows that smugglers and counterfeiters have been the big winners in Australia since the implementation of plain packaging at a great loss to the treasury. In less than a year, consumption of illegal, branded cigarettes, some of which now enjoy higher market share than legal brands in Australia, has increased by 154 percent. As a result, the government has lost up to AUD1.0 billion in tax revenue, while the criminal gangs behind this activity have lined their pockets. PMI supports reasonable regulation, but we believe governments have a responsibility to ensure the laws they pass meet their stated goals, uphold the rule of law, are evaluated based on objective standards and do not lead to negative consequences, such as boosting the illegal market at the expense of legitimate manufacturers and retailers. As studies quantifying actual changes in behavior and the marketplace since the introduction of plain packaging continue to come out of Australia, it is our hope that this evidence will not be ignored. Details: London: KPMG, 2014. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2014 at: https://www.imperial-tobacco.com/assets/files/cms/KPMG_FY2013_Illicit_Trade_Report___FINAL___11_April_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Counterfeiting Shelf Number: 132880

Author: New South Wales Law Reform Commission Title: Encouraging Appropriate Early Guilty Pleas: Models for Discussion Summary: This models paper presents approaches that other jurisdictions have taken to encourage early guilty pleas. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate discussion on what models (or combination of models) might or should be taken up and adapted to the NSW criminal justice system. The introduction to the paper provides background on the models paper. We highlight the obstacles that any reform would need to overcome and summarise the approaches or "models" of cognate jurisdictions that are detailed in the following chapters. Details: Sydney: NSW Law Reform Commission, 2013. 168p. Source: Internet Resource: Consultation Paper 15: Accessed August 6, 2014 at: http://www.lawreform.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/lrc/m731654l13/cp15_2.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts (Australia) Shelf Number: 132901

Author: Berg, Chris Title: A social problem, not a technological problem: Bullying, cyberbullying and public policy Summary: Bullying among children is a significant and serious issue. In recent years, the phenomenon described as "cyberbullying" has received a large amount of social, political, and academic attention. The Commonwealth government has announced that it is seeking legislative change to deal with cyberbullying. The government plans to institute a Children's e-Safety Commissioner with power to takedown harmful content directed at children from the social media sites. The Children's e-Safety Commissioner is a serious threat to freedom of speech. The purpose of this paper is to outline the scope of the cyberbullying problem, the conceptual framework within it must be understood, and develop principles by which policymakers can address the cyberbullying problem. Without understanding the cyberbullying phenomenon it is impossible to devise effective policy that will not have unintended consequences and threaten basic liberties like freedom of speech. Unfortunately it is not clear that the government has clearly understood the causes, consequences, and characteristics of cyberbullying. This paper argues that cyberbullying is a subset of bullying. It is bullying by electronic means. It is not a problem of a different kind from bullying in an offline environment Details: Melbourne: Institute of Public Affairs, 2014. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: http://www.ipa.org.au/portal/uploads/submission_V6.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 133004

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Pathways Through Youth Justice Supervision Summary: Pathways through youth justice supervision explores the types of youth justice supervision experienced by particular cohorts of young people based on data available from the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS) from 2000-01 to 2012-13. The report found that the top 10 pathways accounted for nearly three quarters (71%) of young people who experienced supervision. It also found that young males, young Indigenous people, those aged 10-14 at first supervision and those experiencing sentenced detention at some point were more likely than their counterparts to have more complex and varied pathways through supervision. Details: Canberra, AUS: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile justice series no. 15: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129548158 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 133005

Author: Pennay, Amy Title: Prohibiting public drinking in an urban area: Determining the impacts on police, the community and marginalised groups Summary: Public drinking laws, which are the mandate of local councils in some jurisdictions such as Victoria (but state/territory legislation in others), have proliferated across urban centres in Australia over the past 15 years without any evidence of their effectiveness. Previous evaluations of public drinking laws have shown that they often result in negative impacts to marginalised groups and lead to displacement, but also improve perceptions of safety among the community. Previous evaluations have shown little or no evidence that public drinking bans reduce congregations of drinkers or reduce alcohol-related crime or harm. The purpose of this project was to build on previous work and evaluate public drinking laws in three local government areas (LGAs) in Melbourne where public drinking remains a contentious issue: the City of Maribyrnong, the City of Darebin and the City of Yarra. The objectives of this project were threefold: - to evaluate the implementation of the prohibition of public drinking; - to evaluate the effectiveness of the prohibition of public drinking; and - to evaluate the impact of the prohibition of public drinking across three distinct LGAs in Melbourne. This mixed-methods evaluation involved seven key data collection components: - a media analysis of public drinking and public drinking bans; - sessions of daytime and night-time observation; - in-depth interviews with drinkers; - in-depth interviews with police, traders and other stakeholders; - a household survey mailed to residents; - focus groups with residents; and - analysis of ambulance and police data. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2014. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 49: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph49.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Enforcement Shelf Number: 133006

Author: Australian Women's Health Network Title: Health and the Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women Summary: This position paper focuses on the primary prevention of violence perpetrated by men against women. It develops a position on primary prevention (as distinct from secondary and tertiary interventions). It also identifies examples of good practice across settings, and factors for success for primary prevention programs. The paper has been developed as a resource for public education, debate and community activities related to the primary prevention of violence against women. Intimate partner violence is prevalent, serious and preventable; it is also a crime. Among the poor health outcomes for women who experience intimate partner violence are premature death and injury, poor mental health, habits which are harmful to health such as smoking, misuse of alcohol and non-prescription drugs, use of tranquilisers, sleeping pills and anti-depressants and reproductive health problems. The cost of violence against women to individuals, communities and the whole of society is staggering and unacceptable. Every week in Australia at least one woman is killed by her current or former partner, and since the age of 15, one in three women has experienced physical violence and one in five has experienced sexual violence. The annual financial cost to the community of violence against women was calculated by Access Economics in 2002/3 to be $8.1 billion (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, 2004), a figure which is likely to increase unless the incidence of violence against women can be reduced and ultimately eliminated. Details: Drysdale, VIC, AUS: Australian Women's Health Network, 2014. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Position Paper 2014: Accessed August 12, 2014 at: www.awhn.org.au Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Gender-Based Violence Shelf Number: 133007

Author: KPMG Title: Review of the Youth Justice Group Conferencing Program: Final Report Summary: Group conferencing is a program based on restorative justice principles. It is a problem-solving approach to offending that aims to balance the needs of young people, victims and the community by encouraging dialogue between individuals who have offended and their victims. The aim of the Victorian program is to provide a community rehabilitation intervention to the Children's Court at the pre-sentence stage, in order to: - Divert the young person from more intensive supervisory court outcomes by raising their understanding of the impact of their offending on the victim and utilising the resources of the immediate and extended family and/or significant others to support the young person - Reduce frequency and seriousness of re-offending of young people referred to the program - Increase victim satisfaction with the criminal justice process Effectively integrate young people into the community following the conference process. KPMG conducted a review of the Youth Justice Group Conferencing Program between September 2009 and September 2010 to determine the effectiveness of the Program in meeting its stated aims since operations commenced in 2003, as well as to provide the Department of Human Services with recommendation to improve the Program's operation. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Human Services, 2010. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2014 at: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/675564/review-youth-group-conferencing-report-2011.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Diversion Shelf Number: 133041

Author: Katz, Ilan Title: Research on youth exposure to, and management of, cyberbullying incidents in Australia Summary: The Social Policy Research Centre was commissioned by the Australia Government, as part of its commitment to Enhance Online Safety for Children External Links icon , to investigate youth exposure to cyberbullying and how it is being managed. The report was developed in collaboration with National Children's and Youth Law Centre, the University of South Australia, the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, and the University of Western Sydney. The research shows that each year, one in five young Australians aged 8-17 are victims of cyberbullying. This behaviour is most prominent in children aged 10-15 years, with prevalence decreasing for 16-17 year-olds. The estimated number of children and young people who were victims of cyberbullying last year was approximately 463,000, with around 365,000 in the 10-15 age group. The report also notes that the prevalence of cyberbullying has 'rapidly increased' since it first emerged as a behaviour. The report indicates that the most appropriate way of addressing cyberbullying is to introduce a series of responses including restorative approaches, educating young people about the consequences of cyberbullying, and requiring social networking sites to take down offensive material. The findings are presented in three parts. Please click on the links below for the separate sections or see the synthesis report for the collated findings. Part A: The estimated prevalence of cyberbullying incidents involving Australian minors, based on a review of existing published research including how such incidents are currently being dealt with. Part B: The estimated prevalence of cyberbullying incidents involving Australian minors that are reported to police, community legal advice bodies and other related organisations, the nature of these incidents, and how such incidents are currently being dealt with. Part C: An evidence-based assessment to determine, if a new, simplified cyberbullying offence or a new civil enforcement regime were introduced, how such an offence or regime could be implemented, in conjunction with the existing criminal offences, to have the greatest material deterrent effect. Appendix A: Literature review - International responses to youth cyberbullying and current Australian legal context Appendix B: Findings of research with adult stakeholders Appendix C: Findings of research with youth Appendix D: Supplementary data and analysis Details: Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, 2014. 8 parts Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2014 at: https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/cyberbullying/ Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Bullying Shelf Number: 133046

Author: Hughes, Gordon Title: Australian threshold quantities for 'drug trafficking': Are they placing drug users at risk of unjustified sanction? Summary: Legal threshold quantities for drug trafficking, over which possession of an illicit drug is deemed 'trafficking' as opposed to 'personal use' are used in most Australian states and territories. Yet, in spite of known risks from adopting such thresholds, most notably of unjustified conviction of users as traffickers, the capacity of Australian legal thresholds to deliver proportional sanctioning has been subject to limited research. In this study, the authors use data on patterns of drug user consumption and purchasing to evaluate Australian legal threshold quantities to see whether Australian drug users are at risk of exceeding the thresholds for personal use alone. The results indicate that some, but not all users are at risk, with those most likely to exceed current thresholds being consumers of MDMA and residents of New South Wales and South Australia. The implication is that even if the current legal threshold system helps to convict and sanction drug traffickers, it may be placing Australian drug users at risk of unjustified charge or sanction. The authors highlight a number of reforms that ought mitigate the risks and increase capacity to capture Australian drug traffickers. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 467: Accessed August 22, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/461-480/tandi467.html Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 132038

Author: Lapworth, Kely Narelle Title: An Investigation of Aggression in Methamphetamine Users Summary: Methamphetamine (MA) use is associated with increased aggression, though the specific mechanisms through which this association operates remain unclear. Research has demonstrated an association between MA, heightened impulsivity and reduced behavioural control. Similarly, there is strong evidence of a link between MA use and psychotic symptoms. Despite research efforts examining these independent associations, there is a paucity of studies examining how these factors interact to influence the relationship between MA use and aggression. Study 1 was conducted to examine the independent and combined roles of impulsivity and positive psychotic symptoms on the relationship between MA and aggression. In this study, 237 injecting MA users completed a range of self-report measures of hostility, impulsivity, and dependence. Higher levels of MA dependence were associated with increased hostility, higher levels of impulsivity and greater positive psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, the relationship between MA use and aggression was mediated by both impulsivity and positive symptoms of psychosis. Synergistic effects of impulsivity and positive psychotic symptoms on hostility were also observed, with substantially higher levels of hostility being associated with the presence of positive symptoms in conjunction with heightened impulsivity. The results of Study 1 are important in increasing our current understanding of the relationship between MA dependence and aggression, but the reliance on self-report measures does present a problem because of the susceptibility of such measures to report biases. Study 2 was therefore designed to extend previous research by exploring the relationship between MA and aggression using a behavioural measure of aggression, as well as self-report measures. Behavioural and self-report measures of impulsivity were also included. Results revealed that MA users, compared with non-MA users, not only reported higher levels of aggression, but they actually behaved more aggressively when competing with a (fictitious) opponent. Furthermore, some evidence of a dose-response relationship between MA and aggression was apparent. Unexpectedly, no group differences were evident on either the behavioural or self-report measures of impulsivity. Taken together, the present research attests to the robustness of the relationship between MA use and aggression, and points to the need for increased understanding of the complex and multifaceted nature of factors such as impulsivity and positive psychotic symptoms that contribute to this relationship Details: Mt. Gravatt, AUS: Griffith University, School of Psychology, 2011. 256p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: https://www120.secure.griffith.edu.au/rch/items/4727b810-192b-4ba6-1964-c193f975ef20/1/ Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Aggression Shelf Number: 129891

Author: Daly, Elizabeth Title: Alternatives to Secure Youth Detention in Tasmania Summary: The Alternatives to Secure Youth Detention in Tasmania Inquiry originated from a request by the Minister for Children to the Commissioner for Children for advice in relation to the role of secure detention within Tasmania's youth justice system. - This Inquiry is part of a much broader review of the Youth Justice system in Tasmania, currently being undertaken by the Department of Health and Human Services. - Ashley Youth Detention Centre is the only secure detention centre for youth offenders (both sentenced and unsentenced) in Tasmania. - The Inquiry found that: - Only a very low percentage of Tasmanian youth commit crime - The trend in numbers of young offenders and those who are detained at Ashley Youth Detention Centre (including those on remand) has declined over the last 5 years. - On an average day in 2011-2012, there were 21 young people in Ashley or 94 over the year. - Ashley takes up a disproportionately high percentage of the Youth Justice budget in Tasmania - approximately $10 million - despite the lack of evidence to suggest it is effective in deterring young offenders or that it promotes and facilitates reintegration into the community upon release. - The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the importance of diverting young offenders from the criminal justice system. It also provides that detention should only be used as a last resort and for the shortest possible period of time. - The Recommendations made in this Report are consistent with these fundamental principles. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Commissioner for Children, 2013. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: http://www.childcomm.tas.gov.au/wp-content/files_mf/1377130036AlternativestoSecureYouthDetentionFINAL2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 129890

Author: Victoria (Australia). Department of Justice Title: Defensive Homicide: Proposals for Legislative Reform Summary: This consultation paper contains a detailed analysis of the operation of defensive homicide. This includes an examination of the 28 defensive homicide convictions since the introduction of the offence, three of which involved a female accused. The paper also presents a number of related proposals to improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, including reform of the operation of self-defence and evidence laws. The paper includes draft proposals for possible legislation in this area to assist in consideration of the issues raised. Informed by the submissions, the department will provide advice to the Attorney-General about whether reforms should be introduced. Details: Melbourne: Department of Justice, Criminal Law Review, 2013. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Consultation Paper: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/home/justice+system/laws+and+regulation/criminal+law/defensive+homicide+-+prosposals+for+legislative+reform+-+consultation+paper Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts Shelf Number: 131259

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Tackling property damage: A guide for local commerce groups, councils and police Summary: Property damage is the intentional 'destruction or defacement of public, commercial and private property' (Howard 2006: 1). This covers a range of different acts, including vandalism (eg smashing windows, knocking over letterboxes) and graffiti. Graffiti is the act of marking property with writing, symbols or graphics and is illegal when committed without the property owner's consent (White 2001). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Crime Victimisation Survey 2011-2012, malicious property damage was more common than any other property offence, with 7.5 percent of respondents reporting having been a victim in the previous 12 months (ABS 2013). The cost of property damage to private property owners, local and state governments and businesses are significant, with an estimated cost of $1,522 per incident (in 2012 dollars) and a total cost to the Australian community of nearly $2 billion each year (Rollings 2008). This handbook forms part of a series of guides developed by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) to support local commerce groups (ie representative groups for business owners and operators), local government and the police to implement evidence-based crime prevention strategies. This handbook has been developed to help guide project managers through the stages of planning, implementing and evaluating a crime prevention project to reduce property damage offences in their local community, particularly in and around commercial precincts. The handbook provides an overview of the three key stages that are involved in delivering a project to reduce property damage: - Stage 1: Planning; - Stage 2: Implementation; and - Stage 3: Review. These steps do not necessarily need to be undertaken in order. Some steps may be undertaken concurrently or it may be necessary to revisit earlier steps. However, it is vital that some steps, such as consulting stakeholders and planning for evaluation, be undertaken early on in the project. Property damage is a very broad offence category. The choice of a particular intervention or interventions will depend largely on the nature of the local problem. Similarly, the successful implementation of a prevention strategy will often be heavily influenced by the characteristics of the local community. This needs to be considered throughout the life of a project. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice Report No. 35: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip35/rip35.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 133119

Author: Devilly, Grant James Title: The prevention of trauma reactions in police officers: Decreasing reliance on drugs and Summary: This study represents the first randomised controlled study of a resilience training program, based on empirical evidence and designed to inoculate emergency services personnel against job stressors. It has highlighted the fact that the vast majority of police recruits were resilient to exposure to traumatic events. Findings at six-month follow-up indicate that more than half of all participants reported a total substance or alcohol involvement score that was at risk level. This suggests the need for clear, comprehensive and widely known policies and procedures to be put in place to identify and support those with either substance or alcohol use problems Overall, the results of this study provide support for the inclusion of resilience training in the overall training of new-recruit police officers until further, long-term follow-ups suggest otherwise. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2013. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 47: Accessed August 23, 2014 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph47.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Occupational Stress Shelf Number: 130147

Author: Australia. Parliament. Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Title: Trading Lives: Modern Day Human Trafficking Summary: Trafficking in persons, slavery and slavery-like practices is an egregious violation of an individual's human rights. Trafficking and slavery victims are exploited physically, emotionally and mentally and the effects of this trauma can be long lasting and destructive. Trafficking in persons, slavery and slavery-like practices are some of the fastest growing criminal activities in the world. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that between 2002 and 2011 there were over 20 million victims of forced labour globally. In 2009, the ILO also estimated that the annual global profits from trafficked forced labourers were around US$32 million. This equates to a profit of US$13,000 for each woman, man and child trafficked into forced labour. The crimes of trafficking in persons, slavery and slavery-like practices place an additional economic burden on each country. Funding is provided for resources devoted to its prevention, the treatment and support of victims and the apprehension and prosecution of offenders. Every country around the world is affected, including Australia. Since 2004 the Australian Federal Police have undertaken more than 375 investigations and assessments into allegations of trafficking in persons, slavery and slavery-like practices. 209 suspected victims of trafficking in persons and slavery were provided government support through the Support for Trafficked People Program, and there have now been 17 convictions for slavery, slavery-like and trafficking in persons offences. The Committee acknowledges the steps taken by the Government to strengthen Australia's criminal justice framework, establishing additional offences of forced marriage, forced labour, organ trafficking and harbouring a victim in the Criminal Code. Australia has an opportunity to maximise its effectiveness by implementing a suite of mechanisms and tools to combat these crimes and increase support for its victims at the national and international level. Details: Canberra: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, 2013. 157p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2014 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=jfadt/slavery_people_trafficking/report.htm Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Labor Shelf Number: 129905

Author: Lyneham, Samantha Title: Recovery, return and reintegration of Indonesian victims of human trafficking Summary: Once a trafficked person has exited an exploitative situation, they may require support to return and reintegrate into their chosen community. Using data contained in the International Organization for Migration Counter Trafficking Module, the recovery, return and reintegration experiences of Indonesian victims of human trafficking are examined in this paper. Understanding these experiences has important benefits in developing a better understanding of what assists returnees to recover and may decrease the likelihood of re-trafficking. Better monitoring and evaluation of return and reintegration programs will ensure that the most effective options are developed to assist victims based on the articulated needs and wants of trafficked people. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 483: Accessed September 4, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/481-500/tandi483.html Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking (Australia) Shelf Number: 133174

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Historical review of sexual offence and child sexual abuse legislation in Australia: 1788-2013 Summary: The report provides an overview of the socio-political factors and events that have influenced the development of Australia's child sexual abuse legislation from 1788-2013. Key developments in relevant legislation during this period which are discussed in detail in the report include: the decriminalisation of homosexual acts between consenting males the removal of gendered language from legislation to enable the law to deal with matters involving male victims, female offenders and same sex offences broadening the definition of sexual intercourse introduction of specific legislation relating to child pornography introduction of mandatory reporting laws. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Special Report: Accessed September 4, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/special/007/Historical-review-sexual-offence-child-sexual-abuse.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 133178

Author: Fuller, Georgina Title: Where and when: A profile of armed robbery by location Summary: Armed robbery is a diverse, heterogeneous crime shaped by the presence or absence of a wide array of characteristics. Therefore, effectively preventing armed robbery requires a good understanding of the nature of the offence. Previous attempts to understand armed robbery have focused on the offender, primarily by interviewing incarcerated offenders to gain insight into their motivations and planning. However, this approach overlooks the unique vulnerabilities associated with the victim and/or the location of the offence. In this paper, four armed robbery profiles have been constructed, based on information contained in qualitative police narratives supplied as part of the AIC's National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program. These profiles highlight the way in which the location, environment and offender interact to shape individual incidents of armed robbery in Australia and may assist to inform prevention strategies. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 479: Accessed September 11, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi479.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Armed Robbery Shelf Number: 133273

Author: Baker, David Title: Feeling Safe Again: recovering from property crime Summary: Property crime in Australia declined by more than half between 2001 and 2011 - affecting 2.9 per cent of households in 2012, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Although the proportion of victims has been falling steadily, recovery from these incidents remains an important policy issue for those unfortunate Australians who fall prey to this sort of crime. The shock that property crime can cause is underestimated by most people - burglary victims, in particular, may experience a psychological trauma in addition to the loss of the property itself. Until the mid-1980s it had long been accepted that victims of burglary recovered within two or three months following the crime. The consensus was that effects 'wore off' within a few weeks or months. More recent studies, however, have found that recovery can take much longer. The current consensus is that the effects are both 'pervasive and persistent'. Being the victim of a property crime has a bigger effect on a person's reported feelings of safety than demographic differences. Neither sex nor age had any notable influence on average reported safety scores. Interestingly, respondents who have not been victims but who perceive that theft and burglary are common in their local neighbourhood experience a similar level of insecurity to that reported by actual victims. Analysis of safety scores shows that being a victim of a property crime has an effect on people's feeling of safety over the successive two years. The prolonged recovery experienced by victims suggests that more could be done to support recovery and presents an opportunity for expanding support services. This paper has found that, after two years, victims of property crime still do not feel as safe as they did before the break-in or theft. Support services need to reflect this new understanding of recovery duration with, for example, long-term contact with victims. Even if initial services have been provided, a subsequent follow up may potentially improve recovery rates. Details: Canberra: Australia Institute, 2014. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief No. 66: Accessed September 11, 2014 at: http://www.tai.org.au/content/feeling-safe-again Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Burglary Shelf Number: 133274

Author: Mizzi, Pierrette Title: Sentencing Commonwealth Drug Offenders Summary: This study presents a national empirical picture of the sentencing patterns for the serious drug offences in Pt 9.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth) (the Code). It utilises data from the Commonwealth Sentencing Database (CSD) which is a joint project of the National Judicial College of Australia, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judicial Commission of NSW. The CSD was specifically designed to provide readily accessible information about sentences for Commonwealth offences prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. In a federation of States and Territories it is essential for the punishment of Commonwealth offenders that like cases are dealt with in a like manner so far as possible. A challenge to achieving consistency in sentencing for Commonwealth offences begins at a jurisdictional level as there is no Commonwealth court which deals with Commonwealth matters under a single set of Commonwealth laws. This study examines the notion of sentencing consistency by reference to High Court and intermediate appellate court decisions. The introduction of Pt 9.1 of the Code in December 2005 was a major statutory reform which saw the creation of a greater range of offences and, in the case of the trafficking and manufacturing of drugs, regulation by the Commonwealth Parliament in areas traditionally the province of the States and Territories. The empirical analysis shows that the most common offences prosecuted under Pt 9.1 relate to the importation and possession of marketable and commercial quantities of border controlled drugs. These offences carry maximum penalties of 25 years and life imprisonment respectively and are among the more serious types of offences in Pt 9.1. In the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012, we found an increase in the number of cases involving offences where the maximum penalty was less than 25 years. These were mainly offences involving the importation of marketable quantities of precursors. We also found an increase in the number of cases involving the less serious possession offences in Pt 9.1 of the Code, that is, those possession offences where the maximum penalty is 2 years imprisonment. That increase was most marked in 2011 and 2012. Details: Sydney: Judicial Commission of NSW, 2014. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Monograph 38: Accessed September 11, 2014 at: http://www.judcom.nsw.gov.au/publications/research-monographs-1/research-monograph-38/Monograph38.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Law Shelf Number: 133283

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: Trends in property and illicit drug crime around the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Kings Cross: 2012 update Summary: Aim: The Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) opened in Kings Cross in May 2001. This paper examines whether there have been: (i) increases in the volume of robbery, theft and illicit drug offences in Kings Cross Local Area Command (LAC) up until December 2012 or; (ii) increases in the percentage of Kings Cross illicit drug offences occurring in the immediate vicinity of the MSIC. Method: The volume of crime was indicated by the number of criminal incidents of robbery, theft and specific illicit drug offences recorded by NSW police between January 1999 and December 2012. We measured trends in these offences in Kings Cross LAC from May 2001 (after the MSIC was opened) to December 2012 and compared them to trends in the rest of Sydney. Spatial analyses were used to determine whether incidents of possess/deal cocaine, narcotics or amphetamines were concentrated around the MSIC. Results: With a few minor exceptions there has been a decline in the incidence of robbery and theft incidents in Kings Cross LAC since the MSIC opened. This is consistent with what occurred in the rest of Sydney. The trend in possess/deal cocaine, narcotics or amphetamines was relatively stable from May 2001 through December 2008 but then increased from January 2009 in both Kings Cross LAC and the rest of Sydney. There has been no noticeable trend in the percentage of illicit drug offences which occurred within 50 metres of the MSIC. Conclusion: The trends in property crime incidents and illicit drug crime incidents were the same in Kings Cross LAC and the rest of Sydney after the opening of the MSIC. Keywords: Drugs, Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 90: Accessed September 11, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb90.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 129897

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Brief review of contemporary sexual offence and child sexual abuse legislation in Australia Summary: The following report provides a brief overview of the offences that an individual who sexually abuses a child in an institutional setting may be charged with at the end of 2013. Information provided for each of the identified offences includes: the location of the offence in the respective state or territory's legislation; the age of the victim (where relevant); - aggravating factors - for the purpose of this review, restricted to factors relating to: the age of the child; - the relationship between the offender and victim; and - whether the victim has an intellectual impairment, physical disability or mental illness; the maximum penalty. The offences included in this review have been divided into a six sections: contact sexual offences where the child is below the legal age of consent (16, 17 or 18 years old depending on the jurisdiction and nature of the sexual act); contact sexual offences where the child is above the legal age of consent; contact sexual offences where the age of the victim is not specified; non-contact sexual offences; child pornography offences (production); and offences for which institutions and/or their representatives that were aware of child sexual abuse may be charged. Only offences relating to individuals located within Australia are included in this review. Further, while there are other defences that may be used to refute charges brought under sexual offence or child sexual abuse legislation (for example, honest and reasonable belief that a person was over a certain age and similarity in age between the victim and offender), the only defence that is considered in this report is consent. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Special Report: Accessed September 15, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/special/006/Brief-review-sex-abuse-legislation.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 133327

Author: Wan, Wai Yin Title: Parole Supervision and Re-offending: A propensity score matching analysis Summary: The current study sought to address four questions of importance to correctional policy: 1. Does unconditional release increase the risk, speed or seriousness of further offending compared with conditional release? 2. Does unconditional release increase the likelihood of re-imprisonment compared with conditional release? 3. Does less frequent supervision increase the risk, speed or seriousness of further offending compared with more frequent supervision? 4. Does less frequent supervision increase the likelihood of re-imprisonment compared with more frequent supervision? To answer questions (1) and (2) we compared re-offending rates among two matched cohorts of prisoners released from NSW correctional centres in 2009/10; one of which was released without any requirement for parole supervision and the other of which was released under parole supervision. The offenders in both groups were matched on a wide range of factors that influence the rate of re-offending and/or the rate of re-imprisonment. The results revealed that offenders who received parole supervision upon release from custody took longer to commit a new offence, were less likely to commit a new indictable offence and committed fewer offences than offenders who were released unconditionally into the community. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the average time to commit a new offence that resulted in a prison penalty. To answer questions (3) and (4) two comparisons were made. Firstly, the re-offending rate of parolees who received more frequent compliance-focused contacts whilst on parole was compared with the re-offending rate of a matched group of parolees who received less frequent compliance-focused contacts. Secondly, the re-offending rate of parolees who received more frequent rehabilitation-focused contacts whilst on parole was compared with the re-offending rate of a matched group of parolees who received less frequent rehabilitation-focused contacts. A similar comparison was made with re-imprisonment as the outcome variable, rather than reconviction. The results of these comparisons show that, after matching on all observed covariates, parolees with a higher than average level of rehabilitation-focused contacts take longer to commit any new offence and record fewer offences within 36 months of being released compared with their counterparts who received less frequent rehabilitation-focused contacts. No similar effect was observed for the compliance-focussed supervision. | Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/parolesupervisionandreoffending.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 133329

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Re-offending on Parole Summary: Aim: To measure the rate of re-offending on parole and identify the predictors of both general and violent offending on parole. To describe the types of offences committed on parole. Method: The analysis was based on 9,604 offenders released on parole in 2010 or 2011. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify demographic and criminal history characteristics independently associated with re-offending or re-imprisonment while on parole. Results: Just under 61 per cent (60.8%) of parolees neither re-offended nor were re-imprisoned during their parole period. About twenty-eight per cent (28.4%) of the sample re-offended on parole. A further 10.8 per cent were re-imprisoned on parole without having first re-offended. Approximately 7 per cent (7.1%) of the sample committed a violent offence on parole. Parolees were more likely to offend on parole if they were male; Indigenous; young; had spent less than 180 days in prison (during the current episode); had a higher Level of Service Inventory - Revised score had a non drug offence as their principal offence; had six or more prior court appearances, had been imprisoned before; or had a prior conviction for drug use and/or possession. The correlates of violent re-offending on parole were very similar but also included prior conviction for a serious violent offence. Those who re-offended on parole committed a broad spectrum of offences, including: break and enter, assault, possess illicit drugs, receive/handle proceeds of crime, drive while licence disqualified, breach apprehended violence order and property damage. Conclusion: Offending on parole is less common than previous studies have suggested. Future research should focus on three issues: whether it is possible to improve the accuracy of the parole risk assessment process; whether post release supervision/support reduces the risk of re-offending following release from prison; and whether offenders released to parole are less likely to re-offend if released to parole by the State Parole Authority than if released on parole by a court. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 178: Accessed September 17, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb178.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Parole Revocation Shelf Number: 133330

Author: Simpson, Melanie Title: Caught red-eyed and red-handed: an exploration of cannabis use and criminal offending Summary: Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug by adolescents and adults across the world. Individuals involved in crime have been found to initiate and progress to regular use at an earlier age and use larger amounts, more frequently than the general community. Early, heavy use of cannabis and frequent involvement in crime during adolescence is commonly associated with a range of negative health and social outcomes later in life. The nature of the relationship between cannabis use and crime, however, remains contested. This thesis aimed to explore the initial and on-going association between cannabis use and criminal offending, focusing on the contributions of age and a range of social and environmental factors. This thesis reports on the findings of three studies using differing methodologies and data sources. Study 1 examined data collected from the Drug Use Monitoring Australia program to compare drug use, offending and the predictors of recent criminal charges among police detainees by age and drug-user group. Younger participants were more likely to have recently used cannabis, initiated at a younger age and to have recently received more criminal charges. A mental health diagnosis was a significant predictor of recent charges among detainees whose past year illicit drug use was limited to cannabis-only. The second study examined whether the temporal order of onset of cannabis use and criminal offending could differentiate between the social, motivation and environmental contributors to initiation and on-going cannabis use and crime among young offenders. Although temporal order was not distinguished by factors contributing to drug use or crime initiation, using cannabis prior to involvement in crime was found to influence the speed of progression from first to regular offending. The final study used a qualitative approach to gather in-depth explanations and experiences of young people regarding contributors to initiation, on-going involvement and cessation of cannabis use and criminal offending. The immediate social environment was found to play a strong role in the initiation, acceptance and normalisation of cannabis use and offending. Findings of these studies will prove useful in the development of targeted intervention programs, particularly among individuals whose immediate social environment place them at increased risk for early involvement in cannabis use and crime. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2013. 388p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 17, 2014 at: http://www.unsworks.unsw.edu.au/primo_library/libweb/action/dlDisplay.do?vid=UNSWORKS&docId=unsworks_11493 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 1333369

Author: Deloitte MCS Ltd. Title: Illicit Trade of Tobacco in Australia: Update for 2012 Summary: In May 2012, Deloitte issued a report titled Illicit Trade of Tobacco in Australia: Report for 2011. That report, which was also commissioned by British American Tobacco Australia Limited (BATA), Philip Morris Limited (PML) and Imperial Tobacco Australia Limited (ITA), provided an estimate of the size of the illicit tobacco market for the 2011 calendar year. The purpose of this report is to provide an updated estimate of the illicit tobacco market compared to that reported for the 2011 calendar year. Details: Melbourne: Deloitte, 2012. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2014 at: http://www.bata.com.au/group/sites/bat_7wykg8.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DO9879X3/$FILE/medMD99T566.pdf?openelement Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Counterfeiting Shelf Number: 133371

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Predictors of guilty pleas in the NSW District Court Summary: Aim: To examine factors associated with early, late, and not guilty pleas in the District Court of NSW. Method: Data relating to NSW District Court matters between 2011 and 2013 were extracted from the Re-offending Database. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between demographic details, the number and type of offences, and previous experience with the criminal justice system, and whether a plea of not guilty or guilty was entered, and whether guilty pleas were entered 'early' or 'late'. Results: Overall, 55 per cent of defendants entered an early guilty plea, 28 per cent a late guilty plea and 17 per cent pleaded not guilty. A range of factors were associated with a defendant's plea. For example, with increasing age, defendants were more likely to plead not guilty, and those who did plead guilty were more likely to plead guilty late rather than early. In terms of offence type/s, defendants charged with aggravated sexual assault and serious assault resulting in injury were more likely to plead not guilty, and those who did plead guilty were more likely to plead guilty late rather than early. Defendants charged with robbery, break and enter, and illicit drug offences were more likely to plead guilty, and were more likely to plead guilty early. With increased time between the alleged offence and the committal date, defendants were more likely to plead not guilty and when a guilty plea was entered it was more likely to be entered late than early. While defendants with a prior conviction were more likely than those without a prior conviction to plead guilty than not guilty, they were more likely to enter a guilty plea late. Similarly, compared to those with no concurrent offences, those charged with more than one offence were more likely to plead guilty, and more likely to plead guilty late than early. Conclusion: Having a prior conviction and being charged with more than one offence were factors associated with an increased likelihood of a late guilty plea and a decreased likelihood of a not guilty plea. Targeting cases with these characteristics may help to increase the rate of early guilty pleas. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 96: Accessed September 23, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb96.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts (Australia) Shelf Number: 133396

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Calculating the Baseline Offence Median: Report Summary: This report has been prepared to assist Victorian courts and legal practitioners, as well as interested members of the community, to understand the implications of the Sentencing Amendment (Baseline Sentences) Act 2014 (Vic) (the Act) for current sentencing practices. The Act provides that the baseline sentence represents 'the sentence that Parliament intends to be the median sentence for sentences imposed for that offence'. Median (midpoint average) sentences are set for six offences: culpable driving causing death, incest, persistent sexual abuse of a child under 16, sexual penetration of a child under 12, trafficking in a large commercial quantity of a drug of dependence, and murder. In the report, the Council explains: - basic information about medians and how they are calculated - the baseline median counting rules set under the Act and how they differ from those used in the Council's Sentencing Snapshot series - the difference between baseline medians now and the median set under the Act - how the median sentence for an offence will vary according to the number of years' sentencing data analysed - why it is difficult to predict what new sentencing patterns will emerge following implementation of the Act - how baseline medians can be achieved even if the courts impose non-imprisonment sentences for baseline offences, and/or imprisonment sentences that diverge from the baseline median. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2014. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 23, 2014 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Calculating%20the%20Baseline%20Offence%20Median%20Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Punishment Shelf Number: 133397

Author: Menendez, Patricia Title: The effect of suspended sentences on imprisonment Summary: Aim: To see whether the introduction of suspended sentences reduced the number of offenders receiving a fulltime sentence of imprisonment Method: The number of persons receiving a prison sentence was regressed against the number receiving a suspended sentence while controlling for changes in the total number of proven offenders and the monthly variability using multiple linear regression with ARIMA errors. The data set used for the analysis consisted of the monthly number of persons imprisoned, persons given a suspended sentence and proven offenders from January 2002 to December 2013. Results: Every 10 additional offenders given suspended sentences was associated with an extra 3-4 offenders sent to prison. Conclusion: Although suspended sentences were introduced as an alternative to prison, they appear to have had the opposite effect. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 97: Accessed September 25, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb97.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Imprisonment Shelf Number: 133422

Author: Schafer, Joseph A. Title: Perceptions of ineffective police leaders Summary: Most police (and - indeed - most public safety professionals) would be able to call to mind a leader that they have worked with who they regarded as ineffective. Perhaps this leader was too directive, or conversely, too laissez-faire. Perhaps this leader was dogmatic, or lacked warmth. Whatever it is about an ineffective leader, we tend to know it when we see it, although pinning down exactly what our discontent stems from can be difficult. Professor Joseph Schafer from the Southern Illinois University took up this challenge and sought to unpack what it is about ineffective leaders that we dislike. In this paper Professor Schafer explores officer perceptions of ineffective leadership, and concludes by helpfully grouping these shortcomings into those that we might be able to intervene with through leader development, and those less receptive to change. Importantly, Professor Schafer concludes with the caution that we are all a hair's breadth away from ineffectiveness, and perhaps the most important task for an emerging leader is to be aware of one's own shortcomings, because they will undoubtedly be visible to those whom one seeks to lead. Details: Manly, NSW, AUS: Australian Institute of Police Management, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Focus, Vol. 2, Issue 3: Accessed October 1, 2014 at: http://www.aipm.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Research-Focus-Vol2Iss3-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Administration (Australia) Shelf Number: 133532

Author: Gannoni, Alexandra Title: Same-sex intimate partner homicide in Australia Summary: According to the most recent National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) annual report, there have been more than 6,200 homicides in Australia since data collection began in 1989-90, with one in every four cases involving the death of a victim killed by his or her intimate partner (see Chan & Payne 2013). Of these, the vast majority (approximately 98%) involved partners from opposite-sex relationships, while a small proportion (approximately 2%) involved partners from same-sex relationships. Same-sex intimate partner homicides are generally aggregated with all other intimate partner homicides for the purpose of broad descriptive analysis of the NHMP database. Comparatively little international research has been conducted exploring the nature and context of same-sex intimate partner homicides and no research has specifically examined same-sex intimate partner homicides in Australia. However, as Drake (2004: 317) argues: Research about [gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered] homicide is necessary if the overall homicide rate is to be reduced ...Focusing on stigmatised and underrepresented groups ...might not appear important, [but] this kind of attitude helps exacerbate the crime problem and ensures that homicide will always be problematic. In an attempt to address this gap in the Australian homicide literature and to contribute new knowledge to the study of homicide in general, this paper describes the key characteristics of same-sex intimate partner homicide in Australia as recorded in the NHMP and draws together national and international research concerning its associated factors. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 469: Accessed October 1, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/461-480/tandi469.html Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Homicides (Australia) Shelf Number: 133533

Author: Goodman-Delahunty, Jane Title: Parental sexual offending: Managing risk through diversion Summary: Public policy initiatives to manage parental child sexual offending have been hindered by the absence of risk instruments sensitive to unique factors associated with the distinctive profile of this core group of offenders. Using an Australian sample of 172 male parental offenders referred to community-based treatment designed for low-risk offenders, this study retrospectively compared risk levels and re-offence rates of offenders accepted into treatment (46%) with those who returned to court for standard criminal prosecution (54%). Overall, the results indicated that offenders with low risk scores were significantly more likely to be accepted into treatment, spend longer in treatment and complete treatment than offenders with high risk scores. Low-risk offenders who experienced standard criminal prosecution and sentencing reoffended 11 times faster than their counterparts who attended the community-based program (after controlling for pre-treatment dynamic risk levels). This diversion program was an effective preventive intervention that increased offender desistance and reduced threats to the safety and welfare young children and their families Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice, no.482: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi482.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse (Australia) Shelf Number: 133537

Author: Campo, Monica Title: Children affected by domestic and family violence: A review of domestic and family violence prevention, early intervention and response services Summary: This report sets out the findings of research into domestic and family violence (DFV) prevention, early intervention and response for children aged 0-8 years. The research was commissioned and funded by the NSW Department of Family and Community Services. It contributes to the development of the knowledge base on DFV prevention, early intervention and response strategies and the needs of children, and supports the implementation of aspects of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children (National Plan) and the NSW Government's It Stops Here: Standing Together to end Domestic and Family Violence in NSW (It Stops Here) strategy. We acknowledge the need for holding perpetrators, not women and children, accountable for DFV, and the necessity of ongoing primary prevention of DFV addressing men, however as the key focus of this report is on prevention, early intervention and response strategies for children, it is beyond the scope of this report to engage in a detailed discussion of perpetrator programs or primary prevention activities targeting men. However, there is a further study, also commissioned by the Department of Family and Community Services, and undertaken by a team overseen by Professor Moira Carmody at the University of Western Sydney, that focuses on prevention targeting men and boys. The research had two areas of focus: synthesising the literature on the impacts of DFV on children, and on the evidence for primary prevention and early intervention strategies for children aged 0-8 years; and identifying best practice approaches for primary prevention, early intervention and response for children aged 0-8, and identifying the extent to which these needs are met within existing DVF primary prevention, early intervention, and response approaches in Australia. The research took place in conjunction with two other studies; a study examining DFV prevention initiatives for at-risk women, also conducted by AIFS, and a study that focused on primary prevention initiatives for men and boys. The latter study was conducted by a team at the University of Western Sydney led by Professor Moira Carmody. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014. 127p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2014 at: https://www.women.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0014/300623/PDF-6_Final_Report_Children_affected.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Shelf Number: 134020

Author: Nisbet, Ian Title: Working together to reduce youth recidivism: exploring the potential of a 'Wraparound' Interagency Service Model Summary: The Family Inclusion Project (FIP) was operational between November 2010 and June 2011. The origins of the project were a series of discussions between senior officers of Juvenile Justice and the Coffs Harbour Indigenous Coordination Centre (ICC) in early 2010. The venue for these discussions was the North Coast Justice and Human Services Regional Forum. This venue is a multi-agency forum coordinated by the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. Its purpose is to coordinate the various justice and human service programs in regional NSW. The ICC and Juvenile Justice recognised that they had shared agenda in terms of reducing both Indigenous over-representation and levels of juvenile recidivism in the criminal justice system. These agencies approached the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University to coordinate and evaluate the implementation of a Wraparound model of intervention with Juvenile Justice clients. The community of Kempsey on the North Coast of NSW was chosen as the site to conduct the project as it has a history of high levels of general and Indigenous juvenile recidivism and is also the site of a number of government funded family support agencies. The Family Inclusion Project therefore mirrored the collaborative effort that it sought to implement and evaluate. The project was funded by the Indigenous Coordination Centre, coordinated by the Centre for Children and Young People and staffed by a psychologist with research expertise seconded from Juvenile Justice. "Wraparound" is an individualised and strengths-based way of working with families with complex needs. It relies on collaboration among service providers and is based on 10 principles. These principles include promoting family voice and choice in the casework process and using natural supports such as families' networks of interpersonal and community relationships, as well as community based services. The project was important because Wraparound offers a different approach to working with Juvenile Justice clients, which has largely focused on the individual client rather than the families and agencies supporting them. A key feature of the Juvenile Justice Corporate Plan 2010-2013, however, is to improve its community based services by increased use of family-focused programs and interventions and by developing effective relationships with other service providers in all areas of NSW. The Coffs Harbour Indigenous Coordination Centre funded a 12-month trial of a Wraparound casework approach and the project officer was seconded to the Centre for Children and Young People in August 2010. The project concluded with the release of this evaluation report in August 2011. Details: East Lismore, NSW, AUS: Southern Cross University, Centre for Children and Young People, 2011. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 10, 2014 at: http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1045&context=ccyp_pubs Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 133902

Author: Taylor, S. Caroline Title: Policing Just Outcomes: Improving the Police Response to Adults Reporting Sexual Assault Summary: The prevalence of sexual assault and its consequent harm to both individual victims and society as a whole has now been widely researched, documented and recognised in Western jurisdictions for generations. In particular, policing of this gendered5 crime has been the subject of many research endeavours and police organisations have increasingly opened their doors to academics and other researchers in pursuit of evidence-based knowledge that will assist them to enhance their training, investigations and Brief preparations in this respect. Victoria Police has been among the foresighted police organisations in this regard over the past several years. This report is the result of one major research endeavour concerning reports of sexual assault made by adults and the related police response, investigation and management involving Edith Cowan University in partnership with Victoria Police. This study was designed in terms of three strands, each of which incorporated a number of interrelated research programs. Strand one focused on victims/survivors and it proceeded through the use of an online survey and interviews of adult victims/survivors as well as focus groups and interviews of police officers in the State of Victoria and rape crisis counsellors from Centres Against Sexual Assault located across Victoria. Strand two focused on police decision-making processes and police networking in relation to complaints of sexual assault by adults. It proceeded through close reading of Victoria Police operational case files, individual interviews and focus groups involving police, and a focus group of Office of Public Prosecutions personnel. Strand three focused on the management of the police response and the recruitment, training and development of police for the specialist role of sexual assault policing. It proceeded through the use of strand two methods, as well as observation of Victoria Police training courses, police trainee feedback sheets and online survey, and interview of trainers in relation to the specialist sexual assault policing role. Details: Perth, Western Australia: Edith Cowan University, 2012. 411p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2014 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/fcdc/inquiries/57th/Child_Abuse_Inquiry/Submissions/Professor_Caroline_Taylor_Appenedix_1.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Attitudes Shelf Number: 133932

Author: Baker, Tom Title: Alcohol and other drug treatment and diversion from the Australian criminal justice system 2012-13 Summary: In the 10 years to 2012-13, the number of treatment episodes provided to clients diverted from the criminal justice system into alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment for drug or drug-related offences more than doubled, while treatment episodes for other clients increased only marginally. This bulletin assesses the nature of diversion clients referred to AOD treatment services, how they compare with non-diversion clients receiving AOD treatment, and the treatment they receive. About 1 in 4 clients had been diverted from the criminal justice system Nationally, there were 24,069 clients who had been diverted into AOD treatment, comprising 24% of all clients. Diversion clients were younger and more likely to be male than non-diversion clients, and less likely to be Indigenous Among diversion clients: - 25% were aged 10-19 compared with 11% for non-diversion clients - 80% were male compared with 67% of non-diversion clients - 12% were Indigenous compared with 15% for non-diversion clients. Among diversion clients, about 1 in 7 also received non-diversion treatment during 2012-13 While there are client data for just 1 collection year, about 1 in 7 (3,640) diversion clients also received non-diversion episodes during 2012-13 (4% of total clients). Diversion treatment episodes were about twice as likely to involve cannabis as the principal drug of concern compared with episodes for non-diversion clients Diversion episodes were most likely to be for cannabis (43% compared with 20% for non-diversion episodes). This was followed by alcohol (21% compared with 46%), amphetamines (18% compared with 13%) and heroin (7% compared with 8%). Police diversion episodes had less intensive treatment types compared with court diversion episodes Police diversion episodes were far less likely than court diversion episodes to involve counselling (21% compared with 54%) and support and case management only (1% compared with 15%) as main treatment types, and much more likely to involve information and education only (46% compared with 20%) and assessment only (31% compared with 5%). Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 125: Accessed October 15, 2014 at: Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 133954

Author: Gately, Natalie Title: The 'oldest tricks in the book' don't work! Reports of burglary by DUMA detainees in Western Australia Summary: Research investigating the methods and motivations of burglars has typically focused on incarcerated offenders. The Australian Institute of Criminology's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program provided an opportunity for the authors to explore the methods and motivations of those actively involved in committing burglaries, whether or not they had actually been caught or detained for that offence. The findings support Routine Activity Theory, indicating that offenders consider a number of factors in determining whether a property will be targeted for a break and enter offence. As might be expected, opportunistic burglars choose easy to access properties, stay a minimum length of time and take goods that can be disposed of easily. It was concluded that simple prevention strategies could minimise the risk of becoming a victim of opportunistic burglary, which also has implications for law enforcement, the security industry and insurance agencies. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 489: Accessed October 16, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi489.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Burglars (Australia) Shelf Number: 133962

Author: Phillips, Janet Title: Domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia: an overview of the issues Summary: Executive summary - The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the levels of violence experienced by the world's women as 'a global public health problem of epidemic proportions, requiring urgent action'. - In Australia, domestic, family and sexual violence is found across all cultures, ages and socio-economic groups, but the majority of those who experience these forms of violence are women. However, it is not possible to measure the true extent of the problem as most incidents of domestic, family and sexual violence go unreported. - The information available on the prevalence of domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia is derived from surveys. The 2013 Australia-wide survey on personal safety conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found that many men and women experience at least one encounter with violence in their lifetimes. The survey showed that men are far more likely to experience physical violence at the hands of a stranger but the majority of women experience physical violence by someone known to them-usually an intimate partner or family member. Both men and women are more likely to experience physical violence than sexual violence but women are much more likely to experience sexual assault in their lifetime than men. - The social and economic costs of violence against women are considerable. In 2009 the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (NCRVWC) estimated that violence against women and their children, including both domestic and non-domestic violence, cost the Australian economy $13.6 billion. - The Commonwealth Government is responsible for the over-arching government programs designed to reduce violence against women nationally. However, it is the state and territory governments that have the law enforcement responsibilities in relation to policing and prosecuting instances of domestic, family and sexual violence. - Reducing violence against women has been a priority for both Coalition and Labor governments for many years. The most recent Government initiative is the National Plan to reduce violence against women and their children (National Plan) endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2009. The National Plan set a framework for social change and proposed the introduction of sweeping changes between 2009 and 2021 to be implemented through a series of four three‐year action plans over 12 years. - The move towards better integrated, multi-agency responses and coordination across all levels of government through the National Plan has been received favourably by most stakeholders and is viewed as making significant progress in terms of reducing the levels of violence experienced by women in Australia. Details: Canberra: Parliamentary Library, 2014. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: RESEARCH PAPER SERIES, 2014-15: Accessed October 16, 2014 at: http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/3447585/upload_binary/3447585.pdf;fileType=application/pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 133963

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Responding to organised crime through intervention in recruitment pathways Summary: A multifaceted strategy is required to effectively combat organised crime. A key element of preventing and responding to organised criminal activity is to target how individuals become involved in illicit activities and to develop effective methods of preventing their recruitment. Using prior research into the methods used by organised crime groups to identify potential targets or confederates, and individuals' motivations to seek or agree to participate in criminal activity, a framework is presented that identified key recruitment pathways together with some strategies that would make recruitment and engagement less effective. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 473: Accessed October 16, 2014 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/tandi473.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Careers Shelf Number: 133961

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Policing intoxicated and disorderly conduct: Review of section 9 of the Summary Offences Act 1988 - August 2014 Summary: In 2014 the Ombudsman completed a review of the operation of the offence of continuing to be intoxicated and disorderly in public (section 9 of the Summary Offences Act 1988). This section provides for police to issue a person with an on-the-spot fine or charge the person for continuing to be intoxicated and disorderly after the person has already been given an opportunity to comply with a formal move on direction from police. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2014. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 17, 2014 at: https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/18852/Policing-intoxicated-and-disorderly-conduct-Report-Review-of-section-9-of-the-Summary-Offences-Act-1988_Aug14_web.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 133719

Author: Centre for Multicultural Youth Title: Fair and accurate? Migrant and refugee young people, crime and the media Summary: The public perception of young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds is often associated with crime or offending behaviour. Unbalanced media stories sometimes reinforce these stereotypes. This paper aims to gain a more accurate picture of migrant and refugee youth offending, by comparing media portrayals with available police, census and Youth Justice (Department of Human Services) data. To set the context, it briefly explores risk and protective factors, with specific regard to the migrant and refugee experience. It also examines the negative impact that misinformed public perception can have upon the lives of young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds. While the picture is still incomplete, as the data collected is currently inconsistent, CMY believes that the available data points to migrant and refugee young people being under-represented in the Victoria Police and Youth Justice systems. However, there are particular ethnic groups who appear to be over-represented in relation to their population in Victoria. There is an urgent need for increased and more accurate data which is essential to develop effective and culturally relevant programs for migrant and refugee youth; decrease the number of migrant and refugee youth entering the Youth Justice system; and to challenge inaccurate stereotypes. This is particularly important in regards to specific groups who seem to be overrepresented in crime statistics. In addition, it is evident that a better response is needed to not only challenges the negative media portrayal of many migrant and refugee young people but also allows these youth to better represent themselves in the media. Details: Melbourne: CMY, 2014. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/cfmy_fairandaccurate_oct2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Immigrant Youth (Australia) Shelf Number: 134050

Author: Sutherland, Rachel Title: Motivations and substance use amongst property and violent offenders: Findings from the 2008 & 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System Summary: Key findings - The prevalence of property crime remained stable across 2008 & 2013, with 18% of PWID reporting that they had committed a property offence in the month preceding interview. Violent crime remained low and stable at 4% and 3% respectively. - In both 2008 and 2013, the majority of property offenders reported being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol the last time they committed an offence (73% and 71% respectively). - In 2008, the largest proportion of drug-affected property offenders reported being under the influence of heroin (32%) and benzodiazepines (31%). Similarly, in 2013, they largely reported being under the influence of benzodiazepines (29%). - Property offenders most commonly reported that they had committed their last offence for financial reasons. - Amongst those who had committed a violent offence, almost three-quarters reported that they were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol (73% respectively). - In 2008, the largest proportion of violent offenders reported being under the influence of alcohol (36%), followed by methamphetamine (29%). Similarly, in 2013, the largest proportion of violent offenders reported being under the influence of alcohol and heroin equally (32% respectively). - The largest proportion of violent offenders reported committing their last violent offence for 'opportunistic' reasons. Details: Sydney: National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2014. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Trends Bulletin: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/IDRSJuly2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 134056

Author: Australia. Auditor General Title: Fraud Control Arrangements: Across Entities Summary: 1. Fraud against the Commonwealth is defined as 'dishonestly obtaining a benefit, or causing a loss, by deception or other means.' Fraud against the Commonwealth can be broadly categorised as being either external (fraud committed by clients or customers, service providers and members of the public) or internal (fraud committed by employees and contractors). In some cases, fraud against the Commonwealth may involve collusion between external and internal parties, which may not only result in loss for the Commonwealth, but may also involve corrupt conduct such as bribery and secret commissions. 2. The consequences of fraud against the Commonwealth include financial and material loss which can impact on the Australian Government's ability to deliver services and achieve its policy objectives. More broadly, fraud can result in reputational damage to government and responsible entities, and potential loss of confidence in Australian Government administration. 3. Fraud threats are ongoing and can affect any Australian Government entity. In 2010-11, external and internal fraud losses against the Commonwealth were estimated at $119 million. Approximately $116 million of these estimated losses related to external fraud, while some $3 million related to internal fraud. Details: Sydney: Australian National Audit Office, 2014. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: ANAO Report No. 3 3014-15: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: http://www.anao.gov.au/~/media/Files/Audit%20Reports/2014%202015/Report%203/AuditReport_2014-2015_3.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Bribery Shelf Number: 134062

Author: Victoria. Ombudsman Title: Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria Summary: As this paper notes, Victoria's prison population has grown exponentially in the past few years, and with the impact of recent parole and sentencing reforms further growth is inevitable. In short, the prison population of 4,350 in June 2009 is projected to reach 7,169 in June 2015. The short and medium term consequences of that growth are equally inevitable. Although a massive building program has begun to increase bed capacity across the prison system, the expansion in prisoner numbers has resulted in backlogs in assessment, and affected the availability of programs and support both before and after release. It is also apparent that the reforms to the parole system are having unintended consequences - with the increasing difficulty in obtaining parole, an increasing number of prisoners are leaving without it, at the end of their full sentences, and therefore without the monitoring and reporting requirements that parole would impose. Nor will they necessarily have attended programs designed to reduce offending behaviour, one of the requirements for parole. It is not surprising, when a prison system is required to expand to the degree we are seeing in Victoria today, that the aspirations of the system as reflected in guidelines and procedures are not always met. This is in no way a reflection on the leadership of Corrections Victoria or the many dedicated people who work within the system. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2014. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/280f4a06-5927-4221-bf64-d884ba6abaf9//publications/discussion-papers/discussion-paper-investigation-into-the-rehabilita.aspx Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 134064

Author: Gotsis, Tom Title: A statistical snapshot of crime and justice in New South Wales Summary: Crime and justice are complex and often contested concepts. A range of factors are believed to "cause" crime, including: economic hardship; social disadvantage; sexual abuse; alcohol and drug use; and psychological characteristics, including mental illness. The aims of the criminal justice system are similarly diverse, and include: community protection; specific deterrence; general deterrence; denunciation; retribution; and rehabilitation. This paper looks at the following aspects of the criminal justice system: community perceptions of crime and safety; offender rates and characteristics; crime rates; victims; measures of police effectiveness; courts (including bail and sentencing outcomes); recidivism; corrections (including prison population levels); and expenditure on the criminal justice system. By undertaking this empirical enquiry, the paper seeks to assist in identifying whether legislative and policy reforms to crime and justice are effective in achieving their stated objectives. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2014. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Indicators 10/14: Accessed November 13, 2014 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/AstatisticalsnapshotofcrimeandjusticeinNewSouthWales/$File/statistical+snapshot+crime+and+justice+in+nsw_final+proofs.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics (New South Wales) Shelf Number: 134077

Author: George, Amanda Title: Landscapes of Violence: Women Surviving Family Violence in Regional and Rural Victoria Summary: In 2013 the Centre for Rural Regional Law and Justice (CRRLJ) released a report detailing Women's Experiences of Surviving Family Violence and Accessing the Magistrates' Court in Geelong, Victoria. The research was informed by in-depth, qualitative interviews with survivors of family violence and workers who support survivors and their children, as well as court observations conducted at the Geelong, Heidelberg and Werribee magistrates' courts. The report (which is publicly available via the CRRLJ website) details the finding that while some women described positive experiences with police officers, magistrates and lawyers, the women respondents also found the court process to be intimidating and felt that there are limited opportunities to have their voices and concerns heard in court. Women spoke of the Family Violence Intervention Order (FVIO) process as confusing and cited frequent breaches of FVIOs - of varied natures and severities - which were identified by women, lawyers and workers as the principal reason for the continuing failure of FVIOs. Court support was identified as reducing the anxiety experienced by applicants, but the provision of support was described as ad hoc, and lacking a streamlined process to connect all survivors who access the court. Overwhelmingly, women emphasised their concern with the impact of violence on their children and expressed their distress that children are not always named on the FVIO. Court wait times, limited safe, separate waiting areas at court and the need for more funding to enable access to expeditious and affordable legal advocacy were also identified as key issues of concern. Given these findings, Jordan and Phillips advocate for 'a more consistent approach to survivors seeking safety and justice' and 'increased levels of specialist training for all justice system personnel working on family violence cases'. This report draws and extends upon the 2013 report, in regards to the geographic areas, issues covered, and range of participants. It examines the experiences of and outcomes for women survivors of family violence in regional and rural Victoria, considering their contact with and perceptions of government agencies (including Victoria Police, the Victorian magistrates' courts and the Department of Human Services [DHS]) as well as private and community advocates (legal actors and services, women's services and family violence services) and healthcare professionals. Through this research, survivors have identified issues and barriers they have encountered in escaping family violence, and have provided suggestions in regards to how both the criminal justice system and the broader Victorian community might assist survivors and help prevent family violence. As well as being informed by survivors, this research includes insights provided by government and non-government practitioners and organisations who have offered their views on this report's key findings and recommendations. In addition to the generous contributions of these participants, this report utilises relevant data and emerging research in an effort to identify best practice responses to family violence; improve access to justice, support and safety; and protect and promote women's rights and entitlements. Details: Melbourne: Deakin University, Centre for Rural and Regional Law and Justice, 2014. 217p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2014 at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/287040/Landscapes-of-Violence-online-pdf-version.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 134078

Author: Thompson, Carleen Title: Examining adult-onset offending: A case for adult cautioning Summary: Criminologists have traditionally considered adult-onset offending to be a rare phenomenon (Eggleston & Laub 2002). Consequently, little criminological theory, research or policy has focused on adult-onset offending. However, an emerging body of research suggests that a substantial number of offenders have their first contact with the criminal justice system (CJS) at 18 years of age or older (Delisi & Piquero 2011). Despite increasing interest in adult-onset offenders, the nature of adult-onset offending is still poorly understood. Moreover, it is unclear whether traditional criminal justice responses for adult offenders are appropriate for adult-onset offenders. In this study, the extent, nature and costs of adult-onset offending are examined, alongside the appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of current criminal justice responses. The limited research examining adult-onset offenders indicates that these offenders have lower rates of reconviction, commit far fewer crimes and perpetrate less serious offences than early-onset offenders (eg Carrington, Matarazzo & deSouza 2005; Kratzer & Hodgins 1999). However, in some cases, the criminal careers of adult-onset offenders are extensive and serious (Delisi & Piquero 2011). Recent research in two population-based Queensland offender cohorts identified a clear and prevalent low-rate, adult-onset offender trajectory (Allard, Chrzanowski & Stewart 2012; Allard et al. 2014). Although a high-rate, adult-onset offender trajectory was not identified, a small late-onset chronic offender trajectory was identified that included offenders with an onset at 18 years or older. Together, this research suggests that for many adult-onset offenders, their criminal career may be brief and less serious. However, for some adult-onset offenders, their criminal career may be both chronic and serious. To date, research has not disaggregated adult-onset offenders across severity or chronicity. If both low-rate/less serious and chronic/serious groups of adult-onset offenders can be identified, this has important implications for responding to these offenders. According to best practice principles of offender rehabilitation, sanctions and interventions should be commensurate with the level of risk posed by an offender (Andrews & Dowden 2006). Intensive interventions should be reserved for chronic offenders who pose an ongoing risk. For low-risk offenders, CJS interventions should be minimised or even avoided, as such interventions may unintentionally increase the likelihood of reoffending (Andrews & Dowden 2006). For these offenders, diversion, such as formal police cautioning, may be a more appropriate, efficient and cost-effective response than current practices of court processing. Although formal police cautioning for adults is not legislated in Queensland, police policy enables cautions to be used for minor offences perpetrated by individuals over 65 years or with intellectual disabilities (QPS 2012). Formal adult cautioning is also used for limited offences in other jurisdictions in Australia such as for minor drug offences and shoplifting in Victoria (Victoria Police 2012) and for possessing cannabis in New South Wales and Tasmania (NCPIC 2013). Furthermore, broader adult cautioning schemes operate overseas for predominantly less serious and first-time offences (eg England and Wales; Ministry of Justice 2013). Formal police cautioning is also routinely used for youths across a broad range of offences in all jurisdictions in Australia (Little & Allard 2011). Evaluations of formal police cautioning schemes support the effectiveness of cautioning for recidivism and cost savings, particularly for low-risk offenders (eg Allard et al. 2010). If most adult-onset offenders are low-rate, low-risk offenders, diversion may be a more appropriate response to most adult-onset offending rather than processing these individuals through the adult courts. In this study, the extent, nature and costs of adult-onset offending is investigated, as well as potential variability in the chronicity of adult-onset offending. Analyses compare adult-onset offenders and early-onset offenders to determine if and how these offenders differ. Finally, given the frequent use of cautioning with less serious youth offending and the introduction of cautioning (of varying levels of inclusiveness) for adults nationally and internationally, the cost implications associated with cautioning low-rate, less serious adult-onset offenders is investigated. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 488: Accessed November 13, 2014 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi488.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Adult Cautioning Shelf Number: 134082

Author: Crinall, Karen Title: 'Safe at home' programs in the context of the Victorian Integrated family Violence Service System Reforms: A review of the literature Summary: Family violence is a leading cause of homelessness, poverty (FaCHSIA 2009, COAG 2010), preventable death, disability and illness for Victorian women aged 15-45 years (VicHealth 2004). Exposure to family violence is now widely recognised as a form of child abuse (Statewide Steering Committee 2005, FaCHSIA 2009). Family violence costs the Australian economy an estimated $13.6 billion per year (FaCHSIA 2009:34), if not effectively and appropriately addressed, the total cost in 2021-22 is estimated to be $15.6 billion (FaCHSIA 2009:36). Although domestic and family violence began to be taken seriously by Australian governments in the latter half of the twentieth century, a growing body of evidence revealed that prevalence was not decreasing. At the same time, there was recognition that the best interests of women and children experiencing this form of violence were not necessarily being well served (Rorke 2008). In response to calls from the family violence sector, the Victorian government embarked on a program of major legislative and service system reform by adopting a 'whole of government' approach to redressing family violence incidence and responding to the needs of affected women and children. The new approach to family violence involves integration of the Victorian family violence service system, and is guided by the goals of ensuring the safety of women and children and holding men who use violence accountable (see Green, ADFVC, record#170). This wide-ranging initiative represents a profound shift in the way government, police, judiciary and service providers respond to, and seek to prevent family violence. Enabling women to have the choice to remain safely within their own homes, rather than believing they must leave and seek refuge, is a key component in this reform program. Referred to here as 'safe at home', the strategy signifies a new direction in the way the family violence service system supports women and their children to escape family violence. This literature review was undertaken to develop a more complete understanding of 'safe at home' as a service system response, with a particular focus on its capacity to contribute to the Victorian reform goals of ensuring the safety of women and children and holding men who use violence against women accountable. The review examines 'safe at home' in the context of National and state family violence policy and practice initiatives. Specific focus is given to determining elements required for successful and effective implementation. The aims are to: - further understand 'safe at home' as an intervention strategy within the Victorian integrated family violence service system; - explore how the 'safe at home' strategy might contribute to enhancing the safety of women and children; - consider whether 'safe at home' interventions are able to hold men who use violence against women accountable; - to identify elements necessary for successful implementation of 'safe at home' programs. Key questions informing the review are: - How is 'safe at home' defined in policy and practice? - Is there evidence to indicate that 'safe at home' programs have enhanced the safety of women and children? - Is there evidence to suggest that 'safe at home' as a response is able to hold men who use violence against women accountable? - What is required for successful implementation of 'safe at home' programs? - What supports are necessary to enable women and children to stay in their home, if they prefer this option? Details: Melbourne: Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, Monash University, University of Melbourne, 2014. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2014 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/safehomereview_with_covers.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 134139

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Exploring the Relationship between Community-Based Order Conditions and Reoffending Summary: 1.1 This report examines the relationship between conditions imposed on offenders as part of a community-based sentence and subsequent reoffending. Specifically, the report considers community-based orders (CBOs) imposed by the Magistrates' Court of Victoria between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2009, with a focus on (a) how magistrates used different combinations of conditions and (b) how offender and offence characteristics, including reoffending rates, differed between offenders who did and did not receive 'supervision' as a condition of their order. The analysis provides an insight into the interaction between decisions made by sentencers in relation to community-based sentencing and subsequent reoffending within the Victorian criminal justice system. 1.2 Although the CBO was abolished in January 2012, this report is highly relevant to the CBO's replacement: the community correction order (CCO). Despite an increased range of conditions available under the latter order, recent research suggests that magistrates are using CCOs in a very similar manner to how they were using CBOs. Thus, the report is still likely to provide an insight into the expected reoffending patterns for CCOs. 1.3 The Council defines reoffending as any offending that followed the imposition of the index sentence and was sentenced in any Victorian court to 30 June 2012. Defined this way, the overall reoffending rate for offenders who received a CBO is 42.6%. 1.4 There are multiple methods for examining reoffending. The methodology used in this report is consistent with the approach taken by the New South Wales (NSW) Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) in their analysis of reoffending in NSW. This method differs from the Productivity Commission's analysis in a number of significant ways, including: - focusing on reoffending that follows the imposition (as opposed to completion) of a community order; - counting reoffending that results in fines; and - including reoffending that occurs between three and five years post-sentence (as opposed to two years). 1.5 Unpaid community work, assessment/treatment, and supervision were the main conditions attached to CBOs. At least one of these three conditions was included in 97.2% (n = 6,177) of the CBOs imposed during the index period. The focus of this report is on the supervision condition. Of the sample of 6,177 offenders, 45% (n = 2,791) received supervision as at least one of the conditions of a CBO (the 'Supervision CBO' group) while the remaining 55% (n = 3,386) did not (the 'No Supervision CBO' group). The Supervision CBO group had a significantly higher reoffending rate than the No Supervision CBO group (49.5% compared with 36.9%). Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2014. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Exploring%20the%20Relationship%20between%20Community-Based%20Order%20Conditions%20and%20Reoffending.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 134174

Author: Karam, Johanna Title: Dignity, diversion, home and hope: a review of interventions for volatile substance misuse in regional North Queensland Summary: Volatile substance misuse (VSM) refers to the practice of deliberately inhaling volatile substances for the purposes of bringing about a change in mental state. Rates of inhalant misuse in Australia are difficult to determine but are generally thought to be increasing (Usher et al. 2005). Whilst there is a growing body of literature about VSM, many papers recognise the lack of empirical research investigating the effectiveness of interventions (Skellington Orr & Shewan 2006; Konghom et al. 2010; Ridenour et al. 2007; Ridenour 2005; NHMRC 2011b; S. J. MacLean & d'Abbs 2011; CCYP 2002; d'Abbs & S. J. MacLean 2008; S. MacLean et al. 2012; NIAT 2006). Research into inhalant use interventions in Australia is dominated by investigations of petrol sniffing and other inhalant use in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities (e.g. Cairney and Dingwall 2010; James 2004; S. J. MacLean and d'Abbs 2002; Midford et al. 2010) or capital cities (e.g. Ogwang et al. 2006; Hancock 2004; Takagi et al. 2010). In the regional cities of Central, North and Far North Queensland, young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island backgrounds overwhelmingly dominate the statistics of inhalant users. This necessitates a targeted, culturally appropriate place based response, as reflected in Australia's National Drug Strategy Complementary Action Plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy 2006). Outbreaks of inhalant use are often highly localised and spasmodic. The episodic nature of outbreaks means that often place based strategies and responses are the most appropriate (NIAT 2006). Criteria outlined by d'Abbs and MacLean (2008) included 'research and consultation to determine specific features of VSM within the local area' as a specific component of any successful intervention. Examination of interventions and applicability within the regional context was therefore deemed warranted. In April 2012, Cairns based government and non-government agencies participated in a one-day forum, facilitated by state-wide capacity building organisation Dovetail, to discuss regional VSM issues and develop an action plan to improve strategies and collaboration. Following the forum, Youth Empowered Towards Independence (YETI) received funding from the former Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to undertake a 12-month VSM-CAP (Community and Practice) project to help strengthen interventions and supports for inhalant users in the local area. YETI is a not-for-profit non-government organisation that supports young people aged 10-25 years old residing in Cairns. YETI primarily works with vulnerable young people who are at risk of, or are already engaging in the use of illicit drugs and/or alcohol. Approximately 85 per cent of clients accessing services at YETI identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. YETI recognises the importance of research and evaluation for strengthening collaborative interventions and the documentation of VSM practice responses, which are relevant to the local context. The funding ensured that research and documentation of best practice place-based interventions was able to occur. Aims of the VSM-CAP Project included; direct intervention - to reduce harms associated with VSM in the Cairns region and to provide individual support to young people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background to reconnect with country, family and community, and; coordination and collaboration - to build community systems capacity in relation to responding to inhalant use in Cairns and Far North Queensland. This research constituted the third aim of the project. This research examined current regional VSM interventions and collated qualitative and statistical data to develop evidence-based locally responsive interventions to address VSM. The subsequent report also documents a set of practice principles, which underpin YETI's VSM response within the local context. The project identifies, explores and reports some of the issues associated with inhalant use in regional centres of North and Far North Queensland. Most importantly, the report and the associated project give a voice to the 'grass roots' people at the 'coal face' of sniffing in regional Queensland. That is, the voices of young people engaging in VSM and local place based practitioners who work with them. Details: Canberra: Australian Government, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2014. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: http://www.dpmc.gov.au/publications/docs/YETI_dignity_diversion_home_hope.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 134178

Author: Millsteed, Melanie Title: Ten Years of the South Australian Police Drug Diversion Initiative: Data Analysis Report Summary: The beginning of September 2011 marked ten years of PDDI operation, and presents a timely opportunity to analyse the data collected by the Drug Diversion Line over the whole ten year period. This briefing paper provides a summary of this data analysis. Its objectives are to determine: - The number and profile of individuals diverted under the PDDI; - Whether the number and/or profile of those diverted has changed over time, and if so, how it has changed; - The proportion of diverted individuals that comply with their diversion, and the profile of individuals that are less likely to comply; and, - The level of recidivism, time between first and subsequent diversions, and the profile of those that are more likely to re-offend within the context of the PDDI. In order to analyse trends over time, the data analysis sometimes splits the data into the following three equal time periods: - 1 September 2001 to 31 December 2004 - 1 January 2005 to 30 April 2008 - 1 May 2008 to 31 August 2011 Details: Adelaide: South Australian Attorney-General's Department, Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/TenYears-PDDI.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 134265

Author: Kevin, Maria Title: Drug Use in the Inmate Population -- Prevalence, nature and context. Summary: This report presents drug statistics and research findings pertaining to the New South Wales (NSW) prison population drawn from the Biennial Data Collection series. This represents the sixth survey in the series. A fundamental role of this series is to examine the extent and nature of drug-related crime, drug use patterns (both prior to and upon imprisonment treatment involvement and slso0 correctional responses. Details: Sydney: Corrections Research, Evaluation & Statistics, Corrective Services NSW, 2013. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 52: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/535215/Drug-Use-in-the-Inmate-Population.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 134266

Author: Agnew-Pauley, Winifred Title: x2 Summary: Aim: To determine whether there has been any change in the rate of reporting of assaults on licensed premises by staff in 2012-2013 in both the top 100 and unranked licensed premises for assaults. This paper also briefly examines the characteristics of both offenders and victims of assaults on licensed premises. Method: A random sample of 800 assaults (400 from top 100 premises and 400 from unranked premises) from January 2012 to December 2013 were tabulated and coded for relevant information. SPSS was then used to determine proportions of victims and offenders in various categories and any trends in reporting. Trend tests were carried out using x2. Results: There was no statistically significant trend in the proportion of reports of assaults emanating from staff on licensed premises. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper No. 99: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb99.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 134271

Author: New South Wales. Legislative Assembly. Committee on Law and Safety Title: Measures to Reduce Alchol and Drug-Related Violence: Preliminary Inquiry Summary: This is the final report of the Law and Safety Committee's inquiry into measures to reduce alcohol and drug-related violence. Details: Sydney: NSW Legislative Assembly, 2014. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 4/55: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/7a337e047dd84b50ca257d96000bb5ac/$FILE/Measures%20to%20Reduce%20Alcohol%20and%20Drug-related%20Violence.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 134272

Author: Rose, Natasha Title: Assaults and Robberies in the Health, Retail and Hospitality Sectors Summary: On 20 June 2013, the Office of Crime Statistics and Research received a request from the Parliamentary Committee on Occupational Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation for information on occupational violence in the health, retail and hospitality sectors. Trends over time and information on weapons used and victims and alleged perpetrators relating to robberies and assaults in the health, retail and hospitality sectors. The information was sourced from the Office of Crime Statistics and Research, Police Database 2012 (unpublished) based on data supplied by South Australia Police. All incident reports listing assault and/or robbery offences over the 11 year period from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2012 were extracted. Data on victim demographics and weapons used (where applicable) were included. All apprehension reports recorded as clearing any of these incident reports were cross referenced to provide demographic data on alleged offenders. This report aims to summarise information on: 1) Incidents where an assault or robbery has been recorded by police as having occurred in locations related to the health, retail and hospitality sectors; 2) Weapons used where an assault or robbery has been recorded; and 3) Recorded victims and alleged perpetrators of the above-mentioned offences. It should be noted that although the Parliamentary Committee on Occupational Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation were specifically interested in information relating to occupational violence, due to limitations in the data available to OCSAR, the author was unable to differentiate between victimisations involving people in the care of an organisation and those involving people with no connection to a workplace. Therefore, this report covers all incidents occurring in a health, retail or hospitality location irrespective of who was victimised. Details: Adelaide, S. Australia: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, Attorney-General�s Department, 2013. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/research_reports/Report%20on%20Assault%20and%20Robbery%20in%20the%20Health%20Retail%20and%20Hospitality%20Sectors%20-%20August%202013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 134273

Author: Aydin, Esin Title: Evaluation of the Getting SMART Program. Study One: Factors impacting program completion Summary: In 2007 Correctional Research Evaluation and Statistics (CRES), Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) initiated the Correctional Treatment Outcome Study (CTOS) to provide a broad evaluation framework for drug treatment programs delivered in NSW correctional centres. This evaluation aimed to examine factors associated with successful completion of the program to provide an empirical basis for improving program completion and program outcomes. The specific objectives of the evaluation were to examine program elements and characteristics, program outputs, participant characteristics and perceptions and factors predictive of program completion. Details: Sydney: Corrective Services NSW, 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 53: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/590988/FINAL-DRAFT-VERS-2-Getting-SMART-Attrition-JAN-2014-incl-JG-comments-March-2014.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 134274

Author: Wan, Wai-Yin Title: Supply-Side Reduction Policy and Drug-Related Harm Summary: The three pillars of Australia's drug policy are: supply reduction; demand reduction; and harm reduction. Supply reduction policy focuses on reducing the supply, or increasing the cost of, illegal drugs through such actions as crop eradication, drug seizures, arresting drug importers and distributors etc. While there is much evidence to support the effectiveness of demand and harm reduction measures, there is less evidence supporting the effectiveness of supply reduction policy. The purpose of this study was to improve on, and further contribute to this area of knowledge and examine the impact of seizures and supplier arrest on the use and associated harms of three drugs: heroin, cocaine, and amphetamine type substances (ATS). The investigation had two parts. The first sought to determine whether there was an inverse relationship between the intensity of supply reduction efforts (as measured by seizure weights and frequencies and by supply arrests) and: 1.The number of emergency department (ED) admissions or drug use/possession (UP) arrests which were attributed to heroin, cocaine, or ATS use; or 2.The reported incidence of certain drug related offences known or thought to be committed by users of heroin, cocaine, or ATS (such as theft, robbery, and assault). The investigation was limited to the top 20 per cent of seizures by weight. The time lag between the supply reduction efforts and the outcomes examined in this part of the study was four months. This part of the study covered the 10 year period from July 2001 until June 2011. The second part involved an examination of the impact of three specific operations (Operation Balmoral Athens, Operation Tempest and Operation Collage) identified by the NSW Crime Commission as having the potential to have affected the market for cocaine. Because the three operations occurred is close succession they were treated as one single intervention. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2014. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Monograph 53: Accessed December 8, 2014 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph53.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction (Australia) Shelf Number: 134277

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Young but not so restless: Trends in the age-specific rate of offending Summary: Aim: To describe and discuss trends in age-specific rates of offending for property crime, robbery and serious assault. Method: Descriptive statistics and graphical displays. Results: The number of people apprehended by police for property crime and robbery has fallen sharply since around 2001 and is much lower now than it was 15 years ago. The decline has been most pronounced among adolescent and young adult offenders (aged 15-20 years). The rate at which people in this age group were apprehended for robbery first rose and fell between 1995 and 2004 and then rose and fell (again) between 2005 and 2012. The rate at which 21-24 year olds were apprehended for robbery declined between 1999 and 2012. A similar but less pronounced pattern is seen for 25-29 year olds. The rate at which people were apprehended for serious assault remained fairly stable for all age groups up until around 2003. Thereafter the rate rose rapidly for 15-20 year olds, peaking at around 2008 and then falling from 2009 to 2012. The rate at which older age groups have been apprehended by police for assault remained fairly steady since 1999 but over the last three years has slowly declined. Conclusion: It is impossible to be certain but there is good reason to expect a continuation of the downward trend in rates of property crime and robbery in NSW. The future course of trends in serious assault will likely depend on whether the current fall in alcohol misuse by young people continues. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 98: Accessed December 9, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb98.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 134292

Author: Ramsey, Stephanie Title: Malicious damage to property offences in Bourke Local Government Area Summary: Aim: To describe the nature of malicious damage to property offences in Bourke Local Government Area (LGA). This paper considers the characteristics of both the offence and known offenders. Summary: In the 12 months to March 2014, the rate of malicious damage to property offences in Bourke LGA was the highest in NSW (5,003 incidents per 100,000). Overall, while the number of malicious damage to property offences in NSW has been declining, the number of offences recorded in Bourke LGA has remained stable. The majority of incidents in Bourke are recorded as general malicious damage to property offences (94%), with only nine incidents recorded as graffiti. Malicious damage to property incidents mainly occur between 3pm-6pm on Sundays and Mondays in the vicinity of the town centre. The average cost of these offences in Bourke is $769. Almost all malicious damage to property offenders in Bourke were young, Indigenous males. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 100: Accessed December 9, 2014 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l4/bb100.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 134293

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Community Correction Orders in the Higher Courts: Imposition, Duration, and Conditions Summary: Using both quantitative and qualitative analyses of judges' sentencing remarks, Community Correction Orders in the Higher Courts examines CCOs imposed by Victorian higher courts in the 18 months to June 2013. 1.1 This report builds on the findings from the Council's Community Correction Orders: Monitoring Report, which examines a range of factors associated with the use of community correction orders (CCOs). This report presents the findings of a quantitative and qualitative analysis of sentencing remarks for CCOs imposed by the Supreme and County Courts (the higher courts) between January 2012 and June 2013 (inclusive). The analysis has been undertaken to identify case variables influencing the imposition of CCOs, long CCOs (over 2 years duration), and the most frequently imposed conditions. 1.2 The methodology can be summarised as follows: - the sentencing remarks of 437 of the 460 CCOs imposed in the higher courts over this 18 month period are analysed; - the quantitative analysis examines 32 case variables, focusing on the offender, the offence, the victim, and the legal process, and is based on a binary logistic regression; - the imposition of CCOs is compared to short terms of imprisonment for armed robbery, aggravated burglary, and cause serious injury (both intentionally and recklessly); and - the qualitative analysis considers 157 CCO sentencing remarks and a smaller sample of short terms of imprisonment remarks involving the examination of a range of variables associated with the case characteristics. 1.3 With respect to the imposition of a CCO relative to a short term of imprisonment, the quantitative analysis finds that: - the majority of case variables do not predict if a CCO or short term of imprisonment will be imposed; - the only variable that consistently increases the likelihood of the imposition of a CCO (although non-significant for armed robbery) is whether the offender is currently employed and/or involved in an educational program; and - the involvement of drugs and/or alcohol in the offence has an inconsistent predictive influence, increasing the likelihood of a CCO for aggravated burglary, decreasing the likelihood for armed robbery, and having no consistent predictive influence for serious injury. 1.4 Examination of the specific case variables collected for the qualitative research reveals that, for certain judges, some additional factors influence the imposition of a CCO relative to a short term of imprisonment for specific cases. For example: - youth, mental illness, and a significant delay between the offending and sentencing, particularly where accompanied by demonstrated efforts at rehabilitation, influence the imposition of a CCO in some cases; and - previous offending and the seriousness of the instant offending consistently influence the imposition of an order of imprisonment. 1.5 As each sentencing decision is the result of instinctive synthesis, the differences in the sentences imposed could point to differences in the case facts (for example, offender age, nature and extent of prior offending). However, relevant similarities in those case facts, as evidenced by the sentencing remarks on either side of the dispositional divide, indicate that the difference may also be attributable to differences in the weighting of similar case facts. 1.6 With respect to duration, the qualitative analysis of sentencing remarks reveals that the courts provide little explicit guidance on, or clear explanation of, the sentencing purposes intended to be achieved by the imposition of a long CCO. Where comment has been made, the length of the order has been determined by issues of parity, the need to allow appropriate time for completion of rehabilitation courses, or the decision to make the sentence more onerous. 1.7 With respect to the combination of conditions attached to each CCO, the majority of quantitative variables do not make a significant contribution to predicting when a particular CCO condition will be imposed. There is also little judicial comment in the sentencing remarks that directly addresses the sentencing purposes for imposing certain CCO conditions. 1.8 The methodology examines the subjective and objective factors that interact in the complex sentencing process. There are inherent difficulties in clearly assessing the role of quantitative and qualitative factors in judgments based on instinctive synthesis. However, traditional legal analysis of sentencing remarks - in conjunction with the quantitative and qualitative techniques used in this study - allows certain inferences to be made. 1.9 A CCO is a new and different form of sanction. It is not a rebranded version of earlier forms of community-based sanctions. A much broader range of conditions can be imposed on a CCO, and a CCO can be imposed in the higher courts for a period up to the maximum penalty for an offence. However, the duration (85% - 2 years) and conditions attached to CCOs are very similar to those attached to community-based orders (CBOs). An analysis of a range of case factors indicates that the majority of these variables do not contribute to predicting the imposition of a CCO or the duration or conditions attached to a CCO. 1.10 Further research is necessary to gain a better understanding of what is influencing sentencing behaviour in the imposition of CCOs. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2014. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2014 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Community%20Correction%20Orders%20in%20the%20Higher%20Courts.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 134311

Author: Willis, Katie Title: Assessing the impact of police on cannabis markets Summary: - The enforcement of laws relating to the production and distribution of illicit drugs is a major investment for the Australian community, with one recent estimate indicating that the annual direct costs of drug law enforcement (DLE) are around $1.7 billion - Traditional measures of DLE performance are based on drug seizure and arrest data. While these are simple and well-understood measures of DLE effort, they are ambiguous and imperfect - Work undertaken in Australia and overseas to develop more rigorous measurement systems emphasises the use of multiple, cross-sectoral indicators in assessing law enforcement impacts, rather than relying on single indicators of performance - While the police and health sectors use very different strategies and interventions to deal with cannabis-related problems, there is important convergence in what both sectors seek to achieve. That is, a community that is less burdened by cannabis-related crime, illness and injury - The new measures outlined in this bulletin would not only assist to improve DLE's understanding of the cannabis market, but their impact on that market - Work would need to be undertaken to identify or establish suitable data sources for some of the suggested measures - Including new questions in existing population surveys or expanding current agency administrative data sets are two low cost ways to improve the types of data available. There may also be scope for development of new data capture methods that focus on populations that often have high levels of cannabis use, such as youths in juvenile justice settings Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre 2010. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: criminal justice bulletin series 7: Accessed December 10, 2014 at: https://ncpic.org.au/media/1937/assessing-the-impact-of-police-on-cannabis-markets.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis (Australia) Shelf Number: 134312

Author: Baker, David Title: Unlocking Care: Continuing mental health care for prisoners and their families Summary: There were 30,775 prisoners in Australia at the end of June 2013 - an increase of five per cent on the 2012 census conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Almost six out of ten (58 per cent) prisoners had previously served a sentence as an adult. The cost of housing a prisoner in 2012-13 was $297 per day. In comparison, annual expenditure on mental health-related services in 2011‑12 was $322 per person - less than a dollar a day. State and territories provided 61 per cent of this funding. The prison population has higher rates of mental illness than the wider population. While treatment in prison can improve a person's mental health, it appears that, for some, mental health deteriorates after release. Mental health support is, therefore, an important service for people returning to the community. If people are re-offending and returning to the prison system in part due to a failure to provide adequate mental health services following release, improvements make sense. The difference in cost for community mental health services and imprisonment provides a budget window for increased spending to improve mental health services. This paper outlines the case for a new model of continued mental health care from prison out into the community. Among the general population one in ten Australians (11 per cent) registers a high or very high level of psychological distress, suggesting they may have moderate or severe mental health issues. In comparison the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has reported that almost a third (31 per cent) of prison entrants in 2012 had a high or very high level of psychological distress. Almost one in four (38 per cent) people entering prison in 2012 had previously been told they had a mental health disorder. The rate of referrals to prison mental health services, however, was only 26 per cent in 2012. This referral rate did not differ for men and women, despite women prisoners having a higher rate of mental illness. At the point of leaving prison, twice as many women (31 per cent) as men (16 per cent) had a high or very high level of psychological distress. In 2012 the level of psychological distress among Indigenous prisoners was 22 per cent of prison entrants and 18 per cent prior to release. The data confirms previous research, both in Australia and internationally, that has shown the incidence of mental illness is higher among prisoner populations. This paper reports that the average level of distress increases after release from prison, reversing evident improvements achieved during imprisonment. More than four in ten people who had been in prison within the previous year had high or very high levels of distress. This rate is higher than that reported by the AIHW for people entering prison and among those preparing to leave. For some people negative mental health outcomes present following release which were not evident in the lead-up to leaving prison. For people suffering a mental illness, the move back into the community can worsen psychiatric symptoms - contributing to greater difficulties adjusting to the change. The mental wellbeing of those leaving prison is better than that of people entering prison, reflecting the ability of prison health services to deliver targeted, appropriate mental health care. The AIHW data shows that prior to release fewer than two in ten (18 per cent) people are likely to continue to have a moderate or severe mental health issue. A majority (91 per cent) of people being discharged from prison in 2012 reported that their mental health and wellbeing had improved. This positive outcome does not appear to apply to women. A UK study found that while the mental health of men improved in the first three months of imprisonment, there was no real change among women. Improvements achieved in prison, however, may not be maintained after release. Analysis of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey provides a third measurement of the psychological distress of people who had been in prison in the past year. The transition from prison to the community can be a stressful and anxious period for many people. The AIHW has reported that impending release from prison was cited as a reason for psychological distress by almost half (45 per cent) the prisoners assessed as distressed prior to release. Australian research has found that for many people leaving prison there is a continuation of the problems, including mental health issues, faced prior to incarceration. If mental health care provided in prison is not continued after a person's release, their mental health may worsen, undoing any health benefits that may have been achieved while in prison. Details: Canberra City, AUS: Australia Institute, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 15, 2015 at: http://www.tai.org.au/content/unlocking-care-continuing-mental-health-care-prisoners-and-their-families Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Services Shelf Number: 134316

Author: Stewart, Jacqueline Title: Indigenous Youth Justice Programs Evaluation Summary: Diversion from the youth justice system is a critical goal for addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous young people in the criminal justice system. In this report, four programs that were already being implemented by states and territories and identified by them under the National Indigenous Law & Justice Framework as promising practice in diversion are examined. The programs were evaluated, as part of a broader initiative, to determine whether and on what basis they represent good practice (ie are supported by evidence). State and territory governments nominated the programs for evaluation. The four programs sit at different points along a continuum, ranging from prevention (addressing known risk factors for offending behaviour, such as disengagement from family, school, community or culture), early intervention (with identified at-risk young people), diversion (diverting from court process - usually for first or second time offenders) and tertiary intervention (treatment to prevent recidivism): - Aboriginal Power Cup (South Australia)- a sports-based program for engaging Indigenous young people in education and providing positive role models (prevention). - Tiwi Islands Youth Development and Diversion Unit (Northern Territory) - a diversion program that engages Tiwi youth who are at risk of entering the criminal justice system in prevention activities, such as a youth justice conference, school, cultural activities, sport and recreation (early intervention and diversion). - Woorabinda Early Intervention Panel Coordination Service (Queensland) - a program to assess needs and make referrals for young Indigenous people and their families who are at risk or have offended and have complex needs (early intervention and diversion). - Aggression Replacement Training (Queensland) - a 10 week group cognitive-behavioural program to control anger and develop pro-social skills, delivered to Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth assessed as 'at risk' of offending or reoffending (early intervention and tertiary intervention with offenders to reduce risk of reoffending). For each program, the evaluation team developed a 'program logic', identifying the activities and goals of the program, and how it articulates within a broader framework of criminal justice prevention. This informed the design of the evaluation and the approach to collecting both qualitative data (from young people participating in the program, program staff, family, or other service providers/community members) and quantitative data to identify any effects of the program on individuals, or the broader community. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Reports: Special Report: Accessed January 15, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/special/005/Indigenous-Youth-Justice-Programs-Evaluation.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 134409

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Counting the Costs of Crime in Australia: A 2011 Estimate Summary: This report seeks to estimate how much crime costs the Australian economy by calculating the number of crimes that come to the attention of the authorities and, using crime victimisation survey data, the number of crimes that are not recorded officially. A dollar figure is then calculated for each estimated crime event and an indication given of the total cost of each specific crime type in terms of actual loss, intangible losses, loss of output caused through the criminal conduct and other related costs such as medical expenses, where relevant. Added to these costs are the costs of preventing and responding to crime in the community including the costs of maintaining the criminal justice system agencies of police, prosecution, courts and correctional agencies, as well as a proportion of the costs of Australian and state and territory government agencies that have crime-related functions. Finally, a deduction is made for the value of property recovered in the case of property crime, as well as the amount of funds recovered from criminals under federal, state and territory proceeds of crime legislation. More detailed information about how each of these estimates was derived is provided in the main body of the report. Official attention paid to specific crime types, particularly drug-related crime and organised crime, affects both the reporting rate and also the cost of policing and correctional responses. In this sense, individual crime type costs and prevention and response costs are not mutually exclusive. Arguably, as individual crime types attract more attention, reporting rates increase and prevention and control of the crimes in question are seen as being deserving of increased resources Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no. 129: Accessed January 20, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/129/rpp129.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 134417

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Using the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set to measure returns to sentenced youth justice supervision: Stage 2 Summary: This is the second of 2 reports presenting measures of returns to sentenced youth justice supervision using data from the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS). This report further examines timeframes for measuring returns and explores the potential for using JJ NMDS data to measure the seriousness of reoffending. A number of recommendations are made, including that timeframes of 6 months and 1 year be used; that an increase in sentence severity be used as an interim proxy indicator of escalating offending behaviour; and that future work include reporting on returns to sentenced supervision on an annual basis. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2015. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 17: Accessed January 29, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129550171 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders (Australia) Shelf Number: 134490

Author: Swain, Shurlee Title: History of Child Protection Legislation Summary: This paper surveys the legislation relating to the out-of-home care of children. It identifies four chronological but overlapping waves of legislation. The first, beginning in the 1860s, documents the ways in which different jurisdictions structured their child welfare system, initially influenced by concerns around vagrancy, but later revised in the light of the child rescue movement. The second, dating from the 1860s, focuses on regulating care providers, establishing systems of inspection and regulations covering punishment and employment. The third concerns the ways in which legislation constructed the children�s parents, initially seeking to deter them from �foisting their children on the state� but, from the 1880s, introducing measures designed to keep families together. The fourth covers legislation designed to deal with children seen as requiring special provision: child migrants, Aboriginal children, infants, and children with disabilities. The survey concludes that child welfare provision in Australia is better described as a patchwork than a coordinated model. Poorly resourced and often slow to respond to international developments in the field, it left children exposed to a system which had more interest in economy and deterrence than in ensuring their rights and best interests. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2014. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 3015 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/documents/published-research/historical-perspectives-report-1-history-of-instit.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect (Australia) Shelf Number: 134494

Author: Pritchard, Jeremy Title: Child exploitation material in the context of institutional child sexual abuse Summary: Child exploitation material (CEM) in the context of institutional child sexual abuse - University of Tasmania - This report provides a review of literature on child exploitation material (CEM) in the context of institutional child sexual abuse � Compared to other areas of crime research, CEM research is relatively new and the current research base is limited. - There is no evidence to support a direct causal link between viewing CEM and committing contact offences, however, a significant percentage of CEM offenders appear to have committed contact offences. - The CEM market is experiencing unprecedented growth, particularly with the combined advent of the internet and cheap digital cameras. - Very little research has examined CEM in workplace contexts. - There is very limited evidence about the effectiveness of strategies to prevent CEM offences in institutions. Potential strategies include: - IT filters to block websites - protocols governing the use of computers, cameras, mobile phones etc. - monitoring staff internet use - workplace codes of conduct including Internet Use Policies. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2014. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2015 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/documents/edited-report-final-version-cem-prichard-spiranovi.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 134519

Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: Legal service for defendants in Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) proceedings: an evaluation Summary: Aims: To determine: 1) whether providing legal advice to defendants in Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) proceedings reduces the frequency with which ADVOs are breached; 2) what defendants and stakeholders think about the pilot legal advice service provided to defendants by Legal Aid NSW. Methods: The effect of the ADVO on proscribed behaviours was compared before and after the introduction of the intervention (i.e. provision of a Legal Aid duty service to defendants in ADVO proceedings) to see whether the intervention resulted in a larger reduction in proscribed behaviours. Interviews were conducted with defendants who received legal advice and key stakeholders involved in the provision of the pilot service to ascertain their perceptions of the service. Results: The size of the reduction in proscribed behaviours did not differ significantly before and after the introduction of the legal aid service. Most of the 29 defendants interviewed said they understood the ADVO conditions as explained to them by their solicitor and the serious consequences that would result from breaching the ADVO conditions. Most would also recommend the legal service. Almost all of the 20 stakeholders interviewed believed there was a need for a legal service targeting defendants in ADVO matters and that the service was effective and valuable. Conclusions: Providing legal advice and representation to ADVO defendants does not result in fewer breaches of ADVOs, but defendants receiving legal advice and those associated with its provision were strongly supportive of the service. Stakeholders reported that the new legal service had a beneficial effect on court processes. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. 2014. 20p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 179: Accessed February 4, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb179.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Legal Aid (Australia) Shelf Number: 134526

Author: Victoria (Australia). Department of Justice Title: Victim Impact Statement Reforms in Victoria: Interim Implementation Report Summary: On 1 January 2011, several important reforms were introduced in Victoria which were designed to improve the process of making a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) for victims of crime and to give them more choice and flexibility in how they were presented. The reforms were based on recommendations set out in a report by the Victims Support Agency (VSA) entitled A Victim's Voice: Victim Impact Statements in Victoria, October 2009 which presented the findings of an evaluation into the effectiveness of VISs in Victoria at that time. The recommendations can be grouped into the following five reform priority areas: - Amendments to the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) to give victims (or their nominated representative if approved by the court) the right to read their own VIS aloud in court and to attach additional material such as photos, drawings and poems to a written VIS. The legislative amendment also provided for victims to request special arrangements such as remote witness facilities or screens when reading their VIS. - Development of new, clearer and more user-friendly VIS form and information packages. - Review of VIS training for victim support workers and Victoria Police. - Increased take-up of VISs in the Magistrates' Court. - Development of information for judicial officers about the approach to VISs in sentencing and the importance to victims of crime of judicial recognition. Changes in legislation and criminal justice procedures can often only be assessed over time and this report presents the findings of an interim evaluation of the first two years of the reforms. The report draws on data from a broad range of sources, some of which, including an analysis of court files and transcripts of plea hearings, has not previously been collected. The data includes the results of surveys of judicial officers in the Supreme and County Courts of Victoria and the Magistrates' Court of Victoria, as well as Crown Prosecutors, Victoria Police prosecutors and defence counsel. A comprehensive media analysis of VIS reporting over a four year period was undertaken to capture media coverage of VIS before and after the reforms were introduced. The report also draws on information provided in statewide consultations with victim support workers and counsellor advocates and, most importantly, on information provided by victims of crime themselves about their experiences of making a VIS. The report describes the work done to implement each of the five reform areas and then presents the findings in relation to each of those areas. The research indicates that victims who exercise their right to read their VIS aloud often describe it as their opportunity to 'stand up and have a voice' or to 'take back the power' (from the offender). There were also some victims interviewed who were disappointed at having missed out on an opportunity to read their VIS. However, it appears that the majority of victims still either tender their VIS or have the prosecutor read it aloud. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government, 2014. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed February 4, 2015 at: http://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/voc/resources/bab78d32-8a19-44bf-bcce-248afdb4c6e2/victim-impact-statement-reforms-in-victoria-interim-implementation-report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Victim Impact Statements (Australia) Shelf Number: 134527

Author: Saunders, Vicky Title: Children of Prisoners: Exploring the needs of children and young people who have a parent incarcerated in the Australian Capital Territory Summary: Until recently, the parenting status of Australian prisoners has been poorly considered. However, Australian and international criminological policy and research is now focusing on the role that families play in the well-being, re-offending and rehabilitation of prisoners. This growing body of research has considered family connectedness from a variety of perspectives and there is emerging evidence of its impact on a range of social, health, mental wellbeing and criminological outcomes for prisoners (Travis, McBride, et al 2003; Stanley, & Byrne, 2000; Robertson, 2007). There is also a growing interest in the reciprocal impacts of imprisonment on families, and particularly on children. This has contributed to the recognition that prisoners need to be seen in the context of their family and parenting identities if a range of preventative, restorative and rehabilitative imperatives are to be fully achieved for them and for their children. This research study commissioned by SHINE for Kids and funded by the ACT Health Directorate aims to fill an important gap in knowledge about how prisoners are constructed as parents, and the impacts of incarceration upon prisoners' families in contemporary Australian society, by exploring and highlighting children's voices. The research centres on hearing and understanding the experiences of children who have or have had an incarcerated parent. The research study aimed to: - Deepen the understanding of the lives of children of prisoners by exploring their experiences of parental incarceration and the impact this has on them; - Identify appropriate individual, family and community supports and interventions informed by the children themselves in the context of multiple system involvement (e.g. child protection, criminal justice, health); and, - Inform the development of more integrated policy and practice responses to families who experience multiple and complex issues. Details: Canberra: SHINE for Kids, 2013. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2015 at: https://www.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/593477/Final_Report_Children_of_Prisoners_Oct2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Children of Prisoners (Australia) Shelf Number: 131746

Author: Brown, Rick Title: Explaining the property crime drop: The offender perspective Summary: For more than a decade, Australia has witnessed a sustained reduction in property crime. Yet relatively little is known about what may have caused this decline. This study aimed to explore plausible explanations for the property crime drop by 'going to the source' and interviewing a sample of 994 police detainees as part of the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) Program. The results showed that less than half of police detainees were able to offer a reason for the property crime drop, highlighting the difficulties with asking for retrospective explanations for an observed event. Among those who gave a response, nine key themes were identified as potential reasons for the property crime drop. The most frequent of these related to improved security, improved policing and 'other' reasons. Less frequent responses related to increased affluence, increased imprisonment, improved community responses, changes in drug use, changes in the market for stolen goods and changes in crime recording. These findings provide a basis for future testing of hypotheses that might explain the property crime drop in Australia Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 495: : Accessed February 12, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi495.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Drop Shelf Number: 134596

Author: Halstead, Imogen Title: Public confidence in the New South Wales criminal justice system: 2014 update Summary: Aim: To assess (1) the level of public confidence in the New South Wales (NSW) criminal justice system (CJS) in 2014, (2) the relationship between confidence levels and individuals' characteristics, including personal exposure to crime, and media consumption behaviours, (3) how confidence in the NSW CJS has changed since 2007, and (4) whether changes in confidence are associated with changing perceptions of crime and criminal justice outcomes. Method: Data are sourced from a repeat cross-sectional survey of the NSW public (n=2,002 in 2007; n=2,001 in 2012; n=1,989 in 2014). Variation in confidence levels across the 2014 sample and over time is documented and tested for statistical significance. Basic logistic regression models are developed to predict respondents' confidence as a function of their individual characteristics, and extended to control for variation in their perceptions of crime and justice outcomes. Results: The results suggest that two out of every three NSW residents (64 per cent) are confident that the CJS brings people who commit crimes to justice. Just 44 per cent of residents are confident that the CJS meets the needs of victims, compared with 81 per cent confidence that the CJS treats individuals accused of committing crimes fairly and respects their rights. Most residents (66 per cent) believe sentences handed down are too lenient. One in three residents (35 per cent) are confident that the CJS deals with cases promptly. Personal exposure to crime is associated with lower levels of confidence in the CJS in general, and confidence also varies across groups with different media consumption habits. Since 2012, there has been a slight reduction in confidence around whether the CJS meets the needs of victims, and punitiveness appears to have intensified. Otherwise, public confidence in the justice system remained largely unchanged over this two-year window. Confidence is at higher levels than those recorded in 2007, and this partly reflects slight corrections in public perceptions of crime and justice outcomes. Conclusion: Public confidence in the NSW CJS has improved since 2007, but pervasive misperceptions around crime trends and justice outcomes seemingly continue to undermine confidence. The magnitude of the media's influence on confidence levels remains an open question. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 182: Accessed February 16, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb182.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Citizens Attitudes Shelf Number: 134623

Author: Ayling, Julie Title: A Good Buy: Promoting Probity in Police Procurement Summary: It is surprising that the ethical considerations relating to the procurement of goods and services by police organizations have remained largely unexplored by commentators on policing ethics. Procurement is a significant area of growth in police organizations. With rising demands over the last few decades to 'do more with less', police have turned increasingly to external providers for the goods and services needed to run police organizations. Fresh challenges such as terrorism and international peace keeping, as well as the ever-evolving sophistication of criminals, now call for goods and services undreamt of 30 years ago, including information technologies, specialized apparel and weaponry, novel forms of scientific apparatus and intelligence-gathering tools. Services that were traditionally provided in-house are increasingly being outsourced, such as recruit training, audiotape transcriptions, forensic investigations and prisoner custody services. Details: Canberra: Australian National University, Regulatory Institutions Network, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: RegNet Research Paper No. 2014/35: Accessed February 18, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2449939 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Outsourcing Shelf Number: 134638

Author: Holder, Robyn Title: Satisfied? Exploring Victims' Justice Judgements Summary: Across common law countries, victims of crime and victim advocates have made trenchant and sustained critique of criminal justice systems. Running deep in the debate has been the claim that justice itself is absent. In response, legislators and administrators have initiated various reforms from services to 'rights' charters. In examining victims� experiences with and assessments of reforms, both policy makers and researchers have tended to rely on 'satisfaction' as a measure. While useful for policy purposes, satisfaction may hide more than it reveals about the expectations and interests of people who are victims of crime. Instead, this chapter argues for closer engagement with ideas of justice. It does so through the narratives and survey responses of a group of men and women who became involved in the criminal justice system in a large regional city in Australia following an incident of violence against them. Interviews with people on three occasions identified a conception of justice that was a dynamic integration comprising substantive and procedural elements. Moreover, this conception drew on core values associated with the public role of the criminal justice system, especially those of fairness, equality and respect. Conceiving of victims as clients or consumers of justice 'services' through the lens of satisfaction fails to recognize the normative power of justice as an inclusive ideal as well as its political potency in communal governance. Details: Canberra: Regulatory Institutions Network, Australian National University, 2014. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: RegNet Research Paper No. 2014/28: Accessed February 18, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2423140 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Victim Services (Australia) Shelf Number: 134639

Author: Payne, Jason Title: Homelessness and housing stress among police detainees: Results from the DUMA program Summary: It is generally accepted that a person's living situation, in particular their experience of homelessness and housing stress, can have both long-lasting and wide-ranging consequences. For criminal justice practitioners, the task of limiting homelessness and preventing crime remain key policy priorities in need of ongoing and integrated research. This paper provides a much needed examination of homelessness and housing stress among Australia's criminal justice population. Using data from the AIC's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program, this study examines the prevalence and nature of homelessness among a sample of police detainees. It is the first of its kind to examine a broader range of homelessness experiences and the reasons why some offenders have few choices but to 'sleep rough' or seek accommodation support. Importantly, the authors estimate that 22 percent of the detainee population is homeless or experiencing housing stress in some form; much higher than has been previously estimated. This research reaffirms the need for intensive accommodation support services to complement criminal justice responses to crime and those who have contact with the criminal justice system. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 492: Accessed February 18, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/481-500/tandi492.html Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Homeless Persons Shelf Number: 134640

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: The Forgotten Children: National Inquiry into Children in Immigrant Detention Summary: Australia currently holds about 800 children in mandatory closed immigration detention for indefinite periods, with no pathway to protection or settlement. This includes 186 children detained on Nauru. Children and their families have been held on the mainland and on Christmas Island for, on average, one year and two months. Over 167 babies have been born in detention within the last 24 months. This Report gives a voice to these children. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2014. 324p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2015 at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/forgotten_children_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Immigrant Children Shelf Number: 134641

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: An age of uncertainty - Inquiry into the treatment of individuals suspected of people smuggling offences who say that they are children Summary: This Inquiry is concerned with the human rights of children. Between late 2008 and late 2011, 180 young Indonesians who said that they were children arrived in Australia having worked as crew on boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia. In some cases, it was apparent that the young people were children and they were returned to Indonesia. However, in many cases the young Indonesians were not given the benefit of the doubt and treated as children until it was established that they were in fact adults. Instead, in most cases until mid-2011, Australian authorities assessed whether they were adults by relying on wrist x-ray analysis. Where wrist x-ray analysis suggested that a young Indonesian was skeletally immature and therefore likely to be a child, he was ordinarily returned to Indonesian (although in some cases only after a prolonged period of immigration detention). However, in most cases where wrist x-ray analysis suggested that a young Indonesian was skeletally mature, Australian authorities immediately treated him as an adult, even if other age assessment processes suggested that he might be a child. The consequences for young Indonesians assessed to be skeletally mature included prolonged periods of detention. We know now that many young Indonesians assessed to be adults on the basis of wrist x-ray analysis were in fact children at the time of their apprehension, or are very likely to have been children at that time. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2012. 428p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2015 at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/an_age_of_uncertainty.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Smuggling (Australia) Shelf Number: 134642

Author: Simpson, Paul Title: Views on Alternatives to Imprisonment: A Citizens Jury Approach Summary: Alarming over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australian prisons, combined with high recidivism rates and poor health and social outcomes among those released from prison, has led many to claim that incarceration is a social policy failure. An important obstacle to a reform agenda in the criminal justice area is public opinion. The public are often perceived to hold punitive attitudes towards offenders, a situation often exploited by politicians to perpetuate punitive penal policies at the expense of developing decarceration initiatives. However, alternatives to public opinion surveys/polls are needed. Citizens Juries offer an alternative method to assess the public's views, views that are critically informed and thus better aid policy development. The Lowitja Institute has published the report that explores, through Citizens Juries, the views of a better informed public towards how we, as a community, should address offenders in terms of incarceration and incarceration alternatives. The research focused on a range of incarceration alternatives including Justice Reinvestment. Details: Melbourne: Lowitja Institute, 2014. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 19, 2015 at: https://www.lowitja.org.au/sites/default/files/docs/Lowitja%20Alternatives-text-WEB.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 134650

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: Reducing Adult Reoffending Summary: Repeat offenders are responsible for a large proportion of crime in NSW; and those returning to prison make up more than half of the prison population. The costs of reoffending to society and the criminal justice system are therefore clear. Focusing on adult reoffending, this paper seeks to address these four key questions: (1) Are rates of reoffending getting better in NSW? (2) What is the evidence about works in reducing reoffending? (3) What is being done to reduce reoffending in NSW? (4) What more could be done to reduce reoffending in NSW? Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 2/2015: Accessed February 19, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/AE2B3F8CD73079C2CA257DEF0002BD58/$File/Reducing%20adult%20reoffending.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Chronic Offenders Shelf Number: 134651

Author: Carmody, Moira Title: Less to lose and more to gain? Men and Boys Violence Prevention Research Project Final Report, Summary: Violence against women is a costly personal and social issue that has far reaching and long term impacts across the whole Australian community. Primary prevention takes these factors seriously and aims to intervene to prevent intimate partner violence and sexual violence before they occur. Our research found considerable interest at a state and national level in engaging men and boys in violence against women (VAW) primary prevention. The study findings indicate that VAW primary prevention is still in the early stages of development both in Australia and internationally. Effective intervention is acknowledged as more likely to occur if actions are taken at multiple levels within the community. This requires action at policy levels as well as within communities or organisations and at the local level of service provision. The survey that was undertaken for this study of prevention agencies and programs found a significant clustering of prevention efforts in Victoria and NSW with work also being undertaken in Queensland. Students at high school and university were the most common targets of primary prevention efforts, with adolescence and early adulthood recognised as key periods for VAW perpetration and victimisation. Other programs identified in our study worked specifically with Indigenous communities, CALD communities and sports organisations. Most stakeholders described their programs as underpinned by a gendered, ecological model of VAW that understands violence as a product of gender inequity and gender norms. The findings from surveys and interviews indicate that a coherent and identifiable field of prevention practice focused specifically on men and boys has yet to emerge in Australia. Activities in the field are piecemeal, ad hoc and dispersed. There is no peak organisation that provides support to areas of emerging practice except in relation to men's behaviour change programs (i.e. perpetrator programs). Primary prevention activities are scarce as well as programs focused on boys or men specific activities. Despite these findings, there are areas of prevention activity focusing on men and boys that indicate promising practice. These include programs and activities such as: respectful relationships education, bystander strategies, community development approaches, whole of organisation approaches, infant and parenting programs and social marketing. The strongest finding emerging from our research is that best practice in engaging men and boys occurs in two key areas of primary prevention: - Community strengthening and development; and, - Organisational and workforce development. Section 5 of the report provides a detailed evaluation of 2 programs that demonstrate these approaches. They are the Strong Aboriginal Men Program (SAM) and the NRL Respectful Relationship Sex & Ethics Program. These two programs share the primary prevention goal of preventing violence before it occurs as well as other important similarities, in particular: - They are underpinned by a gendered analysis of violence against women; - They involve working specifically or mainly with men; - They emerge from and are supported by organisations with significant experience and expertise in violence against women; and, - They engage men in multi-systemic change including at the community or organisational level. While both programs have been developed in response to men and boys in specific settings they are potentially adaptable and replicable in other settings. The knowledge gained from the design and implementation of the SAM program could be applied well to working with CALD communities and emerging refugee settings. The NRL program has many key features that can be used by diverse sporting codes and with other male workforce based programs. Both programs therefore demonstrate a potential for reach and influence beyond their immediate program base. This is important to enhance further primary prevention activities and in addressing long term cost effectiveness. Primary prevention is both a short and long term investment in challenging deep seated practices. Without a clear commitment and investment in policies and programs focused on intervening before violence occurs, personal and financial costs will continue to grow leading to increased tertiary sector expenditure. Leadership is needed within organisations and across our diverse communities to promote policies and practices that build on existing international evidence to progress primary prevention of VAW. In particular, attending to the following issues will increase engagement by men and boys in the prevention of VAW: - Addressing the role of gender in VAW in a manner that is relevant and boys and men can understand - Utilising educators who men and boys can relate to as role models will increase their willingness to 'hear' violence prevention messages - Recognising that masculinities are diverse, fluid and sometimes contradictory within individuals, groups and communities - Experiences of masculinity are effected by class, location, ethnicity, cultural background, sexuality and other factors; there is no 'one size fits all' experience - This has implications for ensuring educational programs and other prevention activities are tailored to the specific needs of men; for example using methods of education that Indigenous men can relate to - Engaging men and boys in the contexts and institutions in which they live, work and play may assist in enhancing the relevance of VAW prevention. Details: Sydney: University of Western Sydney: 2014. 118p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2015 at: http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0019/300619/PDF_2_Final_Report_Men_and_Boys.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men and Boys Shelf Number: 134662

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: The effect of liquor licence concentrations in local areas on rates of assault in New South Wales Summary: Aim: To investigate the relationship between liquor licence concentrations and assault rates in Local Government Areas (LGAs) in New South Wales. Method: Police, liquor licensing and socio-demographic data were analysed. Spatial regression analyses were conducted to measure associations between liquor licence concentrations and domestic violence (DV) and non-domestic violence (non-DV) assault rates. Results: The concentration of hotel licences in an LGA, particularly at higher density levels, was strongly predictive of both DV and non-DV assault rates. A similar, but slightly weaker, association was found for the concentration of packaged licences and DV and non-DV assault rates. On-premises concentrations also predicted DV and non-DV assault rates at the LGA level but, unlike hotel concentration effects, in this case there was no evidence of stronger effects at higher density levels. A significant relationship between DV assault rates and the concentration of clubs was also found, but the association between the concentration of clubs and the non-DV assault rate was not as strong. Conclusion: Regulatory authorities should be concerned about increases in liquor outlet density. In particular, increases in the density of hotels above Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 181: Accessed February 26, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb181.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 134676

Author: Macdonald, Wayne Title: Understanding fraud: the nature of fraud offences recorded by NSW Police Summary: Aim: 1) To provide an understanding of the nature of fraud incidents recorded by NSW Police. 2) To find out which fraud types are contributing to the increase in recorded fraud. Method: This study involved the review of 1,000 narrative descriptions of fraud incidents reported to or detected by NSW Police. Where possible we gathered information about the type of fraudulent behaviour, modus operandi, cost and whether a suspect was apprehended. Half the fraud events sampled occurred in the 12 months to September 2009 and half in the 12 months to September 2013. Results: The most common types of fraud reported to police were card fraud (35% of incidents), fuel drive-offs (30%), identity theft (5%), embezzlement (4%) and cheque fraud (3%). Increases in card fraud and fuel drive offs appear to account for the bulk of the increase in fraud over the past five years. Incident costs recorded by police suggest that in 2013 incidents of fraud recorded by police cost more than $200 million. The average cost of fraud by incident type ranged from just $62 per incident for fuel drive-offs to more than $35,000 per incident for embezzlement. Conclusion: Fraud is a growing problem and will likely continue to rise with new technologies and payment options. This study found that the fraud types with the highest recorded prevalence are quite different to those which have the greatest overall cost implication. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2014. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 180: Accessed February 26, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/_assets/bocsar/m716854l2/cjb180.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 134677

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce: results of the 2013 online consumer fraud survey Summary: Since 2007, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has collected information on consumer scams by conducting an online survey of Australians who have received scam invitations during the preceding 12 months. The research is conducted on behalf of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT), which comprises 22 government regulatory agencies and departments in Australia and New Zealand.The annual survey seeks to obtain a snapshot of the public's exposure to consumer scams, to assess the range of ways in which scams can affect victims and their families, to determine how victims respond and to identify emerging typologies, and look at issues that could be used to inform fraud prevention initiatives. As in previous years, a high proportion of respondents to the survey had received a scam invitation (97%), with just over a third of the respondents responding to the scam invitation in some way. Last year, four percent of respondents reported having lost money to a scam, with the median amount of money reported as being lost per incident was $2,150-just over $1,110,000 lost in total. Fraudulent lottery and prizes wins were the most prevalent scam type experienced by respondents in 2013. While email remained the most commonly used method by which scams were delivered, consistent with previous years, scams delivered via landline and mobile telephones continued to increase. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015 76p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Reports, Technical and Background Paper 58: Accessed February 26, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tbp/tbp058/tbp058.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud (Australia) Shelf Number: 134678

Author: Smyth, Russell Title: Costs of Crime in Victoria Summary: This paper provides an estimate of the costs to the Victorian community in 2009-2010. The findings from this study suggest that the costs of crime in Victoria in 2009-2010 were $9.8 billion. This amount is equivalent to $1678 per person in Victoria or 3.4% of Gross State Product in Victoria in 2009-2010. Where possible, Victorian contemporaneous estimates of the per incident cost of crime have been used. However, in many instances this information is not available and we have had to use earlier values for Victoria or data from other jurisdictions converted to 2010 Australian dollars. For this reason, the estimates reported here, as well as in similar other studies, should not be regarded as definitive. Details: Melbourne: Monash University, Department of Economics, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 25/11: Accessed March 2, 2015 at: http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/eco/research/papers/2011/2511costsofcrimesmyth.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime (Australia) Shelf Number: 134734

Author: Australia. Auditor General Title: Northern Territory night patrols Summary: . Safe and functional communities assist in addressing Indigenous disadvantage by providing an environment where individual and family wellbeing is fostered. Impediments to achieving this goal can include alcohol and substance abuse, violence (including domestic violence), youth unsupervised at night, mental health problems, property damage, and family feuds. A related community safety issue is the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the justice system and the subsequent impact on individuals and families. These issues are inextricably linked with other social and economic factors affecting Indigenous communities. Accordingly, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has strongly emphasised the role that safe and functional communities can play in Closing the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage, and various Australian governments have made commitments to action in this area. 2. Night patrols are community�-based intervention initiatives which seek to improve personal and community safety in Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory Night Patrols Program is administered by the Attorney�-General��s Department (AGD) as part of the broader Indigenous Justice Program (IJP). The IJP operates nationally and its primary objective is to reduce the numbers of Indigenous Australians coming into adverse contact with the criminal justice system. A key strategy of the IJP is to use cultural knowledge and identity in its implementation. 3. Night patrols originated in the Northern Territory as a community�-generated response to improving safety by preventing anti�-social behaviour within Aboriginal communities. One of the first night patrol services was established by Julalikari Council during the 1980s to patrol areas in and around Tennant Creek. These patrols were originally staffed by volunteers with the aims of resolving problems in town camps, settling disputes, and supporting and assisting local police in their dealings with the community. From these beginnings in the Northern Territory, the concept of night patrols spread to other Indigenous communities in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. Subsequently, the Australian Government established program arrangements to support the operation of night patrols across a larger number of communities. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian National Audit Office, 2011. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Audit Report no. 32 2010-11: Accessed March 2, 2015 at: http://www.anao.gov.au/~/media/Uploads/Documents/2010%2011_report_32.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Shelf Number: 134735

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Corruption in Australian sport Summary: Corruption in Australian sport is not a new phenomenon. A series of high-profile cases in Australia, combined with an increasing international focus, has seen a reassessment of Australian sport's vulnerability to illegal activities such as match-fixing, use of inside information for betting purposes and the use of performance and image-enhancing drugs. This has led to the development and endorsement of national policies on match-fixing and doping, the establishment of sport integrity units, inclusion of specialist intelligence units in law enforcement and the creation of new match-fixing offences. Yet the actual extent of corruption in Australian sport remains unclear. In particular, does it exist more in the form of a threat rather than an intrinsic or widespread problem? This paper examines some of the events that have affected the integrity of Australian sport between 2009-13 to describe the way in which corruption has manifested, the environment that has engendered the corrupt behaviour and the extent to which these incidents were primarily local events involving local actors. It also proposes situational crime prevention techniques that may assist in framing and responding to corruption in Australian sport. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 490: Accessed March 2, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/481-500/tandi490.html Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Fraud and Corruption Shelf Number: 134738

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Exploring the feasibility of an enhanced monitoring program on human trafficking and slavery Summary: The implementation of measures to improve and standardise the collection of statistical information on human trafficking and slavery is listed as an Action Item in the Australian Government's National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and Slavery 2015-19 (AGD 2015). The key outcome attached to this Action Item is the development of an enhanced monitoring program on human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices. As part of its Human Trafficking and Slavery Research Program, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has undertaken an examination of the feasibility and logistics of monitoring human trafficking and slavery as it affects Australia and the options available to perform this monitoring activity. The ultimate purpose of the exercise was to: develop a conceptual framework and dataset that provides a more comprehensive description of human trafficking and slavery than is currently available; and determine if such a monitoring program is practical or whether other monitoring options should be considered. The AIC determined six critical steps to fulfil the examination; that is: the establishment and refinement of a conceptual framework, indicator themes and associated indicators; a stocktake and evaluation of data that is collated from relevant government and non-government agencies; an assessment of the data that is needed to support information requirements; configuration of a proposed monitoring program-selected indicators and data sources; the development of a data collection tool and data specifications; and an assessment of the program's readiness for implementation, including pilot testing. In this report, the findings from the first four steps of the development phase (defined as Phase One) are described, as well as alternative options for monitoring human trafficking and slavery. Phase Two, which will proceed if stakeholders opt for the enhanced monitoring program, will involve the development and pilot testing of the data collection tool(s) and associated processes. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and background paper series no.59: Accessed March 4, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tbp/tbp059/tbp059.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Exploitation Shelf Number: 134746

Author: Bevan, Terry Title: Sydney Night Time Economy: Cost Benefit Analysis. A Report for the City of Sydney Council Summary: Reading any study findings about a large, well known and highly regarded international city requires that we clarify certain key aspects of the study from the outset and that those key guidelines should be retained in perspective throughout. Therefore before reading Summary Findings we have provided the introductory note below. It is integral to those findings. We emphasise that: - This is a highly detailed examination of the key economic facets of what has become known as the Night Time Economy (NTE). This definition was not established by economists but by academics that have engaged with the NTE from the perspectives of perceived social impacts. - In considering all perspectives this study examines the NTE as an economic organism. - The geographic focus is the 'local government authority' (LGA) that is administered by the City Council of Sydney, which includes the CBD or 'Manhattan of Sydney' but also highly urbanised neighbourhoods and districts such as Kings Cross, Surrey Hills and Paddington as well as the Rocks. The latter, although administered by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, is included in our core geography for reasons of logical continuity. - Geographic comparisons are made with the larger 'Statistical Sydney' or -Metropolitan Sydney according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' definition and to New South Wales. - Unsurprisingly the authors have found some difficulties in measuring what has not been measured or collated under one heading before but as experts in issues of NTE measurement we offer this study as the most reasonable and recent picture of the Sydney NTE and how it relates to the wider economy both as a centre of focus in the LGA and across New South Wales. - Improvements in measurements can certainly, and should be, made. There is considerable scope for this and we focus on possible improvements in Section 11 of the report - Technical Recommendations. This improvement will depend upon a proactive development of a relevant research programme. - As a sense check on these findings we have carried out a number of secondary comparisons. One of the most interesting is contained in Section 7.2.3 where we briefly compare Sydney with Westminster and the City of London. The differences are interesting and proportionate but in essence the characteristics and potential of the Sydney NTE is what should concern us. - In Section 8.4 below we introduce some perspectives that flow from a careful comparison of the modes and purposes of transport usage in the LGA for the averaged five years to 2005/6 and the five years to 2009/10. We cannot simply align this movement and purpose data with the economic outputs because the movement statistics have no precise economic crossover. However they give a valid and complementary snapshot and simply on daily comparative population movement statistics alone allow us to understand that the NTE economy does not overstretch the public transport system since the overall movements from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. amount to no more than 19% of all movement in the weekend days of the latest time period. Less than 50% of these journeys are for social purposes. It is also clear from these statistics that we are right to leave retail out of current NTE economic measurement because shopping is such a tiny cited component of LGA movements after 6 p.m. Details: Newcastle upon Tyne: TBR, 2011. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2015 at: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/131739/NightTimeEconomyCostBenefitAnalysisReport.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 134773

Author: Charlton, Kate Title: Statistics on juvenile detention in Australia : 1981-2003 Summary: This paper provides a comprehensive overview of juveniles in detention in Australia between 1981 and 2003. It includes an analysis of the number and rate of juveniles in detention over time, as well as a detailed analysis of the financial year 2002-03. Statistics are derived from the Australian Institute of Criminology's Juveniles in detention dataset, which is compiled from reports submitted on a quarterly basis by the relevant juvenile justice authorities in each Australian jurisdiction. Separate figures are provided for males and females in detention, for different age groups, and for Indigenous and non Indigenous persons, and levels of Indigenous over representation are calculated for each state and territory, 1994 to 2003. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2004. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical and background paper no. 10: Accessed March 11, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tbp/tbp010/tbp010.pdf Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention (Australia) Shelf Number: 134900

Author: Australia. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Title: Martin Place Siege: Joint Commonwealth - New South Wales review Summary: The Martin Place siege on 15 and 16 December last year was both an atrocity and a tragedy. The review found that there were no major failings of intelligence or process in the lead up to the siege. It is nonetheless important we learn whatever lessons At around 8.33 am on 15 December 2014, Man Haron Monis walked into the Lindt Cafe, on the corner of Martin Place and Phillip Street, in the heart of Sydney's commercial district. Shortly thereafter, he produced a gun and ordered that the customers and staff be locked inside as hostages. After a standoff lasting around 17 hours, the siege ended in gunfire. Three people died: two hostages and Monis. Several of the other hostages sustained injuries. The Martin Place siege has deeply affected the community. The Review analysed the events that led up to the siege and the range of interactions Monis had with agencies including the criminal justice system, beginning with his arrival in Australia. It asked: - were the decisions of government agencies in respect of Monis reasonable given the laws and policies in place when the decisions were made? - should decision-makers have had other information before them when making their decisions? Overall, the Review has found that the judgments made by government agencies were reasonable and that the information that should have been available to decision-makers was available. Changes to laws and policies in relation to national security involve judgments about public safety and personal liberty - i.e. the risk framework within which society operates. We expect that public discussion and consultation about these judgments will continue over the coming months as further information about the circumstances of the conduct of the Martin Place siege operation becomes available. However, the Review has concluded that some modest changes are needed to our laws and government processes to mitigate the public security risks exposed by this case. Some of these changes are already being made. For example, new bail arrangements have now been introduced in New South Wales. New programmes to counter violent extremism in the community are being developed. Other initiatives, such as a review of immigration policies, laws and capabilities in relation to visa applications should be pursued. The Review's recommendations would maintain broadly the current balance in our existing regulatory and legislative framework. The Review's decision to not propose steps beyond this is based on our view that introducing substantial further controls involves a larger choice about the sort of society we wish to live in and is properly the province of the public and our elected representatives. Any further controls would be based on judgments as to whether increases in policing, surveillance and controls and the related extra burden on the taxpayer and intrusions into Australians' lives would make us appreciably safer. Details: Canberra: Australian Government, 2015. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2015 at: https://www.pm.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/martin_place_siege_review.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Deadly Force (Australia) Shelf Number: 134913

Author: Grossman, Michele Title: Learning to Engage: A Review of Victoria Police Cross-Cultural Training Practices Summary: Victoria University's Centre for Cultural Diversity and Wellbeing undertook a Review of Victoria Police Cross-Cultural Training Practices in response to a tender request from Victoria Police issued in June 2013. The tender called for a review to develop analysis, benchmarking, findings and recommendations for Victoria Police to consider as it develops the cross-cultural education and training elements of its overall approach to effective policing for communities. The Review has produced the final Report summarised here, Learning to Engage: A Review of Victoria Police Cross-Cultural Training Practices. The following summary sets out the key areas covered by the Report, identifies key findings arising, and provides a Summary of Recommendations arising from the Review process. Background to the Review Victoria Police has in recent times invested significantly in recasting its education and training programs for police recruits and (more recently) PSO trainees to foster the alignment of its training approach with the goal of developing a professional, skilled and ethical police force that reflects a commitment to policing in the context of cultural and community diversity. Recent initiatives in Victoria Police education and training, particularly since 2009, have focused on enhancing police knowledge and skills in human rights, ethics, and cultural and community diversity. These efforts have been seen by many within both communities (as evidenced by the Community Consultation feedback, Chapter 3) and Victoria Police itself (as evidenced by police member interviews, Chapter 4) as an important series of 'first steps' on the road to realising Victoria Police's aspiration to 'get it right' in these areas. However, issues and concerns around cross-cultural training at Victoria Police have persisted for communities, and in particular culturally diverse communities, about the translation of knowledge into practice by front-line police when dealing with cultural diversity, and about the focus and effectiveness of the police training and education that is offered in the cross-cultural domain, particularly with respect to the topics of racism, implicit bias and racial profiling. This Review has sought to respond to these concerns while recognising that Victoria Police has already taken important steps toward addressing these concerns through various organisational reforms and activities connected to education and professional development. These include the implementation and roll-out of the Victoria Police Human Rights Project; the development of Police Academy modules dealing specifically with policing, human rights, and cross-cultural knowledge and skills within the Foundation Training program; new programs for training and developing supervisors and managers on community and diversity issues at station and regional leadership levels; and the agreement to consult widely with communities on field contact and cross-cultural training policy and procedures as part of the 2013 Federal race discrimination court settlement in the Haile-Michael case, out of which this Review has arisen. In addition, there have already been substantial transformations proposed for how education and training within Victoria Police is designed, delivered and evaluated for effectiveness, particularly in the context of education and training delivered for recruits, Probationary Constables and PSOs, as reflected in the Victoria Police Education Master Plan: Learning and Development to 2020 and the associated reviews of related education, training and community engagement issues and strategies discussed in Chapter 2, 'Organisational Strategic Environment'. Taken together, these indicate that Victoria Police is well positioned to continue to build on existing strengths and initiatives that improve and extend the design, delivery and outcome of cross-cultural education and training for its members across the organisation. The current Review and the Report it has produced are intended to contribute further to these goals. Details: Melbourne: Victoria University,Centre for Cultural Diversity and Wellbeing 2013. 208p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2015 at: http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=internetBridgingPage&Media_ID=99359 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Diversity Training Shelf Number: 134943

Author: Jesuit Social Services and Effective Change Pty Ltd Title: Strengthening prisoner transition to create a safer Victoria Summary: We have seen first-hand the significant issues that people leaving prison experience when returning to the community, and how too many end up getting caught in the revolving door of our justice system. This policy paper outlines some of the economic costs of this, and makes a case for renewed action to tackle reoffending in Victoria. Details: Richmond, VIC, AUS: Jesuit Social Services, 2014. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2015 at: http://www.jss.org.au/files/Docs/policy-and-advocacy/publications/Strengthening_prisoner_transition_to_create_a_safer_Victoria_June_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice Shelf Number: 134991

Author: Queensland. Special Task Force on Family and Domestic Violence in Queensland Title: Not now, not ever: putting an end to domestic and family violence in Queensland Summary: In the 1970s we started to face up to the hidden shame and tragedy of domestic abuse. The first shelter for battered wives and children, 'Elsie', was established in Sydney by feminist Dr Anne Summers AO. Today there are more than 300 women's refuges around Australia and there have been many advances in the past 40 years in how we deal with domestic abuse, but the deeply disturbing fact is that this terrible scourge on our community is increasing in incidence and severity. In Queensland the number of reported incidents increased from 58,000 in 2011-12 to 66,000 in 2013-14. What this means is that there are about 180 reports to police of domestic violence incidents every day. During the past five months, my fellow Taskforce members and I have travelled the length and breadth of Queensland to hear stories of desperate abuse and violence so abhorrent that it hardly bears thinking about. But think about it we must. It is beholden upon all of us - every single citizen of this diverse, vibrant state - to take a stand against domestic and family violence; to commit to protecting the vulnerable; and to make it clear to those who would hurt another, within a relationship of intimacy and trust, that we will not tolerate, excuse, condone or accept their behaviour. This Report delves into the nature of domestic and family violence and documents some of the work of the deeply committed people who provide services to victims and perpetrators of abuse. The Report tells the stories of those who have suffered, and those who work to stop the violence. Most importantly it provides recommendations and insights gathered and developed by the Taskforce to provide to the Premier to set the vision and direction for a Queensland strategy to stop domestic and family violence. Details: Brisbane: Government of Queensland, 2015. 368p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2015 at: http://www.qld.gov.au/community/documents/getting-support-health-social-issue/dfv-report-vol-one.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia) Shelf Number: 135002

Author: Australian Multicultural Council Title: The Australian Community. The Australian Multicultural Council's report on multiculturalism and social cohesion in Australian neighbourhoods Summary: Multiculturalism is a key feature of Australia as a modern liberal democracy. Australian multiculturalism entails actively supporting and maintaining diversity, an equal emphasis on rights and responsibilities, and a focus on democratic values of participation, inclusion, fairness, and justice. There are no special entitlements afforded under our current multicultural policy. All Australians have the same basic rights to practice and maintain their cultural heritage, traditions and language within the law and free from discrimination. In turn all Australians are expected to be loyal to Australia, obey its laws, and to become self-reliant citizens who contribute to the social and economic life of our nation. Compared with the widespread incidence of unrest that has characterised many countries around the world, Australian society has remained peaceful, harmonious and remarkably resilient. This broadly positive picture is supported by both national and international research. The latest research from the Scanlon Foundation's Mapping Social Cohesion series states that 84 per cent of Australians support multiculturalism, and social cohesion is strong at the national level. Yet indicators at the community level, particularly in neighbourhoods of high cultural diversity and low socioeconomic status, are significantly below the national average. This is reflected in: lower levels of trust, sense of safety, political participation, involvement in volunteer work, and higher levels of discrimination. Pockets of social and economic disadvantage, especially when tied to low levels of social cohesion, can have long term implications for productivity, prosperity and community harmony. The opportunity therefore exists for a more targeted focus on neighbourhoods and groups which experience lower levels of social cohesion, with attendant strategies to build trust, civic engagement, community resilience and a positive culture of hope, reward and opportunity. Details: Sydney(?):Australian Multicultural Council, 2013. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2015 at: http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/22965/The_Australian_Community.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Participation Shelf Number: 135008

Author: Centre for Innovative Justice Title: Opportunities for Early Intervention: Bringing perpetrators of family violence into view Summary: This Report turns the spotlight on perpetrators of family violence. In doing so, it calls for earlier and more proactive intervention - explaining that, while family violence has finally come to attention as a systemic wrong in need of a National Plan, a significant gap exists in our collective response. Equally, while victims of family violence must remain our priority, these victims will also remain at risk unless we step back and widen our gaze. In other words, until we adjust the lens and bring those who use violence and coercion more clearly into view - until we intervene at the source of the problem - the cycle of this violence will simply roll on. This may manifest in assaults against the same or subsequent partners, in the damaging effects we know are experienced by children, in the behaviour of adolescents, or in the tragic escalation that can devastate an entire community. Either way, it will manifest as core business in our courts and as an ongoing drain on our economic and social wellbeing. As one practitioner told the CIJ: "You can't put violent men in a corner and expect them to change. All you'll achieve is another partner, another victim, somewhere down the track." The aim of this Report, then, is to help to bring violent individuals out of this corner and under the scrutiny of a systemic response. In doing so it makes no apologies for its gendered analysis as, while men can be victims of family violence too, this does not change the fact that structural inequality and widespread community attitudes perpetuate violence against women, as well as rigid gendered roles that entrap women and men alike. As many commentators have pointed out, however, men are often written out of the analysis of gendered violence, rendered invisible by descriptions of the violence as if it is a separate entity, rather than something used by an individual with whom the system might intervene. Meanwhile, though "perpetrator accountability" has importantly been flagged as a priority in the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children and subsequent Second Action Plan, our understandable focus on responding to increasing demand has prevented the majority of policy responses from engaging in detail with what this concept might actually mean. Despite its epidemic proportions and despite the value of public health analogies, family violence does not sweep invisibly through communities, leaving victims inexplicably in its wake. Instead, family violence consists of controlling, coercive, abusive or violent behavior used by identifiable individuals - ones with whom our legal system can and must engage. What's more, similar threads run through the trajectories of this behaviour that reveal how this engagement might occur. Details: Melbourne: Centre for Innovative Justice, RMIT University, 2015. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2015 at: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/r3qx75qh2913.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 135009

Author: Cooper, Trudi Title: Evaluation of Indigenous justice programs.: final report / Project D, Safe Aboriginal Youth Patrol Programs in New South Wales and Northbridge Policy and Juvenile Aid Group in Western Australia Summary: The Australian Government has provided funding to evaluate the effectiveness of Indigenous law and justice programs across five subject areas to identify the best approaches to tackling crime and justice issues and better inform government funding decisions in the future. This report presents the findings of subject area "D", which examined two different approaches to delivering community and night patrol services for young people: the Safe Aboriginal Youth Patrol programs in New South Wales, and the Northbridge Policy project (the Young People in Northbridge project), in Western Australia. Night patrols can address crime either directly or indirectly, by prevention work or by addressing the social causes of crime through community development. Details: Canberra: Attorney-General's Department, 2014. 399p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2015 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/79082/ Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Communities Shelf Number: 135012

Author: Australian Crime Commission Title: The Australian methylamphetamine market: the national picture Summary: This report aims to provide a concise understanding of the nature of organised crime involvement in the Australian methylamphetamine market. The ACC monitors all illicit drug markets through its High Risk and Emerging Drugs Special Operation. Through this work, the ACC has assessed that methylamphetamine poses the greatest threat to the Australian public of all illicit drug types. The ACC's annual Illicit Drug Data Report provides a detailed and comprehensive statistical picture of the illicit drug threat to Australia and provides an in-depth statistical analysis of the illicit drug market. The Australian Methylamphetamine Market: The National Picture is a complementary intelligence report. This report provides a brief summation of the national picture of the methylamphetamine threat. It explores the international and national dimensions of the methylamphetamine market, outlines the role of organised crime in driving the Australian market, the nature of the market, and the harms associated with methylamphetamine use. It also examines the diversion of precursor chemicals required to produce methylamphetamine in clandestine laboratories. It does this by consolidating open source information with operational and strategic intelligence collected by the ACC and Commonwealth, state and territory law enforcement agencies. The release of this report is designed to: �inform the widest possible audience, including those who are not privy to classified law enforcement intelligence; �generate discussion and dialogue about what can be done to tackle the methylamphetamine problem; �enable individuals, friends and families to understand the nature of the harms; caused by methylamphetamine and influence those around them to minimise harm �inform the national response to the methylamphetamine market. Details: Canberra: Australian Crime Commission, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/acc_theaustralianmethylamphetaminemarket_mar_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 135060

Author: Victoria (AUS). Department of Premier and Cabinet Title: Ice action plan Summary: Ice use is a complex problem that demands a long-term solution, but the Ice Action Plan deals with the things that cannot wait. It�s about supporting families, treating users and making our community safer. Under the Plan, the Government will invest $4.7 million to help families identify and manage ice users and $1 million to support frontline workers who are at risk of getting attacked at work. The Government will invest $18 million to expand drug treatment and rehabilitation, so users can get the help they need, and set up a dedicated Ice Help Line that directs families and health professionals to the support they need. New measures to reduce the growing supply of ice on our streets include a $4.5 million plan to crack down on clandestine drug labs and tough laws to stop dealers and manufacturers. Community safety is our priority. The Government will invest $15 million for new drug and booze buses and provide $500,000 to help community groups tackle ice use in their local area. A stable job means a stable life, and the Andrews Labor Government is improving the prospects of young, at-risk people with the $1 billion Back to Work Plan and the $320 million TAFE Rescue Fund. The Ice Action Plan builds on the Victorian Parliament�s landmark 2014 Inquiry into the supply and use of ice, which identified a significant increase in the number of people in their 20s using ice. The work of the Premier�s Ice Action Taskforce will continue, with a long-term role to support the implementation of the Plan and advise the Government where more effort is needed. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 26, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/ice-action-plan-final-summary-document-web-version.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 135061

Author: Callinan, Ian Title: Review of the Parole System in Victoria Summary: Parole is the conditional release of an offender from custody. When an offender is granted parole, they serve the unexpired portion of their prison sentence in the community. Offenders who do not obtain parole and are released at the end of their sentence are not subject to the supervision, support and ongoing rehabilitation that parole provides. If the prospect of parole is removed from a prisoner, there is less incentive to undertake steps designed to reduce the risk of reoffending. The Adult Parole Board decides whether an offender will be released on parole. When deciding whether to release an offender on parole, the Board�s most important consideration is community safety. Parole is served under the supervision of a Community Corrections Officer and on conditions fixed by the Adult Parole Board. While on parole, an offender is still considered to be under sentence. The purpose of parole is to supervise and support the reintegration of offenders into the community. This supervision and support benefits the wider community by reducing the risk that offenders will commit further offences when released into the community. Review of the Parole System in Victoria In May 2013, the Victorian Government commissioned former High Court Justice Ian Callinan AC to carry out a review of the Adult Parole Board�s operations. Details: Melbourne: Department of Justice - Corrections Victoria, 2013. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: http://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/corrections/resources/11ee85a1-67c5-4493-9d81-1ce49941cce5/reviewadultparoleboardv1.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Based Corrections Shelf Number: 135119

Author: Victoria. Auditor General Title: Mental Health Strategies for the Justice System Summary: The increasing incidence of people living with mental illness in the community means that justice and health agencies are experiencing significant challenges. There are increasing interactions between people with a mental illness and criminal justice agencies, and a lack of capacity to adequately respond to and manage these needs. Justice and health agencies recognise the importance of addressing mental health issues within the criminal justice system. All have implemented initiatives that aim to improve outcomes, but significant gaps remain. There is currently no overarching strategy or leadership for mental health and the justice system that focuses on improving outcomes for people with a mental illness. Where plans do exist, they are limited to agencies� own areas of responsibility, or only address parts of the justice system. While there is evidence of agencies working together, this is neither uniform nor sufficiently coordinated to address mental illness effectively. Responsibility for coordinating the agencies is unclear, and there is a lack of accountability for the success or failure of responses across the criminal justice system. This is likely to further limit the effectiveness of coordination, collaboration and planning, as actions rely on individual agencies, their relationships and their ability to take a system-wide perspective. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2014. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20141015-MH-Strategies-Justice/20141015-MH-Strategies-Justice.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Services Shelf Number: 135125

Author: New South Wales Police Force Title: NSW Police Force Priorities for Working in a Culturally, Linguistically and Religiously Diverse Society and Multicultural Policies and Services Forward Plan 2011-2014 Summary: This document follows NSW Police Priorities for Working in a Culturally, Linguistically and Religiously Diverse Society 2006-2009, which set a vision for delivering policing services in a multicultural community. This plan continues to inform future directions for an organisation that is at the forefront of the justice system and maintains its focus on enhancing the capacity, confidence and capabilities of the entire NSW Police Force to operate effectively in a diverse cultural, linguistic and religious environment. Understanding diversity in the Australian context must start with acknowledging the diversity and rich history of Aboriginal people as the original inhabitants and custodians of the land. Rich, diverse and long, Aboriginal cultures set the scene for any discussion of diversity and the benefits it offers. Many Aboriginal Australians, however, continue to suffer the effects of policies and practices that have impacted on their welfare, identity, culture and language over time. This ongoing struggle must be addressed in recognising the challenges that new Australians from diverse cultural and language backgrounds experience in contributing to society and giving expression to their cultural identities. Any effort on the part of government agencies to embrace cultural, linguistic and religious diversity must therefore also acknowledge the need for reconciliation and healing between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians as a starting point. In this spirit, the NSW Police Force Multicultural Policies and Services Program grounds its commitment to working with diverse cultural, religious and linguistic communities in its equal commitment to strengthening its relationship with Aboriginal communities. It is only through this that an authentic commitment to multiculturalism and culturally capable policing practice is possible. While the Multicultural Policies and Services Program celebrates cultural, linguistic and religious diversity, the NSW Police Force acknowledges that diversity and culturally capable policing draws on all aspects of everyday policing and the complex life events that affect individuals. This document is built on the premise that people and their diversity (in all of its dimensions including age, gender, culture, language, religion, sexuality, education, employment, ability, values, opinions and experiences) are the greatest asset available to any group, organisation or community. This includes the diversity amongst police officers themselves in terms of an individual�s background, role and opinion and life experience. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Force, 2011. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2015 at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/73156/Internet_-_MPSP_Plan_2011-14.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 135127

Author: Miller, Peter Title: Interventions for reducing alcohol supply, alcohol demand and alcohol-related harm Summary: This project synthesises existing evidence and knowledge to improve our understanding of good practice in minimising the range of harms associated with alcohol misuse, especially supply and demand reduction strategies. It builds on the literature by using a Delphi study to answer many of the existing questions for which no research literature yet exists. All interventions that aim to reduce the supply of alcohol discussed in this report have received substantial evidence for their effectiveness. Specifically, reducing alcohol outlet opening hours, increasing minimum legal purchase age, reducing alcohol outlet density and controlling alcohol sales times have each undergone a vast number of evaluations and have been found to be effective in reducing the supply of alcohol and reducing the harms associated with its consumption. The most promising supply-reduction interventions identified were reducing trading hours for packaged liquor and reductions in the types and size of liquor that can be sold, the public listing of 'violent venues&rsquo' and serving only mid-strength beverages after midnight in late night venues. Demand reduction strategies appear to be effective; however, there is a lack of research or evaluations in the area. Increasing alcohol excise and taxation has been found to be very cost-effective, as well as being effective in reducing the consumption of alcohol and often results in overall social benefit. However, research for other demand reduction strategies, such as family-based alcohol misuse prevention and developmental prevention interventions is still in its infancy. Although such interventions have received some support for their effectiveness, further research needs to be undertaken. The most effective harm reduction interventions were the Safer Bars program, targeted policing interventions (including 'consequence policing') and the introduction of plastic glassware. The most promising harm-reduction interventions identified were alcohol management plans in the Northern Territory, the introduction of mandatory security plans for venues, RSA marshals and mandatory high-visibility clothing. The study has identified a large number of interventions for the reduction of alcohol-related harm, but the majority of these have minimal evidence bases. A further concern is that the bulk of interventions have been developed to reduce alcohol-related harm and as a result, there exists few supply and demand reduction strategies. While the most effective solutions have been found to act at the societal level, there is a clear demand for more interventions that focus at community, social, family, or individual levels, even if they are not going to have the same level of impact. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2015. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 8, 2015 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-57.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 135187

Author: Gilmore, William Title: Off-site outlets and alcohol-related harm Summary: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between rates of reported assault, alcohol sales and numbers of outlets (differentiated by outlet type) in both Queensland and Western Australia. Counts of assault offences formed the dependent variable in all analyses. In Queensland, the key explanatory variables of interest were counts of outlets by major outlet types and level of total pure alcohol sales. For Western Australia, key explanatory variables included on and offsite outlet counts and alcohol sales. All models included a full accompaniment of potential demographic and socioeconomic confounders. Multivariate negative binomial regression models were created at local government area level based on location, type and time of assault, and victim age and gender. No effect specific to counts of offsite outlets was found in Queensland models. A limitation that offsite alcohol sales were not able to be applied for Queensland may partly explain the lack of findings. Total volume of alcohol sales was able to be controlled for and it significantly predicted risk of assault in Queensland. For Western Australia, offsite alcohol sales predicted total number of assaults and all other dependent assault variables tested, with the exception of murder/manslaughter and assaults occurring at onsite outlets. The largest association was found for assaults occurring in the street. Numbers of offsite outlets and alcohol sales from onsite outlets in Western Australia showed no significant effects in any of the models tested. The study has shown that offsite alcohol sales and total volume of alcohol sales within a region are important predictors of assault. On this basis, it is reasonable to conclude that policy decisions that ultimately increase total alcohol sales within a community are more likely to exacerbate, rather than ameliorate harms associated with alcohol. This warrants recommendation of a precautionary approach to future liquor licensing policy formulation and application in Australian jurisdictions Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2015. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 56: Accessed April 8, 2015 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-56.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 135188

Author: Fox, Anne Title: Understanding behaviour in the Australian and New Zealand night-time economies. An anthropological study Summary: Drinking and drunkenness are nothing new. The world's oldest written recipe is for beer. Both praise and admonishment for drunkenness can be found in the world's most ancient texts. In one ancient Egyptian text, a teacher at a school for scribes chastises his young student for his night-time carousing: "I have heard that you abandoned writing and that you whirl around in pleasures, that you go from street to street and it reeks of beer. Beer makes him cease being a man. It causes your soul to wander . . . Now you stumble and fall upon your belly, being anointed with dirt." Today, despite all we now know about the science of alcohol and its effects, each generation of young people seems doomed to repeat this ancient pattern of destructive and excessive consumption. In Australia and New Zealand, there is heightened concern that, once again, young people are falling prey to a culture of drink, depravity and violence. There is no escaping the fact that recent deaths recorded in the night-time economy (NTE) in New South Wales, Australia have been horrific. The names and photographs of the victims are etched in our memories and we owe it to them and their families to investigate the underlying drivers of this violence. Yet the public debate about alcohol-related anti-social behaviour in both countries has tended to look only at what has happened and where, rather than why. There is a notable absence of significant studies of the cultural drivers of misuse and anti-social behaviour or of the backgrounds, motives or characteristics of the perpetrators of such violence. It is unlikely that we will achieve real and positive change in the drinking culture until we have a better understanding of what is driving it. Most reports treat this phenomenon as if it were driven by exclusively modern social forces: television, advertising, 'youth culture' etc., or merely by the inevitable side-effect of the ingestion of ethanol. This paper will look at the influence of these factors in Australia and New Zealand, but also at the intersection of these modern influences with very ancient but ever-present human behaviours and needs. This paper will address the key question of what drives and influences drinking patterns, anti-social misbehaviour and violence in the night-time economy (NTE), by presenting an overview of the drinking culture in both countries and an anthropological perspective on the problem areas and potential solutions. Details: Silverwater, NSW: Lion, 2015. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2015 at: http://www.lionco.com/content/u12/Dr%20Anne%20Fox%20report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 135189

Author: KPMG Title: Evaluation of the Drug Court of Victoria: Final Report Summary: The Drug Court of Victoria (DCV, 'the Court') was established in May 2002 to further improve the safety of the community by focusing on the rehabilitation of offenders with a drug and/or alcohol dependency, and by providing assistance in reintegrating them into the community. It was designed using international best practice principles on the basis of the 10 key principles defined by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals and U.S. Department of Justice in 1997. Since 2005, the DCV has received ongoing funding, including additional national drug strategy funding, and has had an operating budget of approximately $1.6 million per annum. The Court has not been evaluated since 2005, however in 2010, the Victorian Auditor General released a report finding that problem solving approaches to justice in Victoria had reduced recidivism. In response to this, the government at the time confirmed that problem solving courts would remain in operation, and the then Attorney-General stated 'we are looking to identify successful elements which can be taken up and implemented more widely'. To this end, it is understood that the Magistrates' Court of Victoria (MCV) is considering how the DCV may deliver its services to the wider community, including a proposal for expansion to additional locations. KPMG has been engaged by the MCV to undertake an evaluation of the DCV over the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2013. The objectives of the evaluation are to: - assess the performance of the DCV against its specified activities and anticipated outcomes; - document key lessons learnt from the Court; and - provide an evidence base to inform government decision-making. Key evaluation questions have been drawn from the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) evaluation policy and standards for evaluating lapsing programs, to facilitate the use of the evaluation in any potential future funding bid. These include consideration of: - What is the evidence of a continued need for the DCV and the role for government in delivering it? - Has the DCV been effective, considering progress made towards its stated objectives and outcomes and the alignment between the Court, its outputs, MCV's objectives and government priorities? - Has the DCV been delivered within its scope, budget, expected timeframes and in line with appropriate governance and risk management practices? - Has MCV demonstrated efficiency and economy in delivering the DCV? The evaluation has sought to collect both quantitative and qualitative evidence to support key findings and recommendations, and this has included analysis of DCV participant related data, finance data, a recidivism study undertaken by the Department of Justice (DoJ) for the purposes of this evaluation, a review of publicly available literature and data, and widespread consultation with key stakeholders, including program participants. Details: Melbourne: Magistrates' Court of Victoria, 2015. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2015 at: http://www.magistratescourt.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/141218%20Evaluation%20of%20the%20Drug%20Court%20of%20Victoria.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 135191

Author: Queensland. Parliament. Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee Title: Inquiry on strategies to prevent and reduce criminal activity in Queensland Summary: Crime prevention as a strategy for governments is not a new concept. It has long been accepted that implementation of strategies or programs aimed at preventing the incidence of crime is one of the most effective ways of reducing the overall levels of crime. According to the National Crime Prevention Framework (prepared by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand Crime Prevention Senior Officers' Group), crime prevention includes: ...strategies and measures that seek to reduce the risk of crime occurring, and their potential harmful effects on individuals and society, including fear of crime, by intervening to influence their multiple causes. In addition to improving the general safety and security of individuals that comes with more general law enforcement efforts, crime prevention strategies can have a number of other benefits including: - reducing the long term costs associated with the criminal justice system; - reducing the direct costs of crime - both economic and social; - reducing the indirect costs of crime - by increased savings in areas such as welfare and health care payments; and - a general improvement in the quality of life of members in the community. 2.1 Approaches to Crime Prevention While the concept of crime prevention appears relatively simple at first glance, crime prevention is complex with a range of factors influencing which type of strategy or program to use for a particular problem at any given time. There are four generally accepted approaches to crime prevention, to which consideration should be given when looking at how to address particular problems. Criminal Justice approaches - which see the police and other law enforcement agencies carrying out their core business of enforcing the laws and offenders being held to account by progressing through the courts and correctional facilities. Social or developmental approaches - which focus primarily on 'early intervention' and targets areas to address the underlying social and economic causes of such crime. These types of approaches often focus on parenting programs and school based programs and aim to reduce the likelihood of young people entering the criminal justice system. Situational or environmental approaches - which look more at the physical environment in which crime occurs. These approaches aim to reduce opportunities for crime through better design, organisation and management of public places, and generally improving security measures for both homes and businesses. Community based approaches - which, as the name suggests, focus on neighbourhoods or suburbs where the community as a group develops initiatives that aim to strengthen the community spirit, encourage social interaction and reduce the incidence of crime through increased community engagement. A greater sense of community is aimed at changing the attitudes of would be offenders and involving them in community projects. Research has shown that no single approach is more beneficial than any other, with each having their place to address individual problems. What has also been shown, is that whatever the approach is that has been taken, to ensure its success - it must be well planned and coordinated, appropriately resourced and have the commitment of all those involved. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Parliament, 2014. 371p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 82: Accessed April 8, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/committees/LACSC/2014/CrimeInquiry2014/rpt-082-28Nov2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 135192

Author: Ferris, Jason Title: A national examination of random breath testing and alcohol-related traffic crash rates (2000-2012) Summary: Random Breath Testing (RBT) is a practice where police stop motor vehicle drivers chosen by chance to measure the amount of alcohol in their system. RBT is a central and important law enforcement initiative in reducing alcohol-related road traffic accidents, which has been embraced by all jurisdictaions in Australia since the 1980s. Australia is deemed to have the most successful RBT program internationally, measured in terms of alcohol-related traffic crash (ARTC) reductions (Erke, Goldenbeld, & Vaa, 2009). This is attributed to the high intensity of the RBT programs and the associated perception by drivers of being charged for drink-driving (Erke et al., 2009; Peek-Asa, 1999). However within Australia, RBT programs are not implemented uniformly and their effectiveness varies considerably between the states and territories (see Harrison, Newman, Baldock, & McLean, 2003; Homel, 1988; Papafotiou-Owens & Boorman, 2011). This research report examines the relationship between RBT and ARTC rates for each Australian jurisdiction, in order to better understand state-specific trends and to undertake a national comparison which ranks the success of the RBT programs operating in each jurisdiction. The research draws on data spanning January 2000 � December 2012 (where available), and uses joinpoint regression (Statistical Research and Applications Branch, 2013) to evaluate and quantify any significant deviations in trends over time for each of the administrative datasets. The research finds jurisdictions with RBT to licensed driver ratios of 1:1 or greater, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, report stable to declining ARTC trends and lower percentages of reported drink-driving (8.38 to 12.49 per cent; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2011) compared with jurisdictions where the RBT ratio is 1:2 or 1:3; with the exception of the Northern Territory. The Northern Territory reports a higher percentage of reported drink-driving (14.95 per cent; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2011) and a current ARTC rate of more than double that of Tasmania. Jurisdictions with an RBT ratio of 1:2 or 1:3, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia, also report declining ARTC trends however these jurisdictions show higher percentages of reported drink-driving (13 to 14.56 per cent; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2011). The results suggest the relationship between RBT and ARTC rates is not clear cut. While the expected pattern between RBT and ARTC rates is observed, that is an increase in the RBT ratio is associated with a decrease in ARTC rates, this pattern is not observed for all jurisdictions. This suggests that trends for both RBT ratios and ARTC rates are likely to also be influenced by other factors such as geographic differences, varying levels of RBT publicity and educational campaigns, responses for recidivist drink-drivers (rehabilitation), and drink-driving penalties. Details: Canberra: Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, 2015. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2015 at: http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/A-national-examination-of-random-breath-testing-and-alcohol-related-traffic-crashes-2000-2012-FINAL-web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 135193

Author: Brignell, Georgia Title: Sentencing in NSW: A cross-jurisdictional comparison of full-time imprisonment Summary: It is common for participants in debates about sentencing in NSW (and elsewhere) to assert that sentencing by the courts is either too lenient or too harsh. Severity and leniency are, however, relative concepts. This study examines how sentences of imprisonment imposed in NSW for offences dealt with on indictment compare with interstate jurisdictions. The sentences imposed in jurisdictions such as Queensland and Victoria serve as a yardstick against which sentences in NSW can be judged. The study also compares NSW prison statistics against interstate and international (common law) jurisdictions. The analysis shows that, comparatively speaking, NSW is one of the harshest jurisdictions in Australia. Sentencing is an area of law largely regulated by State and Territory governments. The respective Parliaments of each jurisdiction define the ingredients of offences and set maximum penalties. Sentencing law is the same across Australian jurisdictions in two important respects: first, in determining a sentence the court must apply the principle of proportionality - the sentence imposed should neither exceed nor be less than the gravity of the crime having regard to the objective circumstances; and secondly, full-time imprisonment is a sanction of last resort - a court must not sentence an offender to imprisonment unless it is satisfied, having considered all possible alternatives, that no penalty other than imprisonment is appropriate. The study overcomes differences between jurisdictions by carefully aligning offences and further coding sentencing data. The analysis also takes into account custodial options which require an offender to serve part of his or her sentence in a prison, such as partially suspended sentences. The latter sentencing option is available in Queensland and until very recently in Victoria. The head sentence (that is, the non-parole period and parole period of a term of imprisonment) imposed for the principal offence has been used for the purposes of comparing the length of sentences in each jurisdiction. The sentence for the principal offence does not, however, reflect how long an offender actually spends in prison in cases where more than one offence has been committed. Nevertheless, it is the best measure of sentencing levels for a given offence. The study focuses on serious cases dealt with on indictment in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. Five categories of offence are examined: sexual assault, child sexual assault, dangerous/culpable driving causing death, robbery, and break and enter/burglary. Statutory maximum penalties, full-time imprisonment rates and median head sentences are reported for these five categories of offence. The study also compares the imprisonment rate per 100,000 in the adult population in NSW with a number of Australian and international jurisdictions. Details: Sydney: Judicial Commission of NSW, 2015. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Research monograph 39: Accessed April 15, 2015 at: http://www.judcom.nsw.gov.au/publications/research-monographs-1/research-monograph-39/Monograph_39_complete.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Determinate Sentences Shelf Number: 135214

Author: Australia. Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee Title: The ability of Australian law enforcement authorities to eliminate gun-related violence in the community. Summary: The Senate referred the following matter to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report: The ability of Australian law enforcement authorities to eliminate gun-related violence in the community, with reference to: a. the estimated number, distribution and lethality of illegal guns, including both outlawed and stolen guns, in Australia; b. the operation and consequences of the illicit firearms trade, including both outlawed and stolen guns within Australia; c. the adequacy of current laws and resourcing to enable law enforcement authorities to respond to technological advances in gun technology, including firearms made from parts which have been imported separately or covertly to avoid detection, and firearms made with the use of 3D printers; d. the extent to which the number and types of guns stolen each year in Australia increase the risk posed to the safety of police and the community, including the proportion of gun-related crime involving legal firearms which are illegally held; e. the effect banning semi-automatic handguns would have on the number of illegally held firearms in Australia; f. stricter storage requirements and the use of electronic alarm systems for guns stored in homes; g. the extent to which there exist anomalies in federal, state and territory laws regarding the ownership, sale, storage and transit across state boundaries of legal firearms, and how these laws relate to one another; and h. any related matters. Details: Canberra: Australian Parliament, 2015. 180p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2015 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/Committees/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/Illicit_firearms/Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Gun Contol Shelf Number: 135222

Author: O'Neill, Emma Title: Major drug offences: current sentencing practices Summary: This report examines current sentencing practices for the three reference offences: - cultivating a commercial quantity of narcotic plants; - trafficking in a drug of dependence in a commercial quantity; and - trafficking in a drug of dependence in a large commercial quantity. The report covers the five-year reference period from 2008-09 to 2012-13. In total, over 600 cases have been analysed in order to present the following information for each of the reference offences: - a profile of sentencing factors (for example, plea entered, prospects of rehabilitation); - high-level sentencing outcomes for the offence as a whole; and - profiles of particular sub-groups of cases and their sentencing outcomes. This report is the Council's third on current sentencing practices. The Council is also examining current sentencing practices for major driving offences in an upcoming report. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2015 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Major%20Drug%20Offences%20Current%20Sentencing%20Practices.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 135241

Author: Freeman, Karen Title: Have New South Wales criminal courts become more lenient in the past 20 years? Summary: Aim: To investigate whether the NSW Higher and Local Courts have become more lenient across a range of offence categories. Method: Examination of trends from 1994 to 2013 in bail outcomes, the use of imprisonment as a sanction for convicted offenders, and average length of prison sentence imposed for convicted offenders. Results: The NSW criminal courts have become more restrictive in the granting of bail; have increased their use of imprisonment for convicted offenders; and have lengthened average prison sentences across many offence types in the past two decades. Conclusion: There is no evidence that the NSW criminal court have become more lenient overall in the past two decades; on the contrary, sentencing has become more severe in many offence categories. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 101: Accessed April 16, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/BB101.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 135249

Author: Anderson, Jessica Title: Online communities: Utilising emerging technologies to improve crime prevention knowledge, practice and dissemination Summary: Online communities are increasingly being recognised as a way of sharing ideas and knowledge among different practitioner communities, particularly when practitioners are not able to meet face to face. This paper explores the considerations associated with establishing online communities for crime prevention practitioners, drawing on research from across the community of practice, online community and knowledge management sectors. The paper provides an overview of the administrative considerations of online community development, as well as the key barriers and enablers to practitioner engagement in an online community, and the potential implications for a crime prevention-specific practitioner community. As such, it is a useful tool for those in the crime prevention sector wanting to maximise the influence of an existing online community or to guide those contemplating the implementation of an online community of practice in the future. Communities of practice (CoPs) are 'groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly' (Wenger 2006: 1). In recent years, online technologies have emerged as an important way of disseminating good practice and have often been developed to support CoPs. Online CoPs allow the transmission of tacit knowledge, which can form a crucial part of learning (Harman & Koohang 2005), particularly in relation to areas such as crime prevention (Ekblom 2010; Teng & Song 2011). From a technical perspective, online CoPs are relatively straightforward to establish, although in reality, the ongoing time and effort required to attract and sustain members can be resource intensive. Key considerations for the planning and establishment of online CoPs are explored in this paper, with a particular focus on the effective implementation of such communities for crime prevention practitioners. In some cases, CoPs emerge without external planning and establishment and this paper's exploration of issues that may affect ongoing participation can be applied to situations where a CoP is identified and supported, rather than specifically being established. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, April 2014. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 462: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/461-480/tandi462.html Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention (Australia) Shelf Number: 135262

Author: Currie, Graham Title: Perceptions and Realities of Personal Safety on Public Transport for Young People in Melbourne Summary: This paper aims to explore how perceptions of safety relate to actual experience in the context of urban public transport. It presents the results of an empirical analysis of links between perceptions of personal safety on public transport and compares these with actual experience of travellers. The focus of the work is a survey of young people using public transport in Melbourne Australia. The research literature demonstrates contrasting views with regard to perceptions of personal safety and actual risks. Positive links have been found in some contexts while others have found fears to be unrelated to risk. Some crime surveys and empirical studies suggest perceptions of personal safety are not justified by crime rates. However a series of surveys have shown that those with direct experience of safety incidents have greater concerns with safety. Other research suggests that feelings of anxiety and psychological factors act to make some people feel uncomfortable on public transport and that this acts to increase perceptions of poor personal safety. The paper aims to explore which factors are more important in explaining perceptions of safety. The analysis has identified a series of three statistically significant models which predict personal feelings of safety on public transport using different measures of safety perceptions. In each model psychological influences i.e. "feeling comfortable with people you don't know" had the biggest individual influence on perceptions of safety with a medium effect size. Gender and the actual experience of a personal safety incident were also found to influence perceptions of personal safety but these variables only had a small effect on perceptions of safety. The paper discusses policy and research implications of the findings including suggestions for future research. Details: Melbourne: Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, 2010. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.atrf.info/papers/2010/2010_currie_delbosc_mahmoud.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Public Transport Shelf Number: 135304

Author: Victoria. Commissioner for Law Enforcement Data Security Title: Social Media and Law Enforcement Summary: In July 2012, CLEDS commenced a review of Victoria Police's use of social media. The aim of the review was to identify the benefits, risks and challenges that the use of social media poses to Victorian law enforcement data security and integrity and law enforcement data systems. The final report of this lengthy review takes the position that social media already has a place in the arsenal of policing tools and offers further considerable possibilities for operational policing. The report documents how social media is currently being used within law enforcement - principally in relation to Victoria Police and identifies some of the more significant issues and risks that social media presents in the execution of law enforcement functions. While some of the issues and risks identified are manageable, subject to appropriate risk management, others are not so easily resolved. The CLEDS review of Social Media and Law Enforcement recommends that Victoria Police needs to analyse the risks and effectively plan the resources for the use of social media to ensure that there is an adequate return on investment. Ultimately, the report suggests that social media may not be capable of providing a complete or comprehensive platform for all law enforcement functions and activities, at least in the short term Details: Melbourne: Commissioner for Law Enforcement Data Security, 2013. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 21, 2015 at: http://www.cleds.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=CLEDSBridgingPage&Media_ID=98370 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 135329

Author: Menendez, Patricia Title: Lockouts and last drinks: The impact of the January 2014 liquor licence reforms on assaults in NSW, Australia Summary: Aims: To determine (1) whether the January 2014 reforms to the NSW Liquor Act reduced the incidence of assault in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD Entertainment Precincts. (2) Whether the incidence of assault increased in areas proximate to these Precincts or in nightspots further away but still within easy reach of these Precincts. (3) If there is evidence of displacement, and whether the reduction in assaults in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD Entertainment Precincts was larger than the increase in the number of assaults in the displacement areas. Method: We examine the effects of the legislative reforms introduced on January 2014 using time series structural models. These models are used to estimate the underlying long term dynamics of the time series of police recorded non-domestic assaults in NSW between January 2009 and December 2013. The effect of the January 2014 reform is captured by including terms in the models reflecting the timing of the change. Separate analyses are carried out for: the Kings Cross Precinct (KXP); the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct (CBD); an area contiguous with KXP and CBD that we refer to as the proximal displacement area (PDA); a group of entertainment areas not far from the Kings Cross or the Sydney CBD Precincts, which we refer to as the distal displacement area (DDA) and the rest of NSW. Results: Following the reforms statistically significant and substantial reductions in assault occurred in both the Kings Cross (down 32%) and Sydney CBD Entertainment Precincts (down 40%). A smaller but still significant reduction in assault occurred across the rest of NSW (9% decrease). The January 2014 reforms were also associated with small decreases in assault in the PDA and the DDA but neither of these changes was statistically significant. There was some evidence that assaults increased in and around The Star casino, however the effects are not statistically significant and the reduction in assault elsewhere was much larger than the increase around The Star casino. Conclusion: The January 2014 reforms appear to have reduced the incidence of assault in the Kings Cross and CBD entertainment precincts. The extent to which this is due to a change in alcohol consumption or a change in the number of people visiting the Kings Cross and Sydney Entertainment Precincts remains unknown. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 183: Accessed April 23, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/CJB183.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (Australia) Shelf Number: 135377

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: Liquor licensing restrictions to address alcohol-related violence in NSW: 2008 to 2014 Summary: The issue of alcohol-related violence, and in particular violence occurring in and around licensed premises, has been at the forefront of debate in NSW for several years. A range of measures have been introduced to tackle this problem, including those announced by Premier O'Farrell on 21 January 2014. Restrictions imposed on licensed premises under existing and new provisions of the Liquor Act 2007 have been a major part of the reforms. This e-brief outlines the main liquor licensing restrictions that have been introduced since 2008. It also refers to studies that have been done on the effectiveness of certain restrictions, and it examines trends in alcohol-related assaults. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2014. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief 4/2014: Accessed April 25, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/Liquorlicensingrestrictionstoaddressalcohol-relatedviolenceinNSW:2008to2014/$File/Liquor+licensing+reforms.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 135393

Author: Australia. Department of Immigration and Border Protection Title: Review into recent allegations relating to conditions and circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru Summary: A number of allegations have been made recently regarding conditions and circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru (also known as 'the centre'). These allegations include issues relating to the conduct and behaviour of staff employed by contracted service providers, claims of sexual and other physical assault of transferees, the orchestration and facilitation of transferees to engage in non-compliant or harmful behaviour and protest actions potentially endangering the safety and security of all persons at the centre, and the misuse and unauthorised disclosure of sensitive and confidential information, including to undermine the proper management of the centre. The purpose of this review is to provide a complete and accurate account of the circumstances, to determine the substance (if any) of the allegations and to provide recommendations to relevant authorities to strengthen arrangements at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru. The Acting Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection has initiated a review to investigate and report on the key issues, in particular: - to determine exactly what the facts are - to ensure that those facts are available to any authorities for any action required as a result - to ensure that the department is provided with clear recommendations on any improvements that can be made to support the Republic of Nauru with the ongoing management of the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru. Consistent with the Memorandum of Understanding between The Republic of Nauru and the Commonwealth of Australia, relating to the transfer to and assessment of persons in Nauru and related issues (dated 3 August 2013), the security, good order and management of the centre, including the care and welfare of persons residing in the centre, remain the responsibility of the sovereign Government of Nauru. In relation to service providers, the scope of this review is limited to an examination of those service providers and staff engaged by the Commonwealth of Australia for the purposes of providing services of any kind at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru. Should it become apparent in the course of the review that there is information of concern in relation to service providers engaged by the Republic of Nauru, this information will be provided to the Government of Nauru. Details: Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, 2015. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 25, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/review-conditions-circumstances-nauru.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Security Shelf Number: 135399

Author: Goh, Derek Title: ​An update of long-term trends in property and violent crime in New South Wales: 1990-2014 Summary: Aim: The aim of this paper is to analyse the trends in the rates of annual recorded incidents of 10 categories of property and violent crime for the period 1990 to 2014 in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Offence rates were calculated using criminal incident data from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) for the period 1995 to 2014, and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research's recorded crime statistics report series for the period 1990 to 1994. Kendall's trend test was run on the 24 annual rates for each of the 10 offence categories. Results: Some categories of crime in NSW are now at the lowest recorded levels they have been for over 20 years. Comparing per capita rates of crime in 2014 with per capita rates in 1990, lower rates were found for: motor vehicle theft (79% lower), robbery with a firearm (76% lower), break and enter non-dwelling (73% lower), break and enter dwelling (55% lower), robbery without a weapon (50% lower), murder (42% lower) and robbery with a weapon not a firearm (40% lower). Three of the ten offence types analysed in this report were found to have recorded rates higher in 2014 than in 1990: sexual assault (132% higher), other sexual offences (96% higher) and assault (67% higher). Conclusion: In the period since 1990, assault and sexual assault rates recorded significant long term upward trends whilst the other eight offences analysed in this report were trending down or stable. The 2014 recorded sexual assault rate was marginally below the highest in that series (occurring in 2012) and the rate since 2000 has recorded a significant uptrend. Apart from sexual assault and other sexual offences, the remaining eight offence types recorded significant downtrends in recorded rates since 2000. The three robbery and three property crime series all recorded falls of more than 60 per cent since 2000. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 29, 2015 at: Issue Paper 104: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/BB104.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Rates Shelf Number: 135404

Author: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse Title: Diverting Indigenous offenders from the criminal justice system Summary: What we know - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are vastly over-represented in the Australian juvenile and criminal justice systems. - Incarceration comes at a high cost through exposure to harsh prison environment, marginalisation, poor health outcomes and impact upon employment opportunities. - A person's contact with or progression through the justice systems can be reduced through diversion programs. - Indigenous Australians have lower participation and completion rates of diversion programs, particularly those who access mainstream programs. What works - Positive outcomes found for diversion programs include reduced drug and substance use, and improved social functioning. - There is some evidence that diversion programs reduce reoffending, but the evidence is not strong. - Diversion programs of between 12 and 18 months have better outcomes than those of very short or extended durations. - On-the-job work experience and other forms of support, such as mentoring, help reduce reoffending and promote reintegration into the community. - Culturally appropriate treatment initiatives and rehabilitation boost the participation in and completion of a diversionary program. - Programs that address the concerns of Indigenous defendants by involving Indigenous Elders or facilitators in delivery work better. What doesn't work - Programs with strict eligibility criteria are not effective as repeat offenders are often unable to take advantage of relevant and helpful programs. - Unrealistic participation requirements that affect an offender's ability to complete a program could encourage their continued involvement with the criminal justice system. - Diverting offenders to protracted programs when their crimes were minor in nature can be counterproductive. The nature and length of a diversion program should be in proportion to the severity of the offence and any risk of reoffence. In some cases, a jail sentence of lesser duration may have been preferred to the program ordered. - Focussing on illicit drugs often misses the target. Alcohol, and not substance abuse, is the major underlying problem for Indigenous offenders, but it is not addressed by most of the mainstream drug diversion programs. - A lack of committed funding can limit the reach and functioning of a diversionary program, particularly in rural and remote Australia. What we don't know - Process rather than outcomes is often the focus for measuring success of a program and it is therefore difficult to determine the effectiveness of many diversionary programs. - There is little by way of in-depth data and objective evaluations to determine the medium and long-term effectiveness of Australian diversionary programs. - Outcomes for Indigenous participants of mainstream programs are not always measured or reported separately. Consequently, the suitability of these programs for Indigenous clients has not been fully verified. - It is unclear whether some diversionary programs lead to net-widening - that is, they may increase rather than lessen the involvement of defendants with the justice system. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare & Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Resource sheet no. 24: Accessed April 29, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2013/ctgc-rs24.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 135411

Author: Victoria Police Title: Inspectorate Review 20/2011: Evaluation of Pursuits: Final Report Summary: The 2011 Pursuits Review was undertaken in consideration of the following Terms of Reference: 1. Evaluate the current operational practices regarding Victoria Police pursuits by reviewing all pursuits for the past 12 months. 2. Review the current Victoria Police pursuit policy to determine its adequacy and compliance by police members. 3. Review OHS legislation, policy and practices to determine safety compliance relative to pursuits. 4. Research interstate and international pursuit policy to identify best practice and possible risk mitigation strategies in relation to pursuits. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Police, 2011. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 29, 2015 at: http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=internetBridgingPage&Media_ID=80877 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 135418

Author: Victoria Police Title: Addressing profit-motivated vehicle theft in Victoria's separated parts and scrap metal industries Summary: 1. The inter-agency Task Force Discover was established to examine how the motor wrecking and scrap metal industries may facilitate profit-motivated vehicle theft (PMVT). Led by Victoria Police Crime Command, the Task Force completed a state-wide regulatory audit of motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers to reconcile anecdotal evidence that regulatory non-compliance by these businesses creates opportunities for PMVT. The Task Force aimed to develop an objective understanding of the extent of regulatory compliance among motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers and consider how levels of non-compliance related to unrecovered stolen vehicles in Victoria. 2. PMVT is a significant problem in Victoria. Data from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council demonstrates there were 2,562 unrecovered stolen passenger and light commercial (PLC) vehicles in Victoria in 2013. The number of unrecovered PLC vehicles in Victoria has increased 21 per cent over the last five years due to the ability of vehicle thieves to profit from the growing domestic and international demand for spare parts and scrap metal. This demand has led to an expansion in the motor wrecking and scrap metal industries1, which now comprise a variety of players displaying an equally diverse range of capital resources, experience and levels of compliance with the law. Vehicle thieves can subsequently exploit the noncompliant tiers of industry to off-load, launder and sell stolen vehicles for the value of their separated parts and left over scrap metal. 3. Between September 2013 and June 2014, Task Force Discover audited a total of 432 motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers, estimated to represent approximately 90 percent of all operators in Victoria. The Task Force audited all commercial practices supporting the trade in used vehicles, spare parts and scrap metal derived from vehicles in order to: - collect intelligence on compliant and non-compliant commercial practices; - complete an authoritative assessment on the overall extent of regulatory compliance and consider implications that levels of non-compliance have for levels of PMVT in Victoria; and - improve the understanding of issues associated with the motor wrecking and scrap metal industries, including occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental protection issues. 4. The Task Force Discover audit focussed firstly on business licensing with a Motor Car Traders Licence (MCTL), business registration with Second-Hand Dealers Registration (SHDR) and record keeping practices for the trade in vehicles due to the implications that noncompliance in these areas has for PMVT. Secondly the audit focussed on occupational health and safety and environmental protection standards for the trade in parts and scrap due to the implications that non-compliance in these areas has for community harm. Task Force investigators (comprising Victoria Police detectives) made an assessment of the regulatory compliance of each business they attended. Of the 432 motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers audited: - 302 businesses or 70 per cent were assessed by Task Force investigators as either not holding the required authorisation to trade (i.e. the correct licence or registration) or being non-compliant to some degree with the conditions of their business licence or registration. This non-compliance included: - incomplete record keeping on customer identities and vehicle identifiers - failing to make notifications to the Written-Off Vehicles Register (WOVR) - failing to undertake criminal history checks and background screening of employees, and - failing to publicly display business licensing or registration details. - 199 businesses or 46 per cent were assessed as not holding the required authorisation to trade and of these: - 112 businesses operated without a MCTL or SHDR, but were assessed as requiring a MCTL - 12 businesses operated without a MCTL or SHDR, but were assessed as requiring a SHDR - 75 businesses traded only with a SHDR, but were assessed as requiring a MCTL. - 398 businesses or 92 per cent did not submit notifications to the WOVR. - 390 businesses or 90 per cent were assessed to be non-compliant to some degree with OHS and environmental protection regulations - 82 businesses or almost 20 per cent were referred for safety breaches deemed likely to cause injury; and - 41 businesses or 9 per cent were referred for moderate environmental breaches causing obvious and ongoing serious pollution to soil and waterways. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Police, 2014. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 29, 2015 at: http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=internetBridgingPage&Media_ID=108408 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 135419

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth justice in Australia: 2013-14 Summary: There were 6,100 young people under youth justice supervision in Australia on an average day in 2013-14, due to their involvement, or alleged involvement, in crime. This number has fallen from about 6,400 in 2012-13. Most (85%) of these young people were supervised in the community and the remainder were in detention. Young people spent 26 weeks, on average, under supervision during the year. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 127: Accessed May 1, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129550805 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 135446

Author: Le, Roslyn Title: Risky business: understanding Vietnamese women's pathways into Australia's illicit drug trade Summary: Drawing on in-depth interviews with 35 Vietnamese women imprisoned for drug crimes in Melbourne, Australia, this thesis explored questions concerning why and how individuals become involved in drug trafficking in the first place. It was found that more than half of the women interviewed started drug trafficking to resolve gambling debts incurred through Melbourne's casino. Other motives identified in this study included economic gain, non-gambling debt resolution, romantic love and drug dependency. Challenging traditional stereotypes that portray drug traffickers as evil and morally depraved beings, this thesis revealed that the women in this study were in fact 'ordinary' individuals, who were driven into the illicit drug trade to resolve, or change the difficult circumstances in their own lives Details: Melbourne: Swinburne University of Technology, 2014. 210p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 6, 2015 at: http://researchbank.swinburne.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/swin:40527 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 135524

Author: Halacas, C. Title: Keeping our mob healthy in and out of prison: Exploring Prison Health in Victoria to Improve Quality, Culturally Appropriate Health Care for Aboriginal People Summary: The prison health system presents an opportunity to improve Aboriginal prisoners' health and wellbeing, diagnose and treat health and mental health problems, and mitigate the effects of harmful behaviours. Improving prison health systems for Aboriginal people can also reduce high rates of postrelease hospitalisation and mortality experienced by Aboriginal prisoners and improve quality of life. Aboriginal prisoners experience higher rates of health and mental health problems than non-Aboriginal prisoners. The impact on prison health care is foreshadowed by consistent increases in the number of Aboriginal people imprisoned in Victoria each year. One in 33 Aboriginal males is imprisoned in Victoria at any one time, and the rate of overrepresentation is increasing for both Aboriginal men and women. More than 50% of Aboriginal people released from Victorian prisons return within two years, which places increasing importance on continuity of care. With large numbers of Aboriginal people moving in and out of the prison system, a strong relationship should exist between prison health services and prisoners' community health and mental health provider. The 28 Aboriginal Community Controlled health Organisations (ACCHOs) and their auspiced organisations across Victoria are located within 55km of all Victorian prisons. ACCHOs are a critical extension of prison health care given Aboriginal prisoners access ACCHOs more frequently than mainstream services in the community. ACCHOs' comprehensive support and engagement of Aboriginal people plays a big part in improving quality of life and improving poor health and mental health outcomes by providing a holistic, healing health service. The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), with support from the Victorian Government Department of Justice, explored ways to improve continuity of care for Aboriginal people in Victorian prisons and identify ways to improve relationships and partnerships between ACCHOs and prison health services. ACCHOs, prison health services, and Koori support staff members from the Department of Justice were interviewed and their responses analysed for common themes. We found no relationship or partnership between ACCHOs and prison health services interviewed despite policy references requiring it within the Justice Health Policy and Quality Framework (attached to the prison health services contracts). Responses also indicated that prison health service systems were not meeting cultural safety policy standards. ACCHOs identified several areas in need of improvement to assist Aboriginal prisoner health including prisoner release planning and the transfer of health information. Given the low level of contact between ACCHOs and prison health services there were few working examples that could be shared. A list of recommendations based on interview responses, a literature review and exploration of non-Victorian models is presented as a first step in improving health and mental health outcomes for Aboriginal prisoners. Details: Collingwood, VIC: Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, 2015. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2015 at: http://www.vaccho.org.au/assets/01-RESOURCES/TOPIC-AREA/RESEARCH/KEEPING-OUR-MOB-HEALTHY.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 135546

Author: Mathews, Ben Title: Mandatory reporting laws for child sexual abuse in Australia: A legislative history Summary: 1.1 Scope and purpose of this report 1. History of Australian mandatory reporting legislation for child sexual abuse The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is required to inquire into, among other things, 'what institutions and governments should do to achieve best practice in encouraging the reporting of, and responding to reports or information about, allegations, incidents or risks of child sexual abuse and related matters in institutional contexts'. An aspect of the nature of allegations of child sexual abuse occurring within institutional contexts is that they often relate to events that took place years and sometimes decades before the allegations are brought to light. This report is intended to assist in understanding the development of mandatory reporting laws and to establish a means of determining the existence and scope of mandatory reporting laws in any jurisdiction at a given point in time. To assist the Royal Commission in addressing our terms of reference, the major focus of this report is to review and explain the legislative principles for mandatory reporting to child welfare agencies of child sexual abuse in each state and territory of Australia, and to trace changes in the development of the laws since their inception to the present day. In doing so, the report identifies differences within and between state and territory laws over a period of 44 years, from 1969 to 2013. The report does not discuss obligations to report criminal conduct to law enforcement agencies in detail (see Part 2.6). It is not the purpose of this report to make recommendations for reform of law, policy or practice. Nevertheless, the outcomes of the legal analyses indicate areas for possible reform, enhancement and research. The law and historical developments in each state and territory are detailed in Part 3 of this Report. A timeline is also provided for each jurisdiction showing the major developments in graphic form. Nine tables in the Executive summary of this report display the most essential information in summary form. 2. Precursors to and reasons for the introduction of the laws in each jurisdiction, and for substantial amendments to the laws A second purpose of this report is to identify why the legislation changed in each jurisdiction. This task involved research into publicly available records in each state and Letters Patent for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, S No 12 of 2013, 11 January 2013, territory, focusing on significant government inquiries and law reform reports, and parliamentary debates. Findings regarding the precursors to legal developments are integrated within the treatment of the historical legal developments in Part 3 of this report. Discussion of these precursors is presented in shaded boxes. In addition, Table 9 in the Executive summary of this report highlights the major influential factors. 3. Overseas learnings A third, minor aspect of the report is to summarise other jurisdictions' reporting laws and developments over time, to identify issues of interest. For feasibility, this is limited to selected jurisdictions having the most detailed experience of mandatory reporting laws and the most detailed data about child protection. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2014. 149p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2015 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/documents/royal-commission-report-ben-mathews-for-rc-publica.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Maltreatment Shelf Number: 135548

Author: Harris, Robert Title: An empirical basis for the ratio of crowd controllers to patrons Summary: Managing the safety of patrons and others in event and venue settings is of significant concern in Australia. A key strategy for dealing with this issue is the use of crowd controllers. Determining sufficient crowd controller numbers to reduce the potential for harm at events and venues is, however, problematic given the many variables that are involved. This study identifies key risk factors impacting the crowd controller to patron ratio decision and develops decision aids (Crowd Controller Assessment Tools) for use by those faced with advising on, or making decisions about, crowd management. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2015. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 54: Accessed May 13, 2015 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-54.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 135626

Author: Cussen, Tracy Title: Indigenous and non-Indigenous homicide in Australia Summary: Indigenous people (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians) are disproportionately victims and offenders in homicide incidents both in relation to their relative proportion of the Australian population and in comparison with their non-Indigenous counterparts. In 2011�12, Indigenous people comprised three percent of the Australian population (ABS 2009; ABS 2012) yet constituted 13 percent of homicide victims (n=35) and 11 percent of homicide offenders (n=32; Bryant & Cussen 2015). The rate of both victimisation and offending by Indigenous people was approximately five times higher than that of non-Indigenous people (Bryant & Cussen 2015). Available research suggests that victims and offenders may be exposed to, or experience, a number of vulnerabilities that increase the likelihood they will be involved in a violent offence and further, that these factors may be more pronounced for Indigenous people. Research undertaken by Wundersitz (2010), Bryant (2009) and Bryant and Willis (2008) has linked substance abuse, personal history (such as sexual abuse as a child), housing mobility, and social stressors (such as witnessing violence, gambling addiction, mental illness or serious accident) to an increase in offending and victimisation risk. A previous comparative analysis of Indigenous and non-Indigenous homicides in Australia (Mouzos 2001) also identified that the majority of Indigenous homicides occurred between family members in the context of domestic conflict. This paper describes selected characteristics of Indigenous and non-Indigenous homicides as recorded within the AIC�s National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) from 1 July 1989 to 30 June 2012. Over this time period, the NHMP has recorded: 6,744 homicide incidents (1,096 involving at least one Indigenous person); 7,217 victims (of whom 951 or 13% were Indigenous people); and 7,599 identified offenders (of whom 1,234 or 16% were Indigenous). Both the total number of victims and offenders is greater than the total number of homicide incidents over the 23 year period because some incidents involve multiple offenders and/or the death of multiple victims. Homicides contained within the NHMP are reported to the AIC by police services and data are augmented with information from the National Coronial Information System, media reports and/or publicly available sentencing remarks from relevant court proceedings. Victim and offender Indigenous status is principally identified by the police and is likely derived from subjective assessments based on appearance and/or offender self-reported status. It is therefore likely that the number of victims and offenders identified as Indigenous within the NHMP is under-estimated and this limitation should be considered with reference to the data presented in this report. It should also be noted that there were 1,126 homicides (17%) where the Indigenous status of victims and/or offenders was not recorded. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, no. 37: Accessed May 13, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip37/rip37.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 135630

Author: Australia. Auditor General Title: Delivery of the petrol sniffing strategy in remote Indigenous communities Summary: Through the Petrol Sniffing Strategy (PSS), the Australian Government has supported initiatives to reduce the incidence and impact of petrol sniffing in remote Indigenous communities since 2005. The key element of the PSS is to subsidise the production of low aromatic fuel (LAF) so that it replaces regular unleaded petrol (RULP) in areas at risk of petrol sniffing outbreaks, without the higher production costs acting as a barrier to its uptake. While there are many underlying causes of petrol sniffing, generally associated with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and marginalised groups, research results have indicated that the introduction of LAF has been successful in contributing to reductions in the incidence of petrol sniffing. For this reason, additional funding has been made available by the Australian Government to expand the supply and distribution of LAF. From an initial 41 sites in June 2005, the PSS expanded and, as at January 2015, LAF was available in 138 sites associated with 78 Indigenous communities in Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Consistent with the policy objective of the PSS, these sites are located in regional and remote areas of Australia. While the number of sites has increased, the overall annual volume of LAF produced has largely remained stable since 2007-08 with approximately 21 megalitres being produced on average each year. No performance targets have been set in relation to the volume of LAF produced and distributed, although contracts with LAF producers allow for an annual production of up to 53 megalitres. In the most recent expansion of the PSS in 2010-11, the Australian Government provided additional funding to include 39 sites covering 11 communities in Northern Australia, with an associated increase in annual volume of production of LAF. As well as supporting extra production capacity, a significant element of the increased funding was to provide for additional storage facilities as the lack of bulk storage had been identified as the key barrier to expanding the PSS in northern Australia. Following a select tender, the department responsible for providing LAF, the then Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), entered into contracts with two major fuel producers to supply LAF to different regions of Australia. The development of additional storage infrastructure was initially included by DoHA in the tender for fuel production, however, the department subsequently chose to enter into direct negotiations with the operators of terminal facilities in Darwin. These negotiations were anticipated to have been completed in time to allow for facilities to be operational by 1 July 2012 which, in turn, would enable the contracts for increased production to commence. Negotiations were lengthy and remained ongoing at the time the responsibility for petrol sniffing initiatives was transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) in September 2013. An agreement for capital works was subsequently executed in December 2013, which enabled work to commence on developing the required storage infrastructure. The storage facility became operational in November 2014, more than two years later than expected. As a result of the delay, implementation of the expansion fell short of the Government's initial expectations. The facility was also more expensive than first anticipated, with the contracted cost of establishing the bulk storage facility being up to $19.2 million (including GST) - exceeding significantly the initial estimates of up to $12.9 million. Following the establishment of storage facilities, additional production of LAF commenced in late November 2014 and PM&C anticipates that the annual volume of LAF produced in 2015-16 will double. The department's processes for managing existing contractual arrangements and for monitoring the delivery of LAF are largely sound. Information collected under the production and distribution agreements enables PM&C to maintain appropriate visibility over the volume of LAF supplied and the locations of sites to which it is supplied. The main approach of the PSS is to reduce the availability of RULP in high risk communities by encouraging fuel outlets serving those communities and outlets in surrounding areas to only stock LAF and create a distance buffer zone around vulnerable communities. Accordingly, PM&C monitors supply information so that sites ceasing to supply LAF can be contacted and encouraged to continue to participate in the PSS. In addition, since 2005, a contracted research provider has assessed a sample of communities periodically for incidences of petrol sniffing and the role of LAF in reducing outbreaks. As a result of these data collection arrangements, PM&C has a reasonable evidence base to support the assessment of LAF in reducing the incidence of petrol sniffing. Between 2005 and 2009, the supply of LAF was identified as a program in the Health and Ageing Portfolio Budget Statements, and DoHA reported against the number of sites providing LAF as an indicator of performance for the PSS. Between 2009 and 2014 there was no formal reporting on the progress of the strategy. While the PSS has expanded, albeit more slowly than anticipated, there has been little information publicly reported on the effect that the supply of LAF has had on reducing the incidence of petrol sniffing in Indigenous communities. Research indicates that the supply of LAF is making a positive contribution to reducing petrol sniffing. The design of the PSS, however, also acknowledges that there are limitations to taking a single approach and that other actions need to be undertaken in conjunction with the supply of LAF to successfully address the issue of petrol sniffing. In 2014, the PSS was identified in the Prime Minister and Cabinet Portfolio Budget Statements as a specific initiative to be delivered under the Safety and Wellbeing Programme, with the key performance indicator being the number of sites providing LAF. Using this narrowly-focussed indicator alone, however, will provide for only a limited assessment of performance. In view of the PSS's maturity, it is timely for PM&C to strengthen its PSS-related performance reporting by including a greater focus on assessing the impact of the PSS. The ANAO has made one recommendation to improve PM&C's accountability and reporting for the PSS. . Details: Canberra: Australian National Audit Office, 2015. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: ANAO Report No. 35 2014-15: Accessed May 14, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/anao_deliveryofthepetrolsniffingstrategyinremoteindigenouscommunities_may_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 135634

Author: Victoria. Auditor-General Title: Occupational Violence Against Healthcare Workers Summary: Healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, provide a critical role in caring for the community. The community has come to expect that healthcare workers will provide care as and when needed. Occupational violence has been recognised as a significant issue for healthcare workers both in Australia and internationally. Healthcare workers face particular risks because they are at the frontline when it comes to dealing with people in stressful, unpredictable and potentially volatile situations. For example, some of the day-to-day challenges that healthcare workers may experience include dealing with patients whose clinical condition may lead to unintentional violent behaviour, concerned family members who may become agitated in response to a loved one's situation, and individuals whose drug or alcohol-fuelled aggression threatens the safety of paramedics and health professionals. It is important that healthcare workers are protected from the risks and incidence of occupational violence both for their own health and safety and to protect the continuity and quality of healthcare services provided to the community. In its 2011 policy, Preventing occupational violence: A policy framework including principles for managing weapons in Victorian health services, the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) defines occupational violence as 'Any incident where an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances arising out of, or in the course of, their employment'. In this audit, we examined whether local and statewide systems are sufficiently and appropriately protecting healthcare workers from the risks and incidence of occupational violence. We focused on: - DHHS' role as manager of the Victorian health system - WorkSafe's role as the occupational health and safety regulator in supporting employers to reduce and control occupational violence risks through its education and enforcement activities - Ambulance Victoria (AV) and selected health services-with a particular focus on three hospitals-in their role as employers responsible for identifying, responding to and preventing or mitigating the risk of occupational violence to protect their workers. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Auditor-General, 2015. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2015 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20150506-Occ-Violence/20150506-Occ-Violence.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Healthcare Workers Shelf Number: 135635

Author: Cooper, Maxine Title: The rehabilitation of male detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre Summary: The Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) provides the ACT with its own prison. It was to be the first human rights-compliant prison in Australia. It accepted its first detainees in March 2009, having officially opened in September 2008. From 2004 to 2009, ACT Government statements and documents, which presented the philosophy for operating the AMC, consistently emphasised the importance of rehabilitation. A range of rehabilitation objectives were presented: reducing offending behaviour; and encouraging detainees to seek self-improvement, fulfil their potential and lead successful lives in the community. Male detainees are the focus of this performance audit as female detainees were the subject of an independent review in 2014 by the ACT Human Rights Commission. The Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) is a relatively new prison. It incorporates innovative, human rights planning and design, expected to provide an environment to support and foster detainee rehabilitation. This has been compromised due to its relatively small size, multiple classifications, detainee association issues, mixed genders and the unexpected adverse affects of the interaction of these factors with the AMC's design. Lack of continuity in senior management in the first few years of operation contributed to the difficulties. More recently management practices have been effective in fostering improvements including a 'culture change', which emphasises respect in detainee and staff relationships, and have resulted in reductions in the use of force and lockdown hours. These improvements contribute to a healthier context for rehabilitating detainees. AMC planning for rehabilitation is ineffective as there is no rehabilitation planning framework, no evaluation framework and no finalised case management policy framework. With respect to management practices, while there have been improvements, there are inadequacies that need to be addressed including improving business planning, internal performance measures and routine quality assurance and evaluation of programs. As the prison population has increased, the ACT's detainee costs per day and utilisation rates have trended towards the Australian average. However, determining the effectiveness or efficiency of rehabilitation is problematic as there are no generally accepted comprehensive performance measures that can be used for this purpose and there is limited information on rehabilitation costs. Developing these measures will require a national approach and it would be unreasonable to expect the ACT to invest heavily in this given that it is a small jurisdiction with only one prison. Due to the lack of comprehensive performance measures and cost information an overall assessment of effectiveness or efficiency of AMC operations with respect to rehabilitation was not able to be made. However, the proposed levels of rehabilitation activities and services, as anticipated in planning (prior to the opening of the AMC), were assessed and found to be inadequate. Importantly this means a 'structured day' with 'purposeful activity' is not being achieved for many detainees. It is therefore likely that some detainees are bored and this can compromise their rehabilitation. The information management systems used at the AMC are inadequate. While action is underway to make improvements, it is important that priority be given to making the necessary changes as quickly as possible. Details: Canberra: Australia Capital City Auditor General, 2015. 205p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.audit.act.gov.au/auditreports/reports2015/Report%20No.%202%20of%202015%20The%20Rehabilitation%20of%20male%20detainees%20at%20the%20Alexander%20Maconochie%20Centre.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 135440

Author: Australia. Attorney-General's Department Title: Improving the Measurement of Identity Crime and Misuse in Australia: Recommendations from the National Identity Crime and Misuse Measurement Framework Project Summary: Traditional identity crime methodologies are continually being adapted to evolving technologies such as mobile devices, social media and cloud computing. This provides criminals with improved capabilities and opportunities to steal or manipulate personal and financial data, and can increase the number of potential victims of identity crime. On 21 October 2014, the Minister for Justice, the Hon Michael Keenan MP, released a report from the National Identity Crime and Misuse Measurement Framework pilot. The report was developed by the Attorney-General's Department and brought together available data from over 50 different Commonwealth, state and territory agencies as well as the private sector. The report found that identity crime is one of the most common crime types in Australia, affecting between 750 000 to 900 000 people each year, with an estimated annual cost of at least $1.6 billion. This project marks one of the first attempts by any government worldwide to systematically measure the incidents and impacts of identity crime. Identity crime has become one of the fastest growing and most common crimes affecting Australians each year - more people report being a victim of identity crime than assault, robbery, motor vehicle theft or household break-ins. In addition to the key findings of the project, a companion report has been developed containing recommendations for improving the quality and availability of data for measuring identity crime. These recommendations are primarily focussed on the systems of government agencies - reflecting the scope of the initial pilot exercise - but also recognise the need to further engage the private sector as a critical source of information and insights into the nature of identity crime and its impacts. The National Identity Crime and Misuse Measurement Framework report includes the results of community survey on identity crime that was commissioned by the Attorney-General's Department. This survey was conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) in 2013 and found that 9.4 per cent of 5000 respondents reported having their personal information stolen or misused in the previous 12 months, with 21 per cent reporting they were a victim at some point in their life. Of those reporting misuse in the previous 12 months, five per cent lost money as a result, at an average of just over $4000 per incident. As incidents may be underreported, the true extent of identity crime victimisation is likely to be much higher. Details: Barton, ACT: Attorney-General's Department, 2014. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/IdentitySecurity/Documents/ImprovingMeasurementIdentityCrimeAndMisuseInAustralia.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 135441

Author: Australia. Attorney-General's Department Title: Identity crime and misuse in Australia: Key findings from the National Identity Crime and Misuse Measurement Framework Pilot Summary: Efforts to combat identity crime require a reliable evidence base that quantifies the complete nature and extent of the problem. In Australia and also internationally, there are limited sources of comprehensive, reliable data about identity crime and its consequences. To address this gap in knowledge, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed in 2012 that work should be undertaken to develop a national measurement framework for identity crime to better inform efforts to implement the National Identity Security Strategy (NISS). This report presents the key findings from a pilot data collection exercise that was undertaken as part of the project established to develop this measurement framework. Key finding: Each year around 4 to 5% of Australians (around 750,000 to 937,000 people) experience identity crime resulting in a financial loss. However, the true extent of identity crime is likely to be unknown, as a considerable proportion of incidents go unreported. The Australian Institute of Criminology conducted a 5,000-person online community survey (the AIC Survey) in 2013 as part of this pilot. They found that 9.4 percent of respondents reported having their personal information stolen or misused in the previous 12 months, with five percent reporting that they suffered financial losses as a result (Smith & Hutchings 2014). Identity crime is likely under-reported by both individual victims and organisations. For example, recent research has shown that only 50 percent of credit card fraud victims and 66 percent of identity theft victims reported the incident to a formal institution, such as law enforcement or a financial institution (ABS 2012). Key finding: Compared with other personal and theft-related crimes (i.e. assault, robbery, break-ins and motor vehicle theft), identity crime is one of the most prevalent crime types affecting Australians each year. Key finding: The price of fraudulent identity credentials suggests they are relatively cheap and easy to obtain. This is reflected in the variety of ways that these credentials are used to commit identity fraud. Information on data breaches (many of which go unreported) also suggests that the personal information needed to create fraudulent identity documents is also available to those willing to seek it out. Key finding: State and territory police detect up to an estimated 30,000 identity crimes each year, with around 24,000 offences proven guilty in a court of law. As identity crimes are often recorded under other related offences such as fraud, the actual number of identity crimes is likely much higher. Key finding: The majority of identity victims lose relatively small amounts of money (up to $1,000), although in some cases losses can run to hundreds of thousands of dollars. A significant proportion of victims also experience demands on their time or other adverse impacts to their mental or physical health, reputations or general wellbeing. Key finding: Only a small proportion of victims of identity crime report the incident to relevant organisations. Court-issued victims' certificates appear significantly underutilised as a mechanism to assist victims in recovering from the consequences of identity crime. Key finding: There are an increasing number of identity credentials that can be verified through the Document Verification Service (DVS), as well as a growing demand for the service amongst government and private sector organisations. Key finding: The estimated economic impact of identity crime in Australia is likely to exceed $1.6 billion per year. In light of the limited data available and the underreporting of identity crime, by both individuals and organisations, this is likely to be a conservative estimate. Key finding: Aside from underreporting, the single biggest limitation on efforts to measure identity crime is the lack of standardisation between organisations over definitions and how incidents are recorded. Details: Barton, ACT: Attorney-General's Department, 2014. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2015 at: http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/IdentitySecurity/Documents/IdentityCrimeAndMisuseInAustralia.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 135442

Author: Goldsmid, Susan Title: Findings from the DUMA program: Drink and drug driving among police detainees Summary: In Australia, random breath testing (RBT) was introduced in the mid-1970s to detect drivers under the influence of alcohol (Baldock & Woolley 2013). This resulted in a reduction in fatal crashes and alcohol-related traffic accidents across Australia (Drummond, Sullivan & Cavallo 1992; Henstridge, Homel & Mackay 1997; Watson & Freeman 2007). The success of RBT can be explained through the classic deterrence doctrine, which suggests that decision-making is influenced by the perception of whether the benefits of the crime outweigh the risks of being caught (Homel 1988). The introduction of RBT arguably increased the perceived and real risk of being caught, which positively influenced individuals' decisions to refrain from driving while intoxicated. Following the successful implementation of RBT, between 2004 (in Victoria) and 2011 (in the Australian Capital Territory), random roadside drug testing (RRDT) was introduced across Australia. The aim of RRDT was to deter drug driving, decreasing both the prevalence of drug driving and the associated harms. In 2013, data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) indicated that drug driving and drink driving had been engaged in by more than one in 10 Australians (16% and 12% respectively) surveyed during the previous 12 months (AIHW 2014). Rates of drug driving are even higher in populations where illicit drug use is common, such as among police detainees, where 65 percent of detainees surveyed reported driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs in the previous 12 months (Adams, Smith & Hind 2008). Examining perceptions of risk of drug driving, in terms of both being caught and legitimacy (perceptions of impairment to driving ability), will identify whether the preconditions exist to support drug driving deterrence through RRDT. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 39: Accessed May 20, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip39/rip39.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence Shelf Number: 135734

Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: Persons convicted of breaching Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders: their characteristics and penalties Summary: Aims: To describe the characteristics of those found guilty of breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) in NSW in 2013 and the principal penalties they received. Method: BOCSAR's Criminal Courts database provided information regarding the demographic characteristics of, and penalties imposed on, a cohort of 3,154 offenders found guilty in NSW in 2013 of breaching an ADVO as their principal offence. BOCSAR's Re-offending Database provided data regarding the number of proven court appearances in the preceding five years for a cohort of 5,023 persons with a court appearance in 2013 involving at least one proven breach ADVO. Results: Of 3,154 persons who were found guilty of breaching an ADVO as their principal offence, most were male (87.7%) and entered a guilty plea (84.6%). About one in five (22.5%) received a bond without supervision (average length=14 months) as their principal penalty; 17.8 per cent were fined (average amount=$432); 15.7 per cent received a bond with supervision (average length=16 months) and 12.4 per cent were given a custodial sentence (average length=4 months). Of 5,023 persons with a court appearance in 2013 involving at least one proven breach ADVO offence, 22.2 per cent had no proven court appearances in the preceding five years; 53.3 per cent of offenders had at least one prior proven violent offence (the main categories were assault and stalking); and 28.7 per cent of offenders had at least one prior proven breach ADVO offence. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 102: Accessed May 21, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/bb102.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Orders Shelf Number: 135742

Author: Australian Crime Commission Title: Organised Crime in Australia 2015 Summary: The Organised Crime in Australia 2015 report provides the most comprehensive contemporary profile of serious and organised crime in Australia. The report provides the context in which organised crime operates in Australia and gives an overview of each of the key illicit markets and the activities which fundamentally enable serious and organised crime. The report provides government, industry and the public with information they need to better respond to the threat of organised crime, now and into the future. Organised Crime in Australia is an unclassified version of the Australian Crime Commission's Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA) which is part of the Picture of Criminality in Australia suite of products. The OCTA is a classified assessment of the level of risk posed by various organised crime threats, categorised by activity, market and enabler. Details: Canberra: ACC, 2015. 87p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2015 at: https://www.crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/FINAL-ACC-OCA2015-180515.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Cybercrime Shelf Number: 135763

Author: Earl, Catherine Title: Justice or an Unjust System? Aboriginal over-representation in South Australia's juvenile justice system Summary: Twenty-times more likely to be imprisoned than the non-Aboriginal population and making up 46% of the young people in SA's detention centres, this report highlights the problem of over-representation of Aboriginal young people in this state's juvenile justice system. The report recommends a new approach to engage Aboriginal people at all levels in the justice system, with a formally negotiated Indigenous Justice Agreement as a first step. There is little doubt that Aboriginal people are overrepresented in the SA juvenile justice system. The evidence suggests that similar trends are reflected across the nation and are also present in the adult population. However, this report focuses only on the juvenile system in South Australia. At its broadest, the juvenile justice system comprises all interactions with law enforcement. While this could include out-of-home care, the focus of this report is on the custodial and non-custodial system applying once a breach of the law is identified. In this part of the system, both the overall number of Aboriginal young people within it and the rate (per 100,000 population) have both decreased in recent years. However, the level of overrepresentation (that is discrepancy between rates for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people) has actually increased (because the rate of involvement of the general young population has decreased at a greater rate). The figures are stark: - Aboriginal young people comprise only 4% of the total population aged 10-17 years old, but make up 46% of young people in detention and 34% of young people under community-based supervision; - Aboriginal young people are 12.5 times more likely to be involved with the juvenile justice system than non- Aboriginal young people, and 19.7 times more likely to be in detention; - This level of over-representation is higher for young people than for the adult population: Aboriginal young people 19 times more likely to be imprisoned, by comparison with 16 times more likely for adults; - Over the five year period from 2009-2013 South Australia's rate of contact of Aboriginal young people with the juvenile justice system was the second highest in the country and well above the national average; - In 2013-14, the cost of incarcerating a young person in South Australia was $1,000 per young person per day, while the cost of community supervision was $73 per young person, per day; - The current cost of detention and non-custodial supervision of Aboriginal young people in South Australia is $13.3m per year; - If there was no over-representation, that is, if the rate of detention and community supervision of Aboriginal young people was the same as for the general young population, there would be fewer Aboriginal young people in the SA juvenile justice system, and a saving to the state budget of over $12m per annum. Several key inquiries and commissions have investigated issues of over-representation, providing a vastly underutilised resource for addressing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in the justice system. The interviews and voices in this report add depth to this literature and suggest a need to revisit those reports and to re-address many of the recommendations which have not been carried through systematically or effectively. Details: Unley, SA, AUS: South Australian Council of Social Service, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: http://www.sacoss.org.au/sites/default/files/public/documents/Reports/150401_Youth_Justice_Report_FINAL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 135786

Author: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Title: Unfinished business: Koori women and the justice system Summary: It has been 20 years since the report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and, sadly, in that time the proportion of Australian prisoners that are Indigenous has almost doubled. In Victoria, the over-representation of Koori people in prison, women in particular, has also increased dramatically in the last few years. Research shows once they have had contact with justice system, they are very likely to reoffend and return to prison. Around 80 per cent of the Koori women in prison are mothers, so their imprisonment not only removes them from the community - it removes their children from them. This increases the likelihood of their children entering out-of-homecare, which is in turn one of the biggest risk factors for them one day coming in contact with the justice system themselves. The longer term effects of this are profound, on the women, their families and their children. In the shorter term they are compounded by the lack of pre-prison diversionary options and support postrelease and in the inability to access employment or education or find safe and affordable housing for themselves and their children. Without these things the risk of re-offending is significantly higher. Details: Carlton, Victoria: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2013. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: https://interactivepdf.uniflip.com/2/87691/311342/pub/document.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 129679

Author: Viles, Nathan Title: The Social Costs of Currency Counterfeiting Summary: Currency counterfeiting is costly for society. Law enforcement agencies allocate substantial resources to deter, detect and prosecute counterfeiting operations, households and businesses suffer a direct loss to counterfeiters and undertake costly prevention measures, and central banks spend considerable resources upgrading and improving the security of banknotes. Without these prevention efforts, there is a risk that the public could lose confidence in the currency and reduce its use relative to more costly payment alternatives. This paper examines the social costs of counterfeiting in Australia. First, we provide some statistics on counterfeiting domestically and compare Australia's experience with some other economies internationally. We find that the direct costs of counterfeiting in Australia are relatively low when compared with other economies, but that there can be substantial deadweight costs associated with prevention efforts and losses of confidence in the currency. Second, we focus on quantifying the effect of a loss of confidence in the currency. To do this, we estimate a structural vector auto-regression using the Australian data. In response to a positive one standard deviation counterfeiting shock, the demand for banknotes declines and the use of credit cards and bank deposits increase. These results are consistent with the presence of substitution effects. Using a scenario to quantify the real resource costs associated with these substitution effects, our estimates suggest that an increase in counterfeiting of around A$140 000, spread over ten years, leads to a total increase in social costs of A$7.0 million. Although the statistical uncertainty implied in the model and scenario estimates is large, the results suggest that there are significant pay-offs from efforts to prevent and deter counterfeiting activity in Australia. Details: Sydney: Reserve Bank of Australia, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Discussion Paper 2015-05: Accessed May 27, 2015 at: http://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2015/pdf/rdp2015-05.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Counterfeit Shelf Number: 135790

Author: Ronken, Carol Title: Community Notification of Child Sex Offenders Summary: In 2006, Bravehearts released a position paper on Community Notification Laws. This paper has now been updated. Bravehearts advocates that the first response should be the continued detention of dangerous sex offenders. It is our position that dangerous sex offenders should not be released back in to the community, until such time as they are assessed as low risk and that that risk can be managed in the community. We have continued detention legislation (such as the Queensland Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act 2003) across the nation in place now that can achieve this. While, based on the experience in the US, Bravehearts does not support widespread community notification of sex offenders, given the lack of will of the courts to continually detain dangerous offenders, we do believe that current registration legislation should be expanded to allow for restricted community notification. We advocate the duplication nationally of the Western Australian Legalisation which provides for the public disclosure of limited information relating to released, adult, dangerous, repeat child sex offenders. Details: Arundel BC, Qld: Bravehearts, Inc., 2014. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Position Paper: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: http://www.bravehearts.org.au/images/pictures/large/Community_Notification_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 135857

Author: Ronken, Carol Title: Two Strikes and They're Out! Mandatory Sentencing and Child Sex Offenders Summary: In July 2012 the Queensland Government passed a bill enforcing a two strikes approach for repeat child sex offenders. The two strikes approach will apply to sex offenders who have previously been convicted of an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and who have been released and who then commit another sexual offence that attracts a maximum sentence of life. This paper is an updated version of our original Two Strikes position paper and includes discussion of concerns expressed about the introduction of the Queensland legislation. Details: Arundel BC, Qld: Bravehearts, Inc., 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Position Paper: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: http://www.bravehearts.org.au/images/pictures/large/Two_Strikes_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 135858

Author: Australia. Attorney-General's Department Title: National Plan to Combat Cybercrime Summary: Australia is a highly connected country - technology and the internet are crucial to Australia's way of life. However, while the potential of the internet and digital economy is clearly a massive opportunity for Australia, it is also quickly emerging as a key enabler for criminal activity. In Australia, the term 'cybercrime' is used to describe both: �crimes directed at computers or other information communications technologies (ICTs) (such as hacking and denial of service attacks) and �crimes where computers or ICTs are an integral part of an offence (such as online fraud, identity theft and the distribution of child exploitation material). Responsibility for combating the different forms of cybercrime in Australia is shared between Australian Government agencies state and territory agencies. All jurisdictions have criminal laws directed at the various forms of cybercrime. The Australian Attorney-General's Department has led the development of a National Plan to Combat Cybercrime, in consultation with Australian Government agencies, state and territory agencies. Details: Barton, ACT: Attorney-General's Department, 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/agd_nationalplantocombatcybercrime_jul_2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 139734

Author: Snowball, Lucy Title: Community Service Orders and Bonds: A comparison of reoffending Summary: Aim: To compare reoffending rates between adults given a community service order (CSO) and those given a bond (both supervised and unsupervised) or suspended sentence (both supervised and unsupervised). Method: Using propensity score matching, offenders who were given CSOs were matched to those given bonds and separately to those given suspended sentences. Bonds and suspended sentences were separately considered with supervision, without supervision and as a whole group (with and without supervision). The matched samples were then compared on reoffending rates with and without adjustment for potential covariates. Results: The CSO group and the whole bond group were able to be matched successfully. The unsupervised bond group also was successfully matched to the CSO group. In both cases, reoffending rates were lower in the CSO group after controlling for other relevant factors. Neither the supervised bond group, nor the suspended sentence groups, could be matched successfully with the CSO group, and therefore conclusions from this analysis are not considered representative or reliable. Conclusion: Adults given a CSO are less likely to reoffend than offenders given a bond, holding other relevant and available characteristics equal. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 171: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/cjb171.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Corrections Shelf Number: 129733

Author: Australia. Office of the Status of Women Title: Community awareness and education to prevent, reduce and respond to domestic violence : phase 1 meta-evaluation report Summary: A meta evaluation has been conducted of the first phase of the $50 million Partnerships Against Domestic Violence Initiative (PADV1), which aims to find better ways of working to prevent, reduce and respond to domestic violence. This volume of the meta evaluation discusses the potential of community education and awareness raising to prevent domestic violence as well as issues in designing, implementing and evaluating such campaigns, and then presents findings from the meta evaluation of PADV projects which primarily focused on community education activities. These ranged from broad statewide campaigns to more targeted projects, such as the development of a kit for educating general practitioners about domestic violence. They also included a number of projects which explored approaches to awareness raising and education with Indigenous communities and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The evaluation finds, overall, that PADV community education projects have been effective in developing a range of strategies for educating the general community and specific communities about domestic violence, and have demonstrated that domestic violence prevention community education should continue using both community wide and community based programs. The report also identifies elements of good practice in this area, as well as priorities for future action. Details: Canberra: Office of the Status of Women, 2003. 68p. Source: Available from the Don M. Gottfredson Library. Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 135893

Author: Karahasan, Barbara Title: Evaluation report of the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service Victoria's early intervention and prevention program Summary: Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS) Victoria provides legal services to Aboriginal victims of family violence and sexual assault, advocates for legal and policy reform and conducts a range of activities as part of its Community Legal Education (CLE) program. The CLE program incorporates Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP) activities which have been created by, and for, Aboriginal women. This evaluation study considers outcomes of these EIP activities: Sisters Day Out, Dilly Bag and Dilly Bag: The Journey. The evaluation project aims to provide information to FVPLS Victoria and assist in its assessment of: whether the programs' expected outcomes are being achieved; whether the programs are meeting the needs of Aboriginal victims/survivors of family violence and sexual assault. The evaluation project also aimed to provide a qualitative and quantitative evidence base which will allow FVPLS Victoria to explore further funding options. This report presents the findings of the EIP Program Evaluation Project. Details: Melbourne: Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS) Victoria, 2014. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2015 at: http://www.fvpls.org/images/files/Evaluation%20report%20EIPP%20Document%20REV%20WEB.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 135908

Author: Hulme, Shann Title: Evaluation of the Victorian Community Crime Prevention Program: Final Report Summary: The Community Crime Prevention Program (CCPP), established by the Victorian Government, aims to enhance communities' capacity to deliver local solutions to crime. It is part of a broader suite of initiatives to reduce the impact of criminal behaviour on Victorians. The Community Crime Prevention Unit (CCPU) is a business unit within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to administer the CCPP. The mainstay of the CCPP is a competitive grants program available to a wide variety of community organisations and local government authorities. Bodies that comply with the qualifying criteria are able to apply for funding in the allocated funding rounds. DOJ commissioned the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) to conduct an evaluation of the Victorian CCPP. In order to assess the strategic appropriateness and efficacy of the CCPP the AIC, in consultation with the CCPU and the Regional Directors forum that operates across the DOJ, developed a program logic model and evaluation framework. This informed the development of a comprehensive methodology combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. This included: consultation with key stakeholders; online survey of local government and community organisations; review of CCPP-sponsored interventions; and analysis of administrative data and program documentation relating to the operation of the CCPP. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/special/008/Evaluation-Victorian-CCPP.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 135966

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Investigation into allegations of improper conduct by officers of VicRoads Summary: This report sets out the investigation into a protected disclosure complaint referred by IBAC to the Ombudsman in October 2014. The discloser alleged that it is 'normal practice' for VicRoads Transport Safety Services staff caught speeding in VicRoads vehicles to avoid a fine by claiming unjustifiable exemptions. In effect, the allegation was that some VicRoads staff break the road rules with impunity. Victorian road rules are clear: road users may not exceed the speed limit, unless the special exemptions for drivers of police, emergency, enforcement and escort vehicles apply. The rationale for both the road rules and the exemptions is unarguably about public safety. The investigation found that the allegation was substantiated. We found that some VicRoads enforcement officers routinely exceeded the speed limit in VicRoads vehicles without displaying lights or sirens, as required by the road rules. There must be serious doubt about whether at least some of these speeding vehicles were engaged in enforcement activity at all. Not only did some staff routinely break the rules, the process for investigating infringements and approving exemptions was seriously deficient. Exemptions were approved on no or minimal evidence, and with no or minimal rationale. Senior staff responsible for approving exemptions were not even aware that lights or sirens were necessary. The result was that VicRoads enforcement officers bore no consequences despite committing offences for which any member of the public would get a ticket and points off their licence. One of VicRoads' key aims is the safety of the road system for all road users. Yet this investigation reveals internal failures which could jeopardise the safety of both VicRoads officers and the Victorian public. The investigation also exposed a culture within a key unit of VicRoads of ignoring the legislation they are responsible for enforcing. One VicRoads enforcement officer told us they "can't do their jobs" if they did not break the law. People with the power to enforce the law and impose penalties on others must be held to the highest possible standards when it comes to their own conduct. It is a worrying state of affairs when those charged with enforcing the rules not only flout them, but have no qualm in doing so. The investigation was limited to one area of VicRoads Transport Safety Services, examining 18 of the 40 infringements recorded against VicRoads vehicles over a two-year period. Given the problems identified in this region, the lack of internal controls to monitor exemptions and the confused data, I am recommending that VicRoads review all exemptions approved in the past three years and take appropriate action in relation to any staff who either incurred or approved an exemption inappropriately. VicRoads' Chief Executive Officer has told me he is committed to addressing the issues, both cultural and specific, highlighted in this report. Concerns about this area of VicRoads have been raised by the Ombudsman before, including in my predecessor's 2013 annual report. As a result, a new leadership team was put in place, and I am advised that robust action has been and will continue to be taken to ensure high standards of good conduct. VicRoads should be leading the way on road safety, and public servants should not forget that they lead by example. This potentially dangerous and unfair practice came to light as a result of a whistleblower coming forward. Reporting wrongdoing is the first step to rooting it out. Details: Melbourne: Victorian government printer, 2015. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 8, 2015 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/5d31ce88-4c24-4398-ba42-e740f79fdcf1//publications/parliamentary-reports/investigation-into-allegations-of-improper-con-(3).aspx Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Complaints Against Police Shelf Number: 135968

Author: Ransom, Sophie Title: Evaluation of the JusticeNet Self-Representation Service Pilot Summary: JusticeNet is an independent not-for-profit organisation that brokers pro bono legal assistance for low-income and disadvantaged South Australians and community organisations, predominantly for civil law matters. In September 2013, JusticeNet commenced a pilot Self-Representation Service, providing legal advice and discrete task assistance to eligible "litigants-in-person" in the civil jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of South Australia. The overall aim of the Service is to improve access to justice for disadvantaged litigants-in-person in the civil jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, while discouraging the commencement or continuation of unnecessary proceedings and encouraging the resolution of disputes through alternative means. The Office of Crime Statistics and Research at the South Australian Attorney-General's Department was contracted by JusticeNet to conduct an evaluation of the 12-month pilot project. A mixed-methods approach was used to conduct a process and outcome evaluation. The evaluation uses data from the following sources: - Service data recorded by JusticeNet; - Limited data about matters for which the Service has assisted, provided by the South Australian Supreme Court registry; - Feedback from clients recorded on client feedback forms after appointments at the Service; - Online surveys of court registry staff, volunteer students and volunteer solicitors; and - Semi-structured interviews with a JusticeNet representative, a courts registry staff member and a volunteer solicitor. Overall, the JusticeNet Self-Representation Service appears to be a well-run service that is valued by all involved with it, particularly the clients it is designed to assist. Despite some mostly minor process issues, the continuation of the Service is almost unanimously supported by all involved in the evaluation. Although based on data which is limited in terms of numbers and time, this evaluation indicates that the Service is successful in achieving its stated objectives. While difficult to quantify, the Service is likely to be making overall savings for the Supreme Court, particularly in terms of reducing workload of and demand on the registry staff, and in preventing the commencement or continuation of proceedings in relation to unmeritorious matters. The provision of basic legal advice and assistance to those who could not otherwise afford it has important benefits for self-represented litigants in terms of understanding their own rights under the law and enabling informed decision-making in relation to their matters, as well as improving the likelihood of just and fair outcomes in court for meritorious matters. The Service continues to face some challenges, particularly in relation to ongoing funding, IT issues and problems associated with the limited availability of the Service. If the Service continues, it will remain a valuable addition to the very limited range of legal services available to assist disadvantaged litigants with civil matters, and litigants-in-person in the Supreme Court civil jurisdiction. Details: Adelaide, SA: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, Policy, Projects and Technology Division, South Australian Attorney-General's Department, 2015. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/JusticeNet_SRS_Evaluation_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Assistance to the Poor Shelf Number: 135973

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Reoffending Following Sentence in Victoria: A Statistical Overview Summary: Reducing reoffending following the imposition of a sentence is one of the primary aims of sentencing and of the criminal justice system generally. However, widely used measures of reoffending in Victoria are of limited value in assessing the effectiveness of sentencing because they: - focus on a group of people that represents a small proportion of all people sentenced; - limit the type of event that counts as reoffending; and - use a relatively short follow-up period. This study proposes a measure of reoffending that overcomes some of these limitations. The measure used here focuses on offenders who receive any sentence type on multiple occasions over a nine-year period. Using this measure, the present study provides an overview of reoffending following sentence in Victoria. Using an alternative measure of reoffending to commonly quoted measures, Reoffending Following Sentence examines reoffending patterns for 63,366 people sentenced in Victorian criminal courts between July 2004 and June 2014. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Reoffending%20Following%20Sentence%20in%20Victoria_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Recidivism Shelf Number: 135978

Author: Martinovic, Marietta Title: The evolution of home detention based sanctions frameworks in the USA and Australia up to 2013: a comparative case study Summary: Contemporary Home Detention Based Sanctions (HDBS), which utilise electronic monitoring (EM) technology, became first available in the 1980s in the United States of America (USA). While the development and expansion of contemporary HDBS throughout the world has taken place over the last three decades (1982-2013) with varied success, relatively little is known about their comparative rationale, implementation and operation. The employment of comparative historical scholarship in this study of HDBS has allowed the researcher to identify and examine the similarities and differences in the development, operation and outcomes of HDBS over time (last three decades, that is, from 1982 to 2013) and place (the USA and Australia). More broadly, the evolution of the HDBS frameworks in this research has been divided into three ideologically distinguishable phases. The early phase of HDBS in the USA and Australia occurred from 1840s until the 1960s. Following this, the middle phase of HDBS occurred in the USA and Australia from the 1960s to 1970s. It comprised five converging factors. This culminated in a 'correctional disillusion' that led to governments' decisions to introduce the late phase of HDBS, which has been operational over the last three decades (1982-2013). The late phase of HDBS in the USA commenced with the implementation of intermediate sanctions, comprising of HDBS with Radio Frequency (RF) in the 1980s. In the mid-2000s, however, the expansion of sex offender post-release supervision laws and the development of electronically monitored Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology led to utilisation HDBS for serious sex offenders. The last three decades of evaluative research about HDBS with RF have generally indicated problematic operational outcomes as well as significant ethical and political and stakeholder issues and dilemmas. On the other hand, HDBS with GPS have been operationally successful, although studies assessing some of their ethical and overall political and stakeholder issues and dilemmas have been lacking. The late phase of HDBS with RF in Australia also started in the 1980s. HDBS with GPS entered the correctional arena after 2000 in very similar circumstances to the USA. The last three decades of evaluative research of HDBS with RF have generally found that these sanctions have achieved their anticipated operational results, but have encompassed significant ethical and particularly political and stakeholder issues and dilemmas. Research assessing the operational outcomes, ethical and political and stakeholder issues and dilemmas of HDBS with GPS is still inadequate, and it is imperative that such research is conducted in the future. The predicted future trajectory of HDBS in both the USA and Australia is increased sanction application. The future viability and outcomes of HDBS in both nation states are however dependent on whether policy makers and/or correctional administrators, with the support of governments, improve the operation of HDBS by implementing the lessons learnt based on the evidence of best practice. If the jurisdictions within the USA and Australia implement the specific lessons learnt relevant to their own problematic areas of HDBS' operation, the application of these sanctions will become more effective. Details: RMIT University, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, 2013. 344p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:160602 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 135981

Author: Ferguson, Claire Title: Arson-associated homicide in Australia: A five year follow-up Summary: Arson homicides are rare, representing only two percent of all homicides in Australia each year. In this study, data was collected from the AIC's National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) to build on previous research undertaken into arson-associated homicides (Davies & Mouzos 2007) and to provide more detailed analysis of cases and offenders. Over the period 1989 to 2010, there were 123 incidents of arson-associated homicide, involving 170 unique victims and 131 offenders. The majority of incidents (63%) occurred in the victim's home and more than half (57%) of all victims were male. It was found that there has been a 44 percent increase in the number of incidents in the past decade. It is evident that a considerable proportion of the identified arson homicides involved a high degree of premeditation and planning. These homicides were commonly committed by an offender who was well known to the victim, with over half of the victims (56%) specifically targeted by the offender. This paper therefore provides a valuable insight into the nature of arson homicides and signposts areas for further investigation. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 484: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi484.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Arson Shelf Number: 135982

Author: Quadara, Antonia Title: Conceptualising the prevention of child sexual abuse: Final report Summary: Significant numbers of Australian children have experienced neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse. The adverse, long-term consequences of these experiences are well demonstrated in the research literature and recognised by the policy and practice communities. This report: identifies the conceptual, policy and practice challenges that the prevention of child sexual abuse presents; presents a conceptual mapping of dynamics associated with child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation; outlines key directions that could be taken to strengthen prevention strategies. The report is divided into two sections: Part A: Background literature Part B: Child sexual abuse: Current issues and future directions Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2015. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report no. 33: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/rr33.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 135983

Author: Neilson, Carolyn Title: Will Somebody Lister to Me? Summary: This report outlines the experiences of local women who participated in 190 court-based surveys at Bendigo, Echuca and Maryborough, Kyneton and Swan Hill Magistrates' Courts. Twenty seven women later agreed to in-depth interviews. This project recognised that the justice system often fails to meet the needs of women and children experiencing family violence, their communities and offenders. It understood that the least we can do is to listen to women's stories and to use those stories to improve the justice system's response to family violence. Throughout the project and the final report, the voices of the women who spoke to us come through loud and clear. The report charts the journey undertaken by these women through family violence legal proceedings and gives voice to their experiences. Details: Bendigo, VIC, AUS: Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre, 2015. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: http://lcclc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FV_FULL_online_v2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 135985

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Prior offending among family violence perpetrators: A Tasmanian sample Summary: It is common practice to assess the risk of family violence recidivism and the efficacy of perpetrator treatment outcomes by taking into account the offending histories of offenders. However, the relationship between the frequency of family violence offending and other types of offending has not been fully explored. This study provides a snapshot of the six year offending histories of a cohort of Tasmanian family violence perpetrators. What emerges is a clear association between the frequency of family violence incidents and a history of other offending. That is, a group of family violence perpetrators engaged in high levels of family violence offending were identified as committing a range of other types of violence, traffic offences and the breach of violence orders. The findings from this study have implications for policy and practice, including the treatment and identification of family violence perpetrators. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 493: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi493.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 135990

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Domestic violence typologies: What value to practice? Summary: When domestic violence was first recognised as an issue of societal significance in the 1970s, it was conceptualised and described as a quite homogenous offence perpetrated by a homogenous group of offenders (Capaldi & Kim 2007; Dixon & Browne 2003). In the traditional scenario, a male offender victimised their female partner in order to control and dominate her, perpetrating a series of violent and abusive acts that escalated in severity and frequency over the course of the relationship (Cavanaugh & Gelles 2005). Traditional understandings of domestic and family violence have also focused on relationship 'dysfunction' and understanding why women 'choose' to stay in relationships with their violent partners. However, over the last 25 years, understanding of domestic violence has changed significantly. People experience and are affected by domestic violence in different ways and the reasons underpinning domestic violence also differs between individuals and across relationships (Capaldi & Kim 2007; Huss & Langhinrichsen-Roling 2000; Johnston & Campbell 1993; Kelly & Johnson 2008; Lohr et al. 2005). Consequently, some commentators suggest that it is 'plausible that offender's behaviour is best described by categories' rather than at an overall, aggregate level (Dixon & Browne 2003: 109). The re-conceptualisation of domestic violence as a more heterogeneous phenomenon has been in part influenced by the growing number of theoretical and empirical domestic violence typologies such as those outlined in Table 1 (Johnson & Ferraro 2000). Typologies are a means of classifying or categorising subject matter into groups and aim to simplify 'social reality by identifying homogenous groups of crime behaviour that are different from other clusters of crime behaviours' (Miethe, McCorkle & Listwan 2006: 1). Generally speaking, the domestic violence typologies that have been developed to date have attempted to identify groupings of domestic violence offences, or of domestic violence perpetrators (male or female; Wangmann 2011). As demonstrated in Table 1, domestic violence typologies have typically differentiated between groups of offenders and incidents on a number of factors, including: the gender of the offender; frequency and severity of the violence; type of violence (physical, emotional, sexual etc); motivations/underlying causes of the violence; physiological responses of offenders to different stimuli; presence of personality/psychopathic/antisocial disorders and symptoms; and whether the violence is confined to intimates or includes non-intimates. While domestic violence typologies have been important for the development of more in-depth and sophisticated conceptualisations of domestic violence, their relevance and implications for practice is unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore the practical utility of domestic violence typologies for professionals who are directly responsible for responding to and managing domestic violence matters (eg police officers, legal representatives, domestic violence service providers and treatment practitioners). At this point, it is necessary to differentiate between domestic violence typologies and domestic violence risk assessment processes. The purpose of risk assessment processes is to assist practitioners to 'predict' or assess the likelihood of a domestic violence offender perpetrating similar abuse and violence in the future, or the severity of the offending escalating (Campbell, Webster & Glass 2009, Laing 2004). Domestic violence typologies are broader in scope than risk assessment processes, although as highlighted in later sections of this paper, they could potentially be used to inform the development of risk assessment processes. Domestic violence typologies involve the differentiation between groups of domestic violence offenders and offences on the basis of a set of evidence-based (either theoretical or empirical) criteria. These criteria inform the assessment of not only the individual's likelihood of offending in the future, but also the reasons underpinning their violent and abusive behaviours, the nature of their offending and (potentially) their responsiveness to certain types of treatment. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 494: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi494.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 135991

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Identifying first-time family violence perpetrators: The usefulness and utility of categorisations based on police offence records Summary: Since emerging as an issue of social and political importance in the 1970s, it is now well established that family violence is one of the most prevalent and costly (personally, socially and economically) forms of violent crime in Australia (ABS 2013; Mouzos & Makkai 2004; McPhedran & Baker 2012; People 2005) and internationally (Jewell & Wormith 2010; Sartin, Hansen & Huss 2006; Tjaden & Thoennes 2000). Correspondingly, a large and expanding body of research has attempted to understand and explain the occurrence of family violence, with a view to preventing and minimising its incidence in the future. Within the literature, there has been consistent interest in the group of offenders hereafter referred to as 'first-time family violence perpetrators'; that is, family violence perpetrators (FVPs) who do not have a history of being violent or abusive towards their current or past intimate partners prior to the 'index' (first) offence. Interest in this group of FVPs is founded on consistent evidence that suggests that first-time FVPs are less likely than those with a more extensive offending history to reoffend (Hamilton & Worthen 2011; Trujillo & Ross 2005; Waaland & Keeley 1985) and are more likely to complete and benefit from treatment (Babcock & Steiner 1999; Daly & Pelowski 2000; Gover et al. 2011; Jewell & Wormith 2010). This is primarily because the behaviours and attitudes of this group of FVPs are not as 'entrenched' as those of other FVPs and so may be less stable and more susceptible to modification and affected by external influences, such as contact with the criminal justice system and treatment programs (National Crime Prevention 1999). Consequently, there is understandable interest among professionals who are responsible for responding to family violence matters to accurately identify first-time FVPs. Identification provides criminal justice and treatment agencies with an opportunity to intervene early in what could be - if ignored or not prioritized - a significant and long-term violent criminal career (National Crime Prevention 1999). By intervening early and attempting to address the underlying causes of the violent behaviour, individual offenders may be diverted away from a criminal career that would have significant and negative consequences for their intimate partners, families and the community more broadly (COAG 2010). While there are a number of ways family violence (also referred to as spousal assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence and wife battering) has been defined in Australia and overseas, for the purpose of this paper, the definition provided under s 7 of the Family Violence Act (2004) (Tas) has been used. This definition was used primarily because the data used for this study was extracted from Tasmanian data collection systems. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 487: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi487.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 136009

Author: Angus, Christopher Title: Domestic and Family Violence Summary: Domestic and family violence, aptly described as "intimate brutality", is an all too common crime in NSW, as it is in Australia generally. Nowhere is free of this crime, no country, city or region. Owing to lack of reporting by victims its true prevalence is unknown, but existing statistics show that a significant proportion of Australians, primarily but not exclusively women, suffer violence at the hands of a partner. Tragically, according to Linda Burney, NSW Labor's Deputy Leader, in the western region of NSW the prevalence of domestic and family violence is "past a state of emergency". Reducing domestic and family violence is once again on the agenda in NSW and the rest of Australia. This is evident from the awarding of the 2015 Australian of the Year to Rosie Batty, herself a survivor of such violence. Some key findings in the paper include: - Nearly 1.93 million Australians over the age of 15 years have experienced violence at the hands of a current or previous partner; - In 2010, 69.2% of NSW domestic assault victims were female and 30.8% were male; - Domestic and family violence contributes to death, ill health and disability amongst women aged under 45 more than any other factor; and - The NSW economy lost $4.5 billion as a result of domestic and family violence in 2011. As in any public policy debate, a key issue relates to the question of resources. Good intentions and legal or administrative reforms are one thing. Will they be backed by sufficient resources for women's refuges, legal and referral services for victims, and educational programs for perpetrators? For victims of domestic and family violence there is an urgent need to act on the practical issues at stake. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 5/2015: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/F7B7BE950DA7A1D6CA257E3B00811722/$File/Domestic%20and%20Family%20Violence%20Briefing%20Paper.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 136015

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: External oversight of police conduct Summary: The importance of having a system of external oversight of police conduct was highlighted by the Wood Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service in the mid-1990s. The external oversight model that has been in place in NSW since that time has involved two key agencies: the NSW Ombudsman, which primarily oversees the way in which NSW Police deals with complaints, and the Police Integrity Commission, which investigates serious police misconduct as well as overseeing the way in which other agencies investigate such misconduct. In recent times, the effectiveness of this system has been called into question. In February 2015, a Legislative Council Select Committee report referred to "dysfunction" within the system and recommended that a further committee inquiry be held on reforming the system, "with a view to establishing a single, well-resourced police oversight body". The NSW Government has since appointed former Shadow Attorney-General, Andrew Tink, to review the police oversight system, including examining options for a single civilian oversight model. The terms of reference for the review were released on 21 May and Mr Tink has been asked to report by 31 August 2015. This paper revisits the Wood Royal Commission report, examines the current system in NSW, and discusses the many reviews of the system that have taken place over the past decade. It also outlines the police oversight models in other Australian jurisdictions and in the United Kingdom. In summary: - The Commonwealth has a very similar model to NSW. South Australia also has a multi-agency model but it comprises a Police Ombudsman and the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (this system is also currently under review). - Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia have a single agency model, in the form of a general anti-corruption commission. - In England and Wales, there is a single agency, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which was set up in 2004 and investigates serious complaints and critical incidents. Reports have expressed concern at the IPCC's lack of resources and the effectiveness of the complaints. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 6/2015: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/74D5A9F61C454021CA257E5B001EF114/$File/External%20oversight%20of%20police%20conduct.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Complaints Against the Police Shelf Number: 136016

Author: Ambrey, Christopher L. Title: The life satisfaction approach to estimating the cost of crime: An individual's willingness-to-pay for crime reduction Summary: This paper is motivated by the need to develop an improved model for estimating the intangible costs of crime. Such a model will assist policy makers and criminal justice researchers to compare the costs and benefits of crime control policies. We demonstrate how the life satisfaction approach may be used to measure an individual's willingness-to-pay for crime reduction. Results indicate that property crime in one's local area detracts from an individual's life satisfaction. On average, an individual is implicitly willing-to-pay $3,213 in terms of annual household income to decrease the annual level of property crime by one offence per 1000 residents in their local area. This equates to a per-capita willingness-to-pay of $1,236. Details: Griffith University, Business School, 2012. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Papers No. 2013-01: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: https://www.melbourneinstitute.com/downloads/hilda/Bibliography/Working_Discussion_Research_Papers/2013/Ambrey_etal_-the-life-satisfaction-approach-to-estimating-the-cost-of-crime.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis Shelf Number: 136020

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Community Correction Orders Monitoring Report Summary: The community correction order (CCO) was introduced as a sentencing option in Victoria in January 2012. The purpose of a CCO is to provide a non-custodial sentencing option that is more flexible than the orders it replaced, in particular the community-based order (CBO), the intensive correction order (ICO), and the combined custody and treatment order (CCTO). Relative to the orders that have been replaced, CCOs can be imposed for longer maximum durations in the higher courts and all courts can order a higher maximum number of hours for unpaid community work. This allows the courts to use CCOs for a wider range of offending behaviours. Also, a greater range of conditions can be attached to a CCO than to the orders it replaced. This provides the courts with increased capacity to address the specific circumstances of the offender. The new order was introduced at a time when another sentencing option, the suspended sentence of imprisonment, was being phased out. CCOs are also intended to be a replacement for suspended sentences in cases where the court considers immediate custody unnecessary to fulfil the purposes for which the sentence is imposed. In light of these sentencing reforms, this report examines three questions: 1. How have sentencers used CCOs and what are the characteristics of offenders who receive them? 2. Have CCOs only replaced CBOs and ICOs in sentencing practice? 3. To what extent, if any, have CCOs replaced suspended sentences of imprisonment in sentencing practice? The questions have been addressed in relation to the Magistrates' Court and the higher courts (the County and Supreme Courts) through analyses of relevant sentencing data. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2014. 72p. Source: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Community%20Correction%20Orders%20Monitoring%20Report_0.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 136086

Author: Fitts, Michelle S. Title: Development of a drink driving program for regional and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Summary: The majority of Indigenous fatal road injuries are sustained by road users in regional and remote areas, whereby a strong association between alcohol and serious and fatal non-metropolitan road crashes has been established. Moreover, Indigenous Australians are overrepresented in drink driving arrests generally and in drink driving recidivism rates. While national and state transport agencies recommend better countermeasures to reduce risky driving practices among Indigenous road users, there is sparse evidence to inform new treatment measures. The project is comprised of three independent but linked stages of quantitative and qualitative research. Analysis of drink driving convictions (2006-2010) in Queensland, identified drink driving convictions were more predominant in rural and remote areas. Qualitative interviews were conducted with participants residing in Cairns and Cape York region in Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Unique risk factors associated with drink driving in the Indigenous context were identified, including kinship pressure and alcohol restrictions. Based on the findings from the two phases, a four session program for regional and remote Indigenous communities was developed. The program, one of first of its kind in Australia, was trialled in three communities. Focus groups and interviews were conducted at the completion of the program to determine short-term perceptions of the content and delivery suitability as well as program recommendations. The program has the ability to be an effective treatment option as part of a community-based sentencing option and assist in reducing drink driving in Indigenous Australian regional and remote communities. Program recommendations and other policy considerations to reduce drink driving in Indigenous communities are discussed. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund. 2015. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph no. 55: Accessed July 17, 2015 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-55.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence Shelf Number: 136089

Author: Heffernan, Edward B. Title: The family business: Improving the understanding and treatment of post traumatic stress disorder among incarcerated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women: report Summary: The influence of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures on the method, design and data analysis of this study was significant. This report demonstrates that culturally competent research practice is achievable in a challenging research environment, and therefore achievable outside of this environment. In doing so it draws attention to the challenges faced by Indigenous women in custody and highlights the need for service providers to build upon their cultural capabilities to positively influence outcomes for these women. Communities of Indigenous women in custody possess very distinct characteristics; these include a collective experience of intergenerational trauma, shared with other Indigenous Australians. This study highlighted trauma experiences common among this population. The participants in this research were represented by a working group of women in custody. Among other significant contributions, this group had responsibility for naming the project. Details: Melbourne: beyondblue, 2015. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2015 at: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/research-project-files/bw0284-the-family-business-final-report.pdf?sfvrsn=4 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 136090

Author: Gisev, Natasa Title: Determining the impact of opioid substitution therapy upon mortality and recidivism among prisoners: A 22 year data linkage study Summary: Prisoners experience high rates of drug dependence, health problems and premature mortality. Without intervention, they often come into further contact with the criminal justice system, creating further health risk. Opioid dependence is common among prisoners, yet treatment with opioid substitution therapy (OST) may reduce or prevent morbidity, mortality and offending. Using retrospective data linkage, this study evaluated engagement with treatment, patterns of offending, incarceration and mortality among opioid-dependent people who received OST in New South Wales, Australia between 1985 and 2010. The results highlight that the prison setting provides an important opportunity to engage people in OST. Notably, OST treatment in prison and immediately post-release was found to be highly protective against mortality both while incarcerated and after release. Considering some of the known benefits of OST, this study provides strong evidence to support the value of OST programs within the criminal justice system. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 498: Accessed July 24, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi498.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 136153

Author: Gotsis, Tom Title: Protests and the law in NSW Summary: The right to protest peacefully is a defining feature of liberal democracy, a system of government characterised by the tolerance of dissenting minority opinion. Protests can be on a diverse range of contentious issues, although in recent times the mining of coal and coal seam gas has been a particular focus of protest activity. In response to these protests, which have often seen protesters climb and "lock on" to mining equipment and freight trains, the Baird Government has foreshadowed introducing additional legislation to deter such action. The legal basis of the right to protest in NSW is the common law right to peaceful assembly, which can be traced back to the Magna Carta. The right is further protected by the Australian Constitution under the implied freedom of political communication. The legislative context in which the common law right to assembly operates in NSW is Part 4 of the Summary Offences Act 1988. While not conferring any rights itself, Part 4 facilitates the exercise of the common law right to assembly by encouraging mutual co-operation between protesters and police. The principles and factors that inform the discretion to be exercised by the Commissioner of Police and the courts under Part 4 have been identified by the courts in a number of cases. While the right to protest remains an important means of political expression, extensive limits are imposed on protests by the criminal law, including the Summary Offences Act 1988, Crimes Act 1900, Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901, Forestry Act 2012, Mining Act 1992 and Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002. The civil law and, more recently, applications for victims compensation also play an important role in limiting the right to protest. Other jurisdictions have taken different legal approaches. Queensland provides an express legislative right to peaceful assembly and Victoria and the ACT provide for a right to peaceful assembly under their human rights charters. More recently, Tasmania introduced new offences designed to protect workplaces from protest activity; and a Bill to introduce new protest offences is being debated in the Western Australian Parliament. While there is consensus that peaceful protest is an important democratic right, debate remains about where the line between lawful and unlawful protest activity should be drawn. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 7/2015: Accessed July 24, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/930B6895CA9EDEE1CA257E6D00008178/$File/Protests%20and%20the%20law%20in%20NSW.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 136155

Author: Coyne, John William Title: Strategic Intelligence in Law Enforcement: Anticipating Transnational Organised Crime Summary: Law enforcement strategic intelligence theory and practice has developed slowly as a result of intelligence-led policing methodologies and police cultural resistance. The implementation of "intelligence-led policing" - one of the most widely supported police management methodologies - has focused on tactical implementation of intelligence support. As a result, most law enforcement intelligence research, as well as organizational and professional intelligence doctrine, has had a sharp tactical focus which has centred on information collection, collation and sense-making at the street and case level. Since the late 1980s, law enforcement agencies have become increasingly aware that their capabilities have been surpassed by the number of criminal acts and their increasing complexity. This issue has been particularly evident with regards to transnational organized crime (TOC). Organised crime activities and interests have rapidly expanded from being localised, then nationalised, followed by regionalised and finally globalised making the threat that TOC poses to national and regional security significantly greater. This increased threat has been accompanied by an increase in the complexity of TOC structures and activities. Globally law enforcement agencies have experimented with, developed and implemented a range of police management methodologies to move from responsive to proactive paradigms in response to developments in the crime environment - especially TOC. The application of strategic intelligence in law enforcement has been viewed by some justice policy professionals and senior police officers as the means by which decision-making on strategy setting and policy, using incomplete or complex data sets, can be made more objective. In this context intelligence is used to make "sense" of the sheer volume of information now available. This becomes increasingly important in an age where the role of police has morphed from a simplistic response and enforcement activity to one of managing human security risk. The primary research question which guided this thesis was "How can strategic intelligence be used to support law enforcement decision-makers in preventing, detecting, disrupting, and investigating transnational organised crime". This research was underpinned by an interpretivist theoretical perspective. The research methodology allowed for the selection of an explorative approach, using case studies that then permitted the development of a new strategic intelligence framework. The complexity of the variables involved and the selected exploratory approach necessitated the use of multiple data collection methods incorporating a multi-disciplinary theoretical framework. This framework allowed for the use of inductive reasoning in theory development. It also highlighted the need to undertake a comparative approach that utilised historical and archival research, case study analysis and the application of triangulation given its capacity to provide a better understanding of strategic TOC intelligence. The thesis develops a hybrid conceptual model for strategic intelligence in law enforcement, which explains how strategic intelligence interacts and influences police management processes. The research provides an understanding of the impact of strategic intelligence across the range of strategic responses to transnational organised crime and the implications this has for police management and intelligence theory. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, School of Justice, 2014. 313p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/71394/2/John_Coyne_Thesis.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Intelligence Gathering Shelf Number: 136165

Author: Australian Crime Commission Title: 2013-14 Illicit Drug Data Report Summary: The Australian Crime Commission's Illicit Drug Data Report, now in its 12th edition, informs Australia's understanding of the illicit drug threat and focuses our collective efforts by bringing together data from a wide range of sources into the one unique report. Serious and organised criminals are at the centre of the Australian illicit drug market. Motivated by greed and power, many of these groups and individuals use the illicit drug market as their primary income stream, profiting from the misery illicit drugs inflict on the nation. Targeting illicit drug importation, production and distribution is a focus of the Australian Crime Commission and its partners. In 2013-14, law enforcement agencies recorded more than 93 000 illicit drug seizures, with a combined weight of 27 tonnes and more than 110 000 arrests. These figures are all the highest on record. While this is testament to the vigilance and achievements of law enforcement in combating the illicit drug trade, it also demonstrates the continued prevalence of drugs in our society and the need for a collective approach. All illicit drug activity is a concern for law enforcement and the wider community. But in my 38 years in law enforcement, I have never seen a substance as destructive as methylamphetamine, particularly crystal methylamphetamine (ice). Methylamphetamine is wreaking havoc in every state and territory. It is ruining lives, families and communities. We are now seeing demand for methylamphetamine in areas where the drug has not previously been a significant issue. This includes urban and rural areas and disadvantaged communities where it is having a destructive impact. Seizures in 2013-14 include a record 10 tonne seizure of benzaldehyde - a chemical used to make methylamphetamine. If not seized, this chemical could have been used to produce up to 4.5 tonnes of methylamphetamine - this equates to an estimated 45 million individual street deals, with an estimated value of $3.6 billion. More than 740 clandestine laboratories were detected this reporting period. Add that to the previous two reporting periods and that's more than 2 300 labs detected. These are dangerous, with many of the chemicals used hazardous and corrosive in nature, posing significant risk to the community and the environment. While the methylamphetamine market is the primary concern, there was also a number of records reported across other drug markets. These include a record number of national amphetamine-type stimulant seizures and arrests, a record number of national cannabis arrests, a record number of national cocaine seizures and arrests, a record number of national steroid seizures and arrests, a record number of national hallucinogen arrests and a record number of national other opioid seizures. The Illicit Drug Data Report 2013-14 provides governments, law enforcement agencies, policy makers, academia, interested stakeholders and the community with a robust statistical picture of the Australian illicit drug market. Details: Canberra: Australian Crime Commission, 2015. 228p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: https://crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/IDDR-201314-Complete_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 136228

Author: NSW Parliamentary Research Service Title: Brothel regulation in NSW Summary: The question of how to effectively regulate brothels has led to considerable divergence in regulatory models used in both Australian and overseas jurisdictions. The most decriminalised of all Australian jurisdictions, NSW relies primarily on planning laws to regulate brothels. In December 2010, the NSW Coalition's Shadow Minister for Intergovernmental Relations released an election plan for a brothel licensing regime. This regime was to involve "stringent vetting of brothel licence applicants to clamp down on the use of brothels by organised crime groups and unsuitable persons". A licensing scheme was not introduced during the Coalition Government's first term in office. On 25 June 2015, Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation Victor Dominello announced a parliamentary inquiry into brothel regulation in NSW. The Legislative Assembly's Select Committee on the Regulation of Brothels, which will report by 12 November 2015, is to examine and report on: a) appropriate local and State Government regulatory and compliance functions for brothels; b) the demarcation in local and State Government roles and responsibilities; and c) possible reform options that address the social, health and planning challenges associated with legal and illegal brothels. This backgrounder updates the 2011 NSW Parliamentary Research Service ebrief Regulation of brothels: an update with recent sources as well as outlining some international regulatory models. The backgrounder provides a collection of sources on brothel regulation, including research reports, journal articles, and other commentary. The sources listed represent a small selection from a substantial amount of available literature. Links are provided to the full text of sources throughout the paper. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Backgrounder Number 1/July 2015: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/BrothelregulationinNSW/$File/Brothel+Regulation+in+NSW.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Brothels Shelf Number: 136230

Author: Scott, Nick Title: How patterns of injecting drug use evolve in a cohort of people who inject drugs Summary: This paper investigates the frequency of intravenous drug use in a cohort of people who inject drugs, and the decline in use over time. It provides an important indication of the effectiveness of current interventions at reducing the consumption of illicit drugs. Comparisons are made between the injection frequency of participants on or off Opioids Substitution Therapy (OST), and according to the settings in which drugs are most frequently purchased and used (eg street, house). This research found an overall movement away from street based drug purchasing and drug use, towards more activity in private settings. This has important implications for the harms experienced by people who inject drugs. Intravenous drug use was persistent, with only slow declines observed in the frequency of the cohort's overall use. Lower injection frequency was associated with use in private rather than public locations as well as the uptake of OST. Additional work is needed to understand how this change in setting is affected by and also affects current interventions, and whether it can be used to help further reduce injecting drug use Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 502: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi502.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 136231

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision 2015 Summary: The rate of return to sentenced youth justice supervision is an indicator of the effectiveness of the services provided to young people serving supervised sentences. Around 20% of those aged 10-16 when released from sentenced community-based supervision in 2012-13 returned to sentenced supervision in 6 months, and 44% returned within 12 months. The rate of return was higher for those released from sentenced detention: 50% returned to sentenced supervision within 6 months and 76% returned within 12 months Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 18: Accessed July 29, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129551648 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 136243

Author: Australian Crime Commission Title: Serious and Organised Investment Fraud in Australia Summary: Serious and organised investment fraudsters target Australian investors with promises of high investment returns, using 'cold call' techniques and backing up their claims with fraudulent websites to which the criminals can direct unsuspecting investors. This type of fraud involves the illegal and often aggressive selling of worthless or overpriced shares. It is generally highly organised, spans multiple jurisdictions and uses sophisticated technology. This type of fraud also involves non-compliance with share-listing requirements, making fraudulent statements to shareholders and using false identities. Serious and organised investment frauds place high pressure on people to take up the investment offer. Typically based off shore, these investment frauds use the internet to conduct their illegal operations. They are incredibly sophisticated and very difficult for even experienced investors to identify. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2012. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2015 at: https://www.crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/SOIFA_Report_030812.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crimes Shelf Number: 136291

Author: Homel, Peter Title: Understanding the local government role in crime prevention Summary: In Australia, crime prevention is primarily the responsibility of state and territory governments. What is less well understood is the significant role of local government in developing and delivering crime prevention at the community level, although councils have long been involved in helping to create safer communities. This research offers one of the first detailed insights into the valuable contribution made by local government within the multi-layered crime prevention strategies and initiatives which keep Australian communities safe. The Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee of the Parliament of Victoria carried out this research as part of an investigation into locally-based approaches to community safety and crime prevention in 2011. The results of a comprehensive survey of the crime prevention activities of local government authorities across Victoria are examined. This study reveals the issues local government prioritises, the responses they deploy and the challenges that they face, such as gaps in capacity and the need to manage complex relationships between participants who work on local community safety. Findings reveal a system that, while highly variable in sophistication and reach, provides an important platform for improving local community safety. The study also identifies important gaps and opportunities to improve collaboration between government and the private and NGO sectors. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 505: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi505.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Collaboration Shelf Number: 136364

Author: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria Title: Specialist Family Violence Services: The Heart of an Effective System Summary: DV Vic welcomes the opportunity created by the Royal Commission into Family Violence to interrogate and strengthen the family violence system in Victoria. We believe that a stronger, more effective system will improve the safety and well-being of women and children experiencing family violence and reduce the incidence of serious harm through more effective and earlier interventions. It would also address the social and structural causes of violence against women through community prevention and policy and legislative reforms for gender inequality. There is little doubt that a comprehensive review of the Victorian family violence sector is urgently required. Notwithstanding the well-acknowledged and serious limitations on accurate family violence data, the available statistics paint a dire picture of the prevalence of family violence in Victoria. There were 68,134 police incident reports in 2014, an increase of 82.2 per cent since 2010. Over 25,104 women and children sought help from homelessness services in 2013-14 as a result of family violence. Contacts to family violence services report dramatic increases, community legal services are unable to meet the increasing demand for family violence-related matters, and the national referral and counselling service is unable to meet demand, reporting over 18,000 calls going unanswered this year. And this is a very partial reflection of the true extent of family violence. It does not capture self-referrals to family violence services, women who do not require homelessness services nor the numbers of women who haven't been in contact with any services about family violence. Unsurprisingly, the family violence system - specialist family violence services, legal services, the police, the courts, corrections, child protection - is struggling to cope under the weight of this unprecedented and growing demand. As community awareness about family violence increases, so do the pressures on the system to provide safety and future security for those experiencing it. There is reasonable community expectation that the family violence system is able to provide timely and effective responses but the evidence is overwhelming to show that it currently cannot. DV Vic does not believe that this is evidence of a system that is 'broken', rather it reflects a system that has evolved and adapted over decades in response to the growing and changing needs of women and children experiencing family violence, in the absence of a coherent and consistent policy platform and appropriate funding. Despite this, the family violence sector has achieved some significant reforms and built capacity in skills and practice to meet the increasing demand for services which should not be disregarded by the Commission. That said, DV Vic is acutely aware of gaps, barriers and concerns about the ways the family violence system responds to the safety and long-term well-being of women and children. In particular we recognise that there is a gaping hole in relation to perpetrator accountability across the system. However, we argue that the important and innovative sectoral reforms developed through the comprehensive and collaborative processes from 2002-2010 under the previous Labor government are not disregarded. These reforms were not fully implemented, being sidelined a by the incoming Coalition government. In our view, it is critical that these reforms are used as the basis to build future reforms of the system. That reform process involved a collaborative critical examination of the system and generated a variety of strategies to address identified gaps and barriers. DV Vic believes that these strategies remain highly pertinent to the work of the Royal Commission. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Victoria, 2015. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.rcfv.com.au/getattachment/F655224B-FC9A-4F22-B7E5-63A720BA6FE1/Domestic-Violence-Victoria---02 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 136365

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Fraud against the Commonwealth: Report to Government 2010-11 to 2012-13 Summary: Public sector fraud continues to be of concern to the Commonwealth Government. Not only does it reduce funds available for government programs, but it also creates a negative and counterproductive atmosphere within affected workplaces. Fraud can destroy working relationships, reduce productivity and lead to loss of staff, with immeasurable direct and indirect harms being suffered both by the public sector and the community at large. Understanding the nature and extent of the problem is the first step in devising workable preventive strategies and effective solutions. This report presents the results of a longitudinal census of fraud incidents experienced by Commonwealth entities and the ways in which fraud risk has been managed and controlled. Previous Commonwealth fraud surveys published by the Australian Institute of Criminology have presented data for single financial years. In this report, an opportunity has been taken to present trend information for the first time in respect of the three most recent years for which census data were available - 2010-11 to 2012-13. Of the 154 or more Commonwealth entities that responded to the Australian Institute of Criminology's census each year, almost 40 percent experienced one or more suspected incidents of fraud. Unfortunately, between 2010-11 and 2012-13, both the number of suspected incidents of fraud and the funds at stake increased. In total, 265,866 incidents of suspected fraud involving losses of $530m were reported over the three years. Each year, more than 1,000 defendants have been prosecuted for fraud against the Commonwealth in respect of charges involving, on average, approximately $50m each year. Of those convicted, most received non-custodial sentences, with approximately 10 percent being sentenced to terms of immediate imprisonment. Only a small proportion of funds are recovered each year. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Monitoring Reports 24> Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/mr/mr24/mr24.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 136366

Author: Fuller, Georgina Title: The serious impact and consequences of physical assault Summary: In 2012, there were 116,105 recorded victims of physical assault in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory combined (ABS 2013); equating to a victimisation rate of 969 per 100,000 population. This reflects a trend that has been consistent for the last 18 years of police recorded crime statistics, where physical assault has had the highest rate of victimisation of any of the four major types of violent crime (ie homicide, physical assault, sexual assault and robbery; AIC 2014). Estimates provided by the ABS' Crime Victimisation Survey provide further insight into the nature of physical assault in Australia. In 2012-13, there was an estimated 498,000 people over the age of 15 years who were the victim of a physical assault. An estimated 60 percent (n=294,100) of these were male, while individuals aged less than 34 years were more likely to have been assaulted compared with any other age group (ABS 2014). Females were more likely to be victimised in the home by a family member, whereas males were more commonly assaulted by a stranger in place of recreation (ie pubs or nightclubs) or on the street (ABS 2014). Yet despite these statistics, the narrow focus of academia and policy on particular types of violence has resulted in the impact of some forms of physical assault being somewhat overlooked. For example, the negative consequences of experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault have been extensively studied. Briefly, the experience of domestic or intimate partner violence has been associated with the development of a wide range of negative outcomes including mental health issues, feelings of shame or guilt and difficulties relating to men (see Ansara & Hindin 2011; Coker et al. 2002; Roberts et al 1998). Similar negative consequences have been found for sexual abuse, as well as other effects such as difficulties in interpersonal relationships, particularly around sexual functioning (see Cashmore & Shackel 2013; Colman & Widom 2004; Watson & Halford 2010). This type of information is particularly relevant, as it has been used to inform the types of services available to support victims of these types of violence. Yet victims of non-domestic, non-sexual physical assault have not received the same level of attention. In order to address this knowledge gap, the consequences of physical assault victimisation in isolation from other types of violent crime are explored in this paper. The purpose is to discover the impact of physical assault on both the victim and their family. This includes the effect of this type of violence on the victim's physical and psychological health, as well as their social, educational and occupational functioning Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, no. 496: Accessed August 13, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi496.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 136386

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Guilty pleas in the higher courts: rates, timing, and discounts Summary: This report examines the rate and timing of guilty pleas, and their effect on sentence, in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the County Court of Victoria ('the higher courts') from July 2009 to June 2014. The study includes a total of 9,618 cases and 35,902 charges sentenced in the higher courts during the reference period (2009-10 to 2013-14). Since 2008, section 6AAA of the Victorian Sentencing Act 1991 has required sentencing judges (in certain circumstances) to state the sentence that they would have imposed if the offender had not pleaded guilty. Subtracting the actual sentence from this notional undiscounted sentence reveals the stated reduction in sentence, or 'discount' for the guilty plea. As well as making the discounts more transparent to the parties in the case, the very high compliance with section 6AAA in the higher courts has enabled extensive data collection on plea-based sentence discounts for the first time in Victoria. During the reference period (2009-10 to 2013-14), there were over 7,000 higher court cases with sufficient detail in the 6AAA statement to analyse the reductions awarded for guilty pleas. A unique feature of these data is that the information about the plea-based reduction is sourced directly from the sentencing judges. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2015 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Guilty%20Pleas%20in%20the%20Higher%20Courts_2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts Shelf Number: 136387

Author: Spangaro, Jo Title: Health Interventions for Family and Domestic Violence: A Literature Review for NSW Kids and Families Summary: This review describes eleven different areas of intervention for health services responding to domestic violence supported by the research literature. Section 2 of this document briefly outlines the methods used to search the literature, followed by definitions of terms used in Section 3. A summary table of the eleven areas of intervention and the recommendations for each as well as additional recommendations specific to programs or populations comprises Section 4 of the document. A full description of each intervention type, the evidence for it, risks and limitations of each and a more expanded version of each recommendation constitutes Section 5 of the document. Sections 6 and 7 then outline additional issues identified in the literature for specific programs and populations, followed by Section 8 which constitutes a list of the 45 recommendations arising from the evidence. Details: Sydney: School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2014. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://www.kidsfamilies.health.nsw.gov.au/media/276626/final-spangaro-health-interventions-for-family-and-domestic-violence-a-literature-reiew-18-november-2014-3-.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 136405

Author: Gotsis, Tom Title: Revenge pornography, privacy and the law Summary: Privacy issues are currently on the agenda of public debate, largely as a consequence of technological developments which have created new avenues for the invasion of privacy. On 24 June 2015 the Legislative Council agreed to a Motion by Mick Veitch MLC for the Standing Committee on Law and Justice to inquire into remedies for the serious invasion of privacy in NSW. The terms of reference of the Inquiry are: (a) the adequacy of existing remedies for serious invasions of privacy, including the equitable action of breach of confidence; (b) whether a statutory cause of action for serious invasions of privacy should be introduced; and (c) any other related matter. In a media release issued by the Standing Committee on Law and Justice, the Committee Chair, Natasha Maclaren-Jones MLC, made reference to the issue of revenge pornography, stating: The proliferation of social media has meant that invasions of privacy through online forums, such as the alarming trend of jilted lovers posting sexually explicit photographs of ex-partners on the internet, has immediate and vast reaching repercussions. It is in this context that this paper considers: - The role of the criminal law in respect to revenge pornography, particularly in light of new offences against revenge pornography introduced in South Australia, Victoria and the United Kingdom. - The adequacy of existing civil law remedies for serious invasions of privacy by means of revenge pornography, including the equitable action of breach of confidence. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief Issue 7/2015: Accessed August 17, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/7E4E6390E36EEB86CA257E990004CE77/$File/revenge+pornography+privacy+and+the+law.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Internet Crimes Shelf Number: 136440

Author: Mahuteau, Stephane Title: Crime Victimisation and Subjective Well-Being: Panel Evidence from Australia Summary: This paper estimates the effect of physical violence and property crimes on subjective wellbeing in Australia. Our methodology improves on previous contributions by (i) controlling for the endogeneity of victimisation and (ii) analysing the heterogeneous effect of victimization along the whole distribution of well-being. Using fixed effects panel estimation, we find that both types of crimes reduce reported well-being to a large extent, with physical violence exerting a larger average effect than property crimes. Furthermore, using recently developed panel data quantile regression model with fixed effects, we show that the negative effects of both crimes are highly heterogeneous, with a monotonic decrease over the distribution of subjective well-being. Details: Bonn, Germany: Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper No. 9253: Accessed August 17, 2015 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp9253.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Property Crimes Shelf Number: 136441

Author: Randhawa, Trisha Title: Child Grooming: Summary: In recent months a number of reports have been released that have brought child sexual abuse to the forefront of the public debate. In particular, the report by the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Sexual Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Betrayal of Trust and the Department of Justice's Review of Sexual Offences: Consultation Paper, have led to calls for the introduction of a specific offence related to the grooming of children with the intent to sexually abuse them. Children are trusting and they rely on adults for love and support; when this trust is violated it has immeasurable impacts on their sense of self. The sexual abuse and rape of children is a crime that causes immense damage to a child across their entire life. The grooming of a child is a preparatory act essential to the subsequent crime of child sexual abuse - it is critical to recognise that the two elements are inextricably linked. Only through realising the importance of grooming as a stage in the sexual abuse of a child can effective interventions and preventative measures be implemented. The earlier abusive and grooming behaviours are detected, the less harm caused to the child. If the legislation is comprehensive, effective, and well implemented, police will be able to intervene at every stage of the child abuse process - from grooming, to encouragement, to actual abuse. The introduction of grooming legislation can only improve our ability to protect children. This report, completed as part of a Victorian Law Foundation grant awarded to Child Wise, is aimed at providing advice and guidance to legislators and practitioners as they consider the introduction of offences specifically targeting the grooming of a child. Details: South Melbourne, VIC, AUS: Child Wise, 2013. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed August 17, 2015 at: http://childwise.blob.core.windows.net/assets/uploads/files/Grooming%20-%20Exploring%20the%20call%20for%20law%20reform%20-%20Child%20Wise%20(Web).pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Grooming Shelf Number: 136443

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: The impact of the NSW Bail Act (2013) on trends in bail and remand in New South Wales Summary: Aim: To consider trends in bail and remand prior to and immediately following the implementation of the Bail Act (2013) on 20 May 2014 and the 'show cause' amendments on 28 January 2015. Method: Descriptive analysis of trends in police use of Bail CANs, police bail refusal, court bail refusal and the remand population. Results: The NSW Bail Act (2013) and the 'show cause' amendments subsequently made to it have not increased the police or court bail refusal rate above the level that prevailed in the two years prior to the introduction of the Act. This is despite the bail refusal rate for persons charged with 'show cause' offences being very high. It is not known whether the 'show cause' amendments have increased the likelihood of bail refusal for offences to which they apply or whether persons charged with these offences were always highly likely to be refused bail. The level of agreement between police and courts in relation to bail refusal has increased. Following the introduction of the NSW Bail Act 2013, there was a sharp transient fall in the percentage of defendants refused bail by police and courts. The police bail refusal rate is now around two percentage points lower than it was in 2012 and 2013. The court bail refusal rate has returned to the level that prevailed in 2012 and 2013. The remand population is much higher now than it was prior to the introduction of the NSW Bail Act (2013). The bail reforms at this stage appear to have made little if any contribution to this increase. Instead, it would appear to be due to two factors: (a) a sharp increase in January 2015 in the number of bail breaches that resulted in bail refusal (not the proportion) and (b) an increase in the total number of people with court proceedings commenced against them between December 2014 and March 2015. Conclusion: The NSW Bail Act (2013) (as amended) does not appear at this stage to have increased the percentage of persons refused bail or the size of the remand population. Further monitoring and analysis will be necessary to confirm this. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Research and Crime Statistics, 2015. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 106: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report_2015_Bail_and_Remand_bb106.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 136453

Author: Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives. Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs Title: Alcohol, hurting people and harming communities. Inquiry Inquiry into the harmful use of alcohol in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Summary: The consumption of alcohol at high risk levels is a national issue, however, the focus of this inquiry is the harmful use of alcohol in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Many reports and studies have recommended stemming the flow of alcohol to address the problems, but usually these works do not analyse why a person drinks at levels which cause them and their loved ones harm. The social and economic determinants of harmful alcohol use such as unemployment, poor housing, racism, trauma, poor education and peer pressure mean that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are overly impacted by the harm caused by alcohol consumed at high levels. A recent Amnesty reports note that it costs $440,000 per year to keep one young person in detention in Australia. This report recommends that justice reinvestment strategies should redirect these resources to overcoming the deprivation and despair in so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This report addresses strategies and treatments found to help in addressing the harmful use of alcohol. Community led solutions are always the key to uptake and success. Unfortunately slow government processes, for example approving community produced alcohol management plans and the short length of project funding often frustrates community initiatives. The magnitude of the problem caused by high risk consumption of alcohol is often hidden by the lack of collection of useful data for example at the time of hospital admissions, when children are put into out of home care because of their neglect, when people are incarcerated because of alcohol related crime and when children are born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) at some of the highest rates in the world. The committee found examples of the world's best practice at places like Groote Eylandt and Fitzroy Crossing. These communities, led by women's initiatives, have demonstrated courage and determination to tackle alcohol harm to provide a safe environment for their families and community. The committee commends them and hopes that their strategies can be used as examples of a way forward for other communities. FASD or FAS is creating generations of children whose brain damage will reduce their potential to live lives full of promise and well-being. The rates of FAS and FASD in some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia are amongst the highest in the world and yet FAS and FASD are not recognised as a disability for many social security allowances and payments. The lack of knowledge about, and recognition of FASD and FAS extends beyond the failure to have it officially recognised for social security and NDIS purposes, it also needs to be understood in schools, the criminal justice system and in the health sector. The committee found that impacts of alcohol on children in communities represents a national tragedy as it is manifested in children growing up with fathers, and increasingly mothers, who are incarcerated, as the children's abuse and neglect leads to the need for out of home care at record levels, missed schooling and too often ultimately become young alcohol addicts or abusers of other illicit substances. Details: Canberra: Australian Parliament, 2015. 205p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://www.naccho.org.au/download/aboriginal-health/Inquiry%20into%20the%20harmful%20use%20of%20Alcohol%20in%20ATSI%20communities%20June%202015.PDF Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Abuse Shelf Number: 136459

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Screening for domestic violence during pregnancy: options for future reporting in the National Perinatal Data Collection Summary: Domestic violence (DV), defined in this paper as 'acts of violence that occur between people who have, or have had, an intimate relationship' is a leading preventable contributor to death, disability and illness for women of reproductive age (15 to 44 years). Pregnancy is as an important time for screening for DV. It presents an opportunity to identify DV, as many women will have contact with health-care services and professionals on a regular basis during the antenatal period. Estimates indicate that around 5% of women (aged 18 and over) experience violence during pregnancy from their previous or current partner. The risk of DV has been found to be higher in pregnant women and in the period following birth, posing serious health risks to both pregnant women and their babies. There is known under-reporting of DV due to its complex and sensitive nature (including patients' reluctance to report) and underidentification by health workers. Data on DV in pregnancy in Australia are currently poor and inconsistent across jurisdictions, with variations in what is collected and in methods of collection. An opportunity exists to collect higher quality data through the National Perinatal Data Collection (NPDC), which includes data about every woman who gives birth in Australia. These data are important for population level surveillance and for clinical care and outcomes; they can also contribute to researching the association of DV with other maternal and perinatal outcomes. Seeking to improve national data on DV in pregnancy is also timely, in light of the Prime Minister's Advisory Panel on Violence against Women, established in 2015. The AIHW's National Maternity Data Development Project (NMDDP) aims to enhance the collection of nationally consistent data in the NPDC. As part of the NMDDP, this paper was developed as a guide to the issues that need to be considered in deciding whether and how to collect DV data in the NPDC. The data development process included a literature review, investigation of current approaches in Australia, a discussion paper, a national workshop, and consultation with a working party. It was found that screening for DV - a process to identify victims of violence or abuse in order to offer interventions that can lead to beneficial outcomes - in the antenatal period already occurs in most Australian jurisdictions. This may be structured or unstructured, and the results of screening are not necessarily recorded in data systems. Potential approaches to obtaining national data in the NPDC include: - develop and implement a minimum set of standard questions, based on the questions currently in use across jurisdictions - seek to implement a nationally consistent screening approach by encouraging all midwives to use a recommended validated DV screening tool - maintain a flexible screening approach consistent with the National Antenatal Care Guidelines that enables screening in different ways for different populations. It is recommended that before national data standards are developed for the NPDC, pilot testing and further consultation be conducted to determine the best way to achieve high-quality data, while gaining acceptability among clinicians and mothers. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 20, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129551954 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 136501

Author: Collins, Jock Title: Immigrant Crime in Europe and Australia: Rational or Racialised Responses? Summary: In Australia and the European Union today there is a very negative immigration discourse linked to the (alleged) criminality of immigrant minorities - particularly those from Asia and the Middle East - and the existence of ethnic criminal gangs. The issue of immigrant crime - linked to the issue of undocumented migrants and refugees - is driving much of the political agenda in Australia and Europe. This paper first reviews the recent European and Australian experience of immigrant crime and the politicisation and racialisation of the immigrant crime issue. It then draws on the findings from a two-year research project into Youth, Ethnicity and Crime in Sydney - funded by the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and 25 industry partners, including 10 local government authorities and 10 ethnic community organizations in Sydney - to explore the myths and realities of immigrant crime in Sydney, including gender dimensions. The paper then critically analyses media portrayals of such crime and investigates appropriate policy responses at federal, provincial and local government level. Finally, the implications of the immigrant crime debate for immigration and settlement policies in Australia and Europe are discussed. Details: Paper presented to conference entitled The Challenges of Immigration and Integration in the European Union and Australia, 18-20 February 2003, University of Sydney. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2015 at: https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/41423/3/collins_paper.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Immigrants Shelf Number: 136527

Author: Australia. Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Title: Domestic violence in Australia Summary: In 2013, the World Health Organisation found that more than one third of all women have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence and that these findings show it is a 'global public health problem of epidemic proportions requiring urgent action'. In Australia, women are over-represented in intimate partner homicides. 89 women were killed by their current or former partner between 2008-10 which equates to nearly one woman every week. However, in 2015, the statistics to date shows that this number is increasing with two Australian women killed by domestic violence each week. Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) notes that data from the 2012 Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey shows that one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence and Australian women are most likely to experience physical and sexual violence in their home at the hands of a male current or ex-partner. The most commonly reported reason for seeking assistance from specialist homelessness services was domestic and family violence. A study of Victorian women demonstrated that domestic violence carries an enormous cost in terms of premature death and disability. As VicHealth stated: 'It is responsible for more preventable ill-health in Victorian women under the age of 45 than any other of the well-known risk factors, including high blood pressure, obesity and smoking'. In addition, more than one million children in Australia are affected by domestic violence which can leave them with serious emotional, psychological, social, behavioural and developmental consequences. The committee acknowledges that the cost of domestic and family violence is great in terms of lives lost, the effects on children, physical and mental health, employment, risk of homelessness and financial security. The economic cost is also substantial with a 2009 study by KPMG finding that violence against women, including domestic violence, cost the nation $13.6 billion and this was expected to reach $15.6 billion in 2021-22 if steps were not taken. The committee heard there are a broad and complex range of social and personal factors that can contribute to the incidence and severity of domestic and family violence. These include gender inequality, social norms and attitudes as well as exposure to violence, social isolation, relationship conflict, income, divorce or separation and the use of alcohol and drugs. The committee is particularly concerned by the statistic that alcohol is involved in up to 65 per cent of family violence incidents reported to police (see chapter 10). The terms of reference referred to the prevalence of domestic violence as it affects vulnerable groups including 'women living with a disability' and 'women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds'. The committee recognises these are not the only vulnerable groups which also include culturally and linguistically diverse, non-English speaking new and emerging migrant communities, people experiencing mental health issues, people in same sex relationships, transgender and intersex persons. The committee recognises that there is no silver bullet to stop domestic and family violence. Rather, a coherent, strategic and long term effort by all levels of governments and the community is required to take effective action. The committee heard the areas which will make a real difference are: - understanding the causes and effects of domestic violence (chapters 1 and 2) - the need for cultural change which involves prevention work to change attitudes and behaviours towards women (chapter 6); - a national framework and ensuring ongoing engagement with stakeholders (chapter 3); - early intervention measures (chapter 7); - effective data collection to ensure programs and policies for women, their children and men are evidence-based (chapters 4 and 5); - coordination of services (chapter 8); - more information sharing between stakeholders (chapter 8); - better legal responses/enforcement to hold perpetrators to account (chapter 9); - sufficient and appropriate crisis services (chapter 8); and - providing long term support to victims of domestic and family violence (chapter 10). Work in these areas is underway and it will take time to see the effects of this work flow through. The long term nature of this challenge is recognised in the National Plan to reduce Violence against Women and their Children which spans the period 2010-2022. Over the course of the inquiry the committee spoke to many people working in the sector, policy and law makers, victims, as well as people in the community who have been appalled at the unacceptable toll domestic and family violence has taken in women and children's lives. The committee was heartened by their view that there is the beginning of a genuine shift in attitudes on violence and also the will to fund, educate and resource the programs, services and victims of domestic and family violence. Details: Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2015. 208p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/resources/senate_finance_and_public_administration_references_committee/56741-domestic_violence_in_australia.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Shelf Number: 136572

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: Implementing and Managing Community Based Sentences Summary: Background Community Based Orders and Intensive Supervision Orders are available to the courts for sentencing convicted off enders and are served in the community. They were established as part of a sentencing hierarchy by the Sentencing Act 1995. They are a low cost sentencing option, currently costing the State $12 per day per off ender as compared to $180 per day for imprisonment. They were expected to contribute to reducing imprisonment rates and to enable the punitive and rehabilitative aspects of sentences to be more effective. In 2000 nearly 4000 such sentences were issued to both first time offenders and repeat offenders who had been convicted of a variety of offences from robbery to drink driving offences. What the examination found... Western Australia's imprisonment rate continues to be higher than that of most States and Territories. About 60 per cent of Community Based Orders and about 50 per cent of Intensive Supervision Orders issued each year are completed. These completion rates are lower than those for most other states and territories. Off enders assessed as having a high risk of re-off ending have a lower completion rate (42 per cent) than other off enders (70 per cent). The Ministry of Justice does not have a comprehensive strategy for rehabilitating off enders and the rehabilitative effects of the sentences are not known. The management of treatment programs, the main ingredient for rehabilitating off enders is ad hoc and inconsistent with little or no coordination of the internal and external program providers. Case management is not achieving its objective of being an integrated process for managing offenders. Although the Ministry collects a variety of information about offenders this information is not always analysed and utilized in planning services to enable more targeted service provision. Both the overall number of offenders on these orders, as well as the proportion of high-risk offenders, has increased since the Sentencing Act was implemented without any review of resourcing. Managing offenders is a specialised function that requires considerable experience for effective service provision. Many Community Corrections Officers employed on short-term contracts, are inexperienced and carry heavy caseloads. There is a risk that inexperienced staff can make poor judgements, which could impact negatively on the off ender and the community. While there are a plethora of processes, practices and programs in the management of offenders, the Ministry does not regularly evaluate them. Therefore, it is not known whether these processes, practices and programs benefit or hinder their management. What the examination recommended... Major recommendations made in the report are that: The Ministry of Justice should: Systematically collect and evaluate information about the characteristics of offenders to enable more informed planning. Develop a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy for offenders in the community. Define the aims of rehabilitation and develop and implement appropriate performance indicators to assess the rehabilitative benefits of orders. Regularly review resource allocations in relation to the demands presented by the changing characteristics of offenders. Evaluate their services regularly with a view to ensuring their appropriateness and effectiveness. -- Develop and implement a human resource management plan that ensures a stable and well-trained workforce. Identify and endorse appropriate benchmarks for the workloads of Community Correction Officers and other staff to enable meaningful development performance measures for their work. Details: Perth: Western Australia Auditor General, 2001. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 3: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/report2001_03.pdf Year: 2001 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Based Corrections Shelf Number: 136591

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: A Measure of Protection: Management and Effectiveness of Restraining Orders Summary: Public and personal safety are issues of major significance to the community. For some time the community has been expressing concern about a perceived deterioration in safety and doubts have been raised about the effectiveness of restraining orders as a method of ensuring individual safety. The Restraining Orders Act 1997 has now been in place for five years and it is timely to look at how effectively it has been implemented and whether it affords the community a measure of protection. Restraining orders are court orders designed to prevent acts of violence or misconduct by requiring a person to behave in certain ways, such as to maintain a prescribed distance from the applicant. A restraining order is worded to fit particular circumstances and breaching the terms of an order can result in a fine or imprisonment. Restraining orders were first introduced in Western Australia in 1982 as an amendment to the Justices Act 1902 to deter breaches of the peace. However, over time it became apparent that there were a number of inadequacies in the use of restraining orders, including overuse of orders, inappropriate use of orders where alternative options may be more effective, difficulties with the serving of orders, and inconsistency in addressing breaches. A review of restraining orders was undertaken in 1995 and resulted in the Restraining Orders Act 1997. The new Act introduced two forms of order: violence restraining orders to deal specifically with incidents of personal violence, and misconduct restraining orders to address other non-violent forms of public nuisance such as damage to property. This dichotomy was intended to give greater priority to violence restraining orders. This examination focuses on the management and effectiveness of restraining orders. In particular, the examination uses the information gathered during the then Ministry of Justice evaluation of the 1997 Act, carried out in December 1998, as baseline data to make a comparative study of applications for restraining orders before and after the introduction of the Act. None of the evaluation's 33 recommendations for changes to legislation and regulation have been fully implemented across the State. Although restraining orders are not a stand-alone solution, they can and do work effectively within existing resources in some districts and regions of the State, but only if there is appropriate support and coordination. This is demonstrated by the coordinated approach used in the Geraldton and Armadale regions. On the whole, however, the flaws and variations in the system render the orders relatively ineffective for the protection of victims of violence. The Act has been in place for five years and yet restraining orders are not demonstrably more effective in the protection of victims of violence. Details: Perth: Western Australia Auditor General, 2002. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 5: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/report2002_05.pdf Year: 2002 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Orders Shelf Number: 136592

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: The Management of Offenders on Parole Summary: Background In Australia, crime costs around $36 billion per year. This translates to around $1 601 for every person in Australia or a total of $3.7 billion in Western Australia. Additionally, it costs Australian governments more than $10.7 billion to deal with these crimes, with corrective services accounting for 22.7 per cent of this cost. The Department of Corrective Services (DCS) is responsible for managing offenders in Western Australia. This includes offenders in custody awaiting trial, offenders convicted and sentenced for their crimes, as well as offenders in the community on parole or other community based orders. Offender management includes supervising offenders, ensuring access to treatment programs which aid in rehabilitation and supporting prisoners to lead a law abiding lifestyle. Offender management attracts a large amount of public interest and scrutiny. An offender on parole committing a serious crime often makes headline news and can impact public perceptions of the justice system. Parole provides an avenue for reintegrating and resocialising offenders into the community. A prisoner on parole is released from custody before the end of the maximum term of imprisonment imposed by the court to serve the remainder of their sentence in the community under supervision. Any prisoner released on parole remains on parole until the end of their sentence, unless it is cancelled or suspended. There are mixed views about parole. Some believe that it does not provide justice and that the best way to ensure the community remains safe is to keep offenders locked up for as long as possible. Advocates of parole believe it provides the best long term outcome for the community and offenders. They argue that, prisoners who spend a sustained period of time in custody invariably find it difficult to re-establish themselves into society and to lead a law abiding lifestyle on release. But, parole comes with risks. If an unsuitable offender is released, or parolees are not supervised and monitored appropriately, the community may be put at an increased risk. The Prisoners Review Board (PRB) is responsible for making decisions on parole taking into consideration a number of factors with community safety of paramount importance. The PRB also sets parole conditions before release. These conditions aim to lower the risk that a parolee may reoffend both in the short and long term. Conditions may include restrictions on where a parolee must live, who they may not have contact with and the rehabilitative programs they must attend. Once released into the community, Community Corrections Officers (CCOs), employed by the Department of Corrective Services, supervise parolees. CCOs meet with parolees on a regular basis to help them return to a law abiding lifestyle. This may involve linking offenders into treatment programs, ensuring they comply with parole conditions and prompt reporting to the PRB when a parolee breaches a condition. Details: Perth: Western Australia Auditor General, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 11: Accessed August 26, 2015: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/report2011_11.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Based Corrections Shelf Number: 136593

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: Management of Adults on Bail Summary: This report assessed the effectiveness of the administration and management of adults on bail. It focused on whether bail management results in benefits being maximised and risks to the community minimised. Bail maintains the presumption of innocence by allowing persons arrested and charged with an offence to stay in the community and continue with their lives while they wait for their Court hearing. Bail also reduces the pressure and cost on the State prison system. A 2005 'Observational Study of Bail Decision Making' by Edith Cowan University commented that bail can allow a defendant to: - keep their job, home and stay in contact with people who can support them - reintegrate back into the community once released from prison - be protected from the negative impacts of remand which can influence them to commit more serious offences. The granting of bail is made on the understanding that the defendant will appear at their Court hearing. Bail conditions can be imposed to give greater assurance that the defendant will return to Court or to address concerns about the safety of the community whilst the defendant is on bail. In Western Australia, any arrested person has the right to have bail considered. The bail process starts upon arrest (Figure 1 on page 6). Following an arrest, Police decide whether to release the defendant on bail while they wait for their Court hearing. If denied bail, the defendant stays in Police custody until the initial Court hearing, usually within 24 hours. Regardless of whether they are released on bail or held in custody, the defendant must appear at the initial Court hearing. The Magistrate or Judge then makes a decision on whether to release the defendant on bail while they wait for their next Court hearing and the need for any bail conditions. In 2014, nearly 81 000 bail decisions were made by the Western Australia Police (Police) and the Courts of which just over 43 000 people were granted bail (15 630 by the Police). Around 38 000 people were denied bail because of a significant risk that they might not attend Court or because of a high safety risk to the community. Some bail conditions must be confirmed or met before a defendant will be released. For example, providing the address for where they will be living whilst on bail and provision of a surety. A surety is a person who agrees in writing to pay a specific amount of money if the accused fails to appear in Court. Some defendants find it difficult to meet these bail release conditions. The Department of Corrective Services (Corrective Services) employs a small number of Bail Coordinators to help defendants meet their bail conditions. Surety approval officers then assess if the surety conditions are met. If the bail conditions are not met, then the defendant is held in remand until their next Court hearing. Bail conditions can be protective or non-protective. Protective conditions can prohibit the defendant from contacting a specific person or approaching them at places where they work or live. Non-protective conditions, such as drug analysis, providing an address or surety aim to ensure that defendants are more likely to return to Court and less likely to reoffend. An important component of the bail process is the monitoring and enforcing of bail conditions. Police and Corrective Services are responsible for monitoring most bail conditions. Multiple bail periods for defendants and simultaneous court orders makes managing and enforcing bail a complex process. The Department of the Attorney General (DotAG) is responsible for the administration of the Bail Act 1982 (the Bail Act) and the collection of forfeited sureties and personal bail. In 2013, DotAG developed a software program called the Bail Module as a way of electronically recording all bail decisions and for sharing this information across all three agencies. DotAG is currently reviewing the Act. Details: Perth: Western Australia Auditor General, 2015. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 10: Accessed August 26, 2015 at: https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/report2015_10-Bail.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 136594

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Trial court delay and the NSW District Criminal Court Summary: Aim: To describe the growth in trial court delay in the NSW District Criminal Court and the factors affecting it. Method: Descriptive analysis of court data. Results: Where the accused is on bail, the average time between committal for trial and case finalisation in the NSW District Criminal Court has grown by 34 per cent since 2007. Where the accused is in custody, the average time between committal for trial and case finalisation has grown by 44 per cent. The principal causes of the growth in delay are (1) a growth in persons arrested for serious (strictly indictable) offences, (2) an increase in the proportion of cases registered for trial that are actually proceeding to trial and (3) a growth in trial duration. Conclusion: Action needs to be taken to reduce court delay in the NSW District Criminal Court and to improve the indicators of trial case processing. Measures that expand the Court's capacity or improve its efficiency will have a more immediate (though not necessarily larger) effect than measures that reduce demand for trial court time. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 184: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report_2015_Court_Delay_cjb184.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Case Processing Shelf Number: 136644

Author: Tahiri, Hussein Title: Community and Radicalisation: An examination of perceptions, ideas, beliefs and solutions throughout Australia Summary: Community and Radicalisation: an Examination of Perceptions, Ideas, Beliefs and Solutions throughout Australia was a year-long national study designed and conducted as a qualitative research project through a partnership between Victoria Police, Victoria University and the Australian Multicultural Foundation. The key aims of the study were: - To identify how communities understand the meanings of and relationship between radicalisation and extremism. - To explore community perceptions of the underlying drivers for radicalization and extremism. - To explore perceptions of the impact of radicalization and extremism on sense of community and social harmony and cohesion. - To solicit community views about effective approaches to and solutions for eliminating or reducing the threat of violent extremism in Australia. - To provide an evidence base for community views and perceptions that can inform and support the development of effective policies and strategies to counter radicalisation and extremism in Australia. Details: Melbourne: Victoria University and Victoria Police, 2013. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: http://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/ccdw/pdfs/community-and-radicalisation.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremism Shelf Number: 136689

Author: Coghlan, Sarah Title: Drug use monitoring in Australia: 2013-14 report on drug use among police detainees Summary: Delivered by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program supports the National Drug Strategy through its timely provision of data on changes in alcohol and other drug consumption habits among Australian police detainees and through its monitoring and reporting of fluctuations in the illicit drug market. Since 1999, 51,748 detainees have been interviewed, of whom 37,398 also provided a urine sample that was analysed to identify licit and illicit drug use. The data gathered through DUMA has informed government policy and research, and contributed to the National Drug Strategy aims of improving health, social and economic outcomes by reducing supply, demand and harm. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Monitoring Reports 27: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/mr/mr27/mr27.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 136692

Author: Australia. Auditor General Title: Cyber Attacks: Securing Agencies' ICT Systems Summary: 1. Governments, businesses and individuals increasingly rely on information and communications technology (ICT) in their day-to-day activities, with rapid advances continuing to be made in how people and organisations communicate, interact and transact business through ICT and the Internet. In the government sector, ICT is used to deliver services, store and process information, and enable communications, with a consequent need to protect the privacy, security and integrity of information maintained on government systems. 2. Cyber crime is an international problem, and it is estimated that in 2012, 5.4 million Australians fell victim to such crimes, with an estimated cost to the economy of $1.65 billion. In the government sector, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has estimated that between January and December 2012, there were over 1790 security incidents against Australian Government agencies. Of these, 685 were considered serious enough to warrant a Cyber Security Operations Centre response. 3. The protection of Australian Government systems and information from unauthorised access and use is a key responsibility of agencies, having regard to their business operations and specific risks. In the context of a national government, those risks can range from threats to national security through to the disclosure of sensitive personal information. Unauthorised access through electronic means, also known as cyber intrusions, can result from the actions of outside individuals or organisations. Individuals operating from within government may also misuse information which they are authorised to access, or may inappropriately access and use government information holdings. 4. For some years, the Australian Government has established both an overarching protective security policy framework, and promulgated specific ICT risk mitigation strategies and related controls, to inform the ICT security posture6 of agencies. In 2013, the Government mandated elements of the framework, in response to the rapid escalation, intensity and sophistication of cyber crime and other cyber security threats. Details: Canberra: Australian National Audit Office, 2014. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Audit Report No. 50 2013-14: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: http://www.anao.gov.au/~/media/Files/Audit%20Reports/2013%202014/Audit%20Report%2050/AuditReport_2013-2014_50.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Cyber Security Shelf Number: 136699

Author: Migliore, Connie Title: Intervention Orders and the Intervention Response Model Report 1. Process Evaluation Summary: On 9 December 2011, the new Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009 commenced in South Australia and reformed existing laws for the restraint of domestic and personal violence. In particular, the new Act repeals the Domestic Violence Act 1994 and parts of the Summary Procedure Act 1921. The new Act provides police and courts powers to issue intervention orders to protect people from abuse. Key features of the new Act include: - Broader definitions of abuse and domestic relationships; - Improved police powers to intervene; - Special arrangements for victims and witnesses in court; - Notification requirements to relevant public sector agencies; and, - The ability to mandate a defendant to take part in an intervention program. The associated IRM has been developed as a mandatory referral pathway for suitable defendants. It consists of a 24-week group program aimed at stopping domestic violence, and a complementary support service for the partners or ex-partners of program participants. The Office of Crime Statistics and Research has been contracted by the Attorney-General's Department to evaluate the implementation and operation of intervention orders and the IRM. The evaluation is being conducted in three phases over a two-year period from June 2012 to June 2014. This document provides the results of the first phase. It is based on the first nine months of operation of the initiative, and includes: - A description of the number and type of orders issued; - A description of IRM throughput and operation; - A description of the characteristics of defendants and protected persons; and, - A summary of whether or not the model is operating as intended, including any barriers to successful implementation or operation. The report is based on quantitative data collected by relevant agencies, and qualitative data collected from interviews with key stakeholders, intervention order defendants, and protected persons. Details: Adelaide: South Australian Attorney-General's Department, 2013. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/Intervention_Order_Evaluation_Report_1.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 136704

Author: Migliore, Connie Title: Intervention Orders and the Intervention Response Model: Evaluation Report 2 Summary: This report outlines the findings from a process evaluation of Intervention Orders and the Intervention Response Model, conducted in 2013 following the first year of operation. The report is the second of three reports produced on the evaluation. It details the administrative and service delivery experiences of agencies and non-government organisations, as well as protected persons and defendants. Details: Adelaide: South Australian Attorney-General's Department, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/Intervention_Order_Evaluation_Report_2.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 136705

Author: Migliore, Connie Title: Intervention Orders and the Intervention Response Model: Evaluation Report 3. Statistical Overview and Outcome Evaluation Summary: This report presents the results of an outcome evaluation of Intervention Orders and the Intervention Response Model. The third and final report from the evaluation, it includes a statistical profile of intervention orders, defendants and protected persons in the first two years of operation, an analysis of the impact of the Domestic Violence Perpetrator Program on defendants, and an examination of the offending behaviour of intervention order defendants before and after an intervention order. Details: Adelaide: South Australian Attorney-General's Department, 2014. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 5, 2015 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/evaluation_reports/Intervention_Order_Evaluation_Report_3.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 136706

Author: Leung, Kit Title: That's entertainment: Trends in late-night assaults and acute alcohol illness in Sydney' Entertainment Precinct Summary: Aim: To assess the role of administrative police and health databases in monitoring trends in, and epidemiology of, alcohol-related violence and acute alcohol illness associated with the night time economy in the Sydney central business district (CBD) �Entertainment Precinct�, prior to the introduction of 2014 government reforms addressing �alcohol-fuelled violence�. Method: We examined annual trends in police-recorded incidents of grievous bodily harm, ambulance Triple Zero (000) calls for assault, and acute alcohol illness emergency department presentations that occurred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. over a 10-year period (2004�2013). Trends were examined among persons of all ages and young adults (18 to 29 year olds) in the CBD. The rest of metropolitan Sydney provided a comparison area to evaluate whether trends were CBD-specific. Results: Among persons of all ages, there were 913 police-recorded incidents of grievous bodily harm, 10,427 ambulance calls for assault and 14,106 emergency department presentations for acute alcohol illness in the CBD over the 10-year period. Young adults accounted for between 62 per cent and 78 per cent of assault incidents and 58 per cent of alcohol emergency department presentations. Between 2004 and 2008, the annual number of assaults and acute alcohol illness increased two-fold. Alcohol illness emergency department presentation trends subsequently stabilised, while assaults in 2013 were at the lowest levels in 10 years. Similar trends were observed in the rest of metropolitan Sydney. Conclusion: The majority of alcohol-related assaults and emergency department presentations involved young adults. Ambulance and police administrative data sources provided a consistent picture of a recent decline in late-night assault trends. Alcohol-related emergency department presentation trends suggested other alcohol harms may be continuing at relatively high levels both in the CBD and in metropolitan Sydney. While violence appears to be declining in the CBD and across Sydney, continuing alcohol harm remains to be addressed. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 185: Accessed September 14, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/CJB185_late_night_assaults.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 136747

Author: Napier, Sarah Title: Who goes to prison for breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order? An analysis of police narratives Summary: Aim: To identify the situational and offender characteristics associated with prison sentences for Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) breaches. Method: Case narratives from police incident reports of ADVO breach incidents in NSW were analysed. Two samples were examined: (1) breach incidents where the offender involved was imprisoned (n=250) and (2) breach incidents where the offender involved received a non-custodial sentence (n=250). The nature of the breach and the characteristics of persons involved in these two breach samples were compared using descriptive data and logistic regression models. Results: The majority of ADVO breaches in both samples involved male to female offending in spousal/ex-spousal relationships, occurred in the victim's house and involved face-to-face contact. Compared with offenders in the non-prison group, a higher proportion of offenders who received a custodial penalty for the breach ADVO matter were male, Indigenous, had 5 or more prior court appearances (including prior offences for domestic violence (DV), assault and breach ADVO), had 3 or more prior prison penalties and had breached two or more conditions of their order. Breaches resulting in prison also had a higher proportion of matters involving physical assault, property damage, psychological aggression and parties who had a history of violence. After controlling for other factors, the following factors were independently associated with imprisonment for ADVO; the offender's gender, prior imprisonment, prior proven DV offence, history of violence, involvement of physical assault in the breach, victim/offender relationship and residing with the victim. Conclusion: The profile of offenders who receive imprisonment for a breach ADVO offence is significantly different from those who receive a non-custodial penalty for these offences. The nature of the breach and the circumstances surrounding the event also vary for matters where prison is imposed for an ADVO breach. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 107: Accessed September 14, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report_Apprehended_Domestic_Violence_Order_bb107.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Orders Shelf Number: 136748

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Identity crime and misuse in Australia: Results of the 2014 online survey Summary: To understand the trends associated with identity crime and misuse in Australia, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) was, in 2014, commissioned by the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department to undertake a national survey of the problem for the second time. The study is one of a series of initiatives being implemented as part of the National Identity Security Strategy, Australia's national response to enhancing identity security, which seeks to prevent identity crime and misuse, contribute to national security and facilitate the benefits of the digital economy. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no.130: Accessed September 16, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/130/rpp130.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Identity Theft Shelf Number: 136754

Author: Poynton, Suzanne Title: Rates of Recidivism among Offenders Referred to Forum Sentencing Summary: Aim: To determine whether the NSW Forum Sentencing program is more effective than the conventional sentencing process in reducing recidivism. Method: Offenders referred to Forum Sentencing in 2011 were matched with offenders who were 'eligible' for Forum Sentencing but who were sentenced in a NSW Local Court where Forum Sentencing was not operating. These two groups were matched on a large number of covariates using propensity score techniques and were then compared on the time to first new proven offence using Cox regression. All offenders in both groups were followed up for a minimum of 6 months after finalisation of their index offence. The analysis was conducted using an intention-to-treat research design. Results: Of the 575 offenders referred to Forum Sentencing, 552 could be matched with an 'equivalent' offender in the control group based on the covariates measured at the index court appearance. Cox regression analyses showed that there was no significant difference between the matched groups in the time to first new offence. This lack of an effect remained even after controlling for other relevant covariates. Conclusion: This study finds no evidence that offenders who are referred to the NSW Forum Sentencing program are less likely to re-offend than similar offenders who are dealt with through the normal sentencing process. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 172: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/cjb172.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Conferencing Shelf Number: 129776

Author: Ferguson, Catherine Title: Parole in Western Australia: An analysis of parole cancellations of female offenders Summary: The number of prisoners in Australian prisons has been increasing over the past decade. In Western Australia the number of female offenders has increased by 40 percent over the past five years. One contributing factor to this increase may be the re incarceration of parolees who have violated parole. This research used the publicly available decision documents from the Prisoners Review Board in Western Australia to investigate the background details of offences, and the details of the parole violations of 41 women released in 2013-14. Data revealed that a high proportion of women returned to prison after a very short time in the community as a result of illicit drug use. The high cost of re-incarceration is considered against a background of rehabilitation and extra support in the community that might assist released women negotiate their complex lives on release without resorting to further drug use. The paper includes a number of recommendations to consider in an effort to reduce the recidivism of female offenders. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 501: Accessed September 17, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi501.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Offenders Shelf Number: 136793

Author: Coghlan, Sarah Title: Findings from the DUMA program: Methamphetamine drug market trends Summary: Methamphetamine is a drug of national concern, with the Australian Crime Commission (ACC; 2015a) assessing it to be the illicit drug posing the greatest risk to the Australian community. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's (AIHW) 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) reported that approximately 400,000 Australians had used meth/amphetamines in the previous 12 months (AIHW 2014). The NDSHS reported a stable rate of meth/amphetamine use in the general community from 2010 to 2013 of 2.1 percent. However, there was a shift in the type of meth/amphetamine used, from powder to purer forms like ice or crystal methamphetamine (AIHW 2014). Specifically, powder meth/ amphetamine use among recent users decreased from 51 percent to 29 percent, while ice use more than doubled from 22 percent to 50 percent (AIHW 2014). In line with this, the frequency of methamphetamine use among injecting drug users in Melbourne remained consistent from 2008 to 2014, but users reported transitioning from powder to crystal forms of methamphetamine (Scott et al. 2015). Frequency of use of methamphetamine has also changed across the 2010 to 2013 period. In 2013, 15.5 percent of recent meth/amphetamine users reported daily or weekly use, compared with 9.3 percent in the 2010 survey (AIHW 2014). When examining use by form, approximately a quarter of users who mainly used ice reported using it at least weekly, compared with 2.2 percent of powder users who reported weekly use (AIHW 2014). Scott et al.'s (2015) study of injecting drug users in Melbourne found that those already using methamphetamine were starting to purchase the drug more frequently in 2013 compared with 2011. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice: Accessed September 21, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip43/rip43.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 136834

Author: Zeiger, Sara Title: Countering Violent Extremism: Developing an evidence-base for policy and practice Summary: This volume reports on the range of papers presented at the Annual Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Research Conference 2014 from 7-8 December 2014 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Conference was organized and hosted by Hedayah (the International Center of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism), Curtin University, People Against Violent Extremism (PaVE), and the Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The Conference was also sponsored in part by the European Commission and the United States Department of State. The event was attended by approximately 100 academics, practitioners and policymakers from over 25 countries. The 2014 CVE Research Conference follows from the inaugural CVE Symposium hosted by Curtin University, PaVE, Macquarie University and Hedayah in Perth, Australia in 2013. As the first of its kind in the region, the 2013 Symposium brought together national and international scholars, practitioners, policymakers and former extremists to discuss and debate the current state and future directions for CVE. The intention for the CVE Research Conference is to be an annual event at which the yearly highlights of cutting-edge CVE research and innovation can be presented to academics, researchers, practitioners and policymakers on a global scale. Details: Perth, WA, AUS: Curtin University, 2015. 159p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2015 at: http://www.hedayah.ae/pdf/cve-edited-volume.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 136857

Author: Smallwood, Emma Title: Stepping Stones: Legal barriers to economic equality after family violence Summary: Women's Legal Service Victoria has observed that there are legal and economic problems arising from family violence which result in serious financial hardship for women and, at present, there are no accessible legal remedies to these problems. We have researched the problems in the Stepping Stones project. This report contains the findings of the project and recommendations for solutions. In interviews with women, we explored the consequences of family violence on women's financial circumstances. We specifically directed our attention to systemic barriers women faced in their economic recovery. Common themes emerged from the interviews including: - A lack of police understanding of the financial consequences arising from family violence, and a lack of police action in stopping economic abuse. - The conditions included in intervention orders of the Magistrates' Court are largely unhelpful in preventing economic abuse. - Women who are victims of family violence often have to flee their home; this has serious financial implications and there is a major shortage of available housing for women. - Service providers such as energy retailers, telecommunication services and banks have low awareness of the difficulties faced by women experiencing family violence and are unhelpful when interacting with these customers. - The energy, telecommunications and banking industries insist on their right to enforce joint debts, even in circumstances of family violence. This places women and their financial recovery at risk. - Women have little knowledge of their legal and financial rights following violence and separation. This lack of knowledge can result in women staying in unsafe relationships. - Women who are involved in family law proceedings to resolve financial issues experience a lengthy and stressful process, and achieve outcomes that are often inequitable. Many women choose not to pursue financial settlements after relationship breakdown because of the particular barriers created by family violence. This causes further financial disadvantage for women. Perpetrators use joint debt to continue to perpetrate violence against women and there is no legal recourse to sever the joint liability. Although there are legal mechanisms available to address some of the problems women encounter, women's access to these mechanisms is hindered. There is potential to make better use of intervention orders in dealing with some of the debt and small property issues that arise. There are also existing mechanisms in the family law jurisdiction that could better assist women. Improving the accessibility of available legal remedies for family violence victims is key to economic equality. During our research it became clear that reform to: family law, the family violence legal system and the regulation of energy, telecommunications and credit is needed. This law and regulation reform needs to be coupled with the adoption of better policies by industry and government departments which: - recognise family violence - formally recognise intervention orders or family law orders that seek to address abusive behaviour, and - provide training to staff on the nature and impacts of family violence, including economic abuse. Implementing these system-wide changes will remove the financial and legal barriers to women achieving economic independence after family violence. Details: Melbourne: Women�s Legal Service Victoria, 2015. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2015 at: http://www.womenslegal.org.au/files/file/Stepping%20Stones%20Report(1).pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 136858

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Community Correction Orders Second Monitoring Report. (Pre-Guideline Judgment) Summary: The community correction order (CCO) is a recently created and important sentencing option for Victorian criminal courts. The CCO allows courts to combine a range of punitive and therapeutic conditions in a sentence that an offender serves in the community. With the recent abolition of suspended sentences of imprisonment in Victoria, the CCO is now, for some offending, the only alternative sentence to imprisonment. This report examines changes in the use of CCOs, and sentencing practices more generally, by Victorian courts during the period from January 2012 to December 2014. One of the aims of this report is to assess the effects on sentencing practices of major sentencing reforms, including the phase-out of suspended sentences and the changes adopted in September 2014 to the way CCOs may be combined with sentences of imprisonment. This report does not assess the effects on sentencing practices of the Court of Appeal's guideline judgment, which was issued at the end of this report's reference period. The guideline judgment will be the subject of future research by the Sentencing Advisory Council (the 'Council'). Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2015 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Community%20Correction%20Orders%20Second%20Monitoring%20Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 136859

Author: Rosemount Good Shepherd Title: Forced & Servile Marriage Casebook: Beyond the stereotypes Summary: The advent of legislation criminalising forced marriage and a range of related conduct has brought forward a debate, in Australia and elsewhere, about an individual's effective rights in relation to fully and freely consenting to marriage, and to live free of slavery in the form of servile marriage (wherein a person is treated as property and bought, sold or inherited into marriage). This debate has also illuminated a range of very pragmatic questions on the nature of "marriage" across cultural, ethnic, religious, national and other boundaries. As has also been found in other countries, experience to date in Australia highlights many commonly-asked questions such as: 1. Does "forced marriage" include circumstances where a "marriage" ceremony was performed by someone other than a registered marriage celebrant? 2. What about when the person is made to live with their "partner" and/or the other family before a (legal) marriage takes place? 3. What if the person was "married" in another country before reaching the legal age for marriage in that other country? 4. Is it really a marriage if they were "married" as a child but the marriage was not consummated? 5. What if the ceremony was conducted in a language that the person does not understand, or understands only in a very limited way? The fact is that any or all of these situations could involve the risk or reality of forced marriage, and/or servile marriage depending on the exact circumstances. Aim of the Casebook Seeing education as a crucial part of advocating for positive social change, this casebook is intended to be a resource for those who may encounter the risk or reality of forced and/or servile marriage in their work. For example, this could include circumstances in which a teacher observes that a student may be at risk, or where a case worker assesses that a client's circumstances involve the risk or reality of forced and/or servile marriage or a similar marriage like relationship. By aiding understanding of the variety of forms that these practices can take, and the great diversity of contexts in which they may occur, the aim of the casebook is to support early intervention and/or prevention and thus ameliorate the harm done to those facing forced and/or servile marriage. Details: Marrickville, NSW, AUS: Rosemount Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services, 2015. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2015 at: http://rosemountgs.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Forced-Servile-Marriage-Casebook-April-2014.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Marriage Shelf Number: 136860

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria Summary: The Ombudsman announced her investigation in July 2014, prompted by the growth in prisoner numbers, concerns with rates of re-offending and the cost to the Victorian community. The investigation looked at: whether services provided to prisoners are effective in reducing re-offending the impact of prisoner numbers on these services and whether there are any particular groups within the prisoner population that are not adequately being supported. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2015. 161p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2015 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/5188692a-35b6-411f-907e-3e7704f45e17 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 136871

Author: Amnesty International Title: A Brighter Tomorrow: Keeping Indigenous kids in the community and out of detention in Australia Summary: Children are vital to any community. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Indigenous children, like children everywhere, have the right to develop their personalities, abilities and talents to the fullest potential, to grow up in an environment of happiness, love and understanding. The Convention recognizes each child as an individual and a member of a family and community. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognises the right of the right of Indigenous families and communities to secure the well-being of their children and to have greater control over decision-making about their own lives and futures. Community is everything when it comes to ensuring all young people have what they need to enjoy their rights as children. Indigenous youth detention in Australia is a national crisis - and the crisis is getting worse. Indigenous young people are "more likely to be incarcerated today than at any other time since the release of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody final report in 1991" said the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in 2011. The most recent data, from 2013-14, shows that Indigenous young people are 26 times more likely to be in detention than non-Indigenous young people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people make up just over 5 per cent of the Australian population of 10-17 year-olds but more than half (59 per cent) of those in detention. The situation is bleaker still among the youngest Indigenous children, who made up more than 60 per cent of all 10-year-olds and 11-year-olds in detention in Australia in 2012-13. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has more people in younger age brackets than the non-Indigenous population, with larger proportions of young people. In light of this, the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples noted in 2013 that "unless the rate of increase in youth detention can be reduced, rates of incarceration across the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population are likely to continue to increase into the future." This report details the nature of this crisis, and makes practical recommendations on ways the Australian Government can reduce these escalating rates. It is based on field and desk research carried out between 2013 and early 2015 by Amnesty International. In Australia, each state and territory government is responsible for its own laws, policies and practices for dealing with young people accused of committing, or convicted of, offences. However, it is the Federal Government ('Australian Government'), as a signatory to international human rights conventions, which bears ultimate responsibility for fulfilling the rights of Indigenous young people in all states and territories. In 2012 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed regret that, despite its previous recommendations, "the juvenile justice system of the [Australia] still requires substantial reforms for it to conform to international standards." This report highlights state and territory-based laws that breach international human rights obligations. The Australian Government should invalidate these laws, or work with the states and territories to have them repealed. Importantly, across all Australian states and territories children are held criminally responsible from just 10 years of age, despite the Committee on the Rights of the Child having concluded that 12 is the lowest internationally acceptable minimum age of criminal responsibility. The Western Australian Criminal Code Act 1913 (WA) requires magistrates to impose mandatory minimum sentences on young offenders in a number of circumstances. The Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2012 again recommended that the Australian Government take steps to abolish this practice. Far from accepting this recommendation, at the time of writing, the West Australian Legislative Assembly had in fact just passed a Bill that will increase the number of offences attracting a mandatory minimum sentence. Queensland treats 17-year-olds as adults in its criminal justice system. In 2012 the Committee on the Rights of the Child again recommended that Australia remove children who are 17 years old from the adult justice system in Queensland. Ignoring this recommendation, in 2014, the Queensland Government amended its Youth Justice Act 1992 to require all 17-year-olds with six months or more left of their sentence to be transferred to adult jails. This is contrary to Article 37(c) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 2014 the Queensland Government introduced a further law that is in direct conflict with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which says that the court must disregard the principle that detention must be a last resort. This report sets out further actions that the Australian Government should take to comply with international legal obligations across all states and territories. For example, Australia should withdraw its reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as this reservation has been justified to detain children with adult prisoners where separation is not "considered to be feasible having regard to the geography and demography of Australia." The Committee on the Rights of the Child has repeatedly noted that the reservation should be withdrawn. Details: Broadway NSW: Amnesty International Australia, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 30, 2015 at: http://www.amnesty.org.au/images/uploads/aus/A_brighter_future_National_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 136928

Author: Leclerc, Benoit Title: Adult sex offenders in youth-oriented institutions: Evidence on sexual victimisation experiences of offenders and their offending patterns Summary: There is significant interest in the issue of child sexual abuse committed in institutional settings. This study uses information collected from a sample of 23 convicted Canadian sex offenders to examine key elements of the offending. Issues explored include the nature of the offender's involvement with institutions, their own prior sexual victimisation experiences, factors influencing the selection of victims and the locations where the sexual assaults occurred. Particularly telling was the length of time offenders spent at an institution prior to initiating the assaults and the potential to avert offending by reducing opportunities to offend, as well as the associated danger evident in allowing staff - without supervision - to transport children outside of an institutional setting, given the frequency of the assaults that occurred offsite. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 497: Accessed September 30, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi497.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 136929

Author: New South Wales. Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Lifers: Classification and Regression Summary: Recent media reports have been critical of the Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) inmate classification system; in particular, how this system is applied to inmates serving life sentences ('lifers'), and the access of the lifer cohort to other than a maximum-security classification. Many of the reports contained misinformation about the purpose and operation of the classification system and about the level of 'privileges' afforded to inmates. The media reports also indicate an absence of understanding with regard to information sharing between CSNSW and registered victims, and expectations related to security conditions for offenders serving life sentences. The media reports have also implied that, in recent years, there have been changes to the policies and practices by which lifer inmates, and other maximum-security inmates, are managed. The tenor of these suggestions, in essence, is that the management of the correctional system in general, and of lifer inmates in particular, does not meet community expectations. The terms 'soft treatment', 'cushy treatment', 'privileges' and 'social reform' have been used repeatedly in media reports. Objective This report will examine the classification of life-sentenced inmates. This is an issue that has attracted media and community interest recently. Commentary not based on evidence does little to promote public confidence in the justice system. This report will outline the purpose and importance of the inmate classification system in the NSW correctional system. It will examine the structure of the inmate classification system in NSW with particular reference to lifers. The ways in which CSNSW engages with victims of crime and shares information with them will also be discussed. It is the view of the Inspector that concerns around lifers and their classification warrant inspection under the provisions of the Act as they are in the public interest. Details: Sydney: NSW Inspector of Custodial Services, 2015. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2015 at: http://www.custodialinspector.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Lifers%20Classification%20and%20regression.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Inmate Classification Shelf Number: 136941

Author: Harris, Anita Title: Young Australians' attitudes to violence against women. Findings from the 2013 National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey for respondents 16-24 years Summary: Violence against women is widely recognised as a global issue. It is an often invisible, but common form of violence, and an insidious violation of human rights. It has serious impacts on the health and wellbeing of those affected and exacts significant economic costs on communities and nations. Australia is not immune. The National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey was developed by VicHealth in partnership with The University of Melbourne, the Social Research Centre and experts across Australia, and supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services as part of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022. This is the third survey of its kind, with the first undertaken in 1995 and the second in 2009. The survey tells us that we have been able to challenge a culture that allows violence against women to occur. There have been sustained improvements since 1995 in a number of areas. However, there are other areas in which progress has been minimal, along with some concerning negative findings. This report focuses on the responses given by 1,923 young people aged between 16 - 22 years who participated in NCAS. These findings are compared with those aged 35 - 64 years of age, enabling results to be compared between two generations: young people and their parents. The report identifies positive attitudes and some areas of concern with regard to the attitudes of young people on violence. Details: Carlton South, Victoria: VICHealth, 2015. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/research/young-australians-attitudes-violence-against-women Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 136950

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Changes to Sentencing Practice: Young Adult Offenders Summary: Changes to Sentencing Practice examines the effect on young adult offenders of recent changes to sentencing options in Victoria. In particular, the analysis shows an increase in the use of the community correction order, a sentencing option introduced in Victoria in 2012. This report examines the extent to which recent changes to intermediate sentencing options in Victoria have influenced sentencing practices for young adult offenders (18 years or over and under 21 years at the time of sentencing) in Victoria. This group of offenders is a subset of the group of offenders aged under 21 that are defined as 'young offenders', by section 3 of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic). The analysis examines the longitudinal trends for sentencing for this age group in two ways. First, the variations in the number of young adult offenders sentenced are considered. Second, the differences in the sentencing outcomes for those offenders are explored. This report demonstrates that there has been a large decline in the number of young adult offenders sentenced in Victoria in recent years. The analysis also demonstrates that, for young adult offenders who are sentenced, there has been a notable increase in the use of the recently introduced community correction order (CCO). The report concludes by discussing some possible reasons for these trends and outlining directions for future research. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2015 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Changes%20to%20Sentencing%20Practice%20Young%20Adult%20Offenders.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Based Corrections Shelf Number: 136956

Author: Homel, Ross Title: Preventing the onset of youth offending:The impact of the Pathways to Prevention Project on the behaviour and wellbeing of children and young people Summary: This report presents some new findings from the Pathways to Prevention Project, utilising detailed data from a sample of 123 matched pairs of Grade 7 or 8 children, half of whom participated (via their families) in Pathways support activities, and half of whom did not. The focus is whether the holistic form of family support delivered in the Pathways Project, which is similar in many respects to services regularly delivered in communities across Australia, can improve the wellbeing and behaviour of children in the primary schools years (ages 5 to 12), and at the transition to high school, reducing the likelihood of involvement in youth offending. There is currently very limited quantitative evidence internationally on these questions. The specific research questions were: 1. What effect did participation in any form of Pathways family support between Grade 1 (age 5) and Grade 7 (age 12) have on child behaviour and wellbeing at Grade 7, including indicators of positive youth development? 2. What levels of participation were related to the greatest improvements in child outcomes, or to good scores on the various measures of positive youth development at the transition to high school? The Pathways to Prevention Project was implemented and evaluated as part of a partnership between Griffith University, the Queensland Department of Education, and Mission Australia. The project operated in a disadvantaged region of Brisbane for ten years between 2002 and 2011, when Mission Australia brought the community-based family support work to an end. The project team, consisting of a small number of university staff and postgraduate students, the Mission Australia team of approximately 15 full time and part-time community workers, and a range of school principals and classroom and specialist teachers from seven primary schools, responded to the needs of 1,077 families and children. 30% of all children enrolled in one of these seven schools between 2002 and 2011 belonged to a family at least one of whose parents/carers participated in the Pathways family support activities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Report to the Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2015. Accessed October 5, 2015 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1415/30-1112-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 136958

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Trends in methylamphetamine availability, use and treatment, 2003-04 to 2013-14 Summary: There have been several corresponding trends in the availability, use and treatment of methylamphetamines since 2003-04. Following a decline between 2006-07 and 2009-10, there have been increases across many factors relating to methylamphetamines to 2013-14. Arrests, seizures and detections have all increased. Users are now favouring the crystal form of methylamphetamine. They are using it more frequently, and, there appear to be more new users of crystal. There are more people in treatment reporting smoking as their usual method of use for amphetamines than previously. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug treatment series no. 26: Accessed October 8, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129552826 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 136970

Author: Angus, Christopher Title: Older prisoners: trends and challenges Summary: Australians are expected to continue living longer in the coming decades, benefiting from one of the world's longest life expectancies. Although this is undoubtedly a positive development, an older Australia creates numerous challenges, notably increased health and aged care costs. Australian prisons will face these same challenges, as increasing numbers of 'older prisoners'- commonly defined as inmates aged 50 years and over-place additional strain on State government authorities and resources. This e-brief looks at a range of issues relating to older prisoners in NSW, as well as in other Australian and international jurisdictions. The paper provides statistics showing the number of older prisoners in NSW and Australia, along with historical trends that have seen a rise in the overall number and proportion of older prisoners, including older female and Indigenous prisoners. An ageing prison population brings with it a number of problems, including: increased costs of remand; health issues such as age-related functional decline; a lack of appropriate and meaningful programs for older prisoners; and release and resettlement issues once older inmates leave prison. In response to these concerns, stakeholders have advocated for a range of policies that could more effectively support the needs of older prisoners. Some policies, such as tailored facilities for older prisoners, have been implemented in NSW. Chapter 8 of this paper notes a broader range of policies that have been implemented overseas and which are considered to be best practice responses to the challenges of an ageing prison population. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief 14/2015: Accessed October 8, 2015 at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/022A7DD47B719DECCA257ED00080EF3D/$File/Older+prisoners+-+trends+and+challenges.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Elderly Inmates Shelf Number: 136974

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Pathways through youth justice supervision: further analyses Summary: This report looks at the complete youth justice supervision history of 24,102 young people in Australia, who experienced supervision, both in the community and in detention, between 1 July 2000 and 30 June 2014 when they were aged 10-17. More than one-third (37%) of young people experienced the most common pathway of sentenced community-based supervision only. Young people spent a median of 303 days (about 10 months) under supervision in total, and completed a median of 2 periods of supervision. About 11% of young people had a pathway that was considered 'extensive', and these young people accounted for about one-third (32%) of the total days of supervision and nearly half (45%) of all supervision periods. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 19: Accessed October 15, 2015 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129553111 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Community-based Corrections Shelf Number: 136982

Author: Coyne, John Title: Methamphetamine: Focusing Australia's National Ice Strategy on the problem, not the symptoms Summary: In this report, law enforcement isn't focused on arrests, prosecutions, custodial offences or seizures, as none of those will have a guaranteed impact on the problem. The focus is on means to reduce the availability of drugs, the disruption of user behaviour and the integration of education and health initiatives. The report argues that the National Ice Strategy should consider three key points: 1.Integration. Drug strategies have a better chance of being successful when each of its initiatives are integrated into a strategically focussed harm reduction strategy. 2.Innovation. Education, health and enforcement stakeholder should be free from the limitations of wholly quantitative performance measures 3. Disruption. Initiatives to tackle the ice problem should be focussed towards the disruption of problems rather than the treatment of symptoms of the problem. Details: Barton, ACT, Australia: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2015 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/methamphetamine-focusing-australias-national-ice-strategy-on-the-problem,-not-the-symptoms/SR82_ice.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Control Shelf Number: 136983

Author: Agnew-Pauley, Winifred Title: Re-offending in NSW Summary: Aim: To provide an overview of adult and juvenile re-offending over the last 10 years in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Descriptive analysis of data from the NSW Re-offending Database (ROD). Results and conclusion: Most offenders convicted in the NSW criminal courts were reconvicted of a further offence within 10 years of their initial offence, and this was especially so for juveniles and Indigenous offenders. Those reconvicted tended to be reconvicted for a variety of offences. Keywords: Re-offending, recidivism, NSW, juveniles, adults Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 108: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/bb108.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Adult Offenders Shelf Number: 137025

Author: Akesson, Grant Title: The Impact of Liquor Restrictions in Halls Creek. Quantitative Date -- Five Years Post-restriction Summary: On 11 May 2009, the Director of Liquor Licensing released his decision that, as of 18 May 2009, the following restrictions be imposed for an indefinite period of time, with a review of the effectiveness of the restrictions at regular intervals. Halls Creek Store - The sale of packaged liquor, exceeding a concentration of ethanol and liquor of 2.7 per cent at 200C, is prohibited to any person, other than a liquor merchant. Kimberley Store - The sale of packaged liquor, exceeding a concentration of ethanol and liquor of 2.7 per cent at 200C, is prohibited to any person, other than a lodger (as defined in section 3 of the Liquor Control Act 1988) or a liquor merchant. - The sale and supply of liquor for consumption on the premises is prohibited before 12:00 noon on any day, except when it is sold ancillary to a meal or to a lodger. - A dress code is to be displayed at each entrance to the premises. - Liquor products are not permitted to be displayed for sale within the area outlined blue on the plan dated 17 November 2008. This report provides a range of statistical information covering six time periods. - Pre-restriction - June 2008 to May 2009; - Post-restriction period 1 - June 2009 to May 2010; - Post-restriction period 2 - June 2010 to May 2011; - Post-restriction Period 3 - June 2011 to May 2012; - Post-restriction Period 4 - June 2012 to May 2013; - Post-restriction Period 5 - June 2013 to May 2014. Details: Western Australia : Drug and Alcohol Office, Government of Western Australia, 2015. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2015 at: http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/DesktopModules/Bring2mind/DMX/Download.aspx?Command=Core_Download&EntryId=1155&PortalId=0&TabId=211 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 137191

Author: Munro, Eileen Title: Hear no evil, see no evil: Understanding failure to identify and report child sexual abuse in institutional contexts Summary: The Royal Commission has developed a comprehensive research program to support its work and to inform its findings and recommendations. The program focuses on eight themes: 1. Why does child sexual abuse occur in institutions? 2. How can child sexual abuse in institutions be prevented? 3. How can child sexual abuse be better identified? 4. How should institutions respond where child sexual abuse has occurred? 5. How should government and statutory authorities respond? 6. What are the treatment and support needs of victims/survivors and their families? 7. What is the history of particular institutions of interest? 8. How do we ensure the Royal Commission has a positive impact? This research report falls within theme three. The case studies examined in this report explore many of the organisational factors that influence how well children are protected: the recruitment process, training in recognising and responding to indications of abuse, and formal policies about what people should do both to prevent and react to abuse. Our study highlighted less tangible but equally influential aspects of organisations that were also evident in the case studies, including: Local rationality: People do what they think is right or sensible at a given time, and inquiries such as this need to find out what local rationalities may have influenced their actions. Organisational culture: This is partly created by the explicit strategies and messages of senior managers but is also strongly influenced by covert messages that are transmitted throughout organisations, influencing individual behaviour. These can significantly affect the rigour with which policies and procedures are implemented. Balancing risks: Policies and actions that protect children can also create dangers. Workers who are fearful of being wrongly suspected of abuse may keep their distance from children and not provide the nurturing, healthy relationships that children need to have with adults. Organisations have to reach some conclusion as to what level of concern should be reported. Making it compulsory to report even a low level of concern will identify more cases of abuse but at the cost of including numerous non-abusive cases. Efforts therefore need to be made to create a culture that understands the ambiguity of the behaviour so that innocent people's reputations are not tainted by false reports. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2015 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/620678bb-6c9d-45da-94c3-63c4b40e648f/Hear-no-evil,-see-no-evil Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Maltreatment Shelf Number: 137192

Author: Rowe, Rachel Title: Evaluation Report: Vietnamese Transitions Project 2011-2012 Summary: In 2012 DAMEC completed an evaluation of the Transitions Project, which aims to prevent recidivism and reduce substance use related harms among Vietnamese ex-offenders. Results showed that Transitions significantly improved continuity of care for its participants from prison to post-release and assisted participants to reduce the number of serious problems that they faced upon returning to the community. Details: Sydney: Crossroads Social Research and Evaluation Consultancy, 2012. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: http://www.damec.org.au/resources/damec-publications/reports/vietnamese-transitions-evaluation-2011-2012?layout=table Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offender Treatment Shelf Number: 137201

Author: Baldry, Eileen Title: A predictable and preventable path: Aboriginal people with mental and cognitive disabilities in the criminal justice system Summary: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with mental and cognitive disabilities are significantly over-represented in Australian criminal justice systems. However there has been a lack of critically informed evidence, analysis and co-ordinated policy and service response on this most pressing human rights issue. The Indigenous[1] Australians with Mental Health Disorders and Cognitive Disability in the Criminal Justice System (IAMHDCD) Project[2] brings an innovative Indigenous-informed mixed method research approach that provides, for the first time, a critical analysis of systems interactions and responses to the complex needs of Indigenous people with disability in criminal justice. It draws on the mental health disorder and cognitive disability MHDCD Dataset, which contains lifelong administrative information on a cohort of 2,731 persons who have been in prison in NSW and whose mental health and cognitive impairment diagnoses are known. All NSW criminal justice agencies (Corrective Services, Police, Juvenile Justice, Courts, Legal Aid) and human service agencies (Housing, Ageing Disability and Home Care, Community Services, Justice Health and Health NSW) have provided data relating to these individuals. A quarter (676) of the cohort is Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander: 583 Indigenous men (21% of the whole cohort and 86% of the Indigenous sub-cohort) and 93 Indigenous women (3% of the whole cohort and 14% of the Indigenous sub-cohort). This has enabled the compilation of administrative de-identified life-course 'pathway' case studies for Aboriginal people in the Dataset, providing a broad, dynamic, trans-criminal justice and human service understanding of their involvement in the criminal justice system. It also reports on a qualitative investigation of the experiences of Aboriginal women and men who have mental and cognitive disability and who have been in the criminal justice system undertaken in four communities in NSW and one community in the NT. Analyses and interpretation of these quantitative and qualitative findings are informed by the conceptual tools of decolonisation, complexity and critical methodologies in the fields of criminology, race, feminist and disability studies. Our research team has developed an in-depth picture of the interactions of diagnoses, vulnerabilities, complex support needs and intensive interventions and how these coalesce for Aboriginal people with mental and cognitive disabilities in the criminal justice system. New understandings of the interactions amongst criminal justice and social, health, disability and other human services for Aboriginal people with complex support needs in two Australian criminal justice systems (NSW and NT) are detailed. This report sets out detailed quantitative analysis of the 676 Indigenous women and men in the MHDCD cohort as well as views of community members regarding systemic and social challenges, service failures, positive program interventions, and culturally responsive approaches and remedies. This project provides innovative theoretical and applied knowledge that can assist in the reduction of the unacceptably high level of Aboriginal people with mental and cognitive disabilities in Australian criminal justice systems. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2015. 180p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: https://www.mhdcd.unsw.edu.au/sites/www.mhdcd.unsw.edu.au/files/u18/pdf/a_predictable_and_preventable_path_2nov15.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 137203

Author: Amnesty International Title: By Hook or By Crook: Australia's Abuse of Asylum-Seekers at Sea Summary: Operation Sovereign Borders is Australia's military-led border control operation. In operations called turn-backs, Australian officials intercept boats of asylum-seekers and prevent them from landing in Australia. This report examines the legality and human rights impact of Operation Sovereign Border turn-backs, based on testimonies from people who had been on board boats that Australian officials intercepted between 2013 and 2015. Details: London: Amnesty International, 2015. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ASA12/2576/2015/en/ Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 137204

Author: Western Australia. Drug and Alcohol Office Title: Transitional Housing and Support Program (THASP) Evaluation Summary: In March 2011, the Economic and Expenditure Reform Committee (EERC) approved a Combined Capital Bid (CCB) by the Minister for Mental Health; Disability Services, to provide capital funding for community based housing for people with mental illness, AOD problems and disabilities. The Transitional Housing and Support Program (THASP) Phase 1 was established as a pilot, jointly implemented by Department of Housing (DoH) and the Drug and Alcohol Office (DAO). THASP Program Scope In May 2011 THASP Phase 1 commenced providing community based, independent living for people exiting residential AOD treatment programs. A key feature of the THASP program is ongoing support for clients to help with personal recovery and relapse prevention. Clients are assisted with support worker visits; counselling; integration back into the community, education, training and employment; independent living skills; and identifying suitable long term housing. Support provided in each house can vary from harm minimisation, reduced use and ongoing abstinence (with the possible exception of prescription medication or tobacco). The houses are either sole use, shared with other participants or with the client's family. Houses can include mixed cohorts or programs for specific populations, such as mixed gender, women with children, youth or Aboriginal people and families. The houses are primarily available for 3-6 months however some cases may warrant longer term (up to 12 months). Clients can include those with severe and long-term problematic use of alcohol and other drugs, a history of unsuccessful treatment, home or social environment unsupportive of treatment and/or clients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. It was expected that THASP would achieve the following: - positive outcomes for clients and their families accessing the services; - an increase in number of people exiting residential rehabilitation services and successfully transitioning into independent living; and - a reduction in the number of people exiting residential rehabilitation into homelessness. Evaluation Scope Data collection for the THASP evaluation commenced in March 2013 and was completed by 30 August 2013. Within scope were 15 THASP houses allocated to 8 residential treatment support providers. From commencement of THASP to 30 August 2013, 35 clients resided in a THASP house with an average length of stay of 6 months. The key evaluation objectives were to determine: - program outputs - short-term program outcomes - process issues and what could be improved, including: -- Impact on residential treatment services as support providers -- Impact on the local community and other external stakeholders Not within the initial scope was a review of efficiency, effectiveness and cost effectiveness. However, based on the data collection for the objectives listed above, a basic analysis was conducted and reported on in the Discussion section of this paper. Details: Mount Lawley, WA, AUS: Western Australian Drug and Alcohol Office, 2013. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: http://www.dao.health.wa.gov.au/DesktopModules/Bring2mind/DMX/Download.aspx?EntryId=951&Command=Core_Download&PortalId=0&TabId=211 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 137205

Author: Western Australia. Department of the Attorney General Title: Evaluation of the Metropolitan Family Violence Court and Evaluation of the Barndimalgu Court Summary: This report sets out the findings from the technical working papers prepared on the 2011 outcome evaluation of the six Metropolitan Family Violence Courts and the 2013 evaluation of the Barndimalgu Court, Geraldton. The purpose of both evaluation processes was to establish whether Family Violence Courts are operating effectively and whether they represent a cost-effective alternative to mainstream courts, after accounting for victim outcomes, recidivism and financial cost. The evaluation of the Family Violence Courts involved a variety of methods, which broadly included: literature overview; stakeholder interviews; victim and offender interviews; analysis of victim and offender feedback surveys; quantitative data analysis; and cost analysis. In addition, the evaluation process for the Barndimalgu Court was grounded in principles of cultural integrity and good practice methodology for evaluation of Aboriginal programs. Background - Specialist Family Violence Courts in WA Family Violence Courts in Western Australia (WA) currently operate as specialist court lists, victim support, and case management services at six Magistrates Court locations, which include: Joondalup; Rockingham; Fremantle; Midland; Armadale; Perth; and Geraldton (Barndimalgu Court). These courts specialise in family violence matters, offering eligible participants the opportunity to undertake a court supervised process on conditional bail involving case management and/or program participation prior to sentencing. Specialist victim support services are also made available, and provide a range of advocacy, support and referral services for victims of those participating on the Family Violence Court program, including assistance with Violence Restraining Order applications. The Barndimalgu Court is unique as it provides a more culturally appropriate and therapeutic court-based model for addressing Aboriginal family violence in Geraldton. This Court includes local Aboriginal community members in the court-based case management process. Details: Perth, WA, AUS: Western Australia Department of the Attorney General, 2014. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: http://www.department.dotag.wa.gov.au/_files/fvc_evaluation_report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 137218

Author: Victoria (Australia). Parliament. Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry into Violence and Security Arrangements in Victorian Hospitals Summary: Violence in hospitals is an ongoing problem in Victoria. Such violence can take the form of verbal abuse, threats and physical assault and in most cases is directed at health workers who have immediate contact with patients. Nurses are most at risk and particularly those who work in Emergency Departments of hospitals. This Reference to the Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee allowed the Committee to examine, in detail, strategies to reduce the risk of violence and to best manage any violent incidents that do occur. The Committee was also able to investigate the most effective forms of security in a hospital environment. Initially, the deployment of Protective Service Officers in Emergency Departments of hospitals was seen as a way to help combat violent behaviour. As is detailed in this Report, health clinicians, hospital staff in general and security personnel have unanimously opposed the placement of armed PSOs in hospitals. Conversely, there has been wide support for various mechanisms that help prevent antisocial behaviour and, consequently make hospitals a safer place for staff, patients and visitors. The Committee also spent considerable time investigating the under-reporting of aggression and violence towards hospital staff and has made a number of recommendations aimed at encouraging the reporting of such incidents and improving the data collection system. This is a comprehensive Report which examined all facets of security in Victorian hospitals. The Committee has made a number of recommendations which will help prevent and reduce the impacts of violence and provide a greater sense of security and safety in Victoria. Details: Melbourne: Government Printer for State of Victoria, 2011. 241p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/dcpc/ivsavh/Inq_Violence_and_Security_Arrangements_in_Victorian_Hospitals.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Hospital Security Shelf Number: 137219

Author: Victorian Department of Human Services, Nurse Policy Branch Title: Victorian Taskforce on Violence in Nursing: Final Report Summary: Health care professionals who are involved in direct clinical care and who are in frequent contact with the public are confronted with incidents of occupational violence and bullying. Among health care professionals, nurses are particularly exposed to occupational violence and bullying. Nurses have been identified as the occupational group most at risk of violence in the workplace in Australia (Mayhew 2000). Recent Australian research indicates that as many as 95 per cent of nurse respondents had experienced repeated episodes of verbal aggression in the year prior to the study, with 80 per cent reporting multiple episodes of physical aggression from patients (O'Connell et al. 2000). Research consistently indicates that nurses under-report incidents of violence (Erickson & Williams-Evans 2000; Fry et al.2002; Poster 1996). There are indications that nurses who are frequently exposed to violence are less likely to report the incident as they believe it is just part of the job, and the way an incident or near incident is reported itself differs across hospitals. There is a lack of consistent definition and measurement of violence and bullying against nurses, which contributes to a lack of understanding of the nature and prevalence of the problem. The Minister for Health, the Hon Bronwyn Pike MP, established a taskforce in early 2004 to provide strategic advice to the Victorian Government regarding occupational violence and bullying against nurses. The Victorian Taskforce on Violence and Bullying was chaired by Maxine Morand, Member for MountWaverley, who is a former nurse and research scientist. Members of the taskforce possess in-depth knowledge and experience of the Victorian health sector, particularly concerning nursing matters. Representatives were brought together from division 1, 2 and 3 registered nurses, the Australian Nursing Federation (Vic Branch), Health Services Union, Health and Community Services Union, Victoria Police, Victorian Deans of Nursing, the Vocational Education and Training sector, human resource directors in health services, Nurses Board of Victoria, Royal College of Nursing Australia, Directors of Nursing, and WorkSafe Victoria. The taskforce was asked to define occupational violence and bullying against nurses, develop approaches to the prevention and management of occupational violence and consider factors that impact on the provision and management of a safe environment for nurses, other health professionals and clients. The taskforce aims included developing strategies that promote a reduction and consistent reporting of incidents of occupational violence in nursing and to consider a coordinated approach to addressing these issues. In order to fully examine key issues and recommend specific strategies to address occupational violence and bullying against nurses, the committee determined that four subcommittees should be convened. The four subcommittees reviewed and further refined the different aspects, definitions and potential strategies to approaching their specific area. They covered the areas of violence and aggression, bullying, education, and reporting tools. Each subcommittee undertook specific analysis and discussion to identify strategies. The taskforce highlighted a number of themes as being crucial to preventing and managing violence and bulling in the nursing workplace. These themes were common to each of the areas analysed and are reflected in the recommendations. Details: Melbourne: Victoria, Department of Human Services, 2005. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2015 at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/17674/victaskforcevio.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Healthcare Professionals Shelf Number: 137231

Author: Victoria. Department of Human Services Title: Occupational violence in nursing: An analysis of the phenomenon of code grey/black events in four Victorian hospitals Summary: Study aims The aims of this study are threefold: 1. To describe the prevalence and impact of code black and code grey events in three Melbourne metropolitan health care agencies and one regional centre. 2. To identify organisational factors, patient characteristics and specific patient groups that are more susceptible to being involved in violent incidents within the workplace. 3. To identify best practice and suggest appropriate organisational and nursing interventions that will improve the management of patient violence directed towards nurses and other health care staff. In addressing these aims, the study will answer the following research questions: - What is best practice when training for: the de-escalation of aggression, the management of code black and code grey events, and debriefing of nurses following a code black or code grey event? - What is the prevalence of occupational violence across three major metropolitan and one regional health care agency? - How does patient aggression manifest and how is it perceived and managed by nurses? - Do reported incidents of patient aggression accurately reflect actual levels of patient aggression? - What demographic, patient and organisational factors influence the frequency of code grey and code black events? Details: Melbourne: Victoria, Department of Human Services, 2005. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2015 at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/17585/codeblackgrey.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Healthcare Professionals Shelf Number: 137232

Author: Jones, Sandra C. Title: Why don't friends and relatives of underage drinkers comply with secondary supply laws in NSW? Summary: The Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol recommend that "for children and young people under 18 years of age, not drinking alcohol is the safest option". However, in Australia the majority of children have tried alcohol by the age of 12 and there is a perception among many adolescents and adults that underage drinking is a normative behaviour. Research shows that, in addition to the strong influence of perceived peer norms, adult approval and acceptance of alcohol use is highly correlated with underage drinking behavior. In Australia, almost 60 per cent of alcohol consumed by 12-17 year olds is supplied by friends, relatives or strangers (with much of the remainder provided by parents). The provision of alcohol to people under the age of 18 by someone other than their parent or guardian, or another adult with the express consent of their parent or guardian, is illegal in most (but not all) Australian jurisdictions. There is a substantial body of research into the reasons why people do (and do not) comply with the law, particularly in the context of driving offences and crimes against property (such as vandalism, theft and littering). The main obedience variables identified as predictors of compliance are Personal Morality, Deterrence, Perceived Legitimacy, Social Norms and Procedural Fairness. The study presented in this report sought to explore why Australian adults continue to provide alcohol to adolescents despite being aware that this behavior is illegal. Given the substantial body of literature exploring reasons for compliance with traffic laws, we also sought to explore similarities and differences in perceptions of secondary supply, speeding, and drink driving offences. Details: Canberra: Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, 2015. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/research/Why-don�t-friends-and-relatives-comply-with-secondary-supply-laws-in-NSW.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 137272

Author: Renshaw, Lauren Title: Migrant sex workers in Australia Summary: There has been little research conducted on the experiences of migrant sex workers both internationally and within Australia. This is despite widespread media and other reports highlighting the perception of migrant sex workers as particularly vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking. This report focuses on consolidating current knowledge of migrants in the Australian sex industry, based on a review of the existing literature and an analysis of responses to a survey conducted among migrant and non-migrant sex workers in a range of states and territories in Australia in 2010. This analysis explores the demographic profile, work conditions and access to services of migrant sex workers and how they differ from Australian-born sex workers. It also seeks to gather information on the migration experiences of migrant sex workers and their motivations for migrating to Australia. Overview of the Australian sex industry A review was undertaken of the literature on the predominant features of the sex industry in Australia - including its legality in each state and territory - and of the findings of previous research on the Australian sex worker population, particularly migrant sex workers. There are three general legal frameworks applied to sex work in Australia - criminalising certain components of the sex industry; legalising certain components of the sex industry, usually under a licensing or registration scheme; and decriminalising certain aspects of the sex industry. The industry can be categorised into brothel work, massage work, private work, escort work (solo or with an agency) and street-based work, although it is acknowledged that these are simplified distinctions that may not reflect all sex workers' situations. Sex work is largely illegal in Western Australia and South Australia, and in Tasmania only private work is legal (with private work referring to a person working independently or with another person). Sex work, other than street-based sex work, is legal and regulated under licensing schemes in Victoria, Queensland (except escort agencies) and, partially, in the Northern Territory (escort agencies only). In the Australian Capital Territory, both brothel-based and private sex work have been legalised under a registration scheme. Sex work has been decriminalised in New South Wales since 1995, though restrictions on street-based sex work still apply. The size of the sex industry in Australia is largely unknown, although it has been estimated that there are approximately 20,000 individuals working as sex workers in Australia in any one year (Quadara 2008). Research suggests that in the sex industry in New South Wales, approximately 40 percent of sex workers work privately, with the other 60 percent working predominantly in sex industry businesses, or as escorts or on the street (Donovan et al. 2012). However, there may be variations in this proportion in other jurisdictions due to the different legal frameworks affecting the legality of private and brothel work. Research on Australia's sex worker population suggests that demographic profiles such as age, education and cultural background may vary by state/territory and sex work sector. Current research, mainly in the Sydney City area, suggests that migrants (largely from Asia) make up a substantial proportion of workers in the sex industry, particularly migrants from Thailand and China, and increasingly from South Korea (Donovan et al. 2012). Although there have been several surveys on the sex worker population generally, research specifically on migrant sex workers is limited. A number of projects with migrant sex workers have generated valuable demographic data on the lives, backgrounds, experiences and needs of migrant sex workers in Australia (Pell et al. 2006; Prostitutes' Collective of Victoria 1994). The few studies that exist suggest that migrant sex workers may be older than their Australian-born counterparts and less likely to work in a street-based setting (Pell et al. 2006; Woodward et al. 2004). Reports based on immigration data suggest that many have initially entered Australia on tourist (eg Working Holiday and Work and Holiday Visas) and student visas (Bowen 2011; DIMIA, cited in ANAO 2006; Pell et al. 2006). The literature also suggests that several factors (eg language barriers and isolation, gender and race discrimination, stigma attached to sex work and criminalisation of sex work) may intersect for migrant sex workers to increase their vulnerability to experiencing, and barriers to reporting, incidents of violence and exploitation (Allimant & Ostapiej-Piatkowski 2011; Quadara 2008). With regard to what is known from research into sex workers' work conditions, sex industry businesses employ workers largely as independent contractors, although there is evidence to suggest that many of the employment relationships reflect that of an employer/employee (Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee 2010; Murray 2003; Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council 2005; Simmons & David 2012). Further, incidents of debt contracts among migrants working in the industry have been reported anecdotally, and debt bondage has been observed in a few prosecuted cases involving slavery and sexual servitude (Brockett & Murray 1994; IDC 2014). Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Public Policy Series no. 131: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rpp/131/rpp131.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Migrants Shelf Number: 137274

Author: Coyne, John Title: Securing the Australian Frontier: An agenda for border security policy Summary: This report explores the key border security concepts and emergent policy challenges that will impact on Australia's border security policy. Effective border security allows for the seamless legitimate movement of people and goods across Australia's borders, which is critical to enhancing trade, travel and migration. The provision of border security involves far more than creating a capability focused solely on keeping our borders secure from potential terrorists, irregular migrants and illicit contraband. Border security policy deals with a unique operating space, in which extraordinary measures (extraordinary in character, amount, extent or degree) are often needed to provide a sense of security at the same time as creating the sense of normalcy that will allow economic interactions to flourish. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Stategic Policy Institute, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/securing-the-australian-frontier-an-agenda-for-border-security-policy/SR83_ASPI_Border_security_agenda.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Patrol Shelf Number: 137275

Author: Victoria. The Prostitution Control Act Ministerial Advisory Committee Title: Improving the Regulation of the Sex Industry and Supporting Sex Workers Who Want to Move On Summary: This report presents the result of the Committee's analysis of its terms of reference to enquire into and examine: 1. appropriate support services for people considering moving on from sex work, and 2. the experiences of prostitution business proprietors under the Prostitution Control Act 1994 ("the Act"), particularly the provisions relating to advertising, liquor and health and safety, to advise on improvements to achieve the principle objective of harm minimisation. The report is in five sections. Section 1 presents an introduction to the report and a summary of the objectives of the Prostitution Control Act 1994. Section 2: Supporting Sex Workers who want to Move On presents the work of the Committee in fulfilling the terms of reference about career transition support. This section draws the thread of knowledge gathered from the Committee's research and presents them into a set of recommendations to improve the delivery of services for sex workers in Victoria. The Committee also submitted to the Minister an interim report summarising these interviews in May 2005 (see Appendix 1 for the Interim Report). The interim report found that there are many pathways into prostitution and that moving on from sex work is just as complex. Section 3: Improving the Regulations of the Sex Industry presents the results of the Committee's examination of the impact on businesses and sex workers of the advertising, liquor, and health and safety provisions in the Act. This section is underpinned by the Committee's belief that the viability of businesses operating within the law is a key contributor to the overall health of the legislative framework. Section 4 presents the Committee's recommendations, and Section 5 presents the report's five appendices - these are the interim report from May 2005, the interview questions for welfare organisations, the interview questions for licensees, the survey questions for sex worker, and a short profile of each of the Committee members. Details: Melbourne: Consumer Affairs Victoria, 2007. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/resources-and-education/research Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Brothels Shelf Number: 137279

Author: Pickering, Sharon Title: Working in Victorian Brothels Summary: In November 2008 Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) contracted Monash University to conduct Research on the Illegal Brothel Sector in Victoria (RIBS). The project submitted a Report on Stakeholder Consultations in December 2008. The Interim Report was delivered in April 2009. This is the Final Report of the project. The research is based on qualitative interviews with regulatory and enforcement agencies, owners and operators of brothels, support workers and sex workers. As the research reveals, clear definitions of illegal brothels and illegal activity are difficult to achieve for a number of reasons. The regulatory framework in Victoria engages four different agencies with different interests in the framework. The Business Licensing Authority (BLA) is responsible for the issuing of licences for prostitution service providers (owner-operators), exempt prostitution service providers (one or two workers offering services) and managers. Consumer Affairs Victoria is responsible for enforcement consequent upon breaches of licence conditions. The Department of Health is responsible for health and safety breaches. Victoria Police is responsible for illegalities arising from breaches of the Prostitution Control Act 1994 (PCA). This research reveals that the current compliance and enforcement structures generate some confusion for industry stakeholders (owner-operators and workers) which impact on understandings of illegal activity and views about breaches and consequent harm. Therefore, in reporting our findings about illegal brothels, and illegal and unregulated activity, we have adopted the following terms and definitions for clarity in reporting our findings.This report uses the term unregulated activity for any activities which contravene or fall outside the provisions of the Prostitution Control Act 1994 and Prostitution Control Regulations 2006 (PCR), but do not undermine or negatively impact on worker autonomy. We use the term unlicensed activity to describe sexual service provision without licences primarily in premises offering some other form of service (massage is the prime example). We use the term illegal activity for any activities occurring in the licensed sector which contravene the provisions of the PCA and PCR and simultaneously undermine worker autonomy and control, as well as for organised activities that are carried on outside the regulatory framework by those profiting from the labour of sex workers. We make this distinction on the basis that the purpose and intent of the PCA, especially the offences outlined in Part 2 of the Act, and of the PCR suggest that worker safety and autonomy are key objectives in the regulatory framework in Victoria. In addition, the penalties applied in the PCA to workers and licensees are different, which suggests clear recognition of different and lesser degrees of harm consequent on breaches by workers, in contrast to breaches by owner-operators and/or managers. Illegality and unlicensed behaviour have different impacts for workers than owner-operators and managers when worker autonomy is central. Activities characterised as illegal when carried out by owner-operators are so defined because of their negative impact on workers as well as on community safety. By contrast, workers operating outside the regulatory framework are described as engaged in unregulated activity as they are generally seeking to undertake sex work in conditions that support rather than erode their autonomy. Details: Melbourne: Consumer Affairs Victoria, 2009. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2015 at: http://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=37594&local_base=GEN01-CSU01 Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: Brothels Shelf Number: 137280

Author: Pickering, Sharon Title: Counter-Terrorism Policing and Culturally Diverse Communities: Final Report Summary: This Report is the culmination of a three-year research partnership between Monash University and Victoria Police. The focus of the Report, Counter-Terrorism Policing in Culturally Diverse Communities, gives voice to a growing recognition that the world is changing in ways that presage the development of new approaches to criminal justice and social cohesion. Against the background of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, and subsequent terrorist strikes in Bali, Istanbul, Madrid and London, among other places, the study focuses on the challenge posed by terrorism in culturally diverse communities. More specifically, it is an investigation into how counterterrorism policing in Victoria, one of the most multicultural regions in the world, is perceived and experienced by both practitioners and members of different ethnic and cultural communities. To this end the study was divided into four distinct streams focusing respectively on policing, community attitudes, Commonwealth and state legislation, and the influence of the media, and how these four areas intersect to shape the way in which counter-terrorism policing occurs within Victoria. From a longer-term perspective, the study was inspired by a commitment to the principles that underpin community oriented policing and to ensure that these principles remain relevant in a world where the threat of terrorist violence has taken on a new significance. As such, a core assumption that has guided research throughout this project is that to be effective in the immediate and longer terms, counter-terrorism policing needs to enhance both social cohesion and police legitimacy. The originality of the project lies in two areas in particular. First, it lies in the access that was given to researchers to a wide array of culturally diverse voices across Victoria through a series of consultations and focus groups in metropolitan and regional areas. Second, it rests also on the willingness of serving members of Victoria Police to participate in a series of interviews and surveys on counter-terrorism policing. This report is therefore built on the trust and commitment to dialogue of over 1000 Victorians who served as research participants. Finally, the research was undertaken in an enduring spirit of cooperation and shared visions, qualities reflected not only in the enthusiasm of research participants but also in the regular meetings held between Monash University researchers and members of the Victoria Police Counter-Terrorism Co-ordination Unit, who met at least bimonthly for the three-year duration of the project. At the very least this spirit of cooperation provides a rebuttal of those who would claim that the innate sensitivities of terrorism preclude the possibility of cooperative and fruitful research and dialogue. In brief, the Report identifies: - Key issues in the perceptions and experiences of community and counter-terrorism policing from both police members and members of culturally diverse communities in Victoria. - Factors that are critical in the operation of counter-terrorism legislation and policy in Victoria. - Key issues in media reporting of counter-terrorism and terrorism in Victoria (will be published as an additional volume to this report). - Recommendations for consideration based on these findings. More generally, it confirms that Victoria Police has been able to capitalise upon the investments in promoting social cohesion and cultural diversity made by successive Victorian governments stretching back several decades to position itself as a national and international leader in the value it places on social cohesion. The findings of this research also indicate that Victoria Police is well placed to further integrate community-policing approaches into its counter-terrorism strategies. However, the findings also indicate the precariousness of police-community relationships when put under pressure through processes of alienation and social exclusion. It has taken many years of hard work on the part of governments, police and communities to build the uniquely harmonious multicultural environment that prevails in Victoria, but this work can unravel quickly if circumstances allow. The recommendations contained in this Report reflect the research team's assessment on what needs to be done to protect this investment in social cohesion against a background of growing uncertainty, and occasional social tension, unleashed by threatened or actual terrorist violence at home or abroad. Details: Clayton, VIC, AUS: Monash University, 2007. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2015 at: http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/gtrec/files/2012/08/counterterrorreport-07.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism policing Shelf Number: 137368

Author: Victoria. Department of Health Title: Progress on Occupational Violence Prevention in Victorian Health Services; Including a snapshot of the work arising from the Taskforce on Violence in Nursing Summary: The Victorian Taskforce on Violence in Nursing was asked to identify and review existing systems, procedures and policies in place in Victorian health services and recommend strategies to reduce the incidence of violence. The extensive experience of the taskforce members provided a valuable contribution to the development of solutions which culminated in 29 recommendations. The department was responsible for ensuring the implementation of a number of the recommendations, whilst health services were also responsible for the direct implementation of some recommendations. The work required strong engagement with the sector and a focus that included local solutions to local problems. The department played a major role in identifying and disseminating best practice in the prevention and management of occupational violence. Clearly, health services did not start the process of implementation from a level playing field, so the department played a large role in promoting greater consistency and building capacity of health services in the prevention and management of occupational violence. Accordingly, distribution of available resources required an equitable approach, which considered the varying needs of health services. Evaluating and reporting on the implementation required the development of a program logic. At the outset of the program implementation, the department's evaluation team worked with Nursing and Midwifery Policy to develop a framework for assessing the impacts of the work undertaken. The first key rationale for the work was that occupational violence adversely impacts on health workforce retention and service provision. The second rationale for the work was that the taskforce had identified community attitudes and organisational culture as key factors contributing to violence against health workers. These factors are much harder to quantify and often there is a considerable lag time between implementation and culture change. Therefore, the feedback sought from health services post implementation included qualitative impacts in addition to the fiscal accountability requirements for program funding. This included both subjective and objective views, including responses from staff, clients and visitors. The feedback has helped to identify future requirements and options for the prevention and better management of occupational violence against nurses and health workers. The program logic for the evaluation was agreed to by the implementation reference group, which was appointed by the Minister and included representatives from health services, WorkSafe and health sector unions. The improvements sought through the implementation and evaluation through the program logic included: - improved awareness of the impact of violence in health care settings - improved collaboration between health services and police in managing violence (refer to the Building Better Partnerships Project on page 29) - improved health service understanding of and compliance with relevant legislation - improved availability and analysis of occupational violence data (refer to strategy 5 page 36). Further medium term impacts sought were targeted training, improved worker satisfaction with the management of workplace violence and maintaining the community perception of health service environment safety. This report will demonstrate the achievement of the short and medium term impacts set out in the program logic. It also outlines case studies of taskforce members and staff feedback about prevention initiatives. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Department of Health, 2012. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2015 at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/757105/1111008_Violence-in-Nursing_WEB_FA.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Healthcare Workers Shelf Number: 137289

Author: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS) Title: Violence against women in Australia: Additional analysis of the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Personal Safety Survey, 2012 Summary: This ANROWS research project provides substantial additional analysis of data collected in the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) 2012 Personal Safety Survey (PSS). The PSS is the most comprehensive quantitative study of interpersonal violence in Australia. The survey is administered by the ABS and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. More than 17,000 women and men completed the 2012 survey. The PSS is currently a largely untapped resource - even the publicly available PSS data has yet to be fully explored and applied to the most obviously relevant research and policy contexts. The analysis completed in this project provides several hundred new statistical items related to violence against women, Almost all the data is new - not only has this information not be readily available to the public before, but the data tables themselves have not been generated previously. Details: Sydney : ANROWS, 2015. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2015 at: http://anrows.org.au/publications/horizons/PSS Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Statistics Shelf Number: 137303

Author: Cox, Peta Title: Sexual assault and domestic violence in the context of co-occurrence and re-victimisation: State of knowledge paper Summary: This state of knowledge paper examines the intersection between sexual assault and domestic violence, focusing on two forms of concurrent victimisation: re-victimisation (when a woman, over her lifetime, experiences both sexual assault and domestic violence) and intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV). The paper looks at the complexity of these experiences to identify the common impacts of domestic violence and sexual assault, and to critically examine how re-victimisation and IPSV can shift the ways in which we think about, and provide services for, women affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. Key findings include: - The lack of longitudinal studies of re-victimisation reduces our ability to make conclusions about causal factors or the nature of victimisation over time. - Much of the available research on IPSV and re-victimisation is unable to be extrapolated to findings about the general population, as it focuses on non-representative groups such women who were attending psychology clinics. - Research indicates that women who experience child sexual abuse (CSA) are more likely to experience IPSV than women who have not experienced CSA. Similarly, women who have experienced CSA are more likely to experience DV (not limited to sexual violence) in their adult relationships. - IPSV generally occurs in the context of other forms of violence and was often part of a larger pattern of coercive control in a relationship. IPSV should be considered a tactic of DV, and not a separate phenomenon. - Heteronormative beliefs and conservative gender norms were associated with acceptance and experience of sexual coercion for both men and women. - IPSV victims are less likely to seek help than victims of other forms of DV. - Drug and alcohol use may be a precursor, consequence or risk factor associated with IPSV and re-victimisation. Similarly, emotional distress and psychiatric conditions may increase a person's vulnerability to violence, place them in high risk contexts and/or may be a consequence of violence. - A wide range of communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women with a disability, have discrete patterns of victimisation, including distinct behaviours and norms that may increase the risk of victimisation. - Normative understandings of what constitutes "real rape" affect how victims, perpetrators and bystanders interpret experiences of sexual assault. These norms particularly affect interpretations of IPSV incidents. - Both IPSV and re-victimisation had significant physical and mental health consequences. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2015. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: State of Knowledge Paper, Issue 13: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://anrows.org.au/publications/landscapes/co-occurrence-and-re-victimisation Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 137316

Author: Ross, Stuart Title: Evaluating neighbourhood justice: Measuring and attributing outcomes for a community justice program Summary: One of the most important recent developments in criminal justice has been that of 'neighbourhood' or 'community' justice. Community justice recognises the important role that local communities play in responding to crime and provides a way to engage the community in identifying crime problems and solutions (Karp & Clear 2000). Dealing with crime under a community justice model involves extending the role of the justice system to help build community resilience in relation to the problems that make crime possible or more likely. The first court established on a 'community justice' model was the Midtown Community Court, located in the Times Square district, New York, in 1993. Since then, the idea of community justice has gained wide acceptance and support. The Center for Court Innovation (New York) reports that more than 30 community court programs have been established in various jurisdictions in the United States. The first UK community court was established in Liverpool in 2005, followed by a further 12 courts around the United Kingdom in 2008. There are now community or neighbourhood courts in South Africa, Canada, Scotland, Singapore and Australia, with more scheduled to follow. As with any new justice program, the establishment of new community courts involves the investment of substantial amounts of public funds. It is therefore critical that governments understand whether these programs provide benefits commensurate with the funds invested in them. However, the evaluation of community and neighbourhood courts, and the calculation of cost-benefit measures pose a number of significant challenges. These include the complexity of the program model and in particular, its reliance on engagement with community service providers, the relatively small scale of many programs and the difficulty in attributing outcomes to a single cause. This Trends & Issues paper examines data from the first comprehensive Australian community justice initiative- the Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC) in the City of Yarra, Melbourne - and suggests a number of strategies to improve understanding of how programs like this contribute to improved justice and community outcomes. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 499: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi499.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Citizen Participation Shelf Number: 137324

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Estimating the costs associated with community justice Summary: In recent years, governments at all levels have been faced with increasingly tight budgets and limited resources, placing greater pressure on service providers - including those involved in crime prevention and criminal justice - to demonstrate value for money. This has resulted in a growing interest in economic analysis as a tool to assess the cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness of programs and help inform decision-making. This is reflected in the evaluation guides that have been produced by treasury departments to encourage the robust economic analysis of government funded programs (eg Department of Treasury and Finance 2013). Established in 2007 to address high rates of crime and disadvantage, the Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC) provides a range of local justice and social services to the City of Yarra community in Victoria. A major challenge for the NJC is dealing with questions regarding value for money and responding to the criticism that they are an expensive alternative to traditional responses to crime and offending. The development and implementation of new and innovative programs often involves a significant financial investment by government and, in the case of the NJC, the concentration of these resources in one location. Recent examples, such as the abolition of several specialist court models in Queensland, have shown that, even where there is evidence of positive outcomes, an inability to demonstrate cost-efficiency and effectiveness in financial terms can weaken the argument in favour of ongoing funding and support - even where this is not the principal reason for the decision. The purpose of this paper is to address one dimension of the value for money debate and compare the operating costs of NJC court and client services with similar mainstream programs operating within the Magistrates' Court of Victoria. Following a brief overview of the NJC and evidence from previous economic studies of community justice models, the methodology used to estimate the costs associated with NJC court and client services is described, along with the results of a cost comparison of the NJC and the Magistrates' Court of Victoria. Directions for further economic analysis for the NJC and other similar programs are proposed. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 507: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi507.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Citizen Participation Shelf Number: 137325

Author: Vaughan, Cathy Title: Promoting community-led responses to violence against immigrant and refugee women in metropolitan and regional Australia: The ASPIRE Project: State of knowledge paper Summary: This state of knowledge paper examines a broad range of national and international research to present the current knowledge about family violence against immigrant and refugee women. While the paper identifies critical evidence on the topic, it acknowledges that much of the available literature has methodological issues, including incomplete and inconclusive prevalence data; small sample sizes; and conceptualising family violence in ways that are not recognised by immigrant and refugee communities. The paper finds: - Overall immigrant and refugee report similar forms of family violence as women from non-immigrant backgrounds, however there are some differences in the types of violence experienced and the structural contexts where it takes place. - The constraints produced by immigration policies are of significant concern, where women depend on perpetrators for economic security and residency rights. - Many immigrant and refugee women are motivated to resolve family violence without ending relationships and breaking up families, for reasons including immigration concerns and family and community pressures. - There is scant evidence that the increase in criminal justice responses to family violence, such as "mandatory arrest" and "pro-prosecution" approaches, are helpful for immigrant women, and may deter them from seeking assistance in crisis situations. The paper also identifies key gaps in literature on this issue, particularly in connection to the ways immigration policies, structural disadvantage and location interact with immigrant and refugee women's experiences of family violence. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS): 2015. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: State of Knowledge Paper: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://anrows.org.au/publications/landscapes/promoting-community-led-responses-violence-against-immigrant-and-refugee Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Ethnic Groups Shelf Number: 137334

Author: Our Watch Title: Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence Summary: No country in the world has a national, evidence-based road map to prevent violence against women and their children in a coordinated way. Our Watch partnered with VicHealth and ANROWS to create Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. Ending violence against women and their children is a national priority. Work is already being undertaken across a range of sectors - by governments, nongovernment organisations, researchers and practitioners - to change the attitudes, behaviours and environments that perpetuate this violence. But much of this work happens on a small-scale or in isolation from other projects. Violence cannot be prevented project by project - coordination and collaboration is fundamental to our success. The National Framework to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children brings together the international research, and nationwide experience, on what works to prevent violence. It establishes a shared understanding of the evidence and principles of effective prevention, and presents a way forward for a coordinated national approach. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, VicHealth, ANROWS, 2015. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/1462998c-c32b-4772-ad02-cbf359e0d8e6/Change-the-story-framework-prevent-violence-women-children.pdf.aspx Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 137351

Author: Macvean, Michelle Title: The PATRICIA project: PAThways in research In collaborative inter-agency working Summary: This paper details a review conducted by the Parenting Research Centre (PRC) and the University of Melbourne at the request of Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS). It forms part of a broader project - PAThways and Research In Collaborative Inter-Agency working, or the PATRICIA project - led by the University of Melbourne with partners from five universities, three government departments and eight community sector organisations which specialise in domestic and family violence (DFV). The PATRICIA project focuses on the relationship between statutory child protection, family law, and community-based services which seek to support women and children exposed to domestic violence. This review aims to address the following research question: What processes or practices do child protection services and specialist domestic violence services or family law engage in so that they can work better together to improve service responses for women and children living with and separating from family violence? Details: Melbourne: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS), 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/14_4.5_landscapes_patricia_f.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 137353

Author: Sutherland, Georgina Title: Media representations of violence against women and their children: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper provides an overview of the best available contemporary evidence on the way news and information media portray violence against women. In the paper studies are grouped into three broad areas of inquiry: 1) media representation (how content and discourse are used in news items on violence against women); 2) audience reception (how audiences interpret news on violence against women and how risk is perceived and managed); and 3) news production (what practices are used in reporting on violence against women and their children). The paper finds that: To date, most research attention has focused on how the media represents violence against women and their children. Collectively these studies illustrate that the media frequently mirrors society's confusion and ambivalence about violence against women. The audience reception literature shows an association between representations of violence against women in the news and audience attitudes and perceptions of blame and responsibility. There is also emerging evidence of an association between televised news reports of intimate partner violence and observed rates in the community. The few studies available on news production confirm that the pressures of newsworthiness and profitability present formidable challenges to the task of responsible and sensitive reporting of violence against women. Despite an expanding body of research, gaps in our knowledge remain. For example, there is a need to better align media representation studies with the emerging work on audience reception and news production, and for a better understanding of online news production, reporting and audience contribution. Details: Melbourne: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes, Issue 15: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/FINAL%20Co-branded%20Media%20Representations_WEB.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 137354

Author: Phillips, Janet Title: Domestic violence: Issues and policy challenges Summary: Domestic violence is a serious issue affecting millions around the world. - The most pervasive form of violence experienced by women in Australia is violence perpetrated by a male intimate partner, commonly referred to as domestic violence. However, it is important to acknowledge that men and same sex relationships partners can also experience this form of violence. - The underlying causes of domestic violence are complex with the result that there is a great deal of confusion and misinformation reflected in the public debate. However, there is general agreement that gender inequality, power imbalances and controlling behaviours within relationships are key determinants. - Community attitudes towards gender roles, sexuality, domestic violence and sexual assault can strongly influence both the prevalence of domestic violence and disclosure/reporting rates. The language commonly used around this form of violence in the community can also trivialise or minimise the seriousness of the experience. Surveys have found that demographic factors such as age, country of birth and socio-economic status have only a limited influence on attitudes, but that those with low levels of support for gender equality are the strongest predictors for holding violence-supporting attitudes. - Reasons for non-reporting incidents of domestic violence are complex but may include fear of the perpetrator, fear of not being believed or of being blamed, feelings of confusion, shame and embarrassment, fear of psychologically reliving the incident, or a reluctance to acknowledge the incident ever occurred. - While most do not report incidences of domestic violence to the authorities, many seek advice or support from family members, friends or community services. Given that psychological responses to domestic violence can be complex, experts argue that proactive support services focusing on therapeutic emotional and psychological interventions may be more effective in encouraging disclosure and providing assistance than the criminal justice system in many instances. - A wide variety of strategies have been employed to tackle domestic violence in Australia and internationally. Although many of the strategies to prevent domestic violence have now been ongoing for some decades, there is still a lack of reliable evidence as to what works. However, there is some evidence in the US that an integrated approach supported by sustained government funding may be effective in addressing the issues. - Australia and comparable countries have much lower rates of domestic violence than many countries with higher levels of gender inequality. A WHO international review on the prevalence of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence notes that the global variation in the prevalence of violence against women highlights that this form of violence is not inevitable and can be prevented or reduced. - The Council of Australian Government's central initiative designed to address domestic violence is the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. The National Plan has been received very positively by most stakeholders and commentators, but some argue that ongoing, integrated resourcing and funding across all jurisdictions is crucial in order to effect long-term change. - Most are in agreement that this is a difficult problem requiring complex and coordinated responses, not one-off, sporadic initiatives and funding commitments. It is generally argued by most stakeholders and commentators that integrating responses and initiatives across the community, all jurisdictions and all levels of government is the best way to promote equality and reduce this form of violence. Details: Sydney: Parliamentary Library, 2015. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper Series, 2015-16: http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1516/DVIssues Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 137421

Author: Bergin, Anthony Title: Gen Y Jihadists: Preventing Radicalisation in Australia Summary: In September 2014 the terrorism threat level was raised from 'medium' to 'high' - the first change in 13 years. This year, the government estimated that the number of high risk terrorist threats being monitored by security agencies had doubled and that more than 100 Australians were fighting for groups in Syria and Iraq. A team of ASPI analysts has examined the scope and nature of terrorism motivated by violent Islamist extremism in Australia through a comprehensive database of the high-profile Australians identified as foreign fighters and those that have come to the attention of authorities in Australia. Based on the findings from this research, the paper assesses the policy responses by the government to date and offers recommendations. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2015. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2016 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/gen-y-jihadists-preventing-radicalisation-in-australia/GenY_jihadists.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremist Groups Shelf Number: 137449

Author: Chalk, Peter Title: Black Flag Rising: ISIL in Southeast Asia and Australia Summary: Although the prime focus of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been on establishing a state - a caliphate - in the Middle East, it has also sought to gain a presence beyond that area. Southeast Asia is one region that's now receiving increased attention as a potential beachhead for the group. Most concern has focused on Malaysia, Indonesia, the southern Philippines and the Malay Muslim provinces of Thailand. The paper considers how these nations are responding to the threat. Beyond Southeast Asia, ISIL is showing a growing influence in Australia. The measures the Australian Government are taking have been generally well received. However, a number of concerns have been raised about the pace and nature of Australia's emergent counterterrorist strategy and their implications for the nation's democratic character. The paper puts forward national priorities and suggests that regionally greater emphasis needs to be given to formalising genuine counterterrorist cooperation. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2016 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/black-flag-rising-isil-in-southeast-asia-and-australia/Black-flag-rising_ISIL.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremist Groups Shelf Number: 137451

Author: Hooker, Leesa Title: Domestic and family violence and parenting: Mixed methods insights into impact and support needs: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper examines the current state of knowledge on the impact of domestic and family violence (DFV) on parenting. It considers how often DFV occurs among parents; the impact of DFV on parenting; the methods and behaviours used by perpetrators to disrupt the mother-child relationship; and interventions used to strengthen and support a healthy mother-child relationship. The paper finds that approximately one third or more of parents in the general community experience DFV, but there is limited evidence on DFV among marginalised parent populations such as Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD), rural, disabled and same-sex parents. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, women and children suffer considerable DFV, but the true prevalence of abuse among parents is hard to determine due to a lack of reporting, limited screening for DFV, and methodological issues. Most evidence suggests that DFV during pregnancy can result in poor pregnancy outcomes and reduced attachment. It also impacts on an abused woman's ability to parent effectively; women will attend to their abusive partner's demands and needs, and control and discipline children to keep them safe. Attachments/relationships can improve over time, and parenting and child health outcomes also improve once DFV stops. There is limited information on the parenting style of abusive fathers, but researchers and victims have characterised them as authoritarian, under-involved, self-centred and manipulative. They aim to isolate, control and undermine women's authority to parent and have meaningful relationships with their children. The paper recommends supportive care for mothers experiencing DFV and their children as an alternative to reporting all DFV to child protection services. Home visiting programs have been shown to be effective in reducing child maltreatment, improving parenting skills and children's behaviour, but not necessarily effective in preventing or reducing DFV. New programs with an additional DFV focus are currently being assessed. Victims of abuse need more intense and targeted therapy; the paper recommends psychotherapeutic interventions with combined mother-child sessions as they have shown good results. Interventions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families show client satisfaction but are yet to show other effective outcomes. There are considerable gaps in Australian research on DFV and parenting. This paper recommends further research in areas including prevalence of DFV in diverse groups of parents; qualitative research on the experiences of motherhood and fatherhood in the context of DFV; and interventions measuring parenting and the parent-child relationship as primary outcomes, with larger, more representative samples. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes : State of knowledge: 01/2016) Accessed January 11, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/L1.16_1.8%20Parenting.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 137457

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth detention population in Australia: 2015 Summary: This bulletin presents information on the youth detention population in Australia, focusing on quarterly trends from June 2011 to June 2015. There were fewer than 900 young people in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2015, just over half (55%) of whom were unsentenced. Numbers and rates of young people in detention dropped slightly over the 4 years, but trends varied among the states and territories. Just over half (54%) of all young people in detention on an average night were Indigenous. Details: Canberra: AUS: AIHW, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 131: Accessed January 22, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129553700 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention (Australia) Shelf Number: 137587

Author: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Title: Independent Review into Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment, Including Predatory Behaviour in Victoria Police. Phase One Report Summary: The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has conducted an independent review into sex discrimination and sexual harassment, including predatory behaviour, among Victoria Police personnel. The review aimed to identify actions to promote safety and equality in Victoria Police. Under its Terms of Reference the review gathered information about the nature and extent of sex discrimination and sexual harassment, including predatory behaviour, in Victoria Police. We have used this information to develop recommendations and an action plan for Victoria Police, which we will independently monitor and report on over three years. Details: Carlton, VIC, AUS: The Commission, 2015. 368p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2016 at: http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/our-resources-and-publications/reports/item/1336-independent-review-into-sex-discrimination-and-sexual-harassment-including-predatory-behaviour-in-victoria-police-phase-one-report-2015 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Equal Opportunity Shelf Number: 137646

Author: Taylor, Annabel Title: Domestic and family violence protection orders in Australia: An investigation of information sharing and enforcement: State of knowledge paper Summary: This state of knowledge paper informs the empirical research to be undertaken to investigate the perspectives of key stakeholders of domestic violence protection order enforcement in Australia. The aims of this report are described and definitional issues are addressed at the outset in the Australian policy context. The priority of this issue to the Australian Government is also explored in this paper. A description of the methodology applied to this paper is followed by a comparative analysis of the legislation for enforcement of protection orders across Australia's states and territories. This section examines the implications of the varied responses to protection order enforcement. In order to recognise the pivotal role that the experience of victims plays in enforcement of Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs), the following section details victims' and victim advocates' perspectives of enforcement. These insights then inform the scope of literature reviewed on the role of police and magistrates and lawyers in enforcement. The review ends with a summary of the findings and their implications for an empirical study of protection order enforcement in Australia. This state of knowledge paper has five purposes which are to: 1. investigate the current knowledge about enforcement of DVPOs in Australia; 2. understand the legislation that underpins enforcement of DVPOs in Australia across jurisdictions; 3. scope the Australian research that has been undertaken on enforcement of protection orders; 4. explore the perspectives of victims and their advocates, police and magistrates and lawyers on enforcement of protection orders; and 5. understand the existing knowledge on information sharing related to protection orders, within and across agencies and across state borders. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes : State of knowledge: 16/2015): Accessed January 22, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/16_4.1%20Legal%20WEB_FINAL_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 137651

Author: Olsen, Anna Title: Existing knowledge, practice and responses to violence against women in Australian Indigenous communities: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper is a comprehensive review of published literature to present the current state of knowledge, practice and responses to violence against women in Australian Indigenous communities. It was guided by the following questions: - What is known about violence against Indigenous women? - How do Indigenous women and communities see and experience violence against women (including how do they define family violence)? - What are the current responses (programs or approaches) to violence against women in Indigenous communities? - What are the Indigenous viewpoints on what works and what is needed? The review found that the cumulative nature of socio-economic disadvantage (such as personal, family and economic related stressors) and the lasting effects of colonisation are thought to be linked to violence against women in Indigenous communities. Any attempts to reduce violence in Indigenous communities requires a multi-faceted and holistic approach including efforts to improve the wider social, economic and health of Indigenous communities. Much of the grey literature contained information about Indigenous viewpoints on "what works" to prevent violence against women. Approaches to dealing effectively with violence, and which are valued by Indigenous communities, include cultural based leadership and governance, and programs focused on preventing the transfer of intergenerational trauma. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2016. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes : State of knowledge: 02/2016): Accessed at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/FINAL%2002.16_3.2%20AIATSIS%20Landscapes%20WEB.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 137654

Author: Australia. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Title: Final Report of the National Ice Taskforce Summary: The Final Report of the National Ice Taskforce found that ice use in Australia is a complex problem that requires a multi-faceted response. Proportionally, Australia uses more methamphetamine than almost any other country, and the number of users continues to grow. Today, evidence suggests there are well over 200,000 users. In its Report, the Taskforce has made 38 recommendations across five areas of priority. 1. The first priority must be supporting families, workers and communities to better respond to people affected by ice. 2. Efforts to reduce demand for ice through prevention activities must be strengthened. 3. Ice users need treatment and support services that cater to their needs. 4. Efforts to disrupt supply must be more coordinated and targeted. 5. Better data, more research and regular reporting is needed to strengthen Australia's response and keep it on track. The National Ice Taskforce The National Ice Taskforce was established on 8 April 2015 to advise the Government on the impacts of ice in Australia and drive the development of a National Ice Action Strategy. The Taskforce presented its interim findings to the Council of Australian Governments on 23 July 2015, and delivered its Final Report to the Prime Minister of Australia on 9 October 2015. The Taskforce engaged extensively with people around Australia to develop this report. The Taskforce spoke to over 100 experts on research, education, prevention, treatment, law enforcement and support for users, families and Indigenous people. The Taskforce also visited nine treatment and support services, and received around 100 submissions from organisations, clinics, research bodies and academics. The Taskforce also received more than 1,200 submissions from the public. Around a quarter shared personal stories of how ice has affected them, their families and their communities. The Taskforce also held seven targeted community consultations in Mt Gambier, Broome, Darwin, Newcastle, Hobart, Townsville and Mildura. Details: Sydney: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2015. 252p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2016 at: http://www.dpmc.gov.au/pmc/publication/final-report-national-ice-taskforce Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 137655

Author: Coghlan, Sarah Title: Findings from the DUMA program: Impact of reduced methamphetamine supply on consumption of illicit drugs and alcohol Summary: Changes in illicit drug availability have been shown to impact users' alcohol and other drug consumption. In late 2000 and early 2001, Australia experienced a sudden and dramatic reduction in the supply of heroin which has continued to the present date. This shortage has been attributed to, at least in part, supply-side reduction strategies undertaken by law enforcement (Weatherburn et al. 2003). However, the benefits associated with this shortage were to some degree offset by the unintended consequence of displacement in illicit drug use, reflected in an increase in the use of other drugs, such as cocaine (Weatherburn et al. 2003). Research into the impact of the heroin shortage on illicit drug users has resulted in an awareness of the need to understand potential unintended outcomes of supply-side drug law enforcement strategies. Recent media articles and government inquiries have highlighted methamphetamine as a drug of particular concern in Australia, with both the purity and availability of methamphetamine currently being very high (ACC 2014; LRDCPC 2014; Scott et al. 2014). It is not clear whether law enforcement efforts could produce a substantial methamphetamine shortage, such as that seen for heroin, as the methamphetamine supply is supported by both domestic production and importation (ACC 2014; LRDCPC 2014). However, as seizure rates continue to climb, there is some evidence that government policy and policing efforts are having an impact on supply. In 2012-13, the number and weight of border detections of amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) increased and were reported by the Australian Crime Commission to be the highest on record, with the 21,056 reported seizures accounting for 24.2 percent of national illicit drug seizures, second only to cannabis (ACC 2014). Further, the number of clandestine laboratories detected in Australia was the second highest on record, having more than doubled over the last 10 years, with the majority of clandestine laboratories detected domestically producing ATS (ACC 2014). Few studies have examined the likely impact of such seizures on methamphetamine users' drug usage habits. However, a recent examination of the impact of supply-side reduction strategies on drug use and harm in New South Wales conducted by Wan et al. (2014) reported that seizures and supplier arrests for ATS were either positively associated, or were not significantly associated, with drug use and harm measures. For example, an increase in the number of large-scale ATS seizures was positively associated with an increase in the number of arrests for use or possession of ATS (Wan et al. 2014). However, no significant associations were found between the number of ATS seizures or supplier arrests and emergency department admissions (Wan et al. 2014). Although subject to number of limitations including that the study measured the associations across a relatively short temporal period (ie drug use/possession arrests were examined monthly for 4 months after seizures occurred) and that some of the drug use and harm measures may not have been sensitive enough to detect changes in consumption, the findings suggested that increases in seizures and supplier arrests for ATS may be indicative of an increased supply in the short term (Wan et al. 2014). A study by Chalmers, Bradford and Jones (2010) examined responses to hypothetical changes in the price of methamphetamine among a sample of New South Wales residents between 18 and 58 years of age (n=101) who reported using methamphetamine in the past month. As the price of methamphetamine was manipulated, users reported that they would purchase less methamphetamine at higher price levels. It was estimated that a price increase of 10 percent would result in an 18 to 19 percent decrease in the quantity of methamphetamine purchased (Chalmers, Bradford & Jones 2010). However, a number of respondents anticipated switching to using pharmaceutical opioids, cocaine and to a lesser extent, heroin, if the price of methamphetamine were to rise (Chalmers, Bradford & Jones 2010). Despite this evidence of anticipated displacement, the authors concluded that there would be an overall reduction in drug consumption, as the level of substitution for other drugs was more than offset by the decrease in the quantity of methamphetamine purchased (Chalmers, Bradford & Jones 2010). However, this study suffered from a number of limitations. First, the findings represent methamphetamine users' intentions as reported to researchers, which may or may not correspond to actual behaviour during periods of reduced methamphetamine supply. It is important to examine the actual behaviour users demonstrate in response to changes in drug markets, rather than how they believe they would behave in a hypothetical situation. Second, the assumption that supply reduction through law enforcement leads to an increase in the price of an illicit drug may not be valid or may only occur when an extreme shortage is experienced. A study conducted in the United States reported that if a drug market is well-established, the expansion of drug law enforcement may yield little return in the way of increased prices (Caulkins & Reuter 2010). Consistent with this, a 2014 review of empirical studies into the impact of increased law enforcement efforts on drug prices concluded that there was insufficient evidence to link the escalation of law enforcement activity with the raising of drug prices (Pollack & Reuter 2014). Since 1999, the Australian Institute of Criminology has monitored drug use and crime trends across Australia through the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Each quarter, detainees held in watchhouses at various sites across Australia are asked to complete an interviewer-assisted self-report questionnaire. Twice a year, detainees are also asked to provide a voluntary urine sample, which is analysed for the presence of illicit drugs. These data allow monitoring of the availability of illicit substances, including methamphetamine, and examinations of crime and drug usage behaviours. Using DUMA data, an analysis is presented of retrospective self-reports from methamphetamine users (police detainees) on the impact that periods of reduced methamphetamine supply had on reported consumption of methamphetamine, alcohol and other illicit drugs. In order to collect more detailed data, in quarter three of 2013, detainees who had indicated methamphetamine use in the previous 12 months were presented with additional questions to assess whether they had previously experienced a period when methamphetamine was hard to get and if they had, how this had affected the quantity of methamphetamine, alcohol and other illicit drugs used at that time. The findings should be considered in the context of Australian drug markets where methamphetamine is currently readily available, with some localised differences in availability (LRDCPC 2014). Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice No. 36: Accessed January 25, 2016 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip36/rip36.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 137649

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: The 2015 NSW prison population forecast Summary: Aim: To provide short and long term forecasts of growth in the NSW prison population. Method: ARIMA modelling was used to generate the short-term forecast. The long-term forecasts are based on forecast changes in the population and population age structure, coupled with information about long-term changes in age-specific rates of imprisonment. Results: The short-term forecast is that, if relevant influences remain unchanged, NSW will have 12,191 prisoners by March 2017. If age-specific rates of imprisonment remain constant, we expect the NSW prison population to rise to 12,500 by June 2036. If age-specific rates of imprisonment rise in a manner commensurate with trends observed over the past decade, the prison population should reach 15,600 by June 2036. If age-specific imprisonment rates rise according to the trends observed since 1982, the prison population should reach 17,600 by June 2036. Conclusion: The NSW prison population is likely to rise over both the short and long-term unless measures are taken to reduce the demand for prison accommodation. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no.105: Accessed January 25, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/BB105.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Populations Shelf Number: 137650

Author: Mackay, Erin Title: Perpetrator interventions in Australia: Part one - Literature review. State of knowledge paper Summary: An Australian first, this state of knowledge paper maps the pathways and interventions for perpetrators of domestic/family violence and sexual assault through civil and criminal legal systems; and examines the responses and service systems currently available to DFV and sexual assault perpetrators in each jurisdiction. Violence against women is an insidious and entrenched problem in our society. In Australia, since the age of 15, one in six women has experienced physical violence by a current or former intimate partner and one in five women has experienced sexual violence (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012). Nationwide, nearly one woman is killed every week by a current or former partner (Bryant & Cussen, 2015). With sexual assault and domestic violence still being significantly under reported, these statistics only provide a limited snapshot of the true number of women and children that have experienced violence and abuse (Marcus & Braaf, 2007; Gelb, 2007). This violence has devastating physical, emotional and psychological consequences for women and their children, as well as profound social and economic consequences for society. In Australia, the Commonwealth and state and territory governments have committed to the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan)(Council of Australian Governments [COAG], 2011). The National Plan was formulated around a vision that "Australian women and their children live free from violence in safe communities" (COAG, 2011, p. 10), and contains a number of national outcomes to be delivered by all governments over a 12-year period. This paper focuses on the sixth outcome of the National Plan, which is that "perpetrators stop their violence and are held to account" (COAG, 2011, p.29). The Second Action Plan (2013-16) of the National Plan contains action items directed towards supporting governments to implement high quality and consistent responses to perpetrators across systems (Australia. Department of Social Services, 2014). In particular, it focuses on improving the evidence-base and the quality of, and access to, perpetrator interventions. It identifies that systems including police, justice, corrections, and community services need to work together in consistent and integrated ways to increase the effectiveness of perpetrator interventions and stop perpetrators reoffending. In addition, the Commonwealth, state and territory governments have agreed to finalise a set of National Outcome Standards for Perpetrator Interventions during the life of the Second Action Plan (2013-16) of the National Plan. To support the Federal/state government collaborative efforts needed to achieve this, the Prime Minister announced in January 2015, that the issue of violence against women and their children, including the development of a set of national standards, would be elevated to COAG in 2015. COAG ministers agreed at their April 2015 meeting to consider a set of National Outcome Standards for Perpetrator Interventions (the National Standards) before the end of 2015. In this paper, Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) contributes to strengthening the evidence base on perpetrator interventions by identifying the current "state of knowledge" on Australian perpetrator interventions for sexual assault and family/domestic violence. Part one of this paper identifies, synthesises and describes the large body of Australian and international academic and grey literature on specific perpetrator programs, with attention to the definition, history, development and effectiveness of perpetrator interventions for sexual assault and family/domestic violence. The vast literature on perpetrator intervention considered in part one largely considers perpetrator programs (see Terminology section below), however, programs are just one type of perpetrator intervention. In recognition of this, part two of this paper sets out perpetrator pathways through the civil and criminal legal system in all states and territories in Australia, providing an overview of key legislative and policy frameworks in each jurisdiction for both sexual assault and family/domestic violence, in addition to mapping several specific programs in each jurisdiction back against these pathways. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes: State of knowledge. Issue PP01/2015: Accessed January 26, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/_Landscapes%20Perpetrators%20Part%20ONE.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 137659

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Can child protection data improve the prediction of re-offending in young persons? Summary: Aim: To determine whether the inclusion of child protection data improves the ability to predict re-offending in young persons with few prior formal contacts with the criminal justice system. Method: A cohort of young persons who had their first, second or third formal contact with the criminal justice system (i.e., police caution, youth justice conference, or court appearance) in 2011 or 2012 were identified in the Re-offending Database maintained by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. For these young persons, NSW Department of Family and Community Services provided data relating to risk of significant harm (ROSH) reports and out-of-home-care (OOHC). Models predicting re-offending using demographic and criminal history variables were developed and compared with models that also included child protection information. Separate models were developed for males and females, as well as for the subgroup of young persons having their first contact with the criminal justice system. Results: While some variables relating to ROSH reports and OOHC data were significant predictors of re-offending, the inclusion of child protection data did little to improve the ability to predict re-offending within 12 months in young persons with few prior formal contacts. Models with and without child protection data were similarly poor at predicting those who would go on to re-offend. Conclusion: Early identification of young persons at risk of re-offending using administrative data sources remains a challenge Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 188: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/bocsar_canchildprotectiondataimprovethepredictionofreoffendinginyoungpersons_jan_2016.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 137662

Author: Hassan, Riaz Title: Islamophobia, social distance and fear of terrorism in Australia: A preliminary report Summary: Immigration and the accompanying ethnic, religious and cultural heterogeneity are the building blocks of modern Australian society. Australia's democratic political system has provided the vital and enduring framework for its development as a prosperous, politically inclusive and socially cohesive society which leads the world on many aspects of social development. An important feature of Australia's political culture is its reliance on objective and reliable information about its social structures in order to frame and develop appropriate public policies for the economic and social advancement of its people. In this regard public institutions such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian universities and the media play a vital and critical role. Australia's democratic system is committed to freedom of membership of religious, ethnic and cultural groups. For many groups, ethnic, cultural and religious group memberships have also been central to the experience of disadvantage in Australia as demonstrated in the case of Indigenous Australians. This report deals with the experience of Australian Muslims. The contact between Muslim fishermen from Indonesia's Sulawesi region and Indigenous Australians dates back to the early eighteenth century but the arrival of Muslims in large numbers is a recent phenomenon. In the past two decades the Muslim population has increased significantly due to immigration and natural increase. According to the 2011 Australian Census there were 476,290 Muslims in Australia of whom about 40 per cent were born in Australia and the rest came from 183 countries, making them one of most ethnically and nationally heterogeneous religious communities. With 2.2 per cent of the Australian population, Islam is now the third largest religion in Australia. According to recent Pew Research Centre demographic projections, by 2050 the number of Australian Muslims will increase to 1.4 million or 5 per cent of the population, making Islam the second largest religion. A number of studies have noted that migrant status and membership of minority religious and cultural groups is central to understanding the experiences of disadvantage in Australia. Muslims are a particularly striking example of how a growing cultural subpopulation experience disadvantage. As noted in a previous report of the International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding (2015),Australian Muslims are educationally high achievers, but underemployed and underpaid (Australian Muslims: A Demographic, Social and Economic Profile of Muslims in Australia 2015). This is a preliminary report on the findings of a survey of the perceptions of key religious and cultural groups, with a special focus on Muslims, by a representative sample of 1000 Australian adults. It focuses on their perceptions of Muslims and other religious and ethnic groups with special reference to Islamophobia, social distance and terrorism and how these vary by key demographics, respondent's direct experience with the other groups and other variables. A more detailed report of the findings will follow. This report offers a new metric of social distance that can be applied to key religious and ethnic groups. In relation to Australian Muslims it explores the pattern of Islamophobia and worries about terrorism. This study offers a methodological framework for future larger studies of religious and ethnic relations in Australia and their impact in terms of social and economic disadvantage for subpopulations. Details: Adelaide: International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding, University of South Australia, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/Global/EASS/MnM/Publications/Islamophobia_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Ethnic Groups Shelf Number: 137664

Author: Nelson, Paul Title: Characteristics of prolific offenders in NSW Summary: Aim: To examine the frequency of contacts (police cautions, youth justice conferences, or finalised court appearances at which one or more offences were proven) with the criminal justice system by offenders in New South Wales; and, to identify prolific offenders and non-prolific offenders (NPO), compare their characteristics, and model their risk of recidivism. Method: Demographic, criminal history and recidivism data for the cohort of offenders with one or more contacts during 2011 were extracted from BOCSAR's Re-offending Database. Logistic regression was used to model prolific offending and violent recidivism, Cox regression was used to model time to offence, and negative binomial regression was used to model recidivism rate. Results: Most offenders in this 2011 cohort had no contacts in the 2 years prior to their index contact. Prolific offenders (defined as offenders with at least four contacts in the past 2 years) comprised 1.7 per cent of the cohort but accounted for 16.8 per cent of the cohort's contacts in the past 2 years. Males, offenders aged under 18, Indigenous offenders, and offenders who were in prison/detention at their index contact were significantly more likely to be prolific offenders (compared with females, older offenders, non-Indigenous offenders and offenders who were not in prison). The strongest correlates of prolific offending were younger age and CJS contacts in the 8 years prior to the period used to define prolific offending. Prolific offending had a significant but modest impact on all three recidivism outcomes, along with several other factors. Conclusion: Prolific offenders were found to make a disproportionate contribution to the total volume of offending and recidivism. This is consistent with prior research and suggests that this group warrants intensive intervention. However, much of the variance in recidivism was explained by risk factors other than prolific offending and modifiable risk factors such as drug use were not examined by this study. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 112: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-Characteristics-of-prolific-offenders-in-NSW-bb112.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Career Criminals Shelf Number: 137687

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Western Australia's rapidly increasing remand population Summary: The reviews undertaken as part of the Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services' Snapshot Series are designed to provide a brief summary of an issue or trend in the Western Australian custodial population. This is first of these reviews and it examines trends relating to people who are being held on remand in Western Australian prisons and in the state's sole youth detention centre, Banksia Hill. The review also gauges overall trends in remandee numbers in Western Australia against other Australian jurisdictions. Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2015. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/WebCMS/WebCMS.nsf/resources/file-tp---remandees-review/$file/Remandees-Review.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Institutions Shelf Number: 137688

Author: Title: ReCharge Women's Technology Technology Safety, Legal Resources, Research and Training Summary: In 2013, the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV) conducted research examining how technology is being used by perpetrators to stalk and abuse women, as well as how these technologies may be used to support and improve women's safety. This research, titled SmartSafe, is one of the few studies conducted internationally on technology-facilitated stalking and abuse in the context of family violence. In 2015, DVRCV has collaborated with Women's Legal Services NSW and WESNET in a national women's technology safety project, funded by ACCAN, called ReCharge: Women's Technology Safety, Legal Resources, Research & Training. As part of this project, DVRCV conducted a national survey of technology-facilitated abuse drawing on the experience of family violence practitioners across Australia. In 2013, DVRCV conducted the first Australian study into the use of technology by perpetrators in the context of domestic violence. This Victorian-based study, called SmartSafe, utilised a multiple-methods approach and included two surveys: one with 152 domestic violence sector practitioners, and one with 46 women who had experienced domestic violence. The findings showed that the use of technology by perpetrators to stalk and abuse women was a significant emerging issue in Victoria. Details: Melbourne: SmartSafe, Domestic Violence Research Centre Victoria, 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2016 at: http://www.smartsafe.org.au/sites/default/files/National-study-findings-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 137695

Author: Angus, Christopher Title: Radicalisation and Violent Extremism: Causes and Responses Summary: The radicalisation of Australian citizens, and the decision by a small number to commit acts of extremist violence, has led to considerable community concern in recent years. In NSW, there was the tragic December 2014 Martin Place Lindt Cafe siege1 and the October 2015 murder of a police civilian finance worker outside the NSW Police Force headquarters. On a global scale, radicalisation and extremism have led Australians to travel to conflict zones to fight in foreign wars. A recent report in the Australian Police Journal estimated that up to 250 Australian jihadis took part in the conflict in Syria in 2014. This number is both numerically and proportionally greater than the number of foreign fighters from other nations, including the United States, the Netherlands and several Scandinavian countries. This e-brief does not purport to be a comprehensive account of all the literature in this expanding area of study. Rather, it seeks only to offer an introduction to this complex subject. One focus is on government counter-radicalisation programs and commentaries on these. The e-brief begins by defining radicalisation and violent extremism, which share certain common elements but are also different in important respects. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief: Accessed February 3, 2016 at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/72ABFCEDB075A6A1CA257F4C0011969F/$File/Radicalisation+eBrief.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremist Groups Shelf Number: 137747

Author: Broadhurst, Roderic Title: The Recidivism of Homicide Offenders in Western Australia Summary: Popular perceptions concerning the recidivism of extremely violent offenders - in particular, homicide offenders - are contradictory. Perceptions vary from one extreme - that such offenders rarely commit further violent offences - to the opposite end of the spectrum, where it is thought that they remain high risks on release from custody. The present study, the first of its kind in Australia, draws on the records of persons arrested in Western Australia over the period 1984-2005 to provide accurate measures of the recidivism of this small but potentially dangerous group, and to make rigorous comparisons between specific types of homicide offenders. Using survival analysis techniques, we accurately estimate and analyse the long-term rate of recidivism of 1,088 individuals arrested and charged for homicide in Western Australia between 1st January 1984 and 31st December 2005. The cases involve individuals arrested for domestic murders and other types of homicides (robbery and sexual murder), including attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, manslaughter (unintentional homicide) and driving causing death offences. Most arrests for homicide result in conviction and lengthy prison sentences; therefore, very long follow-up time is required to study the recidivism of such cases. Our database provides up to 22 years follow up time (for those arrested in 1984) and accounts critically for the first and any subsequent arrests, if they occur. Recidivism is defined herein as re-arrest following release from prison for the signal homicide offence within the period of follow-up, and is considered in three separate ways: as re-arrest for another homicide, for another violent offence, or for any offence. Using both nonparametric and parametric analyses we estimate probabilities of recidivism and the speed with which it occurs. Risks of recidivism are compared across types of homicide, and we explore the role of covariate information such as gender, age, Aboriginality, and prior record. Of the 1088 individuals, only 3 (all male non-Aboriginals) were subsequently arrested and charged with a distinct homicide offence relating to a single event in the follow-up period. But 40.3% were re-arrested for another offence (any offence) and 21.9% were re-arrested for another grave offence (robbery, blackmail and extortion, assault, sexual assault, abduction and other offences against the person, burglary, arson, child pornography and homicide) by the cutoff date. Accounting for censoring, among those committing a murder and subsequently released, we estimate a probability of 0.66 of being rearrested for another offence of any type. The corresponding probabilities for those convicted of manslaughter or for driving causing death were both 0.43. Having a prior record increased the risk of re-arrest substantially; for example, male non-Aboriginals arrested for murder with at least one prior arrest have an estimated probability of 0.72 of being rearrested for another offence of any type. Their estimated probability of being rearrested for another grave offence was 0.33. The results show that while homologous homicide re-offending is rare, homicide offenders, especially those who are charged with murder, have substantial risks of re-offending, and those who have prior arrest records have higher risks of re-offending for a grave offense. These findings should be of interest to courts and correctional agencies in assessing risk at various stages of the administration of criminal justice, and especially risk assessment for parole deliberations. Details: Canberra: Australian National University, 2016. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2712091 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Homicides Shelf Number: 137770

Author: Trevena, Judy Title: Does the first prison sentence reduce the risk of further offending? Summary: Aim: This bulletin examines the question of whether short prison sentences (up to 12 months) exert a special deterrent effect. Method: Propensity score matching was used to compare time to reconviction among 3,960 matched pairs of offenders, in which one of each pair received a prison sentence of 12 months or less and the other received a suspended sentence of two years or less. Kaplan Meier survival analysis was then used to examine time to the first proven offence committed after the index court appearance. Adjustments were made for any time spent in custody during the follow-up period. Results: No significant differences were found between the matched prison and suspended sentence groups in the time to first new offence. Conclusion: These results suggest that short custodial sentences exert no more deterrent effect than comparable community orders. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, Number 187: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2015-Does-the-first-prison-sentence-reduce-the-risk-of-further-offending-cjb187.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Shelf Number: 137797

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing for Contravention of Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Second Monitoring Report Summary: intervention order (FVIO) or a family violence safety notice (FVSN) made under the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic). In particular, this report examines sentencing for the offences of: - contravention of an FVIO; - contravention of an FVSN; - contravention of an FVIO intending to cause harm or fear for safety; - contravention of an FVSN intending to cause harm or fear for safety; and - persistent contravention of notices and orders. This report examines sentencing for contravention of an FVIO and contravention of an FVSN over two three-year periods: 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2012, and 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2015 (the reference periods). In addition, this report examines sentencing for contraventions intending to cause harm or fear for safety and persistent contravention of notices and orders for the period 2012-13 to 2014-15. These aggravated contravention offences were introduced on 17 April 2013 to address particularly serious or repeated instances of contravention. This report is a continuation of the Sentencing Advisory Council's (the Council's) previous work on monitoring sentencing patterns for contravention of FVIOs and FVSNs. Previous reports include: - Sentencing Practices for Breach of Family Violence Intervention Orders: Final Report (2009), which examines sentencing practices for the offence of breaching an FVIO under the Crimes (Family Violence) Act 1987 (Vic) from July 2004 to June 2007 and includes a discussion on guiding principles for sentencing this offence; and - Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Sentencing for Contravention (2013), which examines sentences for contravention of an FVIO over two periods (2004-05 to 2006-07 and 2009-10 to 2011-12) and contravention of an FVSN (from 2009-10 to 2011-12). Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Sentencing%20for%20Contravention%20of%20Family%20Violence%20Orders.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 137798

Author: Tasmania Law Reform Institute Title: Bullying Summary: The Tasmania Law Reform Institute has released Final Report No 22, Bullying. The Report considers what role the law should play in responding to all types of bullying behaviours including cyber-bullying and questions whether the current legal regime in Tasmania can provide appropriate redress for victims. The Report makes 15 recommendations. Together, the recommendations are designed to create a tiered response to bullying consisting of: � a criminal justice response reserved for the most serious examples which extends the offence of stalking in the Criminal Code to cover common bullying behaviours. The Report also recommends changes to the Justices Act to facilitate applications for restraint orders on the grounds of bullying. � a civil justice response which seeks solutions through mediation and restorative justice practices. The Report recommends incorporating a mediation procedure into the restraint order process, or extending the jurisdiction of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner to deal with complaints of bullying. Recommendations are also made to ensure that all Tasmanian workers have access to workplace bullying complaint processes. � the development of legislative requirements for schools to implement anti-bullying policies and procedures. Policies should address the best interests of all children involved, whether those children are involved as victims, participants or bystanders. Details: Hobart: Tasmania Law Reform Institute, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Final Report no. 22: Accessed http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/789698/Bullying_FR_A4_Print.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Bullying Shelf Number: 137799

Author: TNS Opinion & Social Title: Reducing Violence against Women and Their Children: Research Informing the Development of a National Campaign Summary: The research, conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS), shows that although most Australians agree domestic violence is wrong, too often we blame the victim, excuse men and minimise disrespectful behaviours and instances of gender inequality. According to the research, many of us learn from an early age to condone or excuse disrespectful or aggressive behaviour towards girls and women. The main research findings include: - from an early age, young people begin to believe there are reasons and situations that can make disrespectful behaviour acceptable - girls blame themselves, questioning whether the trigger for the behaviour is potentially their fault, rather than questioning the behaviour of the male - boys blame others, particularly the female, and deflect personal responsibility telling each other it was a bit of a joke - it didn't mean anything - adults accept the behaviour when they say 'it takes two to tango' or 'boys will be boys' - we think the cost of doing something is too high - as parents, we worry about embarrassing our child, or even ourselves. As teachers or coaches, we're not sure how far to go - so without realising it, we make gender inequality and disrespectful behaviour acceptable. The research was conducted with young males and females aged 10-17 and their influencers - these included parents, siblings, teachers, sporting coaches, managers and community leaders across Australia. The Government will use the research to inform the development of a $30 million national campaign, due to begin early next year, to reduce violence against women and their children. Details: Sydney: Australian Government Department of Social Services, 2015. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: https://www.dss.gov.au/women/publications-articles/reducing-violence-against-women-and-their-children Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 137820

Author: PriceWaterhouseCoopers Title: A High Price to Pay: The Economic Case for Preventing Violence Against Women Summary: Like many in the community, we at PwC, Our Watch and VicHealth are deeply saddened by the statistics and personal stories of violence against women. We join with the community in advocating that violence against women can and should be prevented. This report aims to provide further evidence of the cost of violence against women, and the benefits of investing in primary prevention. We define primary prevention as all work to prevent violence before it occurs. This includes work to address gender inequality, which sets the underlying social context that enables violence against women to occur. This report demonstrates that the cost of violence against women to society remains high and is increasing. At the same time, there are significant potential cost savings and other economic and social benefits to be gained from primary prevention strategies that improve equality in relationships and society. Primary prevention strategies include communications campaigns to address the drivers of violence against women, education campaigns to build respectful and equitable relationships and policy and institutional reform to improve gender equality. We estimate that violence against women costs $21.7 billion a year. Victims bear the primary burden of this cost. Governments (national and State and Territory) bear the second biggest cost burden, estimated at $7.8 billion a year, comprising health, administration and social welfare costs. If no further action is taken to prevent violence against women, we estimate that costs will accumulate to $323.4 billion over a thirty year period from 2014‑15 to 2044‑45. Details: PWC Australia, 2015. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2016 at: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/psrc/publications/assets/high-price-to-pay.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 137822

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people in child protection services and under youth justice supervision 2013-2014 Summary: This report presents information on young people aged 10-17 who were involved in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision in 2013-14, and demonstrates the insights that can be gained through data linkage. One-quarter of young people in youth justice detention were also in the child protection system in the same year. Those who were younger at their first youth justice supervision were more likely to also be in child protection. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Data Linkage Series No. 21; Accessed February 11, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129554445 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 137842

Author: Title: Drug use monitoring in Australia: an expansion into the Pilbara Summary: The link between the use of alcohol, other drugs and crime continues to be a concern in communities throughout Australia. In regional Western Australia, little is known about the patterns of substance use and crime. In an attempt to better understand a regional offending population and their alcohol and drug use, the Australian Institute of Criminology's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) project was utilised to collect such data in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In South Hedland (regional Western Australia), 51 police detainees were interviewed and compared with a sample of 209 Perth (metropolitan Western Australia) detainees. The findings indicated that while illicit drug use among those interviewed in a regional setting was significantly lower across most drug types, alcohol use was higher. Of particular concern were the levels of risky drinking reported by South Hedland detainees and their assertion that alcohol contributed to their current detention. These findings are important in providing a better picture of alcohol and drug use in a regional population and will assist in shaping prevention and response strategies. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 504: Accessed February 11, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi504.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 137843

Author: Putt, Judy Title: The implementation of Indigenous crime and justice policies and programs in Australia: issues and challenge Summary: This brief considers issues to do with implementation of policies and programs, and identifies strategies or frameworks that can be adopted to improve the implementation of Indigenous crime and justice policies and programs. It provides an overview of key polices and strategies being implemented in Australia that aim to address Indigenous crime and justice issues, and examines four specific key initiatives to highlight the kinds of issues encountered: the Northern Territory Emergency Response; night or community patrols; Aboriginal sentencing courts; and men�s behaviour change programs. The theoretical and practical factors are brought together in a framework which can be used to evaluate and increase successful implementation across a range of programs. Details: Canberra: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Brief 18: Accessed February 23, 2016 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief018.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 137939

Author: MacGillivray, Peta Title: Australian Indigenous Women's Offending Patterns Summary: Research Brief 19 provides new insights into Indigenous women's offending by examining previously unpublished police and court data for the period 2010-2012. While there are differences across the selected Australian jurisdictions, the authors find that the offences that most often appeared in charges, court proceedings and convictions were driving and traffic offences, assault, theft offences and offences against justice procedures. In all the jurisdictions examined, assault along with vehicle and driving offences were the top or second most serious offences with which Indigenous women were charged or proceeded against to court. The paper supports the conclusions of IJC Research Brief 14 that in some jurisdictions Indigenous women are imprisoned on more minor offences including public order offences than their non-Indigenous peers. The paper suggests that programs should aim to prevent Indigenous girls and women from becoming enmeshed in low level offending such as less serious driving offences and shoplifting. Details: Canberra: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Brief 19: Accessed February 23, 2016 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief019.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 137940

Author: Bartels, Lorana Title: Indigenous-specific court initiatives to support Indigenous defendants, victims and witnesses Summary: This brief highlights some current initiatives in operation in Australian courts which seek to make the court process more responsive to the needs of Indigenous participants, along with some examples from New Zealand and Canada. Further sources of support, for example Aboriginal legal and victim support services and judicial education, including judicial benchbooks, are also considered, along with issues around language and communication. While it is acknowledged that most of the initiatives described have not been formally evaluated, some initiatives have been identified as examples of good or promising practice which can provide lessons for policy makers. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Brief 17: Accessed February 23, 2016 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/briefs/brief017.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 137941

Author: Frawley, Patsie Title: What does it take? Developing informed and effective tertiary responses to violence and abuse of women and girls with disabilities in Australia: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper establishes the current state of knowledge on tertiary responses to violence and abuse for women and girls with disabilities. The paper outlines: -tertiary responses to violence and abuse for women and young women with disabilities; and -what the evidence says about the effectiveness of tertiary responses for women and young women with disabilities Details: Alexandria, NSW: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: State of Knowledge Paper, Issue 03: Accessed February 25, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/3_3.4%20Landscapes%20Disability.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Disabilities Shelf Number: 137961

Author: Victoria (Australia). Auditor General Title: Administration of Parole Summary: The audit examined whether parole is being administered effectively to achieve its intended outcomes. In particular, it examined the parole system in the wake of the reforms arising from the review of the parole system conducted by former High Court Justice Ian Callinan. The audit found that the reforms appropriately responded to the Callinan review's recommendations, and that the operation of the parole system has improved. The Adult Parole Board is now better resourced and informed, and parole officers are better trained and supported. However, shortcomings in the available data and insufficient performance monitoring in the past mean that it has been difficult to quantify the benefits of the parole system. It is important that the Department of Justice & Regulation (DJR) fully implements its parole reform evaluation framework so that these benefits can be better understood and any weaknesses can be identified. It is also important that DJR ensure that all systemic barriers preventing suitable prisoners from receiving parole are removed so that these prisoners can receive the full benefits of the parole system reforms. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2015. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 25, 2016 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20160210-Parole/20160210-Parole.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice Reform Shelf Number: 137971

Author: Victoria (Australia). Auditor General Title: Public Safety on Victoria's Train System Summary: Public transport services, and in particular trains, play a significant role in the community. Passengers should feel safe as they use these services regardless of the time of day or night. The protective services officers (PSO) program was established to reduce crime and improve perceptions of safety on Melbourne's train system. Perceptions of the safety of the metropolitan train system at night have improved since the start of the PSO program, but the extent to which this can be attributed to the presence of PSOs is unknown. It is also not possible to assess whether PSOs have had any impact on crime on the metropolitan train system. Advice provided to government to support decisions on the establishment and deployment of the PSO program was comprehensive, however, performance monitoring has been limited. Victoria Police does not have an effective performance monitoring regime in place to support ongoing development or future advice on the program's efficiency or effectiveness. Additionally, there is an opportunity to drive greater awareness of the presence of PSOs, further improving perceptions of safety and increasing patronage. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2016. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 25, 2016 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20160224-Public-Safety/20160224-Public-Safety.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Public Transport Shelf Number: 137972

Author: RMIT University Title: Evaluation of the Redevelopment of Community Correctional Services: Final Report Summary: Community corrections in Victoria instigated the Corrections Long Term Management Strategy (CLTMS) in 2001.The Reducing Re-offending Strategy was a component of CLTMS and was designed to guide correctional policy and practice over the next decade. A major feature of the Reducing Re-offending Strategy was the Redevelopment of Community Correctional Services (CCS). Within the available funding, 42.3 million dollars was allocated to the Redevelopment of Community Correctional Services. The Redevelopment was initiated to strengthen the capacity of Community Correctional Services to manage offenders and to reduce the number of prison beds. There were three compelling reasons that this was necessary: - The prison system was under enormous pressure due to a dramatic rise in prison numbers; - There was a financial imperative to expand community corrections as a more cost effective alternative to prison and there was a need for a greater range of sentencing options; - There was a growing evidence base that community correctional services had more potential to assist offender rehabilitation and reduce re-offending than a custodial sentence. A key indicator of success was an increase in substitution from prison to community based correctional services with an anticipated reduction of 350 prison beds over the four year period of implementation. The intended longer term outcome of the implementation of Redevelopment was a reduction in re-offending. Details: Melbourne: RMIT University, 2005. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 25, 2016 at: https://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/corrections/resources/19ef8778-54fe-4660-b203-6dfa1ec7d33e/evaluation_redevelopment_community_correctional_services_final_report.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 137974

Author: Gannoni, Alexandra Title: Methamphetamine in Brisbane: Perspectives from DUMA police detainees Summary: Methamphetamine is of national concern (ACC 2014), but what does this statement mean to frontline police officers? In real terms it means that frontline police are required, on an increasingly frequent basis, to engage with methamphetamine users. This presents a number of challenges to police. First, methamphetamine intoxication and withdrawal can impede an individual's ability to follow police directions. Second, use is associated with behavioural and psychological disturbances, including aggression, which can increase the risk of harm for the police and members of the community. Third, the user is at increased risk of serious physical harms when in custody due to the effects of intoxication or withdrawal. Risks to the user may be exacerbated by physical exertion during interactions with police or due to use of restraint by police. Being armed with information about what methamphetamine is, the nature and extent of use of methamphetamine among Brisbane police detainees, and details of the Brisbane methamphetamine market can assist police to identify risks to themselves and others. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in practice no. 45: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip45/rip45.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 138008

Author: Lee, Murray Title: Sexting among young people: Perceptions and practices Summary: The rapid development and adoption of online digital technologies has had a profound effect on the way young people conduct their social relationships. The emergence of sexting, or the distribution of sexually explicit photos and videos, has gained widespread attention and raised moral concerns. However, there remains little policy-relevant research on the prevalence of sexting and its impact on young people. This study provides a valuable contribution to the evidence base. In a survey of over 2,000 respondents, almost half reported having sent a sexual picture or video of themselves to another party, while two-thirds had received a sexual image. Sexting was prevalent among all age groups, with 13 to 15 year olds particularly likely to receive sexual images. Sexting was prominent among homosexual and bisexual respondents. Most sexting occurred between partners in committed relationships. The study found very little evidence of peer pressure or coercion to engage in sexting. Rather, young people reported engaging in the practice as a consensual and enjoyable part of their intimate relationships. The paper considers the implications of this for legal and policy responses to sexting. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 508: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi508.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 138009

Author: Lenton, Simon Title: The social supply of cannabis among young people in Australia Summary: Cannabis is the most prolifically used illicit drug in Australia, however, there is a gap in our understanding concerning the social interactions and friendships formed around its supply and use. The authors recruited cannabis users aged between 18 and 30 years throughout Australia, to explore the impact of supply routes on young users and their perceived notions of drug dealing in order to provide valuable insight into the influence that reciprocal relationships have on young people�s access to cannabis. Findings reveal that the supply of cannabis revolves around pre-existing connections and relationships formed through associates known to be able to readily source cannabis. It was found that motivations for proffering cannabis in a shared environment were related more to developing social capital than to generating financial gain. Given this, often those involved in supply do not perceive that they are breaking the law or that they are 'dealers'. This social supply market appears to be built on trust and social interactions and, as such, presents several challenges to law enforcement. It is suggested that there would be benefit in providing targeted education campaigns to combat social supply dealing among young adults. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, December 2015. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 503: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi503.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 138010

Author: Corrections Victoria. Strategy and Forecasting Branch Title: Consolidated response to reviews of offenders charged with murder Summary: On 19 April 2011 The Herald Sun published a front-page article entitled "Free to kill" which, based on a Victoria Police memo, claimed that seven offenders subject to parole orders had committed murder despite having been previously subject to parole intervention. In response to concerns raised in the media, three separate formal reviews were initiated into the management of parolees and other offenders, with particular focus on offenders who were alleged to have committed during the period between 1 July 2008 and 17 December 2010. This report consolidates information relating to the background and context of each of the reviews. Details: Melbourne: Department of Justice, 2013. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: https://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/corrections/resources/831d9685-bfb2-41ac-85a5-38ab54b6c838/consolidated+responsetoreviewsofoffenderschargedwithmurder.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Homicides Shelf Number: 138011

Author: Coghlan, Sarah Title: Temporal distribution of crime in Victorian night-time entertainment precincts Summary: There is an established relationship between crime and areas with a high density of licensed premises (night-time entertainment [NTE] precincts). Various initiatives have been implemented with the aim of reducing harms that arise as a result of alcohol consumption in NTE precincts. Measuring the effectiveness of these initiatives is complicated, in part because of difficulties associated with identifying the number of incidents that are alcohol-related. As a result, surrogate measures of incidents likely related to alcohol are often used to measure patterns in alcohol-related incidents over time. This study sought to determine whether the temporal distribution of crimes occurring in NTE precincts could be used to refine a commonly used surrogate measure, high-alcohol hours. The analysis identified that 54% of assault, sexual, disorderly and offensive conduct and property damage offences in NTE precincts occur between 9pm and 6am on Friday and Saturday nights, and that these periods continue to represent high-alcohol hours. However, there were some differences in the temporal distribution of crime across individual precincts. It is recommended, therefore, that evaluation of specific initiatives incorporate high-alcohol hours relevant to the precincts in which these initiatives are trialled. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief, No. 3: Accessed February 2, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/20160218_final_in_brief3_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 138018

Author: Millsteed, Melanie Title: Recorded drug use and possession offences and offenders, 2005 - 2014 Summary: The number of recorded drug use and possession offences in Victoria has continued to increase over the past five years, while other evidence suggests that the number of people using drugs has remained stable. This exploratory study analysed trends in both the number and rate of drug use and possession offences and offenders over the past ten years, as well as the characteristics of these offenders. The research found that the rate of offences has continued to rise since 2010. The rate of offenders has also risen, but to a lesser extent. Over the past two years, the increase in both the offence and offender rates has slowed. Seventy two percent of recorded drug use and possession offenders were only recorded for one use and possession offence incident between 2005 and 2014. The majority of recorded offenders were male (81.4%) and aged under 30 at the time of their first recorded offence in the dataset (62.7%). Further research will be conducted to examine whether the observed increases over past five years were driven by offending in particular geographic regions or by offences relating to particular drug types. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2015. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief, no. 1: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: https://assets.justice.vic.gov.au//csa/resources/6d5fad02-6c3b-42c1-8a2f-0ed202896d24/20150921_copy_in+brief_paper_1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 138025

Author: Sutherland, Paul Title: Recorded drug use and possession crime in metropolitan, regional and rural Victoria, 2006-2015 Summary: This paper examines the rise in drug use and possession incidents recorded by police across Victoria over the past ten years. By exploring two separate geographical breakdowns, it is possible to see which parts of the state are making the largest contributions to the increase. The paper finds the largest increases occurred across regional urban areas, although there were also increases in metropolitan Melbourne and rural areas over the past five years. There was also a shift in the proportion of incidents that occurred in public locations, although this trend varied across Victoria. While the majority of offenders across the state were male, in metropolitan, rural and many regional areas there has been an increasing proportion of female offenders. While there has been much attention placed on the rise in drug use and possession offending in recent years, it is important to consider the findings in this report may be as much a reflection of police activity as increased prevalence of drug offending across a growing proportion of Victoria's population. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief, no. 2: Accessed March 2, 2016 at: https://assets.justice.vic.gov.au//csa/resources/518f532d-2070-417c-9a1d-7efdce501206/20151127final_in_brief2+%281%29.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 138026

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Review of police use of Firearms Prohibition Order search powers: Issues Paper Summary: We are currently scrutinising police use of new search without warrant powers and are calling from submissions from the public. In November 2013, amendments made to the Firearms Act 1996 provided police in New South Wales with new search powers to enforce a Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO). The new search powers allow police to search (without a warrant) any person subject to an FPO and any premises or vehicle that the person occupies, controls or manages. The powers were introduced to help police find firearms and related items (such as a firearm part or ammunition) that the person is prohibited from having. Police can conduct an FPO search at any time, as long as the search is 'reasonably required' to determine whether the person has committed an offence by using a firearm, or by acquiring or possessing a firearm, a firearm part or ammunition. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2015. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2016 at: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/25523/Review-of-police-use-of-Firearms-Prohibition-Order-search-powers-July-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Shelf Number: 138045

Author: Babacan, Hurriyet Title: The Community safety of international students in Melbourne: A Scoping Study Summary: The report presents findings of a multi-method exploratory research project implemented by ICEPA. The study draws on data gathered through an on-line survey of 1,013 international and domestic students, in-depth interviews with 35 international students and interviews with 29 stakeholders from across government and non-government organisations concerned with the safety of international students. The report analyses this data and identifies key priorities in order to inform future research, policy and program development. Key findings - The vast majority (82%) of students surveyed, both international and domestic, felt Melbourne overall was a safe place to live; believed they lived in a safe part of Melbourne (81%); felt safe at their workplace (93%) and, felt safe when attending college or university (92%). - Differences did exist, however, between the two student groups. Fewer international students (78%) agreed Melbourne was a safe place to live than local students (86%) and were more likely to report that when safety is threatened, there is a racial, religious or cultural element to that threat (50% vs 17%). - A key theme expressed by all respondents was that issues relating to violence against international students are complex. This is due to the diversity of the international student body as each individual experiences different risk factors according to a range of factors including gender, religion, class, educational institution, age and English language skills. Nevertheless, interview and survey data indicates that violence motivated by racism is perceived by a significant proportion of international students as a pervasive element in the cocktail of factors that produce risks to their safety. - Both international and domestic students and stakeholders said that the key threats to safety included a combination of four main environmental factors, including higher risk of violence at night, being on public transport or in public spaces, particular localities that are unsafe and the use of alcohol and drugs. Details: Melbourne: Institute for Community, Ethnicity and Policy Alternatives, Victoria University, 2010. 131p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2016 at: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/15491/1/The_Community_Safety_of_International_Students_in_Melb_A_Scoping_Study.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Campus Crime Shelf Number: 138047

Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Why is the NSW prison population still growing? Another look at prison trends between 2011 and 2015 Summary: Between June 2011 and September 2015, the number of people in prison rose from 10,000 to 11,801, an increase of 18 per cent. The increase since November 2014 has been particularly marked, with an additional 1,421 prisoners added to the population in just ten months. As of September 2015, the remand population stood at 3,597. This is 975 remand prisoners more than were in custody in September 2011. The sentenced prisoner population in September 2015 stood at 8,204. This is 1,023 more sentenced prisoners than were in custody in September 2011. The growth in the number of persons entering remand is due to four factors: (a) more people being proceeded against by police for offences where bail refusal is likely (b) more people being proceeded against for breach of bail (c) longer periods on remand and (d) (possibly), an increase in the likelihood of bail refusal. The increase in the sentenced prisoner population is partly due to an increase in the percentage of convicted offenders given a prison sentence and partly due to the fact that police are more often initiating criminal proceedings against offenders who, if convicted, are likely to be imprisoned. The percentage imprisoned has risen significantly for offenders convicted of stalking/ intimidation, criminal intent, receiving or handling the proceeds of crime, obtaining benefit by deception, dangerous/negligent driving, theft (other than motor vehicles), serious assault resulting in injury, common assault, breach of community service orders, threatening behaviour and sell, possess and/or use prohibited weapons/explosives. The number proceeded against by police has increased significantly for stalking/intimidation, criminal intent, receiving/handling the proceeds of crime, obtaining benefit by deception, dealing/trafficking in drugs (non-commercial quantity) and breach of violence order. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 113: Accessed March 5, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-Why-is-the-NSW-prison-population-still-growing-bb113.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Imprisonment Shelf Number: 138116

Author: Connery, David Title: A Web of Harms: Serious and organised crime and its impact on Australian interests Summary: This special report examines transnational, serious and organised crime and the harms it causes to Australia's interests. The report aims to encourage a reinvigorated discussion among Australians about this critical matter. The harms include negative impacts upon individuals and the community and unfair competition for some legitimate businesses. Serious and organised crime - whether transnational or domestic - also imposes costs on Australian governments and denies them revenue. What's more, serious and organised crime groups acting overseas work against Australia's foreign policy interests and increase risks to Australians (and others) who live, invest and travel abroad. There's an urgent need for the Australian community to discuss the criminal threats facing it in a more deliberate and broader-reaching way. That�s because dealing with serious and organised crime is not a task for government alone: the Australian public and business have key roles. After all, consumer demand creates illicit markets that serious and organised crime seeks to supply. Additionally, the internet is increasing the speed, reach and depth of penetration by serious and organized crime into the lives of all Australian families and businesses. Simply put, you don't need to go to nightclubs in red-light districts to meet organised crime: you need go only as far as your computer. It's also worth examining better ways to increase the roles of non-law-enforcement agencies, business and the community in efforts to address serious and organised crime. We should bring the full range of social, education, regulatory and health instruments into the fight, and subdue the potential of internet-enabled financial crime to damage our current and future prosperity. International cooperation in this fight is essential, especially given the role of overseas actors in our crime challenge. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Initiative, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 9, 2016 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/a-web-of-harms-serious-and-organised-crime-and-its-impact-on-australian-interests/SR81_Web_Harms.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crimes Shelf Number: 138147

Author: Kaspiew, Rae Title: Elder Abuse: Understanding issues, frameworks and responses Summary: This report provides an overview of elder abuse in Australia - including its characteristics, context, and prevention. First, it considers definitional issues and what is known about prevalence and incidence, risk and protective factors, and the dynamics surrounding disclosure and reporting. The report then sets out evidence on the demographic and socio-economic features of the Australian community that are relevant to understanding social dynamics that may influence elder abuse, including intergenerational wealth transfer and the systemic structures that intersect with elder abuse. Lastly, the report considers legislative and service responses and Australian and overseas approaches to prevention. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2016. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report no. 35: Accessed March 10, 2016 at: https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/rr35-elder-abuse.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse Shelf Number: 138161

Author: Victoria Legal Aid Title: Characteristics of respondents charged with breach of family violence intervention orders Summary: Breaches of family violence intervention orders are one of the fastest growing offences in Victoria, so understanding who breaches and why, is important for agencies that provide services to both respondents and applicants. This paper identifies the common characteristics of respondents who receive legal assistance when charged with breach of a family violence intervention order. It also analyses the characteristics of clients who have received legal assistance multiple times when charged with breaching a family violence order. The paper reinforces the need to ensure: - people charged with breaches receive appropriate legal advice - orders are tailored to the circumstances of each client - that we make appropriate referrals to other agencies, including non-legal agencies if necessary. Providing appropriate legal advice and support may help increase the rate of compliance with family violence intervention orders, reduce recidivism and increase safety for victims. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Legal Aid, 2016. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2016 at: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/research-and-analysis/characteristics-of-respondents-charged-with-breach-of-family-violence-intervention-orders Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 138167

Author: Australia. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Title: Inquiry into the gathering and use of criminal intelligence Summary: Contemporary law enforcement agencies face considerable challenges brought about by greater mobility of people, goods and services across designated borders, improved communications and information technologies, and the emergence of a globalised economy. The transnational nature of organised crime means that in the commission of their crime, criminal networks forge bonds across geographical borders, transcend linguistic and cultural barriers and operate across markets. In Australia, the operations of organised criminal entities are fluid, adaptive and transcend borders, sectors and crime types. As serious and organised crime in Australia exploits the legislative, structural and resource gaps in law enforcement, it demands a nationally consistent approach. It also requires strategic investigative methodologies focused on intelligence-led investigations as well as identifying sector vulnerabilities open to exploitation in order to prevent and disrupt serious and organised crime rather than relying on reactive policing. As the national criminal intelligence body, the central function of the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) is to collect, analysis and disseminate criminal intelligence in relation to nationally significant organised crime. Its modus operandi is to work in partnership with law enforcement, national security agencies, government and industry to deliver advanced criminal intelligence. Recent amendments to the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 have allowed for greater dissemination of ACC information to partner agencies, government and the private sector. However, evidence to the committee suggests that the intention behind these new arrangements, which is to provide for a more comprehensive response to organised crime, cannot be fully realised until existing limitations, challenges and hurdles within the current criminal intelligence framework are addressed. This inquiry has brought to light serious legislative, technological, resource and cultural impediments to the flow of intelligence which produce unequal intelligence holdings, an incomplete picture of criminal threats and undermine stakeholder confidence. Some law enforcement agencies hold reservations about sharing their own information and seem not to recognise the value added to that information when converted into intelligence and returned to them. Such concerns are exacerbated by the absence of a common approach to collecting, collating, analysing and disseminating criminal intelligence underpinning a common ethos. Efforts to establish an interoperable criminal intelligence system capable of producing a comprehensive national picture of organised crime are hindered for these reasons. Details: Canberra: Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, 2013. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Law_Enforcement/Completed_inquiries/2010-13/criminal_intelligence/report/index Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Intelligence Shelf Number: 138191

Author: South Australia. Attorney-General's Department. Office of Crime Statistics and Research Title: Graffiti Control Act 2001: All Sections Summary: This report provides an analysis of crime statistics for offences under the South Australian Graffiti Control Act 2001 for the period 2010-11 to 2013-14. These statistics include offences recorded by police, charges on police apprehension reports, and court outcomes and penalties for offences prosecuted under this legislation. Details: Adelaide: South Australia, Attorney-General's Department, 2015. Source: Internet Resource: Legislation Profile: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/other_publications/Legislation_Profile_2013-14_-_Graffiti_Control_Act_2001.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 138199

Author: South Australia. Attorney-General's Department. Office of Crime Statistics and Research Title: South Australia Offence Profile 2014 Summary: This report presents data relating to all non-expiable offences and incidents recorded by police in South Australia over the time period 2011 to 2014. The report includes information on the number and rate of offences recorded by police in 2014. It also provides a breakdown of the type of offences recorded and a comparison with the numbers recorded in previous years. Details: Adelaide: South Australia Attorney-General's Department, 2015. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/other_publications/South_Australian_Offence_Profile_-_2014.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Rates Shelf Number: 138200

Author: South Australia. Attorney-General's Department. Office of Crime Statistics and Research Title: South Australian Apprehensions Profile Report 2014 Summary: The South Australian Apprehensions Profile Report 2014 provides an analysis of apprehension reports filed for offences committed in South Australia during 2014. It includes a demographic profile of individuals apprehended by police, method of apprehension, the type of offences alleged per individual, and a summary of juvenile apprehensions. Details: Adelaide: South Australia Attorney-General's Department, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/other_publications/South_Australian_Apprehensions_Profile_-_2014.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Arrest and Apprehension Shelf Number: 138201

Author: South Australia. Attorney-General's Department. Office of Crime Statistics and Research Title: Caution versus conference referral: a comparison of police diversion in reducing re-contact by first-time Indigenous juvenile offenders in South Australia Summary: The over-representation of Indigenous young people in the criminal justice system remains a significant social justice and public policy issue in Australia. It has been suggested that an increased use of effective police diversion can reduce Indigenous over-representation. Diversion can be defined as the practice of diverting young people from entering or continuing into the formal criminal justice system and commonly involves pre-court processes and programs. Two of the most frequently used methods of diversion in South Australia are formal police cautioning and family conferencing. While a number of studies have investigated the effectiveness of diversion in reducing re-offending by Indigenous juveniles, only Cunningham (2007) and Allard et al. (2009) have investigated the effectiveness of formal police cautioning and family conferencing in reducing re-offending by first-time Indigenous juvenile offenders (F-TIJOs). However, these two studies report conflicting findings and contain notable methodological limitations, including: (i) short follow-up periods, (ii) failure to track re-offending into adulthood, (iii) small sample sizes, (iv) failure to examine more than two recidivism outcomes, and (v) risks of bias due to failure to control for significant predictors of re-offending and failure to analyse data on intention to treat. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two methods of diversion; cautioning and referral to conferencing, in reducing re-contact by F-TIJOs using methods to overcome the limitations of previous research. To address these methodological limitations the current study (i) employed a follow-up period of 24 months for each offender regardless of whether this period extended into the adult justice system, (ii) analysed four recidivism outcomes, (iii) analysed data on intention to treat, and (iv) employed propensity score matching to control for significant predictors of re-offending. The following research question was examined: (1) Did the proportion of F-TIJOs who re-contacted with police within 24 months differ between those who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference? For those who re-contacted within 24 months, the following research questions were also examined: (2) Did the frequency of re-contact differ between F-TIJOs who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference?, (3) Did the seriousness of first re-contact differ between F-TIJOs who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference?, and (4) Did time to re-contact differ between F-TIJOs who received a formal police caution and those who received a referral to a family conference? Details: Adelaide: Office of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/docs/research_reports/OCSAR_Research_Report_Caution_vs_Conference_Referral.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Conferencing Shelf Number: 138202

Author: Haile-Michael, Daniel Title: The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same. Report of the FKCLC Peer Advocacy Outreach Project on Racial Profiling Across Melbourne Summary: The report claims racially discrimination by Victoria Police continues throughout Metropolitan Melbourne despite recent efforts to curb racial profiling. It also highlights the profound psychological and exclusionary impacts of racialised policing. Daniel and Maki spoke with young people in Sunshine, Flemington, Noble Park and Dandenong about their experiences with police and found that negative experiences at the hands of police were common, public occurrences and caused anxiety, isolation and fear. The report also found that youth and community workers who were approached by young people with complaints against police did not have the skills or resources to help young people make formal complaints. Through the project, Daniel and Maki also shared their experiences as lead applicants in the landmark Race Discrimination Case with the young people they connected with. This report shares their findings and reflects on developments since they began their legal action to hold police to account 10 years ago. Details: Kensington, VIC, AUS: Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://www.policeaccountability.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/More-Things-Change_report_softcopy.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Accountability Shelf Number: 138205

Author: Walshe, Kieran Title: Independent Investigation into the Metropolitan Remand Centre Riot: Final Report Summary: On 30 June 2015, approximately 400 prisoners at the MRC launched the largest prison riot in Victoria's history. Armed with makeshift weapons, prisoners threw rocks at staff, rammed internal gates with vehicles, damaged accommodation units and security cameras, broke down cell doors and lit numerous fires. All in all, it took 15 hours to restore order and secure all prisoners. ESTABLISHING THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION - On 2 July 2015, the Hon Wade Noonan MP, Minister for Corrections and Minister for Police, appointed former Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner, Kieran Walshe, to undertake an independent investigation ('the Investigation') into the MRC riot and submit a report to the Minister by 4 December 2015. The Investigation's Terms of Reference (Appendix A) are as follows: - to consider the events of 30 June and 1 July 2015 - to review the state's response to, and preparedness for, the incident and the management of the emergency, giving specific consideration to joint agency operations - to identify any learnings from the incident and make recommendations for future improvements. THE SMOKING BAN IN VICTORIAN PRISONS In 2014, the former government passed legislation making it an offence to smoke in Victorian prisons from 1 July 2015. With over 80% of prisoners being smokers, the ban was the most significant change in recent Victorian prison history. Recognising its significance, Corrections Victoria (CV) developed the 'Smoke Free Prisons Project Plan' and the MRC 'Site Implementation Plan', which provided opportunities to participate in QUIT programs, access Quitline and make use of nicotine replacement therapies. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE RIOT While the smoking ban was definitely the catalyst, there were several other contributing factors that fermented discontent and tension within the prison population. Firstly, the MRC is predominantly a maximum-security facility for remand prisoners. As many remand prisoners had only been there for a short period of time, they had less time to prepare for the smoking ban, meaning they felt its impact more intensely and immediately. Overcrowding was another contributing factor. The MRC was built in 2006 to house 613 prisoners but the opening count on 30 June 2015 was 918. To accommodate this surge, double bunks were installed and additional units constructed, which resulted in a reduction of recreational yard space. The increase of prisoners over time placed a greater strain on facilities, e.g. recreation facilities, together with difficulties in scheduling prisoner visits and access to programs. As a consequence, there was increased anxiety and frustration within the prison population. Significantly, the prisoners' ability to breach internal fences and the Central Movement Control (CMC) gates gave them unfettered access to many parts of the prison and facilitated an escalation in riotous activity. This was a significant contributing factor to the riot. The Investigation recommends that immediate action be taken to strengthen internal fences and gates. Details: Victoria, AUS: The Author, 2015. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2016 at: http://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/corrections/resources/198d00c1-c2ad-4089-98c6-bffc074880c3/mrc_riot_final_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Overcrowding Shelf Number: 138208

Author: Bradford, Ben Title: Officers as Mirrors: Policing, Procedural Justice and the (Re)Production of Social Identity Summary: People's encounters with the criminal justice system can powerfully shape both their sense of self and their sense of belonging. In this paper we focus on the effect experiences of policing may have on people's identities. A representative panel survey of Australians provides the most convincing evidence yet that social identity (here, identifying oneself as a 'law-abiding Australian') is an important mechanism linking procedural justice to police legitimacy. When people feel fairly treated, their sense of identification with the group the police represent seems to be enhanced, strengthening police legitimacy as a result; but unfair treatment, which indicates to people that they do not belong, may undermine such identification and damage police legitimacy. Details: Oxford, UK: University of Oxford, 2013. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Oxford Legal Studies Research Paper No. 86/2013 : Accessed March 14, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2337913 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Legitimacy Shelf Number: 138219

Author: New South Wales. Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Making Connections: Providing family and community support to young people in custody Summary: Inspector of Custodial Services' first inspection examining juvenile justice centres looked at the ways in which family and community support is provided to young people in custody. That there is value in providing family and community support to young people in detention is widely recognised and is reflected in domestic legislation and Juvenile Justice Standards. It has been highlighted by the experience in other jurisdictions, such as the 1998 Queensland Forde Inquiry, that contact with family and community should be an entitlement of detainees, rather than a privilege. Family and community contact can reduce detainees' sense of isolation while in custody and can also support reintegration outcomes when they are released. This inspection examined two centres: Juniperina Juvenile Justice Centre and Reiby Juvenile Justice Centres. Juniperina is the only female-only centre in NSW, and Reiby accommodates both younger boys (10-16 years old) and those with behavioural issues. These centres were selected as they offered an overview of the types of issues faced by young people held in detention, who are often from a complex and disadvantaged background. The inherent challenges faced by JJNSW in assisting young people to maintain links with their family and community while incarcerated are exacerbated by the fact that a high proportion of young people are placed in a detention centre outside their home region and tend to spend a relatively short time in custody. Overall, the inspection found that JJNSW promotes and facilitates contact between young people and their families and communities in a satisfactory way. Contact with family is mainly facilitated through telephone and face-to-face visits; and juvenile justice officers involve family in the case management process where possible. Engagement with the local community is achieved through having programs delivered in the centres by non-government organisations, or the use of external leave or work arrangements where this is assessed as appropriate. The family contact policies are well defined by JJNSW and administered effectively by staff in the centres, although there are some differences in the ways they may be applied to individual cases. The Inspector appreciates the need to maintain flexibility when applying these policies, but underscores the importance of remembering that contact with family is an entitlement of all young people in detention and access to family should never be used as a tool to manage behaviour. A key point of concern for the Inspector that became evident during this inspection was the level of security utilised during visits. Rigorous security processes are essential to the smooth running of the centre, but they should not unfairly impinge on the rights of young people. Current practice sees strip-searching of young people carried out as routine procedure after, and in some cases before, being granted a visit with family. Young people are also dressed in security overalls for all visits, including non-contact ones. The Inspector believes these measures can create further problems for already fragile young people and that a proper risk-based assessment would target the trafficking of contraband equally as well. The inspection found that both centres have regular and ongoing engagement with their local communities and NGOs. Centre management works with local groups to deliver a range of in-house programs for young people, although the level of interaction varies across centres. An outstanding example of outreach with the local community is seen at the Waratah Unit at Reiby, a pre-release unit focusing on developing the life skills of young men before they are released. There are notable differences in the opportunities and programs offered to young men and young women and the inspection recommends that comparable opportunities should be available to women as they are to men. Such opportunities should be available for both in-house programs and access to a transitional program and external work release, such as that offered at the Waratah Unit. Details: Sydney: Inspector of Custodial Services, 2015. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2016 at: http://www.custodialinspector.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/FINAL%20Making%20Connections%20report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Participation Shelf Number: 138246

Author: New South Wales. Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Full House: The growth of the inmate population in NSW Summary: This first inspection by the office of the Inspector was undertaken in response to a rapid rise in the prison population in NSW in 2014. While long-term trends show a consistent rise in the number of people being incarcerated, this number peaked at 11,021 in May 2014, giving rise to significant overcrowding. NSW has the lowest number of hours out-of-cell each day for inmates, and this, combined with overcrowding, presents significant risks to the correctional system. Confining two or three inmates to cells designed for one or two for prolonged periods, where they shower, eat and defecate, inevitably raises tensions in an already volatile population. The experience in other jurisdictions has been that this potentially increases the risk of assault, self-harm and suicide and more general prison disorder. Rehabilitation outcomes are also compromised when inmate numbers are increased without a commensurate increase in appropriate resources. Overcrowding limits opportunities for parole because access to required programs is constrained. Reduced access to work and limited contact with families contribute to the creation of an unproductive environment. While it is difficult to define 'overcrowding', for the purposes of this inspection the term has been used to define a situation where a centre is holding a number of inmates that exceeds the original capacity that the centre was designed to accommodate. In NSW, 21 of 44 correctional centres are currently operating over design capacity. Prison overcrowding has the potential to negatively impact on all aspects of custodial life, from the initial reception of an inmate through to their transition back into the community upon release. Accordingly, this inspection examined the impact of overcrowding as it relates to three key areas: - Security and safety; - Health and wellbeing; - Resources and services. This inspection examined three metropolitan centres: Parklea Correctional Centre (the second largest centre in NSW and a privately operated centre), the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre (the largest centre in NSW which receives over 40 percent of all new receptions to the correctional system), and the Metropolitan Special Programs Centre Area 2 (which accommodates a variety of inmate groups and offers a range of therapeutic programs). In July 2014, these centres were operating at a level of between 4.5 to 71 percent over their design capacity. Details: Sydney: Inspector of Custodial Services, 2015. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2016 at: http://www.custodialinspector.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Full%20House%20-%20Final%20report%20April%202015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Inmates Shelf Number: 138247

Author: Hughes, Caitlin Title: Evaluation of Australian Capital Territory drug diversion programs Summary: Diversion refers to a variety of programs which divert alcohol and other drug (AOD) users into education and treatment responses or away from criminal justice system responses. Diversion has become one of the most used policy interventions in Australia (Hughes and Ritter 2008; Ritter et al. 2011). Once seen as controversial (Hughes 2009), it is now deemed an increasingly pragmatic response: increasing the capacity to reduce subsequent offending, reduce drug use and/or harmful use and decrease criminal justice costs. Relative to other states and territories, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has been a leader in drug diversion provision; the first jurisdiction to introduce a court drug diversion program (1989) and the second to introduce civil penalties for cannabis possession (1992). This report outlines an evaluation of the ACT AOD diversion programs commissioned by the ACT Health Directorate. It was conducted by the Drug Policy Modelling Program, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre and the ACT based consultancy Social Evaluation and Research in 2012. It used a systems approach, built on dialogue methods and incorporated collection of resources data and the development of a robust evaluation plan. The evaluation focussed on how the system of five programs operates together, rather than merely the inputs and outcomes of individual programs. This is a different approach to traditional methods of evaluation, and is based on the recognition that the outcomes from programs are often more affected by the intersections of programs, than any one individual program. Our work entailed the following components and associated questions: 1. Conceptual map of current system: What is the current map of the ACT drug diversion system in its entirety taking into account its contexts and the full range of programs? How are the programs delineated? How do clients move around the system? What outputs are being attained? 2. Resources: What resources are being allocated and what are the costs of service provision? 3. Evaluation roadmap: What indicators and evaluation designs can be established so as to assess implementation, outputs and outcomes (positive and negative, intended and unintended) from the ACT drug diversion system? 4. Future system: Where can improvements be made, including but not limited to program access, program barriers to be overcome, referral systems, program components and so on? Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, The University of New South Wales, 2014. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Policy Modeling Program Monograph 25: Accessed March 16, 2016 at: https://dpmp.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/dpmp/resources/DPMP%20MONO%2025.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Diversion Programs Shelf Number: 138250

Author: Semczuk, Megan Title: An analysis of the relationship between a community-based prevention program for young people with multiple and complex needs and the prevalence of crime Summary: Background There is an absence of high-quality evidence about which programs are most effective in reducing juvenile offending and crime recidivism. Aims This study identifies the most common types of police incidents involving high-risk young people, describes the demographic characteristics of the persons of interest, examines the extent to which a community prevention program (BackTrack) is associated with reductions in police incidents, and identifies the perceptions of key stakeholders about the impact of BackTrack. Methods Routinely collected crime data were obtained from 1999-2013 for Armidale (the BackTrack community). Descriptive analyses identified the most common incidents and their characteristics. Segmented regression analysis of an interrupted time series estimated BackTrack's impact, with segments specified for pre (1999-2005) and post (2006-2013) the commencement of BackTrack. A thematic analysis was applied the perceptions of police officers and the magistrate in Armidale. Results The most common types of police incidents were: break and enter dwelling; malicious damage to property; assault (non-domestic violence); and trespass. Most persons of interest were male, aged 14-17 years. A statistically significant reduction from pre- to post-commencement of BackTrack was identified for three outcomes (p≤0.05), while the fourth (break and enter) approached significance (p=0.055). A key perception was that outcomes are optimised when key stakeholders in community programs and the criminal justice system work together. Conclusions BackTrack appropriately targets high-risk young people and is effective in reducing the most common types of criminal incidents Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2012. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: NDARC Monograph Report Number 65: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/NDARC%20Monograph%2065.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 138310

Author: Fuller, Georgina Title: Non-offending parents as secondary victims of child sexual assault Summary: Informal support systems play an important role in assisting primary victims cope with their experience post-crime. The experience of primary victims can have a vicarious impact on the individuals who comprise these support systems. This research explores the impact of child sexual assault on a sample of 26 non-offending parents, with a particular focus on examining the link between a parent's thoughts and feelings about the assault and their subsequent support of, and assistance to, the primary victim. The results of the qualitative analysis show parents experienced a wide range of negative emotional responses to their child's victimisation, and these reactions may have influenced what support the parent was able to provide. In particular, parents reported feelings of anger, sadness and guilt; they became overprotective and isolated from their children, partners, family, friends and community. The implications of these findings for the treatment and support of parents of victims of child sexual assault are also discussed. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 500: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi500.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 138317

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Fraud within the Commonwealth: A census of the most costly incidents, 2010-11 to 2012-13 Summary: Fraud against the Commonwealth is defined as 'dishonestly obtaining a benefit or causing a loss, by deception or other means'. This definition is set out in the current Commonwealth Resource Management Guide (no. 201) Preventing, detecting and dealing with fraud, issued by the Australian Government Minister for Justice (2014). This form of fraud may be committed by individuals who do not work for government bodies, such as those who dishonestly claim benefits or some other financial advantage (external fraud), or by those employed by entities including staff and contractors (internal fraud). Fraud may also involve collaboration between internal and external parties. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the nature of internal fraud against the Commonwealth, and the personal background details of those alleged to have committed the deception. It reports on the results of an annual census of Commonwealth entities which collected information on the single 'most costly' incident of internal fraud that they experienced in 2010-11 to 2012-13. During these years, 137 Commonwealth entities reported 7,809 incidents of internal fraud. Of these, 125 chose one incident each year that they considered their most costly internal fraud. Information was provided on how and why fraud was committed, estimated financial losses involved, the personal circumstances of the principal alleged perpetrators, and how the incidents were dealt with in terms of investigation, prosecution and judicial outcomes. Most incidents involved non-corporate Commonwealth entities (formerly governed under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (Cth) see Table 1). Entities with more than 1,000 staff contributed more incidents for this study than smaller bodies. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice No. 41: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip41/rip41.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Crimes Against Businesses Shelf Number: 138318

Author: Sullivan, Katherine Maree Title: Motivating and Maintaining Desistance from Crime: Male Aboriginal Serial Offenders' Experience of 'Going Good' Summary: Aboriginal people are over represented in prison in Australia, being 13 times more likely to be incarcerated than non-Indigenous people. Repeat offenders make up a high proportion of the Aboriginal prison population, yet most repeat offenders eventually cease offending or desist from crime. Why do they stop? The process of desistance is complex, non-linear and varies between individuals. North American and British studies report the role of structure and, more latterly, cognition and agency in desistance and re-formation of offender identities. Few of these studies examine the context, particularly the cultural context, of desisters and desistance. This thesis uses anthropological and ethnographic approaches to present and analyse the life narratives of Aboriginal men from north-western New South Wales who have been repeat offenders and are now 'going good' (i.e. have ceased offending). Concepts of agency (and its temporal orientations), cultural schemas and figured worlds are applied. The stories of the early lives of participants and the views of community members paint the backdrop of offence, desistance, identity formation and re-formation. The agentic role of the motivating cultural schemas of fatherhood, life partnership, committed kin and respected man are found to operate in the initiation of desistance as men consider ontological security and extricate themselves from the figured world of repeat offender. The interplay of contingency and capacity is critical in the maintenance of desistance, with shortfalls in the individual's capacity sometimes being bolstered by spousal and family support. The thesis examines the role and interaction of Aboriginal and offender identity in desistance and maps the repeated expression of the underlying value of 'looking after' family and kin, and in this context the role of post-release occupation in desistance is critically examined. Continuity of aspects of identity are discovered to be critical in achieving desistance and paradoxically, achieving continuity often involves innovation in relationships with kin and/or in expression of the moral value of 'looking after' or 'caring for' (kin). Details: Canberra: Australian National University, 2012. 412p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/9847/2/02Whole_Sullivan.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 138327

Author: Marel, C. Title: Review of volatile substance substance use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Summary: Volatile substance use (VSU) is an issue of concern to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians. In locations where it is occurring, it impacts considerably on families and broader communities. An increasing number of reviews, reports and inquiries have been conducted over the past three decades, highlighting VSU as a critical issue. In decades past the 'lack of progress in implementing recommendations contained in these reports created much frustration and despair in communities'. In recent years, however, there has been significant progress, particularly in remote Indigenous communities, though there is still work to be done. About this review The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of key information on VSU for people involved in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in Australia, and draws on a number of substantial reports and other key documents. This review expands on the previous version of the Review of volatile substance use among Indigenous people, which itself drew on work conducted in preparation for Volatile substance misuse: a review of interventions. The current review is focused on Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and does not substantially examine VSU among other Indigenous peoples, or other populations in Australia or internationally. After a brief overview of the nature of volatile substances, the effects of VSU and current approaches to VSU are described. Specifically, supply and demand reduction approaches, and treatment responses in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are discussed, followed by concluding comments. Although there are numerous terms to describe inhalant use and misuse, often interchangeably, VSU is the term preferred in this review. The HealthInfoNet produces a wide range of publications and narrative reviews of specific health topics. In these publications authors summarise and present data from other sources. It is often difficult to determine whether original sources are referring to Aboriginal people only, Torres Strait Islander people only or to both groups. . Details: Mount Lawley, WA, AUS: Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Australian Indigenous HealthReviews, no. 15: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://www.naccho.org.au/download/aboriginal-health/Review%20volatile%20substance%20use%20review-2016(3).pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 138339

Author: Smith, Marcus Title: Recent developments in DNA evidence Summary: In this paper, the authors describe recent developments in DNA technology. Key cases involving DNA evidence in Australia and overseas that occurred between 2003 and 2014 are used to illustrate the benefits and potential issues that can arise when new DNA techniques are applied to criminal investigations. Empirical data on the value of DNA evidence and DNA databases on investigative and court outcomes are outlined, demonstrating strong support for the value of DNA evidence to investigations and prosecutions. The techniques and applications for DNA evidence described here, and future developments, clearly have important implications for policymakers, practitioners and legislators. Equally, the Australian criminal justice system will need to continue to adapt to accommodate new developments in this field. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 506: Accessed March 21, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi506.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Evidence Shelf Number: 138356

Author: South, Sandra Title: Scoping review: Evaluations of pre-employment screening practices for child-related work that aim to prevent child sexual abuse Summary: The aim of this scoping review was to map evaluations of pre-employment screening practices for child-related work that aim to prevent child sexual abuse. It was conducted by the Parenting Research Centre and the University of Melbourne for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. This report describes the methods used to conduct the scoping review and the findings of the scoping review. Methods Systematic searches for existing evaluations of pre-employment screening practices for child-related work that aim to prevent child sexual abuse were conducted using an extensive list of electronic databases and websites, manually searching website publication lists (when no search engine was available) and searching the reference lists of potentially relevant studies. Results were then synthesised across study characteristics, including the methods employed and relevant key findings, and this was followed by a narrative interpretation of findings. Characteristics of the included evaluations Electronic database searches located 1,464 papers after duplicates were removed. A further 186 new papers were identified through website searches, through a concurrent review of child sexual abuse prevention in out-of-home care and via reference list checks. Twenty-five of these 1,650 papers were found to be suitable for inclusion in this scoping review. The 25 relevant evaluations were categorised into three general pragmatic categories of evaluation approaches in order to facilitate an overview of their relevance. They consisted of: 1. 19 retrospective case studies or surveys (including six public or ministerial inquiries) 2. Four qualitative analyses of submissions or hearings 3. Two evaluations of classification tools. The evaluations of the classification tools (category 3 above) found that tools for pre-employment screening that aimed to predict whether individual applicants would be at a high risk of committing sexual offences were neither sufficiently effective nor ethically feasible. As such, these two evaluations were not considered further in this scoping review beyond an explanation as to why such tools are unlikely to be reliable and valid. Evaluations were conducted in Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Evaluations were located in all the countries identified at the outset of this scoping review as most relevant for the work of the Royal Commission, with the exception of Canada. The target group (that is, the type of employment) addressed most commonly was child-related work, broadly defined. These studies addressed both paid employees and volunteers. Additional target groups included teachers and other private and public school staff, including volunteers; residential care providers or staff at children's homes; volunteers at organisations serving children and/or youth; and foster care providers and other adults who live and/or work in these settings. It is noteworthy that the majority of both the potentially relevant papers and the included evaluations were reports identified through website searches. Thus, the scientific discourse around these practices appears to be largely communicated through governmental and non-governmental agencies' reports (so-called 'grey literature') and to a lesser degree in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Relevant key findings stated by evaluation authors The review team compiled the findings, suggestions and recommendations of evaluation authors in each of the included studies in an effort to present a more nuanced understanding of the studies. These were not screened by the scoping review authors for methodological rigour and should be treated solely as the opinions of the authors, as stated in their evaluations. The authors of many of the included evaluations emphasised that criminal background checks appear to be universally considered as an important component of pre-employment screening practices. However, such statements were almost never made without emphasising the limited effectiveness of using criminal background checks as the only pre-employment screening practice to safeguard children from sexual abuse by staff. Indeed, many concerns were raised regarding factors that limit the feasibility and effectiveness of criminal background checks as a safeguard protecting children from sexual abuse, including (in order of most frequently to least frequently mentioned): - Time delays in the recruitment process due to the time needed to complete a criminal background check and/or the resulting decision to employ a person before the check is complete - The costs associated with conducting criminal background checks - The risk that an applicant may have changed their name, or give a pseudonym or nickname - The need to check for criminal offences in other jurisdictions (such as international or interstate jurisdictions) - The risks posed by those exempt from mandatory criminal background checks (for example, parents who volunteer when their child is present, and other adults who share the home with the caregiver and child) - A lack of reporting, confirmation and, therefore, criminal background checks of other adults who may be living in institutions (including foster or childcare homes) - Issues related to conflicting child protection and child welfare legislation regarding the need for, and actions to be taken based on, criminal background checks - Ethical concerns regarding infringing on a person�s right to exoneration, privacy and/or rehabilitation due to sharing information about served, pardoned and quashed criminal convictions. The pre-employment screening practices other than criminal background checks (often referred to as sources of 'soft information' in the literature) that evaluation authors identified as necessary components of a comprehensive pre-employment screening procedure included (in order of most frequently to least frequently mentioned): - Conducting thorough reference checks (for example, those obtained directly from previous employers by asking direct questions about any concerns regarding the applicant's suitability to work with children) - Holding employment interviews that focus on determining the applicant's suitability to work with children (such as value-based interviewing; for more information, see Erooga, 2009) - Checking suspected or substantiated child abuse against other sources of information, such as child-abuse registries, children's court decisions or disciplinary body proceedings - Critically examining an applicant's employment history and/or written application (to identify gaps in their employment history and thus clarify their cause, or to explain ambiguous responses to direct questions about criminal history) - Verifying the applicant's identity using methods such as photo-based documents or fingerprinting - Verifying the applicant's education or qualifications (in order to determine if they are qualified to undertake child-related work). The need for comprehensive pre-employment screening practices was supported and underscored by many case examples where such practices were not followed and, as a result, unsuitable people gained employment in child-related work and went on to sexually abuse the children in their care. That people identified as unsuitable to work with children following pre-employment screening should be disqualified from doing so was implicit in all the literature identified in this scoping review. However, case examples examined in the included evaluations highlight that enforcing employment prohibitions, even in the face of evidence of child sexual abuse, was not always a matter of course. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2014. 58p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/3828bdcb-3689-4011-98a3-d2ebbf277718/Evaluations-of-pre-employment-screening-practices Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Background Checks Shelf Number: 138367

Author: Angus, Christopher Title: Cyberbullying of children Summary: The Internet, mobile phones, and other technological innovations have become entrenched in Australian life. These technologies create far-reaching benefits for youth. Nevertheless, these technologies have also introduced a tranche of online bullying behaviours known as cyberbullying, adding to the longstanding challenges associated with traditional school bullying. Cyberbullying has been an identified issue since at least the early 2000s; however, the issue has gained greater attention as more Australian children use social media and communication technologies more frequently. Cyberbullying can cause immense distress to young victims, including long term psychological and mental health damage, and in some cases suicide. Stopping this harmful behaviour has become a matter of high priority for authorities, and Australian schools in particular. While adults can be cyberbullied, or engage in cyberbullying, the focus of this e-brief is on children. The paper outlines cyberbullying's prevalence in Australia and its impact on individuals and schools. It discusses key government responses at the Commonwealth and State level, and international reviews of the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief 2/2016: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/key/Cyberbullyingofchildren/$File/Cyberbullying%20of%20Children.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Bullying Shelf Number: 138369

Author: New South Wales. Police Integrity Commission Title: Operation Winjana Summary: Operation Winjana examined: 1. whether a member of staff of the New South Wales Crime Commission and others associated with him were involved in criminal activity or serious misconduct, and 2. the practices and procedures of the New South Wales Crime Commission in the conduct of actions under the Criminal Assets Recovery Act 1990. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2012. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: https://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/files/reports/Winjana%20Report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 138379

Author: New South Wales. Police Integrity Commission Title: Project Mobula: Review of NSW Police Force strategies to identify & manage misconduct risks Summary: Project Mobula, a five-year follow-up to the Commission�s Project Manta, examines command practices to determine how well these practices assisted commands to (i) identify and manage their misconduct risks and (ii) provide practical advice to help their officers recognise the misconduct risks they may face and respond appropriately when they encounter such risks. It continues the Commission�s focus on NSW Police Force strategies to identify, communicate and manage misconduct risks at the command level, referred to by the NSW Police Force as 'corruption resistance planning'. Like Project Manta, Project Mobula uses an approach to preventing serious officer misconduct that is modelled on the way organisations go about preventing workplace deaths and injuries. The results and observations in Project Mobula are based on a review of 55 sets of corruption resistance plans from a sample of 25 NSW Police Force commands, interviews with 25 command representatives, analysis of three versions of corporate guidelines, and information from Professional Standards Command on how between 2012 and 2015 it has proactively changed the ways it worked with commands to assist them with their corruption resistance planning. Details: Sydney: NSW Police Integrity Commission, 2015. 242p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 24, 2016 at: https://www.pic.nsw.gov.au/files/reports/Project%20Mobula%20Report%202015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 138402

Author: Freiberg, Arie Title: Sentencing for Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Contexts Summary: This report examines sentencing law and practice in Australia in relation to child sexual abuse committed in an institutional context. It covers the principles of sentencing, sentencing standards and the range of non-sentencing statutory measures available to detain offenders in custody, as well as restrictions and monitoring of their movement. It also considers organisational responsibility for CSA and the sanctions that may be imposed upon institutions. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2015. 296p. Source: Internet Resource: Monash University Faculty of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2015/10 : Accessed March 26, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2633223 Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 138427

Author: Ferris, Jason Title: Assessing the utility of Project STOP in reducing pseudoephedrine diversion to clandestine laboratories Summary: Project STOP, an online database in which pharmacists record sales of pseudoephedrine (PSE)-based medication, was implemented in 2005 to aid in reducing the diversion of PSE-based products for use as precursors in the domestic manufacture of methamphetamine. Australian evaluations of regulations governing the sale of PSE-based medications and the impact of Project STOP have so far been limited. This research explores the impact of the mandatory recording of PSE-based medication sales on PSE diversion and clan lab detection in Queensland. The findings show that Project STOP has demonstrated its utility for pharmacists in determining the legitimacy of requests for PSE-based medication, with 95 percent of Queensland pharmacies currently using it. When used consistently and appropriately, Project STOP reduces the amount of PSE-based medication leaving pharmacies for methamphetamine production. The research also highlights the challenges of attempting to curtail methamphetamine production in Australia and suggests new directions for research to better address these. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 509: Accessed march 29, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi509.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Methamphetamine Shelf Number: 138462

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Fraud withing the Commonwealth: A census of the most costly incidents, 2010-11 to 2012-13 Summary: Fraud against the Commonwealth is defined as 'dishonestly obtaining a benefit or causing a loss, by deception or other means'. This definition is set out in the current Commonwealth Resource Management Guide (no. 201) Preventing, detecting and dealing with fraud, issued by the Australian Government Minister for Justice (2014). This form of fraud may be committed by individuals who do not work for government bodies, such as those who dishonestly claim benefits or some other financial advantage (external fraud), or by those employed by entities including staff and contractors (internal fraud). Fraud may also involve collaboration between internal and external parties. Button & Brooks (2009) suggest that the development of an anti-fraud culture is largely targeted at combatting internal fraud. The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) has defined internal fraud as: ...the use of one's occupation for personal enrichment through the deliberate misuse or misapplication of the employing organisations' resources or assets (ACFE 2014: 6). This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the nature of internal fraud against the Commonwealth, and the personal background details of those alleged to have committed the deception. It reports on the results of an annual census of Commonwealth entities which collected information on the single 'most costly' incident of internal fraud that they experienced in 2010-11 to 2012-13. During these years, 137 Commonwealth entities reported 7,809 incidents of internal fraud. Of these, 125 chose one incident each year that they considered their most costly internal fraud. Information was provided on how and why fraud was committed, estimated financial losses involved, the personal circumstances of the principal alleged perpetrators, and how the incidents were dealt with in terms of investigation, prosecution and judicial outcomes. Most incidents involved non-corporate Commonwealth entities (formerly governed under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (Cth) see Table 1). Entities with more than 1,000 staff contributed more incidents for this study than smaller bodies. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, no. 41: Accessed March 29, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip41/rip41.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crimes Shelf Number: 138463

Author: On, Miriam Lum Title: Examination of the health outcomes of intimate partner violence against women: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper systematically reviews evidence on the health outcomes for women in Australia experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), noting that causal pathways are complex and subject to a rapidly growing body of knowledge. It also describes current data sources on the prevalence of IPV and possible ways to address the gap in exposure data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. The paper will inform the inputs required to produce estimates of IPV's burden of disease estimates in Australia. These findings will be released as a Horizons report later this year. Based on forty-three studies found to have sufficient evidence to be potential inputs for the disease burden calculations, there is strong evidence that women in Australia who experience IPV have an increased risk of depression, pregnancy termination and homicide. There was also a possible increased risk for anxiety, premature birth and low birth weight, cardiovascular conditions and self-harm. The evidence found the impact of exposure to IPV on alcohol and drug use disorders was bi-directional, and risk should be carefully interpreted. The paper identified a number of research gaps that could inform future research on the health outcomes of women who experience IPV. Where there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate causality (between IPV and health outcomes), there may be potential for further analysis of existing datasets to derive measures of association, and to use direct evidence based on existing datasets for health outcomes such as non-fatal injuries. The health outcomes from emotional abuse are an emerging area for further exploration, due to the availability of exposure data (independent of physical and sexual violence) collected in the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2012 Personal Safety Survey. Details: Alexandria, NSW: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes : State of knowledge: 03/2016): Accessed March 30, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/160324_1.7%20Burden%20of%20Disease%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 138473

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Brief review of contemporary sexual offence and child sexual abuse legislation in Australia: 2015 update Summary: In 2013, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) was contracted by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Commission) to undertake a review of sexual offence legislation in Australia, particularly as it related to children. This review (Boxall, 2014) contained detailed information about all legislation that had been enacted as at 31 December 2013. Since the initial report was published, a number of states and territories have revised or updated legislation pertaining to sexual offences in Australia. Therefore, in October 2015, the Commission contracted the AIC to update the previous review to encompass all legislation enacted as at 31 December 2015. Any legislative changes made after this date are not included in this review. Key changes that have occurred since 31 December 2013 include; Victoria: changes have been made to the definition of sexual penetration (Crimes Act 1958); inclusion of additional offences including 'failure by a person in authority to protect child from sexual offence' and 'failure to disclose sexual offence committed against child under the age of 16 years' (Crimes Act 1958); New South Wales: Crimes Act 1900 was amended to increase the penalty for 'sexual intercourse - child under 10' from 25 years to life imprisonment; and Australian Capital Territory: Crimes Act 1900 was amended to change the terminology from 'child pornography' to 'child exploitation material' This report provides a brief overview of the offences that an individual who sexually abuses a child in an institutional setting may be charged with at the end of 2015. Information provided for each of the identified offences includes: the location of the offence in the respective state or territory's legislation; the age of the victim (where relevant); aggravating factors - for the purpose of this review, restricted to factors relating to: the age of the child; the relationship between the offender and victim; whether the victim has an intellectual impairment, physical disability or mental illness; and the maximum penalty. The offences included in this review have been divided into a six sections: contact sexual offences where the child is below the legal age of consent (16, 17 or 18 years old depending on the jurisdiction and nature of the sexual act); contact sexual offences where the child is above the legal age of consent; contact sexual offences where the age of the victim is not specified; non-contact sexual offences; child pornography offences (production); and offences for which institutions and/or their representatives that were aware of child sexual abuse may be charged. Consistent with the previous report, only offences related to individuals located within Australia are included in this review. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Special Report: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/special/010/Brief-review-sex-abuse-legislation-2015.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 138474

Author: Queensland Organised Crime Commission of Inquiry Title: Report Summary: The Commission commenced on 1 May 2015, by Commissions of Inquiry Order (No. 1) 2015, to make inquiry into the extent and nature of organised crime in Queensland and its economic and societal impacts. The otherwise very broad nature of such an inquiry was somewhat narrowed by the Terms of Reference within the Order in Council, which focused the Commission on four key areas: - the major illicit drug and/or precursor markets - online child sex offending, including the child exploitation material market - financial crimes, primarily investment/financial market fraud and financial data theft - the relationship between organised crime and corruption in Queensland. The Commission was also required to investigate the extent to which organised crime groups use various enabling mechanisms or services: in particular, money laundering, cyber and technology-enabled crime, identity crime, professional facilitators, violence and extortion. In carrying out the Inquiry, the Commission was to examine the adequacy and appropriateness of current responses to organised crime by law enforcement, intelligence, and prosecution agencies, as well as the adequacy of legislation and of the resources available to such agencies. The six-month timeframe given for the Inquiry was limited, given the areas required to be examined. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2015. 578p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: https://www.organisedcrimeinquiry.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/935/QOCCI15287-ORGANISED-CRIME-INQUIRY_Final_Report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Exploitation Shelf Number: 138491

Author: Fernandez, Elizabeth Title: A Study of the Children's Court of New South Wales Summary: Australia's child welfare system can be traced to the period of white settlement. Significant child welfare problems emerged in this period when mortality rates and levels of neglect and deprivation were high (Liddell 1993). From the earliest days of the New South Wales colony, concern was expressed about the care and protection of convict children who roamed the streets and who were thought to be responsible for petty crime. A charity set up by Governor King's wife was to provide schooling for these vulnerable children. As early as the mid nineteenth century state involvement in children and families is evident through the establishment of universal schooling and industrial schools (Van Krieken 1991). Later in the nineteenth century child labour laws and compulsory education were established, along with policies to board out children rather than accommodate them in institutions (Picton and Boss 1981, Tomison, 2001). Unsurprisingly, child care and juvenile justice were seen hand-in-hand both to protect children and to protect the wider society from crime. This report is concerned with reviewing this complex system for the twenty-first century. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2014. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2016 at: http://www.childrenscourt.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/chcourt%20assessment.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 138498

Author: New South Wales. Audit Office Title: Performance frameworks in custodial centre operations Summary: The effectiveness of Corrective Services NSW's performance framework is limited because organisational key performance indicators (KPIs) do not cascade to public correctional centres, according to a report released today by the Acting New South Wales Auditor-General, Tony Whitfield. "As a result, individual public correctional centres could not be assessed on how well they are contributing to overall Corrective Service objectives, and it is difficult to vary performance expectations in response to changing operating environments," said Mr Whitfield. "Its commissioning and contestability project is designed to address these issues," he added. Some key organisational targets were met and publicly reported In 2014-15, Corrective Services met five of 12 organisational targets. Targets that were not met include nil prisoner-on-prisoner assaults and eight hours' time out of cells for inmates in secure facilities. It advised that these targets reflect government policy and can be difficult to consistently achieve in a high risk corrective services environment. "Corrective Services does not publicly report on public correctional centre performance and provides only limited information for private centres, which limits transparency and accountability," said Mr Whitfield. Corrective Services' low time out of cells low cost system increases risk More inmates are being housed in existing facilities, reducing the time out of cells for inmates and the cost per inmate. "While the increasing number of inmates is reducing the inmate per day cost, it also is adversely affecting inmate welfare and increasing the risk of inmate self-harm," said Mr Whitfield. "In 2014-15 the inmate cost per day was $190.29," he added. The effectiveness of remedial action in response to poor KPI performance was limited Corrective Services set remedial actions in response to poor performance against KPIs, but correctional centre general managers found it difficult to deal with underperformance as not all employees have performance agreements. Correctional centres met most operating standards Corrective Services has developed a comprehensive suite of operating standards and specifications to assess correctional centres against international best practice. High security public centres met most operating standards while private centres met all but one operating specification for the 2014-15 contract year. Lower security public correctional centres have not been assessed against these standards. Private correctional centres met all but one performance linked fee Junee Correctional Centre met all of its performance linked fees and Parklea Correctional Centre met all but one for the 2014-15 contract year. The link between performance linked fees and outcomes could be strengthened by applying greater weight to outcomes-focused performance measures, such as prisoner-on-staff assaults. Details: Sydney: Audit Office, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2016 at: http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/latest-reports/performance-frameworks-custodial-centre-ops Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Institutions Shelf Number: 138520

Author: Parkinson, Patrick Title: Specialist Prosecution Units and Courts: A Review of the Literature Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia commissioned this literature review to discern the potential benefits of using specialist prosecution units and courts to deal with child sexual abuse cases. While the notion of a specialist prosecution unit is relatively straightforward, it is much more difficult to define a specialist court. Some jurisdictions identify courts with specialist labels when in reality the court is merely a specialist docket within a generalist court. Many specialist courts do not have specialist judges. There are no specialist courts that deal only in sex offences against children. The main evidence about the efficacy of specialist court approaches to sex offences (including offences against adults) comes from South Africa and New York. The evidence for the efficacy of the South African Sexual Offences Court is strong, taking into account the complexities of South Africa's multiracial and multicultural society and the scale of its social needs. The Sexual Offences Courts have clearly made a difference to conviction rates, especially where well supported by services for victims of sexual assault. Specialist prosecution units are a feature of specialist sex offence courts and may also exist independently of such courts. The experience of such specialisation has generally been positive. A persistent theme in all the studies, whether of sexual offences courts, family violence courts or other specialist jurisdictions, is the benefit gained from having one prosecutorial team involved from the inception of the case, with enhanced benefits if the prosecutor works closely with the investigators to build the case from early in the investigation. The literature on family violence courts was also reviewed. The benefits of having a specialist family violence court depend on the extent to which that court is part of a larger multifaceted and coordinated response to family violence involving, for example, dedicated police and prosecutorial teams, victim support services, well-trained probation officers and effective behavioural change programs. All of these could be features of a specialist family violence response within a generalist court system operating a specialist docket. The report concludes with a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of expanding specialist prosecution units and establishing a specialist child sexual offences court. The case for specialist prosecution units is strong, particularly if, as far as possible, one prosecutorial team can take the case from inception to conclusion. A specialist court would be of little value unless it were part of a suite of reforms that aim to improve the quality of justice. Specialist courts that 'work' do so because they have a range of specialist features, services and personnel. Details: Sydney: University of Sydney, 2016. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Sydney Law School Research Paper No. 16/26: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2756305 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 138623

Author: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Standing Committee on Law and Justice Title: Security classification and management of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment Summary: In July 2015 it became publicly known that some inmates sentenced to life imprisonment had been reclassified to a medium or minimum security level. This became a prominent matter in the media following an outcry from the public and victims' families. The Commissioner of Corrective Services subsequently reclassified these inmates from their lower security classifications to maximum security. This inquiry was established soon afterwards to consider how lifers should be classified and whether they should have access to rehabilitation programs. Summary of recommendations Recommendation 1 32 That the NSW Government amend the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2014 to establish a separate classification for inmates sentenced to life imprisonment with little or no prospect of release from custody that is based on the risk they pose to the community, preserves the good order of correctional facilities and ensures the safe and effective management of the inmates. Recommendation 2 32 That Corrective Services NSW develop and action a comprehensive communication strategy to educate the public on the operation of the New South Wales correctional system. Recommendation 3 44 That the NSW Department of Justice consider merging the victims registers of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, Juvenile Justice and Corrective Services NSW. Recommendation 4 45 That Corrective Services NSW trial an opt-out Victims Register for victims of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment. Recommendation 5 45 That, as part of the opt-out system at recommendation 4, Corrective Services NSW establish a policy whereby the Victims Register conduct a one-off follow up of victims of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment who have opted-out of the register to ask if the victim would like to reconsider joining the register, and that victims be informed of this policy when they initially make the decision to opt-out. Recommendation 6 49 That Corrective Services NSW establish a policy whereby, as soon as possible following sentencing, the Victims Register provide an information package to victims of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment and offer to telephone or meet with them to explain the correctional system, custodial management practices and the day-to-day life of an inmate and that it consider doing this in the presence of a counsellor. Recommendation 7 49 That Corrective Services NSW develop, in consultation with victim support groups and the Commissioner of Victims Rights, a form to be provided to victims of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment following sentencing that includes a list of matters that victims can nominate to receive updates about, and that this form also be made available to current victims of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment. Recommendation 8 55 That the NSW Government amend the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Regulation 2014 to state that, in cases where the Commissioner for Corrective Services does not adopt the recommendations of the Serious Offenders Review Council, reasons as to why the recommendations were not adopted must be provided. Recommendation 9 62 That the NSW Government consider measures to improve the capacity of the prison system to adequately house, manage and care for aged and frail inmates, including to establish designated units and areas in more correctional centres in New South Wales. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliament, 2016. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/committee.nsf/0/344106974ffada7bca257f8a0082b906/$FILE/Final%20Report%20-%20Security%20classification%20and%20management%20of%20inmates%20sentenced%20to%20life%20imprisonment.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Inmate Classification Shelf Number: 138627

Author: Patterson, Eileen Title: Methamphetamine in Sydney: Perspectives from DUMA police detainees Summary: Methamphetamine is of national concern (ACC 2014), but what does this statement mean to frontline police officers? In real terms it means that frontline police are required, on an increasingly frequent basis, to engage with methamphetamine users. This presents a number of challenges to police. First, methamphetamine intoxication and withdrawal can impede an individual's ability to follow police directions. Second, use is associated with behavioural and psychological disturbances, including aggression, which can increase the risk of harm for the police and members of the community. Third, the user is at increased risk of serious physical harms when in custody due to the effects of intoxication or withdrawal. Risks to the user may be exacerbated by physical exertion during interactions with police or due to use of restraint by police. Being armed with information about what methamphetamine is, the nature and extent of use of methamphetamine among Sydney police detainees, and details of the Sydney methamphetamine market can assist police to identify risks to themselves and others. The Australian Institute of Criminology's (AIC) Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program interviews police detainees at selected police stations and watch houses across Australia on a quarterly basis. DUMA data collection sites in Sydney include the Bankstown and Surry Hills police stations. Detainees present at the police station during data collection are asked to complete an interviewer-assisted self-report survey on their use of alcohol and other drugs and their offending habits. Urine samples are also requested twice a year during data collections. Urine samples are subjected to urinalysis at an independent toxicology laboratory to detect the presence of a number of licit and illicit drugs, including methamphetamine. Participation in DUMA is voluntary and confidential. Since the program commenced in 1999, 53,858 detainees have been interviewed and 38,574 urine samples have been collected nationally. The data presented in this report were collected at the Bankstown police station during Quarter 4 (October) of 2014 and Quarter 2 (April) of 2015, and at Surry Hills police station in Quarter 3 (July) of 2015. From 2014 to 2015, 116 police detainees were interviewed at Bankstown police station and 55 detainees at Surry Hills police station. They were, on average, 34 years of age. The majority of detainees interviewed were male (approximately 80%), which is representative of the gender composition of the overall Australian detainee population. It should be noted that the data cannot be directly compared between sites due to differences in sample sizes. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 47: Accessed April 11, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip47/rip47.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 138631

Author: Australian Federal Police Title: Project APEX: A strategic assessment of corruption risk factors in ACT Policing Summary: This report presents the outcomes of Project Apex - a joint integrity initiative of the Chief Police Officer of ACT Policing and the Integrity Commissioner, involving also the Professional Standards team of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Any investigation of corrupt conduct should involve questioning whether particular observed conduct is a 'one-off' or indicative of a wider problem. For instance, external drivers (such as the economy, organised crime, price of illicit drugs, changes in societal behaviours) or internal factors (such as workplace culture or shortcomings in the integrity framework) are issues to consider. Accordingly, Project Apex sought to establish what is in the ACT Policing 'basket of risks', and which (if any) of these issues might be a cause for concern. It also sought to identify how resilient (or 'pressure-sensitive') the AFP's integrity framework is in withstanding the identified risks. This Project Apex report is a point-in-time picture of ACT Policing's exposure to corruption risk factors, having regard to past, current and emerging issues. A key issue was to find ways to 'read the prevailing culture on the ground'. Accordingly, the report also sets out various risk analysis methods and tools, developed during the project. The Project Apex Team comprised experienced corruption prevention, intelligence and operational staff from the AFP and the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity. It found that ACT Policing is professional and ethical, and aims to have a high level of corruption awareness and a strong commitment to professional standards. In addition, the AFP's integrity framework and anti-corruption measures provide a robust platform to assist ACT Policing in managing the integrity risks that arise from its law enforcement functions. However, corruption risk - like organised crime - is dynamic and changes in response to the environment. Drivers for corrupt conduct will continue to emerge, and must be anticipated and dealt with. As with comparable police forces, ACT Policing needs to maintain its vigilance against corruption, and continue to be adaptable in identifying and responding to corruption risks. The Project Apex Team found that, presently, the main integrity risk in ACT Policing concerns opportunistic corruption (individual susceptibility) and situational corruption (misplaced loyalties). This finding implies that the best defences will be: - supervisors (the 'front-line' of corruption control) who are alert to the signs that corrupt conduct may be occurring and well-placed to exercise control over the working environment; - heightening staff awareness of risk-taking behaviour which may be an 'early warning' sign of susceptibility to corruption or other misconduct; and - fair processes and robust checking mechanisms. Details: Canberra: ACLEI, 2014. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2016 at: https://www.aclei.gov.au/sites/g/files/net846/f/documents/Reports%20submissions%20and%20speeches/Project%20Apex%20A%20strategic%20assessment%20of%20corruption%20risk%20factors%20in%20ACT%20Policing%20a%20joint%20project%20by%20ACLEI%20and%20the%20AFP.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Accountability Shelf Number: 138636

Author: Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission Title: Assets of Queensland Drug Offenders: An analysis of Crime and Corruption Commission proceeds of crime data, 2009-14 Summary: The CCC has examined its proceeds of crime data from 2009 to 2014 to inform law enforcement and government about the value and nature of assets held by drug offenders in Queensland. The research does not analyse the assets of all known drug offenders in Queensland. Rather, the research examines drug offenders who were referred to the CCC for proceeds of crime action, and their assets that were detected and restrained by the CCC. To our knowledge, this is the first piece of research in Australia that has examined the assets of drug offenders using proceeds of crime data. The CCC found: - Assets held by Queensland drug offenders typically ranged from $100 000 to $500 000, with a median value of about $230 000. - Higher-value assets were associated with factors such as trading mainly in cocaine, being a producer or importer in the supply chain, and longer participation in drug offending. - Drug offenders with known links to an OMCG had lower-value assets than did offenders without such links. Offenders with links to OMCGs may often reinvest a portion of their criminal proceeds into the OMCG itself. - Real property, followed by cash, accounted for the greatest percentage of offenders' assets. - Higher percentages of cash were associated with offenders trading mainly in heroin, being involved in distribution or dealing, or operating in south-east Queensland. - Most assets restrained from Queensland drug offenders were registered in their own name. However, proceeds of crime data almost certainly underestimate the percentage of assets held by drug offenders in other names. The findings of the research will also be of interest to agencies and researchers in other jurisdictions. Details: Brisbane: Crime and Corruption Commission, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2016 at: http://www.ccc.qld.gov.au/research-and-publications/publications/ccc/research/assets-of-queensland-drug-offenders-2014-ccc-research-project Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Assets Shelf Number: 138658

Author: Monash University Criminal Justice Research Consortium for Corrections Victoria Title: Women exiting prison in Victoria Summary: This report provides a summary of research conducted for Corrections Victoria (CV) by Monash University, Victoria which looked at the post-release experiences of women exiting prison in Victoria between 2011 and 2012, and the association between participation in prison programs and prisoner outcomes post-release. This research indicated that female prisoners commonly struggle with housing, family connections, mental and physical health issues and generally rebuilding their lives following release. Interviews with women prisoners revealed that the women continued to face a number of issues in the community post-release, which had implications for their transition and reoffending outcomes. Unstable housing and substance misuse were key factors increasing the likelihood that women would return to prison. Overall, women perceived prison programs as helpful. Importantly, participants perceived prison-based programs that established connections with women prerelease and continued to provide support post-release as the most helpful. There were some challenges identified in the study, including the lack of integration between programs and services offered within prison and in the community. Some prisoners experienced barriers in accessing prison programs due to long wait lists or limited resources. This was a significant issue for those serving short sentences or remand. For others, the supports and services available to them in the community were reported as inadequate. Details: Melbourne: Department of Justice & Regulation - Corrections Victoria, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2016 at: http://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/corrections/resources/2f89243a-a827-4be8-94d6-a57af22986f8/cv_women_exiting_prison_summary.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 138664

Author: Angus, Christopher Title: Serious Crime Prevention Orders Summary: On 22 March 2016, in his role as Minister for Justice and Police, Deputy Premier Troy Grant MP introduced into the NSW Parliament two pieces of legislation designed to crack down on organised crime. The Criminal Legislation Amendment (Organised Crime and Public Safety) Bill amends existing laws to enhance asset confiscation powers, and creates Public Safety Orders, which are issued by police to prohibit a person from being present at a public event or premises if their presence poses a serious risk to public safety or security. The second Bill, the Crimes (Serious Crime Prevention Orders) Bill 2016, introduces a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) regime into NSW. SCPOs are control orders that could be made by the NSW Supreme and District courts against certain individuals or organisations in order to prevent, restrict or disrupt their involvement in serious crime-related activities and terrorism offences. The proposed SCPO regime is influenced by measures introduced in the United Kingdom through the Serious Crimes Act 2007, which has recently been expanded into Scotland. This e-brief focuses on the second Bill. It summarises existing organised crime laws in NSW. It then outlines the proposed SCPO regime in NSW, including the process for making orders, restrictions that can be placed on offenders, and penalties for breaches, as well as a comparison with the UK's SCPO regime. The paper also details criticism of the UK regime, and comments by the Government in support of its effectiveness. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief 3/2016: Accessed April 15, 2016 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/6583AE828126BFA9CA257F92001E9803/$File/Serious+Crime+Prevention+Orders+eBrief.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeiture Shelf Number: 138684

Author: Koorey, Stephanie Title: Illicit Small Arms in the Pacific Summary: With the exception of Papua New Guinea, the number of illicit small arms likely to be in circulation in Western Pacific island countries is not particularly large or widespread. The region remains relatively 'gun free' as Philip Alpers' recently proclaimed. Supply is not bountiful, controls in the form of regional and national laws are sound, disarmament and amnesties have been somewhat successful, and demand is neither strong nor state or region-wide-Papua New Guinea being the exception. In broader context, the Pacific Institute for Public Policy points out that: The Pacific has seen its share of coups and conflict, but deserves recognition for being a largely peaceful region ... It also has a wealth of traditional mechanisms to end conflict ... It is worth bearing this in mind as the region develops a more 'bottom-up' approach to contemporary security issues. The project conducted a strategic assessment, rather than a detailed stocktake, of the illicit small arms in the Western Pacific island region with a focus on Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (excluding Bougainville). As anticipated, most of the illicit small arms in the region come from within the countries studied and are largely recirculated within them. However, there are pockets where weapons transgress borders, but this is not particularly organised or substantial. There are also trends with new weapons entering the region, but these are mostly imported by or with the knowledge or approval of the national governments. That makes illicit small arms in the Western Pacific island countries less of a transnational problem and more one for national governments. There are also five additional region-wide trends linked clearly and potentially to small arms proliferation. They were outside the scope of this project, but are worth bringing to attention and they are discussed briefly in this report. International organisations and national non-government organisations (NGOs) have been at the forefront of activism and information on small arms in the Pacific. Yet after more than a decade, the Nadi Framework and Goroka Gun Summit, both grand initiatives, remain largely dormant. In part, this reflects the reality that many illicit small arms-firearms essentially-are sourced from inside the country in which they are used, and recycled multiple times within it, and that the security sector has been, or remains, both a source of supply and driver of demand. This is particularly so for the Royal Papua New Guinea constabulary. The problems with illicit small arms in the Western Pacific are indicative of societal and governance problems and should not be seen as an isolated phenomenon. As such, this report cautions against any isolated firearms 'fetish'  responses, or for the issues raised to be seen solely as 'a gun problem'. As Wondemaghen noted, fears generated by media stories of armed violence 'generates a temptation to reach for simple, often punitive solutions to multi-faceted complex problems'. As such, this report makes suggestions regarding illicit small arms control and broader, societal factors that may mitigate demand in the three focus countries. The research indicates tangible factors are a strong driver of demand and that the 'motives and means'  hypothesis holds true. Small arms, mostly firearms, are sourced for personal or property protection, to participate in tribal fighting, to perpetrate crime, to coerce and influence political activities, but not to create state-wide conflict or coup against an extant government. In parts of Papua New Guinea there appears to be a constant overt demand for firearms, for both the tangible reasons listed above, as well as the more intangible predilection towards wanting firearms for the status they bestow on the user. However, this avenue of research could not be confirmed in this project. Conclusions that can be drawn from the research are that the hallmarks of the region are overt demand and supply in Papua New Guinea, reduced and low demand in Solomon Islands and Fiji, and internal supply, including the skills to build home-made firearms. Finally, the relationship between the civilian legal market of sporting and recreational shooters and the illicit market is emotionally potent. Globally and regionally, civilian stocks are leaked onto the illicit market. However, the position of this paper is that the Pacific sporting shooters are an informed and engaged stakeholder in small arms control, and that in many cases 'providing a path to legal firearms possession', including its safe storage and use, can be one element of effective small arms control. Details: Queanbeyan NSW: Australian Civil-Military Centre, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Civil-Military Occasional Paper 1-2016 : Accessed April 115, 2016 at: https://www.acmc.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/3-2015-Illicit-Small-Arms-in-the-Pacific.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Gun Trafficking Shelf Number: 138685

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: Did the 'lockout law' reforms increase assaults at The Star casino, Pyrmont? Summary: Aim: To examine trends in non-domestic assault in Pyrmont and The Star casino since the February 2014 reforms contained in the Liquor Amendment Act 2014 (popularly known as the 'lockout laws') were implemented in central Sydney. Method: Time series analysis, police narrative analysis. Results: The number of non-domestic assaults recorded at The Star casino increased following the introduction of the 'lockout and last drinks laws'. In absolute terms, the increase was fairly small; slightly less than two additional assaults per month. In 2015, 49 per cent of assaults in the suburb of Pyrmont occurred in The Star casino premises. In the majority (71%) of incidents the victim of the assault was a patron at the casino but more than one in 10 (15%) were taxi drivers. In 30 per cent of incidents the assault occurred while the offender was being evicted from the casino or after he or she had been evicted. Conclusion: The February 2014 reforms may have increased the number of assaults in Pyrmont, particularly at The Star casino. The increase, however, is much smaller than the decreases in assault recorded in the Kings Cross and Sydney CBD entertainment precincts following the reforms. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief no.114: Accessed April 21, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-Did-the-lockout-law-reforms-increase-assaults-at-The-Star-casino-Pyrmont-bb114.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 139091

Author: Kirchengast, Tyrone Title: Participation of Victims of Crime in New South Wales Court Processed Summary: This is the Final Full Report of the study, Participation of Victims of Crime in NSW Court Processes. It presents the main analysis of data, findings and recommendations and may be read in conjunction with the Final Report - Executive Summary. An information sheet is also available. This study determines the extent of victim participation in NSW criminal courts via a four stage methodology by 1. scoping the current laws, regulations and rules that determine victim participation in NSW criminal courts, 2. surveying victims of crime as to their modes, expectations and levels of satisfaction with court participation, 3. interviews with justice officials as to their experience and expectations with victim participation in court, and 4. synthesis of a typology of modes of participation following the analysis of stages 1-3. 142 victims participated in the survey of victim expectations and 19 justice officials were interviewed in this study. Victims' self-identified across a range of injuries and harms that spanned family members of homicide victims, offences to the person, sexual and indecent assault, robbery, and fraud. Victims also identified other offences, specifically, domestic violence. Justice officials included judicial officers from all NSW criminal courts, members of the NSW State Parole Authority, Mental Health Review Tribunal, NSW Police, Police prosecutors, ODPP prosecutors and a solicitor working with victims of domestic violence. The data was assessed in the context of a thematic analysis that determined consistent points or issues of concern amongst survey participants. These themes were also used to group interview data and assess the ways in which justice officials categorised and permitted victim participation in court. Both victims and justice officials tended to conceptualise victim participation in terms of an adversarial exchange between state and offender, such that victims were usually always removed from court processes unless otherwise asked to attend to assist the state in its prosecution of crime. This led to a range of problems for victims regarding the representation of their interests, feelings of removal and at times ill treatment, from court processes that otherwise concern them. While some victims praised justice officials, specifically investigating police and police prosecutors in local court proceedings, other victims felt removed and excluded from the system, especially for longer or ongoing matters dealt with on indictment before judge and jury. Tests for significance and correlation between demographics and court processes indicated that certain victim groups had significantly different expectations of NSW court processes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ('ATSI') victims were less satisfied with overall court processes and sentencing than non-ATSI victims. Victims in rural and remote locations were less likely to want further participation, however, financial and property loss victims wanted greater participation. There were also statistical differences as to the perceived helpfulness of witness assistance officers by gender. The aims of this study sought to determine levels of victim participation generally including impediments to participation and as such the following recommends were made: that Victims Services NSW offers legal education to the criminal justice professions to further enhance the understanding and significance of victims' rights, to consider the potential role of victim advocates as professional members of the criminal justice system charged with supporting the victim throughout their justice journey, and to consider the characterisation of the Charter of Victims Rights as relevant to all justice officials. Recommendations for further research were also made in light of the outcomes of this study, in particular, to focus on the needs of identified victim groups to determine their acute needs with regard to court participation, and to determine the extent to which further assistance and organisation of services through an advocacy scheme affects the current role of service providers, including lawyers, the courts and judiciary, in terms of the overall coherence of the NSW criminal justice system. Details: Parramatta, NSW: Victims Services, NSW, 2014. 313p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: http://www.victimsclearinghouse.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Kirchengast_Victim%20Participation%20Study%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts Shelf Number: 138780

Author: DLA Piper Title: Review of Regulation of Separated Parts Markets in Australia Summary: This report examines the legislation that applies to the trade in separated motor vehicle parts throughout Australia. The report is prepared against a background of growing concern that existing regulatory arrangements are not optimally effective for combatting criminal involvement in the vehicle and vehicle parts trades. The current regulatory arrangements comprise a multiplicity of legislative schemes regulating motor car traders, vehicle repairers and second hand dealers. While other laws apply to the separated parts trades (including laws relating to written-off vehicles, and general consumer protection and criminal laws), the focus of this report is on the schemes that most closely regulate the conduct of persons carrying on business of buying and selling used vehicle parts. Most of these schemes are licensing schemes. Persons must hold the appropriate licences in order to carry on the business. To do so they must meet various criteria to show they are fit and proper persons. They must continue to meet those criteria, and comply with licence conditions and other requirements or risk having their licence suspended or cancelled. The basic model is similar in all jurisdictions. However, the legislation is far from being uniform or consistent. Different schemes have different regulatory objectives. The extent to which they apply to the trade in vehicle parts varies considerably. In some jurisdictions, persons dealing in vehicle parts are regulated as motor traders and in others as general second hand dealers. Licensing criteria differ, as do the conditions and requirements that apply to the conduct of the business. In some jurisdictions the trade in separated parts is subject to stringent and extensive regulatory controls while in others it is effectively unregulated. In summary, the position in each of the jurisdictions appears to be: - New South Wales is the only jurisdiction with legislation specifically targeting both vehicle repairers and motor traders operating as auto dismantlers and motor vehicle reconstructors. - Victoria. The trade in whole vehicles, including dismantled vehicle shells, is regulated under the motor dealer legislation while the trade in vehicle parts and accessories is regulated under the second hand dealers legislation. - Queensland. Persons who break up or re-assemble vehicles are required to be licensed as motor dealers while suppliers of separated parts are regulated as second hand dealers. - South Australia. Traders in complete and working vehicles are regulated under the motor dealers legislation while those involved in the trade in wrecked vehicles, vehicle shells and vehicle spares are regulated as second hand dealers. - Western Australia. Licensing requirements apply to persons who dismantle whole vehicles and to repairers who purchase separated parts for repair work. Persons who trade solely in separated vehicle parts appear to be unregulated. - Tasmania. Second hand motor dealers are required to be licensed as motor dealers and second-hand dealers. Vehicle dismantlers and parts sellers must notify police under the second-hand dealer legislation. - Australian Capital Territory. Vehicle dismantlers and constructors who sell, buy or exchange separated parts are licensed under motor repairer legislation, but intermediaries in the supply of separated vehicle parts appear to be unregulated. - Northern Territory. Persons trading in whole vehicles are required to hold a motor dealers licence, although motor wreckers appear not to be. Persons who buy, sell or exchange second hand parts are required to hold a second hand dealers licence. In this report we outline the main elements of the State and Territory schemes, based on a review of the relevant legislation. This analysis indicates that New South Wales has, particularly in its Motor Dealers Act 1974, the most robust licensing regime. Nevertheless, it is possible that the current uneven and inconsistent regulatory coverage is providing opportunities for criminal involvement in the separated parts trades. If that is so, there may be a case for nationally consistent regulatory reform. Further research is needed about the impact of the current patchwork approach, to assess whether there would be net benefits in a national regulatory approach. The report then considers the legislative mechanisms available to regulatory agencies under the present schemes. It looks at how the different legislative frameworks set out controls over the right to carry on second hand parts related businesses, the powers available for monitoring and overseeing those businesses, the penalties and sanctions available for operating outside the scheme and for breaching scheme requirements and the compliance and enforcement powers available to deal with breaches. Because the legislative schemes are very diverse, this analysis is necessarily high level. It also tends to focus on the provisions which appear to provide the most effective and robust set of regulatory controls, the majority of which are to be found in NSW legislation. The final part of the report looks at mechanisms in other regulatory environments that may be able to be adopted or adapted to improve the effectiveness of regulation of the separated parts market. This analysis proceeds from consideration of two key concepts which underpin many contemporary regulatory strategies: - an enforcement pyramid of progressively more severe interventions to enable regulators to take action that responds appropriately and cost effectively to non-compliant behaviour; and - a chain of responsibility liability model, which imposes a legal responsibility on all parties with the motive and/or capacity to influence compliance outcomes. In this context we describe a range of interventions and orders that may be applied to the regulation of the separated parts market, including civil penalties, administrative improvement and prohibition notices, court based directions and interventions, forfeiture and commercial benefits penalties, prohibition and industry exclusion and directors and officers liability for corporate fault. The focus of this discussion is on legislative compliance and enforcement measures. However, it must be recognised that these are only a part of an overall compliance framework. Co-operative engagement with the regulated entities, clearly articulated and consistently followed intervention policies and sufficient skilled and properly resourced enforcement personnel are also critical for effective regulation of any business activity. Details: North Melbourne, VIC: National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council, 2013. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: http://carsafe.com.au/assets/ModernisingRegulatoryRegimesDLAPiper.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 138789

Author: Victorian Law Reform Commission Title: Use of Regulatory Regimes in Preventing the Infiltration of Organised Crime into Lawful Occupations and Industries - Consultation Paper Summary: Referral to the Commission 1.1 On 29 October 2014, the then Attorney-General, the Hon. Robert Clark, MP, asked the Victorian Law Reform Commission, under section 5(1)(a) of the Victorian Law Reform Commission Act 2000 (Vic), to review and report on the use of regulatory regimes to help prevent organised crime and criminal organisations entering into or operating through lawful occupations and industries. 1.2 Lawful occupations and industries may be used to enable or facilitate organised crime and to conceal or launder the proceeds of crime. In 2014, the Parliament of Victoria Law Reform, Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee recommended that the Victorian Government investigate the appropriateness of using administrative regulatory measures to reduce the opportunities available to organised crime groups for engaging in illegal activities in Victoria. 1.3 Regulatory regimes are the laws, regulations, policies and instruments that regulate particular occupations and industries; for example, laws that provide that only fit and proper people can obtain licences to operate in particular occupations or industries. Regulatory regimes may assist in preventing the infiltration of organised crime groups into lawful occupations and industries. 1.4 There are other legal responses to organised crime under Victorian and Commonwealth law which are, in general, not focused on specific occupations or industries. These include anti-association laws, anti-fortification laws, tools for the investigation and prosecution of criminal offences committed by organised crime groups, anti-money laundering laws, laws allowing for the forfeiture or confiscation of the proceeds of crime, and "unexplained wealth" laws. Scope of the review 1.5 The Commission's review is determined by the terms of reference. The terms of reference ask the Commission whether a framework of principles can be established for: - assessing the risks of organised crime infiltration of different lawful occupations or industries - developing suitable regulatory responses. 1.6 The Commission's report will present recommendations for these two sets of principles. In establishing these principles, the Commission has been asked to consider, among other matters: - the experience of Victoria and other jurisdictions in using occupational and industry regulation to help prevent organised crime infiltration of lawful occupations or industries - the implications for the overall efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory regimes of using such regimes to help prevent organised crime infiltration of lawful occupations or industries - the costs and benefits of regulatory options to assist in preventing organised crime infiltration of lawful occupations or industries. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2015. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: http://www.lawreform.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VLRC_Regulatory_Regimes_consultation_paper_%20for_web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeiture Shelf Number: 138790

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Parole and Sentencing Research Report Summary: Parole is the conditional release of a prisoner serving a sentence of imprisonment. Parole allows prisoners to serve a portion of their sentence in the community for the period during which they are still under sentence. A court determines the portion of a sentence that an offender may be allowed to serve on parole by fixing a non-parole period. A non-parole period is a component of some imprisonment sentences that represents the minimum term that an offender must serve before becoming eligible for release on parole. An offender's eligibility for a non-parole period is determined by both the length of the sentence imposed on the offender and the discretion of the sentencing court. An offender sentenced to imprisonment for under one year cannot have a non-parole period. An offender sentenced to imprisonment for one year to less than two years may have a non-parole period imposed by the court, at the court's discretion. An offender sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more must have a non-parole period imposed by the court, unless the circumstances of the offender or the case are such that it is inappropriate (for example, when, for the most serious offending, the court imposes a life sentence without fixing a non-parole period). Over the last five years, there has been considerable analysis and review of the parole system in Victoria and the introduction of substantial reforms regarding the way in which the parole system is administered. However, there have been no substantive changes to the law regarding how a court imposes a non-parole period at the time of sentencing. Nevertheless, the reforms to parole administration have taken place during a period of significant changes to the sentencing landscape in Victoria, including the introduction of new sentencing orders such as community correction orders (CCOs), and the abolition of others such as suspended sentences. Further, the length of the imprisonment term that a court may combine with a CCO has been extended, with the maximum term of imprisonment for such an order increasing from three months to two years. In light of these changes, this report seeks to answer the following questions: - How did the courts' use of non-parole periods change between 2010-11 and 2014-15? - What factors influenced the length of non-parole periods imposed by the courts between 2010-11 and 2014-15? Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Parole%20and%20Sentencing%20Research%20Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Imprisonment Shelf Number: 138795

Author: Burgoyne, Leigh Alexander Title: Assessment of the utility of obtaining human profiles from drug seizures Summary: The majority of drugs in seizures were found to contain human DNA which rarely came from a single individual. Attempts to resolve mixed STR profiles of DNA extracted from drug seizures was ineffective as the ratio of individual alleles is not preserved during amplification and varies from locus to locus. However, hypervariable sequences in mitochondrial DNA provide a means of determining the number of contributors to a sample and gaining information which allows tactical comparison of seizures with the possibility of identifying individuals situated higher up the distribution chain. Methods for reliable extraction of DNA from seizures are described and two methods for resolution of mixed mitochondrial sequences presented: by cloning and also by next generation sequencing, a cloning free method that is more suitable for forensic purposes. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2012. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 42: Accessed April 26, 2016 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph42.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: DNA Typing Shelf Number: 138813

Author: Victorian (Australia) Auditor General Title: Bullying and Harassment in the Health Sector Summary: Workplace bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed toward a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety. Harassment is treating someone less favourably than another person or group because of a particular characteristic�such as ethnic origin, gender, age, disability or religion. Bullying and harassment have been shown to have significant negative outcomes for individuals. They can cause serious physical, psychological and financial harm to both those experiencing such treatment and to witnesses. Bullying and harassment can affect self-esteem, mental and physical wellbeing, work performance and relationships with colleagues, friends and family. Significant financial impacts may also result from work absences, medical costs, loss of job promotion opportunities and the risk of permanent disability. In 2010, the Productivity Commission estimated the total cost of workplace bullying to the Australian economy at between $6 billion and $36 billion annually. The impacts of bullying and harassment on the health sector are also significant. Research shows that these impacts include high staff turnover and associated recruitment and training costs, reduced productivity through poor morale and demands on management time, difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, and the potential for significant legal costs and reputational damage. The prevalence of bullying and harassment in the health sector is not conclusively known, however, recent research suggests it is widespread: - In 2013, the Victorian Public Sector Commission�s (VPSC) People Matter survey found that 25 per cent of health agency employees reported experiencing bullying, the highest of all Victorian public sector agencies. - In 2014, Monash University's report Leading Indicators of Occupational Health and Safety: A report on a survey of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation found that 40 per cent of nursing professionals who responded to a survey reported experiencing bullying or harassment within the previous 12 months. - In 2015, a prevalence survey conducted by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' Expert Advisory Group found that 39 per cent of surgeons who responded to the survey reported experiencing bullying and 19 per cent reported having experienced harassment. Occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation places duties on employers to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks in the workplace. Workplace bullying and harassment is best dealt with by taking steps to prevent it from occurring and responding quickly if it does occur. Fundamental to this is the need to create a positive workplace culture where everyone treats each other with respect. This is because bullying exists on a continuum of inappropriate workplace behaviours. Evidence indicates that workplace conflicts or minor inappropriate behaviours can easily escalate into bullying or harassment. Early intervention can prevent this. In addition, minor inappropriate behaviours can cause harm and distress and pose a risk to health and safety and need to be appropriately resolved. The audit focuses on the continuum of inappropriate workplace behaviour which includes bullying and harassment. Key steps in effectively addressing inappropriate behaviour to reduce the risk of bullying and harassment are: - identifying the potential for workplace bullying through data and identifying organisational risk factors - implementing control measures to prevent, minimise and respond to these risks, such as through building a positive, respectful culture and having good management practices and systems including policies, procedures and training - monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of these control measures. This audit focused on whether public health services and Ambulance Victoria (AV) are effectively managing the risk of bullying and harassment in the workplace. This audit included AV and four public health services - two tertiary metropolitan health services, one large regional health service and one small rural health service. These were selected on the basis of information contained in VPSC's People Matter survey and stakeholder consultations. The audit also included the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), WorkSafe Victoria and VPSC. As part of the audit, we undertook extensive interviews, conducted focus groups with managers and staff across the selected health services and AV, and analysed 82 public submissions. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2016. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 26, 2016 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20160323-Bullying/20160323-Bullying.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Harassment Shelf Number: 138818

Author: Australian Government Title: Australia's Cyber Security Strategy: Enabling innovation, growth and prosperity Summary: Strong cyber security is a fundamental element of our growth and prosperity in a global economy. It is also vital for our national security. It requires partnership involving governments, the private sector and the community. Being connected is now essential, creating new opportunities for innovation and growth for all Australians. To be competitive, businesses need to be online. But this also brings risks. Australia is increasingly a target for cybercrime and espionage. All of us- governments, businesses and individuals- need to work together to build resilience to cyber security threats and to make the most of opportunities online. To grow, Australia needs to innovate and further diversify its economy-to access new markets and new forms of wealth creation. We must embrace disruptive technologies; those that have the potential to fundamentally change traditional business models and the way people live and work. They will open up new possibilities for agile businesses in ways as yet unimagined. But the potential of digital technologies depends on the extent to which we can trust the internet and cyberspace. Getting cyber security right will mean we capture more of the opportunities the connected world offers. It will also make Australia a preferred place to do business. This in turn will boost our national prosperity. We can also expand our cyber security businesses and export capability. Australia's cyber security is built on a solid foundation. Our past investment has been strong. Recent Government initiatives such as the Australian Cyber Security Centre have lifted Government capabilities to a new level. Many of our larger businesses, particularly banks and telecommunications companies, have strong cyber security capabilities. Our future work will build on this platform. Details: Canberra: Office of the Prime Minister, 2016. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 26, 2016 at: https://cybersecuritystrategy.dpmc.gov.au/assets/img/PMC-Cyber-Strategy.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Cyber Security Shelf Number: 138819

Author: Goldsmid, Susan Title: Responding to unruly airline passengers: The Australian context Summary: Unruly passenger incidents have received considerable media attention over the past few years. Unruly passengers are those whose demeanour, behaviour or failure to comply with cabin crew directions present a threat to the safety or security of the aircraft and/or those on board. Australian airlines respond to and manage a small but consistent number of unruly passenger incidents every year. Specific strategies implemented by the airlines, the Australian Federal Police and government and regulatory bodies have focused on minimising the occurrence of and risks associated with these incidents. Despite this, unruly passenger incidents continue to occur, with ramifications for the safety and security of the crew, passengers and aircraft. In June 2015, the Australian Institute of Criminology hosted a roundtable to discuss unruly passenger incidents. Participants included Australian airlines, the police, and other government and regulatory agencies involved in aviation security. This paper draws on both international literature and the roundtable discussions to identify issues related to the identification and management of unruly passenger incidents and the minimisation of associated safety and security risks. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 510: Accessed April 27, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi510.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Airline Passengers Shelf Number: 138827

Author: Goh, Derek Title: An update of long-term trends in violent and property crime in New South Wales: 1990-2015 Summary: Aim: The aim of this paper is to analyse the trends in the rates of annual recorded incidents of 10 categories of property and violent crime for the period 1990 to 2015 in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Offence rates were calculated using criminal incident data from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) for the period 1995 to 2015, and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research's recorded crime statistics report series for the period 1990 to 1994. Kendall's trend test was run on the 26 annual rates for each of the 10 offence categories. Results: Some categories of crime in NSW are now at the lowest recorded levels they have been for over 25 years. Comparing per capita rates of crime in 2015 with per capita rates in 1990, lower rates were found for: robbery with a firearm (86% lower); motor vehicle theft (80% lower); break and enter non-dwelling (75% lower); robbery without a weapon (60% lower); break and enter dwelling (58% lower); murder (56% lower) and robbery with a weapon not a firearm (53% lower). Three of the ten offence types analysed in this report were found to have recorded rates higher in 2015 than in 1990: sexual assault (131% higher); other sexual offences (102% higher) and assault (62% higher). Conclusion: In the period since 1990, assault and sexual assault rates recorded significant long term upward trends whilst the other eight offences analysed in this report were trending down or stable. The 2015 recorded sexual assault rate was slightly below the highest in that series (occurring in 2012) and the rate since 2000 has recorded a significant uptrend. Apart from sexual assault and other sexual offences, the remaining eight offence types recorded significant downtrends in recorded rates since 2000. The three robbery and three property crime series all recorded falls of more than 65 per cent since 2000. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 115: Accessed April 28, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/report-an-update-of-long-term-trends-in-violent-and-property-crime-in-nsw-bb115.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Rates Shelf Number: 138833

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth justice in Australia: 2014-15 Summary: There were about 5,600 young people (aged 10 and older) under youth justice supervision in Australia on an average day in 2014-15, due to their involvement, or alleged involvement, in crime. This number has decreased by 23% over the 5 years to 2014-15. Around 4 in 5 (82%) young people under supervision on an average day were male. Most (85%) young people were supervised in the community and the remainder were in detention. Although rates of supervision decreased over the 5-year period for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people, the level of Indigenous over-representation increased. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 133: Accessed April 28, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129554930 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Shelf Number: 138834

Author: Giles, Margaret Title: Study in prison reduces recidivism and welfare dependence: A case study from Western Australia 2005-2010 Summary: Using a longitudinal dataset of prisoners in Western Australia, this paper describes the effectiveness of correctional education in improving post-release outcomes. The report shows that the more classes completed by prisoners the lower the rate of re-incarceration and the less likely they are to increase the seriousness of their offending. These, and other personal and societal benefits such as a reduction in welfare dependence, were positively associated with the number of classes prisoners successfully completed - that is, the more classes the inmate successfully completes, the less likely they are to reoffend and to access unemployment benefits. Much has been written about how correctional education contributes to post-release outcomes for ex-prisoners. In their systematic review of 50 studies of the effectiveness of correctional education, Davis et al. (2013) found that study in prison unequivocally reduces post-release recidivism and, on average, increases post-release employment. Unlike most earlier studies of the impact of correctional education on recidivism and employment, including the primary studies included in the Davis et al. (2013) meta-analysis, this study uses five years of linked prison history, correctional education and income support payments data. Improved employment and offending outcomes may better enable offenders to successfully reintegrate into their communities, and could produce cost savings into the future for justice authorities and social welfare services. This paper reports on the contribution of correctional education to reducing recidivism and welfare dependence (as a proxy for unemployment) for ex-prisoners in Western Australia. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 514: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi514.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Education Shelf Number: 138896

Author: Australia. Department of Social Services Title: Review of Illegal Offshore Wagering Report Summary: Across the global gambling market, online games and wagering are the fastest growing market segments over recent years. These sectors of the gambling market are also subject to a range of regulatory restrictions in a number of Australian jurisdictions. Wagering is the fastest growing gambling sector in Australia. Fast growth in a market of this size, particularly where the platforms are largely online, raises concerns about the harmful impacts on our community, especially on the largely young male audience to whom these interactive products are marketed. As operators in these markets are operating outside the regulatory reach of Australian law enforcement and regulators, strategies to mitigate harm are particularly important. A key determinant of the relative size of the legal and illegal market is the ability of the regulatory framework to attract offshore bookmakers operating illegally to move onshore and submit to Australian regulatory requirements. This is in part influenced by a regulatory framework that places legal operators on a competitive footing with the illegal market. Key elements of the regulatory framework that may influence the relative size of the legal and illegal markets include taxation levels, the types of services and product fees permitted or prohibited (such as online in-play wagering on sporting events) and the range and scope of regulatory harm minimisation measures. The importance of appropriate harm minimisation measures to ensure adequate consumer protection is well documented, as is the need to manage the social and economic impacts of both problem gambling and illegal offshore wagering. Australia's online gambling market is subject to a range of regulatory measures that aim to protect our community and industry from potentially harmful gambling activities. Successive governments have acknowledged that enforcement of Australian regulations against illegal offshore online wagering operators is difficult, and previous studies have highlighted the challenges of bringing illegal offshore wagering activities into a regulated onshore environment. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (the Act) is directed at controlling the provision of online gambling services to Australians. Under the Act, it is an offence to provide certain interactive gambling services to consumers located in Australia. This carries a maximum penalty of $360,000 per day for individuals and $1.8 million per day for corporations, which applies to all providers whether they are located in Australia or offshore. On 7 September 2015, the Commonwealth announced a review of the illegal offshore wagering market in Australia (the Review). The Review has involved extensive consultation and engagement with a broad range of community, industry and government stakeholders directed to strengthening enforcement of the Act and ensuring Australians are adequately protected from the impacts of illegal offshore wagering operators. Details: Canberra: Department of Social Services, 2015. 188p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/04_2016/review_of_illegal_offshore_wagering_18_december_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crimes Shelf Number: 138897

Author: Mathews, Ben Title: Child Abuse and Neglect: A Socio-legal Study of Mandatory Reporting in Australia Summary: This report presents the results of a study exploring the law and practice of mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect in Queensland. Government administrative data over a decade (2003-2012) were accessed and analysed to map trends in reporting of different types of child abuse and neglect (physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect) by different reporter groups (both mandated reporters e.g., teachers, doctors, nurses, and non-mandated reporters e.g., family members, neighbours), and the outcomes of these reports (whether investigated, and whether substantiated or not). Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, 2015. 260p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/child-abuse-and-neglect-v9-wa.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 138898

Author: Queensland. Taskforce on Organised Crime Legislation Title: Taskforce on Organised Crime Legislation: Report Summary: The purpose and the work of the Taskforce was contained in Terms of Reference signed by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Training and Skills, the Honorable Yvette D'Ath, on 7 June 2015. Those Terms of Reference are Attachment 1. They initially called for the Taskforce to report on 15 December 2015. Later, when its chair was asked to simultaneously review earlier anti-OMCG, anti-organised crime legislation - the Criminal Organisations Act 2009 (Qld) (COA) - that date was extended to 31 March 2016. A primary purpose of the Taskforce under the Terms was to review and make recommendations about legislation introduced and passed in the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 2013. Those laws (the 2013 suite) were represented to target organised crime but were principally directed at outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) and their members. The Terms required the Taskforce to consider the repeal and replacement of the 2013 suite (whether by substantial amendment or new legislation) but also, in doing so, to consider whether the provisions of the 2013 suite were effectively facilitating the successful detection, investigation, prevention and deterrence of organised crime. They also asked it to develop a new 'serious organised crime' offence, with mandatory penalties. The Taskforce took this to mean that it was neither compelled nor constrained in its consideration of the 2013 legislation (ie, if the Taskforce considered that the 2013 suite did not require amendment then the Terms of Reference did not prevent such a recommendation being made). The Taskforce also took the Terms to mean that, in light of the range and depth of expertise amongst its members, it was charged with considering the 2013 suite in the overall context of anti-organised crime legislation and, if possible, advising on the form that legislation should take. Members accepted that responsibility and developed a new legislative package which it called the Organised Crime Framework. Details: Brisbane: Department of Justice and Attorney-General, 2016. 471p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/463022/report-of-the-taskforce-on-organised-crime-legislation.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Organized Crime Shelf Number: 138899

Author: KPMG Title: Final Report for the Evaluation of Queensland's Youth Boot Camps Summary: In early 2013, we began a trial of 2 types of boot camps that aimed to keep young people out of trouble and detention. They were: - early intervention youth boot camps, for teenagers at risk of long-term offending - sentenced youth boot camp, for teenagers who ◦had a history of offending and were facing detention ◦were from Townsville and had 3 or more motor vehicle offences. In August 2015, we received an evaluation of the youth boot camp trial. We decided we would end the trial because of the report's findings. Our youth boot camp trial ended in October 2015 Details: Brisbane: Department of Justice and Attorney-General, 2015. 251p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/ac40e5a2-e3e6-4a2a-a7bd-c616116c3a5e/resource/a654be83-cd7f-43b3-b6cd-cdf2c9c8b48d/download/finalreportfortheevaluationofqueenslandsyouthbootcamps.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Detention Shelf Number: 138901

Author: Browne, Matthew Title: Assessing gambling-related harm in Victoria: a public health perspective Summary: The aim of this project was to systematically investigate gambling-related harm in Victoria and assess the aggregate 'burden of harm' with reference to different levels of problem gambling, and other comparable conditions. The project used a standard public health methodology endorsed by the World Health Organisation to measure the impact of gambling on quality of life. The study found that low and moderate-risk gamblers account for a majority of the aggregate years of health life lost in Victoria. In total: - 50.24 per cent of years lost to disability were from low-risk gamblers - 34.52 per cent of years lost to disability were from moderate-risk gamblers - 15.24 per cent of years lost to disability were from problem gamblers. Harm to self accounted for 86.2 per cent of harm, while 13.8 per cent was harm to others. When all risk categories are combined, gambling accounts for years lost to disability that equates to about two-thirds of the years lost to disability for alcohol use and dependence and major depression, and much more than many other conditions such as diabetes. The qualitative data collection identified that harms could be divided into seven dimensions: - financial harm - relationship disruption, conflict or breakdown - emotional or psychological distress - decrements to health - cultural harm - reduced performance at work or study - criminal activity. Harms were divided into: - general harms, which occurred at any time - crisis harms, which were associated with attempts to seek help - legacy harms, which occurred long after gambling ceased. The researchers also identified that harms could occur much later in life, or even be transferred between generations. For example, parental poverty could impact on children throughout their lifespan. For the foundation - the improved understanding of the quality and quantity of harm will help to better target efforts to prevent or reduce the potential negative consequences of gambling. For policy makers and regulators - the study concluded there should be a broadening of focus from the prevention of 'problem gambling' to the lessening of gambling harm which is distributed across a broader section of the Victorian community. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, 2016. 188p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2016 at: https://www.responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/28465/Browne_assessing_gambling-related_harm_in_Vic_Apr_2016-REPLACEMENT2.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Gambling Shelf Number: 138907

Author: Paddick, Sarah Title: Women and Children in Prisons: Accommodation Study Summary: In Australia it is current government policy in all States to allow certain female prisoners to keep their children with them in prison during their sentences. The maximum age of the children and the specific profile of the mother varies from state to state but the intent and philosophy is the same - that in certain situations it is the 'best' option for both mother and child. Whether it is in the best interests of the child is generally determined by a recognised independent children's authority, through an assessment process. This report does not discuss or question this position in detail. There is a brief summary of some supporting arguments and studies that do so, and this will hopefully direct the reader to further areas of research and discussion. Instead I examine how mothers and children are accommodated within a correctional environment both in Australia and in other countries around the world, with a particular focus on the architecture of each facility I visited during the duration of my scholarship. I also highlight the ways in which relationships between mothers and children can be maintained if cohabitation within the correctional facility is not possible i.e. in the instance of older children, or where a mother's or child's particular circumstances do not allow it to occur. Details: Adelaide: Government of South Australia, 2011. 175p. Source: Internet Resource: Catherine Helen Spence Memorial scholarship 2010/11: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/7422/MothersAndBabiesInPrisonAccommodationStudy2010-2011WebVersion.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Children of Prisoners Shelf Number: 138932

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Recidivism rates and the impact of treatment programs Summary: Crime costs Australia approximately $36 billion dollars per year. Government spending on the criminal justice system accounts for approximately one quarter of these costs, distributed between the police, the courts, and corrective services. National trends show an increasing expenditure on the criminal justice system and Western Australia reflects this. Over the past five years, the yearly cost of Corrective Services has increased by nearly $200 million (34%), with an additional $655 million used on capital expenditure. This review has found that the Department is missing opportunities in reducing reoffending among those most likely to return to prison. Many factors that increase the likelihood of returning to prison are beyond the Department's control but some can be addressed by treatment in prison, education, or by support and assistance on release. It was found that prisoners released from prisons where there were identified deficiencies in service provision were more likely to reoffend. One area that has seen significant investment with the explicit aim of reducing re-offending is the provision of psychologically-based 'offender treatment programs'. These programs are also an influential factor in Prisoners Review Board decisions. Despite their importance there are inequities in their provision and individual programs are rarely subject to long term evaluation. In order to improve outcomes and reduce the rate at which people return to prison, the Department needs to adopt a holistic but carefully targeted approach. This will require clear goals, well-funded strategies for improvement, and continuous measuring of effectiveness so that alterations can be made where needed. Cost increases in the Western Australian correctives services system coincide with an unprecedented increase in prisoner population. The number of prisoners in adult prisons has increased from approximately 3000 in 2004 to over 5000 in 2014. Not only has the population risen but the cost per prisoner is also rising. In Western Australia, five years ago the cost per prisoner each day was $303.62. Now it is $341.64. For 5000 prisoners that is a rise of over $190,000 per day. These cost and population pressures underline the importance of an effective corrective services system. In an effective system, imprisonment will positively influence a prisoner's life by making them less likely to reoffend in the future. Every 10 less prisoners in the system represents an annual saving of one million dollars. Research has shown that a prison sentence increases the likelihood of reoffending; however, reoffending is less likely if a person undertakes a relevant treatment program (e.g. drug treatment, sexual offender treatment). Other effectively proven rehabilitative measures for reducing reoffending include: - Prison-based educational and vocational training programs; - Prison-based employment programs; - Post-release services that aid community re-integration; - Drug courts; and - Mental health diversionary programs. Recently, the Commissioner for Corrective Services announced an intention to reduce reoffending by five to six per cent per year Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2014. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3912295a35b28230ed9c541e48257d730008d551/$file/2295.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 138937

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Female Prisons in Western Australia and the Greenough Women's Precinct Summary: Women still form a relatively small proportion of Western Australia's prison population but their numbers have grown quickly, and at a much faster rate than male numbers. At the time of writing, there were 486 women in prison, a staggering increase of 40 per cent in five years (in July 2009 there were 350). The number of male prisoners has increased by 15 per cent over the same period (from 4120 to 4748). Greenough Regional Prison has always accommodated a number of women, usually around 25 and historically in Unit Five, a claustrophobic, confined and run down area. In 2012, in response to a crisis of numbers at Bandyup Women's Prison, a newer larger unit, Unit Four, was converted to the use of women prisoners. The women already at Greenough were moved into Unit Four in late November 2012 and Unit Five became a male unit. Women began being transferred from other prisons, especially Bandyup and Roebourne Regional Prison, from late January 2013. Unit Four is located within the same perimeter fence as the rest of the prison, close to male accommodation blocks, the oval and a number of other amenities. It is separated from the male accommodation areas by a mesh fence topped by razor wire. A privacy screen was added to the fence line adjacent to the male prisoners' accommodation, obscuring the view in and out of the women's unit. This adds some degree of visual, but not aural, privacy. Additional supporting infrastructure, in the form of demountables, was added to allow for the provision of education, programs, and other services to be delivered to the women separately. The Unit's grounds also include a basketball/netball court, some isometric gym equipment, and a pleasant garden area. However it is not entirely self-contained, and this generates some significant issues. When Unit Four is fully occupied, it has a total capacity of 69. Therefore, compared with Unit Five, it offers a gain of up to 44 beds for women. Importantly though, the new Women's Precinct offered an opportunity to do much more for women being held at Greenough than had been done in the past. This report provides a review of services for women prisoners at Greenough based on an on-site inspection in August 2013. It also provides a thematic overview of the state of women's imprisonment in Western Australia, and the historical context which brought about the need for the creation of the Greenough Women's Precinct. Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2014. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://www.oics.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/91-Greenough-Women.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Inmates Shelf Number: 138938

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Thermal conditions of prison cells Summary: It is critical that acceptable temperatures are maintained in a custodial environment. Prisoners are an 'at-risk' group for temperature related illnesses due in part to their poorer health outcomes: - One-third of prisoners report having a chronic health condition; - 59 per cent of adult prisoners and 65 per cent of juvenile detainees are affected by mental illness; and - A substantial proportion of the prison population are on prescribed medications that increase susceptibility to temperature extremes. Compounding these health vulnerabilities is a prisoner's impaired capacity to make behavioural adaptations to mitigate the temperature conditions they face. Outside prison, someone experiencing hot temperatures may seek a cooler environment (e.g. air-conditioned shopping centre), wet their body and clothes with water, and move away from structures that radiate heat. These actions may not be possible for those restricted to a prison cell. For example, at Roebourne Regional Prison temperatures can reach 50�C. The majority of prisoners are locked overnight in cells that are not air-conditioned and that do not have showers. It is not possible for prisoners to seek a cooler environment. Prisoners get through the night by drinking from water bottles chilled prior to lockup, sleeping on the floor, and splashing themselves with water from sinks. Through the day, towels are draped over windows to reduce sunlight entering the room, though this has the disadvantage of inhibiting any beneficial breezes that may be present. These behavioural adaptations reduce risk to a far lesser extent than what is possible in the wider community. Creative behavioural adaptations have also been observed in winter as heaters are not a uniform feature of prisoner accommodation and additional clothing and bedding may be subject to limitations in availability. In the 2001 unannounced inspection of Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison it was noted that prisoners attempted to prevent draughts of cold air by covering cracks in the wall with paper mache bonded with their own saliva. At other prisons the use of paper to cover up ventilation vents has been commonly observed, restricting the flow of fresh air into the cell. At Bandyup Women's Prison, prisoners in the self-care accommodation reported leaving ovens on at maximum temperatures during the day in an effort to warm their house. This Office is aware of two oven doors exploding in the winter of 2014 due to this practice. Prisoner efforts to achieve comfortable temperatures within the limitations of the prison environment can therefore be creative but are unlikely to be fully effective, and can increase other risks such as restricted air flow. For prisoners who are too old, unwell, or mentally ill to undertake these behavioural adaptations, the prison environment poses an acute risk of temperature related ill-health. Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2015. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://www.oics.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Thermal-conditions-review-final.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Institutions Shelf Number: 138939

Author: Emami, Catherine Title: Use and acceptance of biometric technologies among victims of identity crime and misuse in Australia Summary: Biometric technologies make use of an individual's unique biological characteristics to identify them in their dealings with government and business. Common biometrics include fingerprints, iris recognition, voice pattern recognition and facial recognition, among others. There has been a considerable increase in the uptake of biometric technologies by a number of organisations in recent years, as society looks for ways to safeguard personal information from potential misuse. For instance, fingerprint scanning - once the mainstay of forensic policing - is increasingly used as a means of verifying the identity of mobile phone and tablet users. In 2014, the Australian Institute of Criminology conducted an online survey to gain a greater understanding of identity crime and misuse in Australia. The survey also asked a sample of Australian victims of identity crime about their experiences of, and willingness to use, biometric technologies. This paper presents the results of the research, which indicate generally high levels of previous exposure to biometrics. It also presents some unexpected findings concerning those willing to take up biometrics in the future. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 511: Accessed May 5, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi511.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Biometrics Shelf Number: 138940

Author: McKenzie, Mandy Title: Out of character? : legal responses to intimate partner homicides by men in Victoria 2005 - 2014 Summary: Over a 10-year period (2002-2012) in Australia, 488 women were killed by an intimate partner or ex-partner (Cussen & Bryant 2015a). These homicides are the extreme end of a continuum of violence against women and children in families. Domestic and family violence (hereafter referred to as family violence) has become the focus of increasing community concern in Australia over recent years. There is a growing awareness of the scale, impact and costs associated with family violence. Research and death reviews in Australia and internationally over the last two decades have highlighted that systemic failures in legal responses to family violence contribute to these deaths. For example, in the 1990s in Victoria, the Women's Coalition Against Family Violence (WCAFV) documented the impact of domestic murders of women and children in Blood on whose hands? The killing of women and children in domestic homicides (WCAFV 1994). The book outlined the stories of women and children who had been killed in domestic homicides in Victoria. The accounts demonstrated the failure of the police, legal and support services. This study examined risk factors and legal responses in 51 homicides by men between 2005-2014. A history of family violence and relationship separation were key factors in these deaths. Details: Melbourne, Vic.: Domestic Violence Research Centre Victoria, 2016. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: DVRCV Discussion Paper, No. 10): Accessed May 11, 2016 at: http://www.dvrcv.org.au/sites/default/files/out_of_character_dvrcv.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 138965

Author: McCarthy-Jones, Anthea Title: Mexical Drug Cartels and Dark-Networks: An Emerging Threat to Australia's National Security Summary: Over the past decade Mexican drug cartels' power and the violent struggles between them have increased exponentially. Previously Mexico, and in particular the border regions with the US, were the key battle grounds for control of distribution routes. However, today Mexican drug cartels are now looking abroad in an attempt to extend their operations. This expansion has seen several cartels moving into lucrative international markets in Europe and the Asia Pacific. It is in this context that Australia has now become a target of several Mexican cartels. They have already established linkages in the Asia Pacific and are further attempting to strengthen and expand these - with a particular focus on penetrating the Australian market. These developments show how Mexican drug cartels operate as 'dark-networks', successfully creating a global system that seeks to capture new markets, and further extend their control and dominance of the flow of illicit drugs around the world. For Australia, the emergence of Mexican drug cartels in local markets presents not only criminal but strategic challenges. The size of these operations, their resources and 'dark-network' structure makes them a difficult opponent. Their presence threatens to not only increase the supply of illicit drugs in Australia, but encourage turf wars, increase the amount of guns in the country, tax border security resources and threaten the stability and good governance of South Pacific transit spots. This represents the end of Australia's 'tyranny of distance', which previously acted as a buffer and protected Australia from the interests of remote criminal groups such as the Mexican cartels. Details: Australian National University, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Centre of Gravity Series: Accessed May 18, 2016 at: http://ips.cap.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/COG%20%2325%20Web%20v3.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Security Shelf Number: 139078

Author: Gotsis, Tom Title: Sentencing Outcomes for Firearms Offences Summary: This paper sets out the recent history of firearms offences, including the origins of the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre. It then outlines the distinction between non-strictly indictable and strictly indictable firearms offences, and considers the significance of that distinction on the sentencing of firearms offences. The role and effect of standard non-parole periods on the sentencing of firearms offences is also considered. Sentencing statistics for firearms offences are then presented. The paper further provides a discussion of the objectives and main features of the recent amendments to firearms offences that were introduced by the Firearms and Weapons Prohibition Legislation Amendment Act 2015 and the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Firearms Offences) Act 2015. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper 2/2016: Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/firearms_offences_briefing_paper_final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Shelf Number: 139101

Author: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Title: Targeting Scams: Report of the ACCC on scams activity 2015 Summary: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) seventh annual report on scams activity in Australia highlights the significant financial loss and emotional harm incurred by the Australian community as a result of scams. In 2015 the ACCC received over 105 000 scam reports, 14 000 more than in 2014. Reported monetary losses also grew by 4 per cent, to almost $85 million. For this year's report the ACCC has also reviewed data from other jurisdictions that receive reports or detect scams to gain a clearer picture of the significance of losses caused by scam activity in Australia. Reports to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN) revealed losses of over $127 million1. Additionally, various scam disruption programs, operated by the ACCC and other agencies, also detect Australians sending funds to high risk jurisdictions. A combined estimate of losses to this unreported scam activity is $17.1 million. Combining Scamwatch and ACORN data with losses detected through scam disruption work, total scam losses exceed $229 million. This report seeks to explore the nature of scam losses and identify some emerging trends. It focuses on data reported to Scamwatch and statistics provided in the report are in respect of that data unless specifically stated otherwise. By far the most concerning trend in the ACCC's Scamwatch data related to investment scams, which overtook dating and romance scams as the category with the largest financial losses reported by Australians in the last year. Losses to investment scams almost doubled, from $12.5 million to $24.4 million with six people reporting individual losses of $1 million or more. Additionally, ACORN data shows reported losses to investment scams of almost $17 million. This brings total reported losses to more than $41 million and this still does not include those that do not report or may have reported to another organisation. It is not hard to see why many Australians are losing large sums of money in these scams given how difficult they are to identify. These more sophisticated scams often involve scammers who use accurate technical jargon in carefully crafted cold calling scripts and accompany this with glossy brochures backed up by professional-looking websites. Even astute investors have been known to fall victim to these more calculated scams. Losses reported to Scamwatch from dating and romance scams have reduced by more than $5 million (18.5 per cent) to $22.7 million, and are the second highest category in 2015. Together with investment scams, they account for 56 per cent of scam losses reported to Scamwatch in the past year. A further $14.8 million was reported to ACORN. When you add in the $17.1 million identified through disruption initiatives, this brings the total for relationships scams to over $54 million. While investment and dating scams caused the most losses in 2015, the most commonly reported scams to the ACCC have been phishing scams, reclaim scams and upfront payment/advanced fee scams. Over 15 000 reports of phishing scams have been received, resulting in a total reported loss of $363 270. While the number of reports we received are spread across all age groups, it is middle aged and older Australians who are reporting the highest losses. The ACCC has taken a closer look at the risk that scam activity poses to older Australians in this report. Details: Canberra: ACCC, 2016. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 19, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/targeting_scams_-_report_of_the_accc_on_scam_activity_2015.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Protection and Fraud Shelf Number: 139103

Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: National mapping and meta-evaluation outlining key features of effective Summary: This research project provided a national mapping and meta-evaluation of the key features of "safe at home" programs. "Safe at home" programs enhance safety and prevent homelessness for women and their children who have experienced domestic and family violence. The first stage, a state of knowledge paper, provided a comprehensive review of the literature and a national mapping of current "safe at home" programs by jurisdiction, including details of legislation underpinning "safe at home" programs in each jurisdiction. The second stage, the final research report, was a meta-evaluation of select evidence about Australian "safe at home" programs and practices. The meta-evaluation examined 20 evaluations of "safe at home" programs across Australia to identify the key features of effective programs and to provide recommendations for policy-makers, practitioners and researchers. The report found that "safe at home" programs had four common underlying themes, but each focused primarily on maximising women's safety, using protection orders and ouster/exclusion provisions to reduce the risk of a perpetrator returning, or preventing homelessness, using case-management to assess risk, manage safety planning and consider women's needs over time. Overall, one or more of the themes were identified across the "safe at home" evaluations, but the emphasis varied by program and at different points during the response provided. It also found: - The lead agency in each state or territory appears to determine how "safe at home" is rolled out and whether it is focused on housing ("stay at home") or criminal justice ("safe at home"). "Stay at home" responses are mostly offered over a longer period of time, compared with many first-response services involving specialist homelessness services. A longer period of service provision allows for ongoing and dynamic assessment of risk and for women's changing needs to be met at different points of time. - It is still unclear whether independent strategies which could be used in any domestic violence-related intervention (e.g. risk assessment, brokerage, safety alarms and specialised police response) should be considered "safe at home" responses in their own right; or whether these strategies are most useful and of greater impact when embedded in a more comprehensive program, and offers case management beyond the initial crisis period. - Monitoring data indicates that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women are accessing "safe at home" responses, but little is known of the usefulness of such interventions for these groups. As emphasised in all of the Australian evaluations included in this meta-evaluation, "safe at home" is not intended to be the only response for women leaving a violent relationship. While not replacing the need for refuges or specialist homelessness services, "safe at home" programs are an important complementary offering which allows more women to leave a violent relationship. "Safe at home" options are also intended to be a socially just response for some women in certain circumstances to have the important choice to not uproot their lives and those of their children by fleeing their family home. Details: Alexandria, NSW: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS)132p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Horizons, Issue 01/2016: Accessed May 31, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/Safe%20at%20home%20meta-evaluation%20final%20report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 139242

Author: Stathopoulos, Mary Title: Establishing the Connection: Interventions linking service responses for sexual assault with drug or alcohol use/abuse: Final report Summary: Establishing the Connection was a Victorian-based study that aimed to examine the intersections between alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and sexual victimisation and trauma, how both support sectors currently work together, and how they can respond more effectively to the needs of those affected. The study found that: - Participants from both the AOD and the sexual assault sectors demonstrated a practical understanding of the interrelationship between drug and alcohol use and sexual victimisation. The overlap between sexual victimisation and alcohol and other drug use was very relevant for AOD and sexual assault counsellors and managers who were aware of the very large numbers of potentially "shared" clients. - Current practice in the assessment and intake processes in the AOD and sexual assault sectors varies considerably and reflects both the organisational frameworks that guide practice, as well as the initiative and confidence of individuals in the sectors in referring clients to other services. - Factors that hinder collaboration included insufficient resources; uncertainty about how the other sector works; lack of communication; and role creep, which describes the expansion of demands and activities of a job or role over time that are not balanced by additional resources to support them. - Practitioners and managers expressed great interest in expanding their understanding of the other sector through a variety of avenues, some of which included: shared focus on client-centred care; openness to discussion and sharing information; previous interagency collaboration; and policy and governance support. Findings from the report informed the development of practice guidelines to assist service providers with the identification, assessment, response and referral of individuals and families affected by co-occurring sexual abuse victimisation and substance use issues. Details: Alexandria, NSW: National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2016. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Horizons, Issue 02/2016: Accessed May 31, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/Establishing%20the%20Connection%20Horizons.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol and Crime Shelf Number: 139249

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Investigation into Public Transport Fare Evasion Enforcement Summary: The purpose of this investigation was to assess whether public transport fare enforcement is fair and equitable. Fare evasion costs the state tens of millions of dollars; the vast majority of public transport users who buy tickets do not want to subsidise the travel of those who don't. Fair enough. We expect to see a system that effectively deters offenders. The evidence however of this investigation is overwhelming: the system is disproportionate and poorly targeted. The current approach has not got the balance right between financial imperative and fairness. It hits the vulnerable and innocently ignorant and fails to focus on recidivist fare evaders. Not only is it unfair, it is costly. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2016. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2016 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/b3ef3775-ecd3-42e5-8acd-40f43769f521/ Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Fare Evasion Shelf Number: 139252

Author: KPMG Title: Illicit Tobacco in Australia. 2015 Half Year Report Summary: This bi-annual report provides an overview of the nature and dynamics of the legal and illicit tobacco markets and an independent assessment of the size of the illicit tobacco market in Australia. It is commissioned jointly by British American Tobacco Australia, Imperial Tobacco Australia Limited and Philip Morris Limited. Key highlights: - Illicit tobacco consumption declined marginally to 14.3% of total consumption in the twelve months to June 2015. This was the first decline seen since 2012 - The overall decline was driven by a significant decrease in contraband consumption, such as manufactured cigarettes - The decline in illicit tobacco consumption was partially offset by a large rise in unbranded ("Chop Chop") tobacco. Details: London: KPMG, 2015. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2016 at: https://home.kpmg.com/uk/en/home/insights/2015/11/illicit-tobacco-in-australia.html Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Counterfeiting Shelf Number: 139255

Author: Lucas, Peter Title: Increasing Men's Awareness of the Effects of Children Exposed to Family and Domestic Violence Summary: �� Reducing violence against women and children is a global public health and human rights priority. In Australia, police deal with over 650 family and domestic violence matters each day, and every week one women is murdered by their current or former partner. �� This report details research undertaken in the Australian state of Tasmania, where police attended over 2000 family and domestic violence incidents between July 2014 and May 2015, and over 1,200 children were present at these incidents. These figures only reflect incidents attended by police and so the actual number of incidents is likely to be much higher. �� The consequences of childhood exposure to family and domestic violence are known to be cumulative and intergenerational, and even prenatal exposure can potentially have lifelong implications. The risks for children include behavioural disorders, poorer verbal abilities, higher levels of anxiety, increased risk of harmful substance use and a higher risk of premature death. �� This research project was undertaken by the University of Tasmania and The Salvation Army (Tasmania), with a grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund. Ethics approval for the research was obtained from the Tasmania Social Sciences Human Research Ethics Committee (H14683). �� The initial stages of the research involved undertaking a narrative literature review of academic and 'grey' literature (government reports, brochures, websites, etc) and utilising a strategic process to identify and engage with relevant stakeholders. The intention was to engage stakeholders to help solve the puzzle of "How can we increase men�s awareness that family and domestic violence has a harmful effect on their children?" �� This research initially set out to develop and test a best practice model of education to raise men's awareness of the impact of family violence on their children. Early in the research it became apparent that there was little documented best evidence available on which to base such a program, and that relatively few programs had been comprehensively evaluated. �� The main vehicle for engagement was a series of "World Caf�" style events held in Ulverstone, Launceston and Hobart. A total of 72 individuals working in the health and community services sector in government, non-government and private sector organisations participated in these events. Participants in these events confirmed the scarcity of the evidence base and a lack of locally-delivered programs specifically addressing the identified 'puzzle'. �� In addition to the three World Caf� events, focus groups and interviews were conducted with 17 other key stakeholders. Some were included because they could not participate in the World Caf� events, while others had been identified through the consultation process as having particular expertise that could provide the researchers with additional insights into the research puzzle. �� Data and insights arising from the literature review and World Caf� events were analysed by the research team and form the basis of 35 recommendations that appear in Chapters 5 and 6 of this report (and are also listed in the following section, for convenience). These recommendations relate to Awareness Raising, Program Content and Delivery, Resourcing, and Ongoing Research. Details: s.l.: Salvation Army and University of Tasmania, 2016. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 1, 2016 at: http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/Global/State%20pages/Tasmania/Safe%20from%20the%20start/Increasing%20Men's%20Awareness%20of%20the%20Effects%20on%20Children%20Exposed%20to%20Family%20and%20Domestic%20Violence.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 139256

Author: Buggy, Kate Title: Under the Radar: How might Australia enhance its policies to prevent 'lone wolf' and 'fixated person' violent attacks? Summary: This paper addresses the detection, intervention and prevention of so-called 'lone wolf' and 'fixated perso' violent attacks in Australia. It argues that while the threat of terrorism may vary over time, the increase in lone wolf terrorism over the past decade requires a more focused approach to the identification and monitoring of individuals who are moving along the pathway from radical ideology to radical violence. The paper proposes that a specialised unit, the National Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, be established to assess the threat posed by such persons, regardless of whether they fall into the category of lone wolf, fixated persons or other, grievance-fuelled violent actors. It also proposes community-friendly options of e-referral and a new hotline in an effort to identify persons on a radicalisation pathway. With research confirming that the majority of such individuals suffer from mental illness or mental instability, the paper concludes that these initiatives should reduce the risk by providing an opportunity to intervene before violent activity occurs. Details: Canberra: Australian Defence College, Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Indo-Pacific Strategic Papers: Accessed June 1, 2016 at: http://www.defence.gov.au/ADC/Publications/IndoPac/Buggy_IPSP_Final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremists Shelf Number: 139257

Author: Sutherland, Georgina Title: Media representations of violence against women and their children: Final report Summary: This project aimed to establish the extent and nature of reporting of violence against women by the Australian media to inform future strategies for change. Using both quantitative (content analysis) and qualitative (critical discourse analysis) methods, the study provided a glimpse into the complexity of reporting practices. It found that: - There is a clear link between media reporting and attitudes and beliefs in relation to violence against women, with audiences' emotional responses and attributions of responsibility affected by how the media frames news. - The vast majority of reporting on violence against women was "incident based", looking at tragic individual instances, but not exploring the issue in a more depth. - The lack of social context in reporting, and thereby the broader public's understanding of the issue, could be improved by the inclusion of more expert sources, including domestic violence advocates and those with lived experience of violence. Yet half of all sources were drawn from police and the criminal justice system; only 9.9 % of sources were domestic violence advocates /spokespeople; only 8.7 % were survivors. - The narrow use of sources contributed to a "murder centric" frame of most reporting, which is no doubt newsworthy but doesn't necessarily reflect women's different experiences of violence. 61.8% of incident based reporting was in relation to a homicide. Nearly 75.8 % of reporting focused on physical intimate partner violence, 22.5 % on sexual assault. Other types of violence, including emotional, threats or sexual harassment were all but invisible. - Myths and misrepresentations still find their way into reporting. Around 15 % of incident based reporting includes victim blaming, like she was drinking, flirting/went home with the perpetrator, was out alone, they were arguing; 14.8 % of incident based reporting offers excuses for the perpetrator, like he was drinking, using drugs, jealous/seeking revenge, "snapped" or "lost control". - Interestingly, and for the first time, this research picked up on a tendency to render the perpetrator invisible, with 59.8% of incident based reporting including no information whatsoever about the perpetrator. - Choice of language can sometimes be insensitive, for example 17.2 % of newspaper and online headlines were deemed sensationalistic, while 13.3 % of incident based news items used language in the report that was sensationalistic, including excessively gory/or overly sexually explicit detail. - Though we know the news media can be a powerful source of information for women looking to leave a violent relationship, only 4.3 % of news reports included help seeking information (1800RESPECT or others). Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Horizons, Issue 03/2016: Accessed June 7, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/final%20H3_2.2_Media_WEB.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Mass Media Shelf Number: 139297

Author: Parenting Research Centre Title: Implementation best practice:A rapid evidence assessment Summary: The purpose of this review is to support the Royal Commission�s work in developing recommendations for both preventing institutional child sexual abuse and improving institutional responses to this type of abuse. To do this, the review summarises the evidence for characteristics of implementation best practice. With an understanding of best practice in implementation, the Royal Commission will be able to develop recommendations with the greatest chance of being implemented and having their intended effect. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2016. 143p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2016 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/3db55367-f556-4337-bed4-41a4055e9b5a/Implementation-Best-Practice Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 139307

Author: Victoria Police Title: Victoria Police Mental Health Review Summary: The Victoria Police Mental Health Review is an independent review into the mental health and wellbeing of Victoria Police employees. The 90-page review highlights a need for change in the culture of Victoria Police to eradicate the stigma attached to mental illness and help seeking. It also highlights a need for greater access to mental health literacy and support services for Victoria Police employees during and after their careers, as well as for their families. The review was led by Clinical and Organisational Psychologist, Dr Peter Cotton, and was supported by Peter Bull (retired superintendent), Nancy Hogan (senior healthcare executive) and Maryanne Lynch (senior research consultant). Together the review team received over 450 contacts from individuals and groups; including employees of all levels across the organisation and their families, as well as former employees and their families. From these submissions the review team critically examined how Victoria Police can best deliver wellbeing services to support employees throughout their career and into their post-Victoria Police lives. Key recommendations include increased education and training around mental health, greater focus on welfare of employees by leaders and enhanced services for members, retired members and their families. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Police, 2016. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=internetBridgingPage&Media_ID=117546 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Mental Health Shelf Number: 139308

Author: Fitts, Michelle S. Title: An investigation into drink driving among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in regional and remote Queensland and the development of the 'Hero to Healing' program Summary: Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) people have been overrepresented in injury and fatality statistics in Australia and internationally for decades. In Australia, road deaths are the second leading cause of fatal injuries for Indigenous people, behind suicide. Currently, Indigenous Australians die from road injuries at almost three times the rate of other Australians. The majority (70%) of approximately 90 fatal injuries per year and 60% of around 1600 serious injuries per year are suffered by Indigenous residents of 'outer regional', 'remote' and 'very remote' localities. Although vehicle and environmental conditions play a role in road crashes in non-urban areas, road safety research has established a strong association between alcohol and more serious and fatal road crashes in regional and remote areas. Moreover, state transport agencies report Indigenous Australians as overrepresented in drink driving arrests while studies investigating drink driving predictors identify Indigenous background as a predictor for drink driving recidivism. Reducing drink driving among Indigenous Australians living in regional and remote areas is, therefore, a priority in road safety and will help to 'close the health gap' between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. However, to-date there is limited information in relation to identifying the characteristics of Indigenous drink drivers or profiling them. Historically, Indigenous people convicted of drink driving have received primarily deterrence-based punishments, including financial penalties and licence suspensions. Such penalties have arguably had limited success in shifting attitudes and behaviour among this group of drivers. Loss of a drivers' licence for Indigenous people often leads to further driving offences such as driving while disqualified, which then may result in more severe punishments such as imprisonment. Australian-designed educational and therapeutic drink driving programs have been developed over the last three decades in response to the harm drink driving causes to public health. However, Australian programs are primarily underpinned by literature based on non-Indigenous drink drivers. Evaluations of such programs, while deemed effective for the non-Indigenous populations, report higher levels of recidivism among Indigenous participants who have completed the program when compared to other participants. There is a limited understanding pertaining as to what motivates and sustains drink driving in regional and remote Indigenous communities as well as the factors that support the behaviour's cessation. Therefore, it is difficult to determine why drink driving programs are not as effective in Indigenous drink driving populations compared to the positive effects they have been shown to have on recidivism as well as health and lifestyle choices of mainstream (general population) drink drivers. This thesis incorporates three independent but linked stages of quantitative and qualitative research designed to comprehensively investigate drink driving behaviour among Indigenous people in Queensland. Specifically, the research investigated the characteristics of Indigenous drink drivers and described the psycho-social, cultural and contextual factors associated with Indigenous drink driving. Using this information, program content and delivery guidelines for implementation of a targeted drink driving countermeasure for Indigenous regional and remote communities were developed and then trialled. The program was piloted in two communities with attendance of drink driving participants, Elders and other community members. A number of additional recommendations were made in relation to the feedback from the pilot. This thesis comprises six papers arising from the three stages of research. Stage One comprised the foundation research and consisted of quantitative methods. The findings of Stage One are based on the analysis of drink driving convictions from 2006-2010, extracted from the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General database. The first phase of Stage One provided information about the prevalence and the characteristics of Indigenous drink driving convictions in order to try to understand the higher rate of deaths and serious injuries in regional and remote communities compared to urban areas and also provide information about where the subsequent qualitative investigation should occur. Data on convictions were regrouped by gender, age, Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia classification and sentence severity. The analyses revealed the Indigenous conviction rate to be six times that of the general drink driving conviction rate in Queensland. There were 9,323 convictions, of which the majority were for male persons (77.5%). Half (52.6%) of the convictions were of persons <25 years. Age was significantly different across the five regions for males only, with a larger number of convictions in the 'very remote' region of persons over 40+ years of age. Increased remoteness was linked with high range BAC (≥0.15g/100ml) convictions for both males and females. Repeat offenders were more likely to come from locations other than 'major cities' with the association strongest for courts in the 'very remote' region (OR=2.75, 2.06-3.76, p<.001). Statistical associations between remoteness and drink driving convictions that were identified in Stage One analyses suggested that the studies for Stages Two and Three should focus on outer regional and very remote offenders. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, 2015. 374p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 8, 2016 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/89760/1/Michelle_Fitts_Thesis.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 139313

Author: Tuckey, Michelle R. Title: Prevention of Workplace Bullying Through Risk assessment Summary: Workplace bullying is a severe work health and safety hazard that is a major contributor to psychological injuries at work. Unlike other forms of inappropriate workplace behaviour, which may be one-off events, bullying involves repeated unreasonable treatment of a worker that creates a risk to health and safety. The balance of evidence suggests that organisational factors (e.g., role ambiguity, job control) are more important determinants of workplace bullying than individual target characteristics. Accordingly, a key recommendation to prevent bullying is to improve psychosocial job factors at work. Generic, high-level recommendations like these are, however, difficult to translate into practice. In order to provide more detailed guidance to organisations regarding the risk management of bullying, this project took a fresh approach to understanding the organisational risk factors. First, in Study 1 we examined objective measures of job and organisational factors (such as the core tasks performed) that may predict the likelihood of bullying at work. Data from a national database of job analysis ratings (the US Occupational Information Network) were linked to ratings of bullying exposure and working conditions from an Australian national database (the Australian Workplace Barometer). We found some evidence that objectively-measurable occupation-specific activities and contexts are risk factors for workplace bullying, and that these factors add to the prediction of bullying over and above traditional self-reported psychosocial risk factors. However, in Study 1 the influence of occupational factors was actually very small and only a few of the factors studied were significantly linked to bullying. Accordingly, the use of objective indicators of job and work activities cannot yet be recommended as a way of monitoring the risk of bullying. Second, we integrated traditionally-studied bullying risk factors within their overlaying organisational contexts to identify areas of organisational functioning that should be improved to prevent bullying at work. Study 2 involved the analysis of 342 bullying complaints lodged by workers with SafeWork SA from 2010 to 2013. The results suggest that the supervisory process is the overarching context that poses the risk (and perception) of bullying at work. We identified five domains of supervisor-employee interaction that shaped the bullying experiences reported in 90% of the complaints examined in the project: general supervision issues, performance management, role clarification, communication, and misuse of human resource management (HRM) procedures and practices. Our research suggests that these five contexts represent a crucial focal point for risk management efforts to reduce bullying at work. In particular supervisors and managers should be systematically supported to: enhance their communication and supervisory skills; increase their capacity to manage the performance of subordinates (including processes that build on developing performance rather than focussing only on tackling poor performance); clearly define role content and expectations; apply consistent human resource practices throughout the organisation; and adopt fair performance management. Future efforts should focus on translating the five organisational contexts identified in this project into concrete, specific behavioural items that can form the basis of an easy-to-use and widely-applicable risk audit tool. Such behaviours could also be used as the foundation of a behaviourally oriented bullying prevention training program for frontline supervisors to reduce the risk of bullying at the source. Details: Adelaide: Asia Pacific Centre for Work Health and Safety, University of South Australia, 2015. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 9, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/prevention_of_workplace_bullying_through_risk_assessment.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Risk Assessment Shelf Number: 139338

Author: MacRae, Andrea Title: Review of illicit drug use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Summary: Illicit drug use can harm individuals, communities and society. Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are affected by significantly higher levels of substance use than non-Indigenous people, contributing to higher levels of associated health and social harms. Most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people do not use illicit drugs, but the proportion of drug use is higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than among non-Indigenous people. Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; in 2012-2013, 19% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over reported having recently1 used cannabis. Research suggests high levels of heavy cannabis use in some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which may be associated with dependence and harms to social and emotional wellbeing. Illicit drug use is associated with a number of health impacts and social harms that disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These harms include increased risk of contracting hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from injecting drug use; higher levels of psychological distress; and an increased risk of suicide. Illicit drug use is also linked with social issues, such as harm to children and family, violence, crime and incarceration. Details: Joondalup WA: Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, Edith Cowan University, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 9, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/illicit-drugs-review-2015-web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 139339

Author: Murdolo, Adele Title: Key Issues in Working with Men from Immigrant and Refugee Communites in Preventing Violence Against Women Summary: This report ...explores the key issues in working with men from immigrant and refugee communities in Australia to prevent violence against women. It applies a feminist intersectional approach to the question of men's engagement and examines a range of issues that need to be considered in the development of primary prevention engagement strategies for immigrant and refugee men. The report is divided into four sections. Section 1 outlines the context for engaging immigrant and refugee men in violence prevention and describes the need to apply a feminist intersectional approach. Section 2 discusses the ways in which immigrant and refugee men negotiate their conception of their masculinities during migration and settlement. Migration, employment-related difficulties and discrimination impact on immigrant and refugee men's sense of gendered identity. The diversity of immigrant and refugee men's responses to migration-related challenges should be accounted for in violence prevention programs. Violence against women is endemic across Australian communities and cultures. While marginalised women experience a heightened vulnerability to gendered violence, there is insufficient evidence that any one culture or community, migrant or otherwise, is more or less violent than any other. However, in media and popular culture, immigrant and refugee men and cultures are represented as being more 'traditional', oppressive to women and as having greater tendency to commit violence against women. Conversely, immigrant and refugee women are portrayed as more oppressed, passive and lacking in agency. In this regard, Section 3 examines conceptions of 'culture' as it relates to immigrant and refugee men and highlights the need to adapt a complex understanding of 'culture in order to re-frame our understandings of immigrant and refugee men's capacity to prevent violence. Section 4 outlines key strategies for engaging immigrant and refugee men in prevention. Immigrant and refugee men should be engaged in violence prevention through the leadership of women. Valuing, fostering and harnessing immigrant and refugee women's feminist activism and leadership boosts gender equity within immigrant and refugee communities. In addition, direct participation strategies aimed at men should be framed within a global human rights and social justice perspective, convey positive, concrete and meaningful messages, and be aimed at achieving long-term, gender-transformative gains and solutions. Importantly, developing and implementing strategies to engage immigrant and refugee men should focus on cultural specificity (as opposed to difference), which takes into account different men's relative spheres of influence within and across cultures. Although the report identifies promising and culturally appropriate practices and approaches, it is important to note that there is an extremely limited evidence base to draw from to make accurate assertions about the most effective ways of engaging immigrant and refugee men in violence prevention in Australia. Further research and evaluation, conducted along-side violence prevention efforts, are essential. Details: White Ribbon Australia, 2016. Source: Internet Resource: White Ribbon Research Series: Accessed June 9, 2016 at: http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/uploads/media/100-WR_Research_Paper_V7.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 139352

Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: Meta-evaluation of existing interagency partnerships, collaboration collaboration, coordination and/or integrated interventions and service responses to violence against women Summary: This paper presents a preliminary overview of the literature on the partnerships, collaborations and integrated interventions in relation to domestic and family violence and sexual assault in the international and Australian context. The paper finds that the current Australian policy context prioritises integration and multi-sectoral responses to address the limitations of traditional service delivery and the negative consequences of fragmentation and disconnection. Despite the significant challenges to integrated responses, and the limited evidence base on effective responses (which is improving with a growing number of evaluation studies in Australia and internationally), the anecdotal and empirically derived potential benefits appear to outweigh the alternatives. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2015. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: (Landscapes: State of knowledge: Issue 11/2015: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/integrated_responses_meta-evaluation_-landscapes_state_of_knowledge_issue_eleven.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 139606

Author: Clancey, Garner Title: Implications of a Local Case Study for Crime Prevention Practice and Policy, and Criminology�s �Grand Narratives� Summary: There has been a growing focus on crime prevention in the criminological literature in recent decades. Despite this growing interest, much remains unknown. This is true at both the practical, applied level and the conceptual, theoretical level. This thesis extends our understanding of crime prevention on both levels. This thesis comprehensively describes diverse methods of crime prevention operating in the Glebe postcode area (Sydney, Australia). This case study of the Glebe postcode area was developed to provide a looking glass into crime prevention practices. By having a narrow geographical focus for the research, it was possible to develop a deep understanding of the intricate networks and activities that directly and indirectly contribute to the prevention of crime in the area. Rarely has such close attention been paid to these dimensions of, and conditions and contexts for, crime prevention in Australia. Description and analysis of wider policies and programs provide important context for this case study. Trends in local forms of crime prevention and state-wide (that is, New South Wales) developments place the case study in a historical and policy context. Analysis of these wider trends and forces reveals the similarities of the findings from the Glebe case study with these longer-term trends. A number of findings emerged from this Glebe case study relevant to crime prevention policy and practice. Significantly, a plethora of activities and programs was identified that seek to prevent crime or contribute to the prevention of crime. By adopting a place-based analysis, it was possible to observe the layers of prevention operating in the area that other forms or scope of analysis risk missing. The limited previous capture of these crime prevention activities raises questions about what is known about prevention, the efficacy of a crime prevention evidence base, and subsequent theorising. One reason that these activities might not be generally visible is the absence of evaluation. There was little evidence of rigorous evaluation of the diverse initiatives and programs operating in the area. This might be explained by the generally low commitment to evaluation in Australia (English et al 2002; Homel 2007) and by the nature of some of the crime prevention initiatives. Many of the crime prevention measures adopted are the responsibility of individual home owners, car manufacturers, businesses and institutions. Evaluation, in the traditional social science sense, is not likely to be a priority for these individuals and entities. Moreover, many of the programs were embedded in human service systems. Isolating the impact of particular programs becomes difficult in this context (Hope 2005a). Calls for increased investment in evaluation, and especially approaches that are sensitive to �collective impacts� (Kania & Kramer 2011, 2013), are supported by this research. The observation that many of the local crime prevention activities are guided by, and aspire to, socially inclusive outcomes is significant. Rather than being exclusionary and constituting an extension of the �net of social control�(Cohen 1985), much crime prevention activity is animated by social-welfare traditions. For a small number of Glebe residents, the �surveillance society� (Lyon 2007) is a daily reality, with frequent bail checks, reporting regimes to criminal justice agencies and intrusions by state housing representatives. However, for the vast majority, crime prevention is a partial or the primary reason why day care, parenting support programs, alternative education classes, mentoring schemes, exercise programs and breakfast clubs exist. People are more likely to experience the caring face of crime prevention, rather than an impersonal �surveillant assemblage� (Haggerty & Ericson 2000). Analysis of crime data for the Glebe area over an 18-year period (1995�2012) revealed a dramatic decline in key volume (property) offences in the area from the late 1990s, and especially since 2007�08. This decline, generally consistent with trends in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia (Weatherburn & Holmes 2013a, 2013b) and other jurisdictions (Zimring 2007; Farrell et al 2011; van Dijk et al 2012), provided a critical backdrop to the fieldwork. While difficult to prove, especially given the limited evaluation of local programs, it is highly likely that, based on research from elsewhere (see Skogan 2006;Farrell et al 2008; van Dijk et al 2012; Farrell 2013), these crime prevention measures have at least contributed to such declines at the local level. Irrespective of whether a causal link can be established between particular initiatives and falls in crime, there was evidence that this local crime decline in Glebe has had direct impact on responses to crime. Some inter-agency crime prevention structures have been dismantled in recent years and it was decided by local actors during the research period that a new or revised local crime prevention plan was not necessary due to the significant falls in some crime categories. These developments generally appear contrary to some previous suggestions of the expansionary tendencies of crime prevention actors (Gilling 1997). Local actors also mentioned their fears of experiencing the �prevention paradox� � program funding being withdrawn as a consequence of falling crime. In this way, crime rates and crime prevention activities seemingly share a loose but important relationship. The sharp and sustained decline in many crime types in the last 10 to 12 years and the findings emerging from this research suggest the need for the rethinking and reworking of some previous criminological propositions. In particular, this research cautions against easy adoption of the �grand narratives� that suggest we are being �governed through crime�/�fear of crime�/�uncertainty�/�antisocial behaviour� (Simon 2007; Lee 2007; Ericson 2007; Crawford 2009a) in the �pursuit of security� (Zedner 2009). The quiet dismantling of some crime prevention structures, the reduced focus on crime in inter-agency meetings, the anecdotal suggestion that people are less fearful following falls in crime, and the decision not to develop a new local crime prevention plan, all revealed by the Glebe case study, point to (admittedly early and partial) signs that crime is not the organising principle that it once was. The public housing �crisis�, child protection reforms, mental health initiatives, and new funding models for human services, amongst other issues, attracted considerably greater attention than crime during this research. Claims about being �governed through crime�/�fear of crime�/�uncertainty�/�antisocial behaviour� (Simon 2007; Lee 2007; Ericson 2007; Crawford 2009a) and the role assumed by crime prevention in these governance processes look increasingly unstable during a time when other policy domains have taken centre stage and crime has fallen. Such developments should be a cause for optimism, if not celebration, and a salve for the dire predictions and commentaries commonly found in �criminologies of catastrophe� (O�Malley 2000). Details: Sydney: University of Sydney, 2014. 397p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/12015?mode=full Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: CPTED Shelf Number: 139608

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Participation in PCYC Young Offender programs and re-offending Summary: Research by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) raises doubts about the effectiveness of Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) programs in reducing juvenile offending. BOCSAR compared 1,405 matched pairs of juveniles, one of whom had been referred to a PCYC program and one of whom had not. The young people were matched on a wide range of factors, including gender, age, socio-economic status, remoteness of area of residence, prior offences, prior penalties, current offences and time spent in custody. BOCSAR found that, within 12 months of program referral, 64 per cent of those referred to a PCYC Young Offender program had re-offended, with a rate of eight re-offences and five offending days per 1,000 person days of follow-up. Half of those referred had re-offended within 190 days of referral. When compared to a similar group of young people who were not referred to a PCYC Young Offender program, referral was not found to be associated with a reduced rate of re-offending within 12 months, nor with an increase in the number of days to the first re-offence, or a decrease in the rate of re-offences or offending days in the 12 months following referral. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice , No. 191: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Participation-in-PCYC-Young-Offender-programs-and-re-offending-cjb191.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Program Evaluation Shelf Number: 139611

Author: Kowalick, Phil Title: Opportunities abound abroad: Optimising our criminal intelligence system overseas Summary: Criminal intelligence (CrimInt) is so useful in serious criminal investigations that it's difficult to envisage a situation where it shouldn't be sought and used if it's available. This special report argues that Australia's current arrangements for gathering and disseminating CrimInt overseas are suboptimal. While additional resources are needed to address this condition, there's also a need to streamline priority setting and associated collection requirements, provide ways to evaluate and better coordinate the collection of information and intelligence product, and expand opportunities to improve training in CrimInt. The paper provides recommendations to improve the quality and utility of our overseas CrimInt effort for law enforcement, policy and regulatory agencies. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 12, 2016 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/opportunities-abound-abroad-optimising-our-criminal-intelligence-system-overseas/SR90_CrimInt.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Intelligence Shelf Number: 139615

Author: Stanley, Janet Title: Prevention of Aggression to Bus Drivers Summary: 4 l Prevention of Aggression to Bus Drivers 4 1 Background 1.1 The issue There has been little research about understanding aggressive behaviour associated with the bus industry in Australia, or indeed, internationally. This i s an oversight if aggression to drivers is present, as research on the impact of aggressive behaviour in general shows that there may be a significant and long lasting impact on the victim. Additionally, the limited work that has been done on aggression i n the workplace reveal s that an adverse impact can extend beyond the individual victim , to the ir family, work colleagues and the operation of the workplace . This report considers how to prevent aggression to bus drivers who work in Victoria, Australia. I t draws on the findings from a recent survey on the mental he alth of bus drivers in Victoria (Mental Health at Work 2015). This report also uses information on aggression to bus drivers from the academic literature and other sources , as well as relevant in formation from research associated with aggression in other workplace settings. Ideally, recommendations about prevention tactics should be based on detailed knowledge about : the frequency and form of aggression, the perpetrator, the location, the contex t and circumstances, the responses to the incident, and the current preventative measures in place and their effectiveness. However, t his topic is very new to the bus industry. Thus, this report can only be seen as an initial exploratory approach, on which future know edge can be built as preventative approaches are better understood and better targeted The following issues are examined in this report: What are the reasons for violence to bus drivers in Victoria? This would i nclude both the reasons why the assailant experiences poor control of anger (such as due to reasons of mental illness or substance abuse) and the specific circumstances that trigger the incidence of violence to the driver (why the particular driver was tar geted, at the specific location and time). It would also include, where possible, understanding of how the driver responds to the event given conditions such as personal abilities, knowledge about responding to violence, workplace and wider government poli cy and driver instructions. It includes the response taken by the driver once the immediate danger has past. What prevention methods are suggested from these findings and knowledge gained elsewhere that may lead to a reduction of of the occurrence of aggressi on and in the severity of the event? Details: Victoria, AUS: Bus Association Victoria, 2016. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2016 at: http://www.busvic.asn.au/images/uploads/links/Prevention_of_Aggression_to_Bus_Drivers.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aggressive Behavior Shelf Number: 139627

Author: Zalewski, Tony Title: Deconstructing Indiscriminate Violence: A Mixed Methods Study in Nightclub Security Summary: Violence in and around nightclubs has been the subject of community concern for many years and yet there has been little research into how nightclubs address the risk of violence. The study reported in this thesis explores systems of security in 20 Victorian nightclubs located within an entertainment precinct and how they address violence. Violence was defined as behaviours that include verbal threats, aggressive actions such as pointing or invading personal space, and physical attack that required actual or potential intervention by venue staff. The study grouped the 20 nightclubs into two categories (Levels 1 and 2) based upon reported incidents. The 10 Level 1 venues averaged >4 incidents each week and the 10 Level 2 venues averaged <1 incident each week. The study made comparisons between elements within the security systems that had been developed and introduced into the 10 Level 1 and 10 Level 2 nightclubs in determining which elements appear to be associated with less violence. The study found that venues with higher levels of violence tended to have informal systems, poor management methods and less preventative practices which meant they were weighted toward reactivity in addressing the risk of violence. Details: Clayton, VIC, AUS: Monash University, 2013. 329p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 13, 2016 at: http://arrow.monash.edu/vital/access/manager/Repository/monash:118412;jsessionid=0167CD7F0AC7C15A86DC8FDEFD7F9D0C?exact=sm_creator%3A%22Zalewski%2C+Antony+Michael%22 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol and Crime Shelf Number: 139631

Author: Spinney, Angela Title: Reducing the Need for Women and Children to Make Repeated Use of Refuge and Other Crisis Accommodation Summary: This report sets out the findings of a res earch project investigating Early Intervention Strategies to Reduce the Need for Women and Children to Make Repeated Use of Refuge and Other Crisis Accommodation. The project is intended to bring forward knowledge of the reasons for the decisions made by women who have been subject to domestic and family violence regarding whether to leave the family home for a refuge in order to escape the abuse, whether to return to the perpetrator and whether to leave again. It also explores the efficacy of primary prevention and early intervention schemes, including perpetrator behaviour change programs, in reducing women's and children's multiple experiences of refuge and other emergency accommodation. Finally, the project explores what best practice and service standards would be needed if Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) models were to be implemented more widely in Australia. The research has been funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) under the National Homelessness Research Partnership. The research questions are: - Why is it that women and children often leave home and return several times before an abusive situation of domestic and family violence ends? - What Australian evidence is there about the number of incidents of violence and abuse experienced by a woman, and the number of separate occasions a woman may access homelessness accommodation services, prior to resolution of her domestic violence situation? - How and to what extent have innovative early intervention schemes introduced in Australia since the mid-1990s been successful in enabling women and children to reduce their multiple experiences of violence and multiple use of refuge and other emergency accommodation? - What are the advantages and disadvantages of different responses in terms of service provision and from the point of view of the woman and her children? - What best practice risk assessment processes and service standards and arrangements are needed if Safe at Home/SHLV models are to be implemented more widely? - Do these findings have other implications for Australian policy and practice ? Details: Melbourne: Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology, 2012. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/spinney_2012_-_reducing_the_need_for_women_and_children_to_make_repeated_use_of_refuge_and_other_crisis_accommodation.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 139643

Author: Mackay, Erin Title: Perpetrator interventions in Australia: part two - Perpetrator pathways and mapping. State of Knowledge paper Summary: An Australian first, this state of knowledge paper maps the pathways and interventions for perpetrators of domestic/family violence and sexual assault through civil and criminal legal systems; and examines the responses and service systems currently available to DFV and sexual assault perpetrators in each jurisdiction. The paper finds there is a need for extensive further research on what works and for whom in the Australian context. Four key areas for further investigation were identified: 1) systems effectiveness; 2) effectiveness of interventions; 3) models to address diversity of perpetrators; and 4) interventions developed by, with, and for Indigenous communities. These four strategic research themes will guide the development of the ANROWS Perpetrator Interventions Research Program. In early 2016 ANROWS will call for applications for research grants under the Perpetrator Interventions Research Stream. Subscribe to receive updates on research grants, as well as other ANROWS news. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/_Landscapes%20Perpetrators%20Part%20TWO_rotated%20(1).pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 139807

Author: Mazerolle, Lorraine Title: Enhancing Police Legitimacy: Results from the Queensland community engagement trial (QCET) Summary: Evidence based policing is based on grounding public safety work in sound scientific evidence, not just tradition. Evidence comes in many shapes and sizes. Some questions call for robust methodologies such as randomized control trials. Other questions call for more exploratory methods to help us understand the problem at hand before trialling a solution. Whatever the method, there is little doubt that the importance of evidence in policing and public safety will only get stronger. In this Research Focus we provide an insight into how evidence can help us make decisions about what we do and how we do it. Drawing on an innovative experiment in Queensland, Professor Lorraine Mazerolle and her team discuss how tailoring the way police speak to people during routine encounters (in this case an RBT) can have significant implications for police-community relations. As well as providing useful data for us in understanding how to use procedural justice theory to advance road safety and community engagement. This research also showcases the value that strong academic-practitioner relations can have toward achieving organisational goals. As leaders wondering how to leverage such partnerships to help answer burning questions we can take heart from the success of QCET as a research process as much as from the valuable theoretical outcomes that it produced. Details: Manly: Australian Institute of Police Management, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Public Safety Leadership Research Focus, 3(4): Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.aipm.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Research-Focus-Vol3-Issue4-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Evidence-Based Policing Shelf Number: 139827

Author: Pearson-Goff, Mitch Title: Police Leaders and Leadership Development: A Systematic Literature Review Summary: The purpose of this document is to report on a systematic review of the research literature pertaining to police leadership, and specifically to report on what the academic literature tells us about police leadership and leadership development. In doing this, this review provides a consistent, replicable, and transparent approach to identifying and synthesising the existing body of knowledge, and will provide a foundation on which further research can be built. In order to orientate our analysis of the literature we asked three questions. - Who are police leaders? - What do police leaders do that makes them leaders? - What is the best way to develop police leaders? A systematic literature review uses systematic, explicit and accountable methods to review research literature. This has the benefit over a non-systematic literature review of ensuring that undue weight and attention is not paid to a small, and potentially biased, collection of studies. Central to a systematic review is the setting of a series of appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria in order to specify the nature of the literature to be collected and to assist in distinguishing relevant works. We searched five academic databases for literature pertaining to police leadership by using terms and truncations relating to policing and leadership. A total of sixty-six empirical articles were identified through this process, published between 1990 and 2012 in Australia, the UK, Canada, New Zealand or the US. Fifty seven articles were of suitable quality to be analysed as part of this review. Through our review we identified that a key limitation of the literature was the absence of objective measures of successful leadership practice and development, with the bulk of the research focusing on the perceptions of good leadership from the perspective of police and stakeholders instead. Across the literature there was broad agreement about what individual characteristics are necessary in order to be regarded as a good police leader, with good leaders perceived to be: - Ethical - Role models - Good communicators - Critical and creative thinkers - Decision makers - Trustworthy - Legitimate The activities that good police leaders were seen to undertake were varied, and included: - Problem solving - Creating a shared vision - Engendering organisational commitment - Caring for subordinates - Driving and managing change Our review of the literature pertaining to police leadership development was less fruitful, and there was little in the body of work we analysed that covered this. Nonetheless we were able to conclude that there was a perception, at least, that good leadership was best encouraged through a combination of: - Formal education - On the job experience - Mentorship Details: Manly: Australian Institute of Police Management, 2013. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.aipm.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Police-leaders-and-leadership-development-A-systematic-review.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Administration Shelf Number: 130008

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Medication use by Australia's prisoners 2015: how is it different from the general community? Summary: It is known that prisoners generally have poor health and complex health needs that are reflected in the number and types of medications they take. Less is known about how this medication use compares with people in the general community. This bulletin uses data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's National Prisoner Health Data Collection and the Australian Bureau of Statistic's National Health Survey to compare medications taken by prisoners with people in the general community. Contextual information from a focus group of prison health professionals is used to discuss some of the differences between prescribing in a prison and in the general community. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 135: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/19578.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Medical Care Shelf Number: 139837

Author: Grudnoff, Matt Title: Corporate Malfeasance in Australia Summary: This paper estimates the extent of corporate wrong-doing in Australia, based on data published by: �h Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) �h Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) �h Australian Tax Office (ATO) �h Fair Work Ombudsman �h Fair Work Commission �h Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) There are fewer cops patrolling the corporate beat than there were three years ago. The regulators and other government agencies that monitor corporate malfeasance have had staffing cut by 3,926 people (or 14.9 per cent) between the numbers budgeted for in 2013-14 and that for the present year, 2015-16. It is difficult to understand the rationale for these cuts, given the official publications of the relevant agencies show that corporate wrongdoing is widespread in Australia. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is responsible for promoting competition and protecting consumers and small businesses against other businesses. Based on its press releases, over the last 10 years the ACCC has taken action against 669 companies: 167 for competition issues, 489 safeguarding consumers and against unfair trade and 13 others. We examined the top 50 Australian listed companies which accounted for 29 of the court appearances. Of those Wesfarmers (Coles) was top of the list and involved in seven cases closely followed by Woolworths (6), Telstra (4), AGL (4) and Origin (3). However, if other out-of-court actions are included Woolworths tops the list being the subject of 29 issues identified in the press releases. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission��s (ASIC) performance was also examined over the four and a half years to December 2015 during which it successfully concluded 3,115 cases against corporations, of which 2,095 were criminal matters. This is unlikely to represent the full extent of non-compliance by corporations with relevant legal requirements because ASIC, like most regulators, has limited resources and a reluctance to take formal proceedings unless there is a very high prospect of success and other cheaper enforcement options have been exhausted. Recently ASIC reported on the special case of the construction industry and reported incidents of alleged misconduct. This is a much wider category than the cases already referred to. Nevertheless ASIC reports a large number of incidents with 10,667 cases over those five years. Details: Canberra: The Australia Institute, 2016. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.tai.org.au/sites/defualt/files/P247%20Corporate%20malfeasance%20in%20Australia.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Corporate Crime Shelf Number: 139842

Author: Goodman-Delahunty, Jane Title: Jury reasoning in joint and separate trials of institutional child sexual abuse: An empirical study Summary: This report forms part of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse's research program in relation to the criminal justice system's response to child sexual abuse in institutional contexts. Child sex offenders are not a homogenous group and their offending behaviours vary widely. Offenders may offend against one victim or many victims, and they may engage in one incident of sexual abuse or multiple repeated incidents. The diversity and complexity of offending behaviours has a number of implications for the prosecution of child sex offenders. The scope of this report This study investigated the extent to which joint trials with cross-admissible tendency evidence infringed defendants' rights, and the extent to which joint trials posed a risk of unfair prejudice to the defendant. In particular, we investigated the reasoning processes of juries in a simulated joint trial of sex offences involving three complainants versus a separate trial involving a single complainant. Our jury deliberation and reasoning study investigated these issues by presenting 10 different versions of a videotaped trial involving the same core evidence to a total of 1,029 jury-eligible mock jurors. The study tested the impact of evidence strength, the number of charges and the presence of specific judicial directions on jury decision-making in joint versus separate trials. The five key aims of the project were to: 1. Document juries' interpretation of cross-admissible evidence in a joint child sexual abuse trial, to determine the extent to which juries engage in impermissible reasoning regarding such evidence Compare the above decision-making processes with those of juries in a separate trial involving the same defendant 3. Compare trial outcomes (acquittal, conviction or hung jury) in a joint versus separate trial involving the same defendant 4. Examine the relationship between jurors' misconceptions about child sexual abuse, jury deliberations and decisions, and trial outcomes 5. Determine the effect of question trail use on juries' reasoning and decisions. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2016. 376p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 28, 2016 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/b268080d-599a-4d44-a9c5-c3f8181bae96/Jury-reasoning-in-joint-trials-of-institutional-ch Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 139863

Author: Bolitho, Jane Title: The Use and Effectiveness of Restorative Justice in Criminal Justice Systems Following Child Sexual Abuse or Comparable Harms Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has commissioned an international literature review to examine the research evidence on the use, justification and effectiveness of restorative justice approaches in relation to child sexual abuse, and any problems or concerns arising, particularly in relation to institutional and non-familial child sexual abuse. As this report informs the Commission's criminal justice project, it focuses on restorative justice approaches used within criminal justice systems. This report presents the results of a brief review of international literature and addresses four main areas, which are: - the extent to which restorative justice is currently used in cases of institutional child sexual abuse and other child sexual abuse (or arguably, comparable areas such as adult sexual or personal violence offences, or child-related crimes, to the extent they may inform possible approaches to child sexual abuse or institutional child sexual abuse) - the empirical evidence (if any) to support using restorative justice for child sexual abuse (or comparable areas) - associated issues and criticisms - particular considerations or implications for institutional child sexual abuse. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2016. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Report for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Accessed July 28, 2016 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/9f328928-a343-4c65-b98e-94e3185894c7/Restorative-justice-following-child-sexual-abuse-o Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 139864

Author: Queensland Family and Child Commission Title: When a Child is Missing: Remembering Tiahleigh: A report into Queensland's Children Missing from Out-of-Care Summary: In November 2015, the Premier requested for the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) to undertake a broad whole-of-government systems review into children missing from out-of-home care following the disappearance of Tiahleigh Palmer. The Premier asked two things when calling for this review. Could more have been done when concerns were first raised about Tiahleigh's disappearance and how can systems be improved to provide timely and appropriate information that is actioned responsively when critical incidents occur. The review examined current legislative frameworks, policies and guidelines for key government agencies in sharing information and responding when a child in out-of-home care is missing or absent from their placement. The QFCC worked closely with government agencies including, the Queensland Police Service, the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, the Department of Education and Training, Queensland Health, the Office of the Public Guardian and the Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation. The QFCC also worked with non-government agencies throughout the review, specifically Bravehearts, CREATE Foundation, Foster Care Queensland, the Family Inclusion Network and the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak. The review contains 29 recommendations to achieve whole-of-government system improvements in responding to children missing from out-of-home care. The recommendations are designed to provide quality systems and improved responses through revised policies and procedures, a marked cultural shift across agencies, enhanced media campaigns and improved information sharing between agencies. Details: Brisbane: The Commission, 2016. 219p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.qfcc.qld.gov.au/when-a-child-is-missing Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 139907

Author: Kevin, Maria Title: A Process Evaluation of the Intensive Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program (IDATP). Study One: Program Establishment, Design and Appropriateness Summary: NSW 2021 Priority Action Establish dedicated metropolitan drug treatment facilities focussed on treatment, rehabilitation and keeping drugs out of prisons Foreward The CSNSW Intensive Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program (IDATP), an initiative of the current NSW government which opened in February 2012, is the largest prison -based residential drug treatment program in the southern hemisphere. While drug treatment had been available in NSW prisons for more than 20 years, the NSW government identified the need to strengthen drug treatment for prisoners and provide a new approach to rehabilitation. At the time of writing, the IDATP was an intensive nine-month program, targeted at medium to high risk male prisoners with drug abuse pr oblems and related dynamic criminogenic needs. The program aimed to prevent relapse to drug use and reoffending. It also aimed to improve the social functioning, health and well-being and post-release prospects of participants. Aside from its large capacity, what distinguished the IDATP's design from the existing programs was an intensive structure combined with a greater emphasis on the integration of a range of interventions and techniques. It operated as a modified therapeutic community, which was deli neated into three explicit program stages - Orientation, Treatment and Maintenance. These treatment stages were designed to bring about incremental degrees of psychological and social learning. The primary modalities were the community living units, therapeutic groups , education, employment, pharmacotherapy and aftercare. As of July 2014, the program had been continually operational for 30 months. More than 300 male prisoners had participated in the program and the women's program - Yallul Kaliarna had recently opened. This preliminary study endeavoured to examine program establish ment, design and appropriateness. The next phase of the evaluation will examine how well the context of the program has been implemented. Details: Sydney: Corrective Services NSW, 2015. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Publication No. 54: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://www.correctiveservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Related%20Links/publications-and-policies/cres/research-publications/idapt-process-study-one-report-2014.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 139911

Author: Sweeney, Josh Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision 2014-15 Summary: Summary In Australia, young people who have been found guilty of an offence may be given an unsupervised community- based sentence , a supervised community -based sentence or a sentence of detention. The latter two types of sentences are known as ' supervised sentences'. Youth justice departments are responsible for providing young people serving supervised sentences with services designed to reduce the frequency and seriousness of any future offending. The rate of return to sentenced supervision is an indicator of the effectiveness of these services, although factors beyond the control of these departments will also have an impact on levels of returns to sentenced supervision. This report is based on the 2014-15 Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set - a longitudinal data set, containing data from 2000-01 to 2014- 15. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series no. 20: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129555842 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 139919

Author: ACT Corrective Services Title: 2014-15 Internal Review of Relevant Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) Summary: The Royal Commission was completed in 1991 and remains the benchmark document for practitioners in the area of justice service delivery to Aboriginal peoples throughout this country. The review reflects the ongoing commitment of ACT Corrective Services to addressing the issues faced by Indigenous people in the prison system. The review found ACT Corrective Services performance against the relevant recommendations to be generally very strong with 67 recommendations found to have been fully implemented. Two recommendations were assessed as being partially implemented with the another two assessed as being not implemented due to issues surrounding jurisdictional boundaries and/ or legislative restrictions. Valuable advice and feedback was received from a number of key external community stakeholders including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT Ltd, the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and other agencies. Despite ACT Corrective Services positive showing in this report, we acknowledge a number of service delivery areas have been identified as areas with scope for improvement. Corrections also recognises that much work is still to be done in addressing the unacceptable incarceration rate of indigenous people. Details: Canberra: ACT Corrective Services, 2016. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 1, 2016 at: http://cdn.justice.act.gov.au/resources/uploads/JACS/PDF/ACTCS_2014-15_Internal_Review_of_Relevant_Recommendations_of_RCIADIC_JUNE2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 139934

Author: Kelly, Angela Title: Aakim na save (Ask and Understand): People who sell and exchange sex in Port Moresby Summary: Askim na Save (Ask and Understand): People who sell and exchange sex in Port Moresby is a comprehensive bio-behavioural study of sex work in Port Moresby in Papua new Guinea. The study was designed to fill gaps in knowledge about the sex industry in PnG and to map the sale and exchange of sex in Port moresby to create a richer and more detailed understanding of sex workers and their vulnerability to Hiv . Askim na Save is a mixed methods study. respondent- driven sampling (rds) was used to survey 593 participants in June and July 2010. data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered through personal digital assistants (PdAs), and qualitative data were collected via 25 in-depth interviews. A biological component was included and this consisted of Hiv and syphilis testing and Hiv molecular epidemiology. Details: Sydney: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research and the University of New South Wales, 2011. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2016 at: https://sphcm.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/sphcm/Centres_and_Units/Askim_na_Save.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: HIV Shelf Number: 130027

Author: Gotsis, Tom Title: Illegal Drug Use and Possession: Current Policy and Debates Summary: Government policy to address illegal drug use and possession is an ongoing topic of debate both in Australia and internationally. One part of the debate surrounding illegal drug use and possession involves the question of whether or not recreational drug use should be decriminalised, as has occurred in overseas jurisdictions such as Portugal. Another, and more immediate, part of the debate concerns the harms that have resulted from illegal drug use at music festivals. The NSW Government is reviewing the regulation of these events but has rejected options put forward by some stakeholders, including allowing pill testing and amnesty bins. The suggestion by drug law reform proponents that ice users be allowed to attend a medically supervised smoke inhalation room is also on the public agenda. An upcoming forum for discussing illegal drug use and possession is the Parliamentary Cross-Party Harm Minimisation Roundtable, to be held on 11 August at the NSW Parliament. This paper seeks to inform the current debate by discussing: - rates of illegal drug use and the harms of illegal drug use; - current Government policy and laws in relation to illegal drug use; - the use and effectiveness of harm reduction measures, such as the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre; - illegal drug use at music festivals; and - arguments for and against prohibition and decriminalisation, with examples and evidence from Australian and overseas jurisdictions Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 4/2016: Accessed August 29, 2016 at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/Illegal%20drug%20use%20and%20possession%20current%20policy%20and%20debates.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 140076

Author: Halstead, Imogen Title: Does the Custody-based Intensive Treatment (CUBIT) program for sex offenders reduce re-offending? Summary: Aim: To investigate whether completing the Custody-based Intensive Treatment (CUBIT) program for moderate to high risk/needs sex offenders reduces re-offending. Method: The study sample includes 386 male offenders identified by custodial staff as suitable for participation in CUBIT who were released from NSW custody during the period 2000 to 2010. An Instrumental Variables (IV) approach is adopted to control for potential unobservable selection bias in treatment outcomes (a key concern in the treatment effects literature), with the CUBIT completion rate amongst commencements around the time of an offender's own potential participation in CUBIT employed as the preferred IV. This method is statistically inefficient, and has limited power to assess the impact of treatment on sex re-offending (which is relatively rare) specifically. As such, three separate two-stage least squares models (including a range of control variables) are used to estimate the impact of completing CUBIT on whether or not an offender will re-offend with a sex, violent, or general offence, respectively, within five years of free time following their release from custody. Results: Within five years free time following release from custody 12 per cent of offenders who completed CUBIT committed a proven sex offence, 27 per cent re-offended with a new violent offence and 41 per cent committed a proven offence of any type. Multivariate models controlling for a range of important observable risk factors found that CUBIT completers had, on average, a 5-year general recidivism risk that was 13 percentage points lower than a similar cohort of offenders suitable for CUBIT but who did not participate. No significant differences between the treated and untreated groups were found for violent or sex re-offending. Conclusion: There is some evidence to suggest that completing CUBIT results in a considerable reduction in general recidivism risk. No evidence is found to suggest that CUBIT completion reduces sexual or violent re-offending. However, it is difficult to draw any conclusion from the null results, since the power of the statistical methods employed to detect a treatment impact in this study is limited given the relatively small sample size. Details: Sydney, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 24p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 193: Accessed August 30, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Custody-based-Intensive-Treatment-%28CUBIT%29-program-cjb193.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Offender Treatment Shelf Number: 140087

Author: Aulby, Hannah Title: Greasing the Wheels: The systemic weaknesses that allow undue influence by mining companies on government a QLD case study Summary: Between 2010 and 2015 the Liberal Party of Australia and the Queensland Liberal National Party accepted over 2 million dollars in political donations from mining companies seeking approval for six highly controversial mining projects in Queensland. While these companies sought approval and legislative changes primarily from the then Liberal National Party Queensland Government, most of the money donated by these companies went to the Liberal Party of Australia. The Queensland Liberal National Party accepted $308,000 dollars from companies associated with these projects, while the Liberal Party of Australia accepted $1.75 million. Although we know that over $3 million dollars was transferred from the Liberal Party of Australia to the Queensland Liberal National Party over this period, a lack of disclosure and transparency makes it impossible to discern the origin of these donations. At least one of the companies examined in this report made a substantial donation to the highly controversial Free Enterprise Foundation, the opaque Federal Liberal Party fundraising body that came under the scrutiny of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption ICAC for allegedly concealing the origin of illegal political donations to the New South Wales Liberal Party. These mining projects all gained extraordinary access to government ministers and extraordinary outcomes. These outcomes included legislative changes to remove environmental protections, federal and state government approval of projects despite serious environmental concerns, and even retrospective approval of illegal mining activities. The commendable commitment by the Queensland government to institute real time disclosure of political donations can easily be circumvented if donations are be made to federal political parties who then transfer the money back to the state branches without disclosing the origin on those donations. Political donations are the tip of the iceberg of mining industry influence on our democratic process. As well as political donations, this report documents the influence of the mining industry through �cash for access� schemes, third party fundraising vehicles, private meetings, lobbyists, gifts and the revolving door between the government, bureaucracy and the mining companies they are responsible for regulating. It also highlights the extraordinary lack of transparency in lobbying, with very few lobbyist in Queensland even covered by the lobbying register. Details: Canberra: Australia Institute, 2016. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: http://www.tai.org.au/sites/defualt/files/P266%20Greasing%20the%20Wheels%20160726_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Fraud and Corruption Shelf Number: 140125

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing of Offenders: Sexual Penetration with a Child under 12 Summary: Sentencing of Offenders: Sexual Penetration with a Child under 12 incorporates both quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyse sentencing data and sentencing remarks for cases of sexual penetration with a child under 12 sentenced in Victoria between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2014. Details: Melbourne: The Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Sentencing%20of%20Offenders%20Sexual%20Penetration%20with%20a%20Child%20under%2012_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 140126

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing Children in Victoria: Data Update Report Summary: This report updates select data from the Sentencing Advisory Council's 2012 report Sentencing Children and Young People in Victoria. Specifically, it focuses on offenders aged under 18 at the time of offending (and under 19 at the time of commencement of proceedings) who were sentenced in either the Children's Court or the higher courts for the calendar years from 2010 to 2015 (inclusive). This report does not examine young adult offenders sentenced under the 'dual track' system in the higher courts. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Sentencing%20Children%20in%20Victoria%20Data%20Update%20Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 140127

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Contravention of Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Prior Offences and Reoffending Summary: Building on the Council's previous work, this study examines factors associated with reoffending by, and the prior offences of, the 1,898 offenders sentenced for breaching a family violence intervention order or family violence safety notice in Victoria in the financial year 2009-10. The study examines offending by this group in the five years before, and the five years after, 2009-10. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 130p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Contravention%20of%20FVIOs%20and%20FVSNs%20Prior%20Offences%20and%20Reoffending.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 140128

Author: Hughes, Caitlin Title: Trafficking in Multiple Commodities: Exposing Australia's poly-drug and poly-criminal networks Summary: International law enforcement agencies have increasingly pointed to an apparent rise in poly-drug traffickers: high level drug traffickers who choose to trade in multiple illicit drugs. This project provided the first detailed examination of poly-drug and poly-crime trafficking in Australia. It used three different types of Australian Federal Police data (border seizures, cases and linked-cases) and court sentencing data to estimate the scale of and trends in poly-drug commercial importation at the Australian border from 1999-2012; generate and compare criminal profiles of 20 poly-drug and 20 mono-drug traffickers; and conduct social network analysis of three Australian poly-drug networks. The analysis showed that over the 14 year period, from 1999 to 2012, between 5% and 35% of commercial importations at the Australian border involved poly-drug trafficking. Poly-drug trafficking occurred in almost every year of analysis: and increased only slightly over time. Finally, poly-drug traffickers were associated with more serious and potentially harmful behaviour. For example, compared to mono-drug traffickers, poly-drug traffickers were associated with larger quantities of drug seized, larger networks, longer periods of operation, and greater involvement in other types of serious crime. The project concluded that some fears about poly-drug traffickers may have been overstated particularly about the inherent escalation of this form of trafficking, but that poly-drug traffickers are likely to pose added risks to governments and law enforcement than mono-drug traffickers. Two key implications are that first, poly-drug traffickers warrant increased attention in Australia; and second, regulatory or law enforcement responses aimed at one drug may increase the problems associated with another drug. This demands a new way of thinking about Australian illicit drug markets that can better respond to drug traffickers operating in an inter-connected marketplace. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2016. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 62: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-62.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Networks Shelf Number: 140130

Author: Vita, Michael Title: Review of the Northern Territory Youth Detention System Report Summary: On 2 October, 2014, the Attorney General and Minister for Correctional Services announced that the Northern Territory Government would conduct an independent review into the Youth Justice system - specifically into youth detention following a series of serious incidents in youth detention which had resulted in the closure of the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre. Subsequently, Mr Michael Vita, was engaged to conduct the independent review. Mr Vita is from New South Wales (NSW) Juvenile Justice and has had extensive relevant experience in both the adult and juvenile systems in NSW. Unlike the intent and scope of the Review of the Northern Territory Youth Justice System: September 2011 , this review specifically focuses on youth detention services delivered in the Northern Territory and with the aim of examining existing operations and practices and to make recommendations that will inform future direction and operations. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Juvenile Justice, 2015. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: https://correctionalservices.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/238198/Review-of-the-Northern-Territory-Youth-Detention-System-January-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Detention Facilities Shelf Number: 140131

Author: Carney, Jodeen Title: Review of the Northern Territory Youth Justice System: Report Summary: This Review was undertaken on behalf of the Northern Territory Government to identify emerging issues and trends in youth justice and youth offending outlined in the terms of reference. It was not an inquiry established under the Inquiries Act. A long list of recommendations is not provided in this report. Instead, there are nine. The Review elected to provide key recommendations that would, if adequately resourced and implemented, enhance the ability of government and non government agencies to assist in the delivery of services and responses for young people in the youth justice system. The recommendations will assist to reduce offending and re-offending. Supporting young people is a core function of any government. Services are always in demand and will always need to be increased. The challenge for the Northern Territory Government is to provide targeted and specialist interventions to those young people who are in the youth justice system and those who are at risk of entering it. Apart from assisting these young people for compassionate reasons, there are sound economic reasons for doing so. This underpins the concept of justice reinvestment. It requires a change of direction and purpose of expenditure. It requires realigning expenditure so that, over time, custodial operations are reduced and community interventions are increased. Unless this is attempted in a coordinated and comprehensive way, many young offenders are likely to re-offend, and will continue to present challenges for government, its agencies and the community. Many young offenders require intensive case management and interventions that are not achieved in detention centres. The relatively small number of young people in, or at risk of entering, the youth justice system provides an opportunity for Northern Territory Government agencies and the non government sector. Many of them are well known to providers of support and intervention services, as well as specific agencies. Hence, identifying these young people is not difficult and, with the appropriate systems in place, monitoring them is significantly easier than in other jurisdictions. Many young people in the youth justice system come from homes where poverty, alcohol abuse, violence and dysfunctional relationships are the norm. These are young people in greatest need and the ones who are likely to require a higher level of intervention and case management. These are the same young people who are more likely than others to graduate to further offending and incarceration. These are the ones who represent ongoing costs to the community. These are the ones for whom the underlying causes of their offending and re-offending must be addressed. Policy development and decision making in the area of youth crime must be evidenced based. There must be a bipartisan approach to youth offending and political leaders must The cost of detaining a young person in 2009-10 was $592 a day. Based on that figure, the cost of detailing one young offender for one year is $216 000. The Review does not know the costs of the effects of youth crime. It is, however, considerable. The terms of reference for this Review provide that the youth justice system 'encompasses a continuum of services and responses from preventive, policing, pre court, correctional and post release'. The Review examined each component of the system and found there was, in fact, no continuum. Instead, there is a fragmented and uncoordinated approach to the delivery of services and responses. Government agencies responsible for various parts of the youth justice system tend to focus on their own areas of responsibility. Once a young offender has moved on, that was the end of the agency's responsibility. Hence, young people who move throughout the youth justice system have no coordinated monitoring and are not dealt with again until they next come to the attention of the same or another government agency. Agencies recognise the importance of the continuum, but operate independently in accordance with their key portfolio responsibilities. There was widespread agreement that the fragmented ministerial and administrative arrangements made coordination of the system difficult and it was often unclear which agency was responsible for particular functions. A recommendation is made that is designed to streamline administrative and ministerial responsibilities. The need to establish a new unit or division within an existing department became obvious and is recommended in this report. There is a need to develop a new and comprehensive youth justice strategy with targets and benchmarks. The development of the strategy will guide the operations of the new unit. Government faces enormous challenges delivering services to young people across the Territory who are in, or at risk of entering, the youth justice system. Geographic obstacles, cultural issues, and limited resources are just some of the difficulties. The Federal Government continues to develop partnerships within the three tiers of government, the non government sector and the community in youth service delivery, with a particular focus on building service centres in Indigenous communities. This must continue in order to meet the various challenges that a continuum of services and responses requires. As the Review was required to work within its terms of reference, many useful suggestions do not appear in this report. The submissions will provide a valuable resource for government in its continuing efforts to improve the youth justice system. A coordinated model to target individual youth across the spectrum of issues they face will also bring government's approach to youth justice in line with the strategically coordinated, socially inclusive mandate of both Territory 2030 and Working Future. The key recommendations involve the Northern Territory Government: 1. establish a new unit within an existing department with responsibility for administering all services and responses to the youth justice system 2. develop a new youth justice strategy 3. streamline administrative arrangements and ministerial responsibilities 4. improve data collection, share information between government agencies, and ensure that programs delivered contain built in evaluations 5. increase investment in police diversion, including increased eligibility for diversion, and expand diversion programs 6. increase the number of youth rehabilitation camps 7. expand the Family Support Program and increase capacity of Family Support Centres 8. increase workforce capacity 9. establish an external monitoring and evaluation process. Details: Darwin, NT, AUS: Northern Territory Government, 2011. 242p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: https://www.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/238211/youth-justice-review-report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Center Shelf Number: 140141

Author: Australia. Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre Title: Regional Risk Assessment on terrorism Financing 2016: South-East Asia & Australia Summary: The Syria-Iraq conflict and the rise of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)1 have energised extremists and their sympathisers across South-East Asia and Australia. The region is also dealing with long-running domestic conflicts and insurgencies that share the characteristics of terrorism, even if they are not connected to ISIL or violent global extremism. This highly-charged and dynamic security environment has intensified terrorism financing risks in the region, posing new challenges for authorities. Small-cell terrorist activity, foreign terrorist fighter travel and the growing number of lone actors will see continued use of self-funding to raise funds and cash smuggling to move them. These proven, easy-to-use terrorism financing methods reduce the need for terrorists and their supporters to resort to more complex financial activity or adopt new payment systems. The region's porous land and close maritime borders, as well as informal cash-intensive economies, also influence the continued use of established methods. Terrorism financing funds flowing out of the region are currently channelled mainly into the Syria-Iraq conflict, but comprise only a small portion of international funding to factions fighting in that area. While outflows to foreign conflict zones pose a high risk, concern is growing over signs of funding entering the region to support local terrorist actors. Details: Canberra: AUSTRAC, 2016. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://www.austrac.gov.au/sites/default/files/regional-risk-assessment-SMALL_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Financing of Terrorism Shelf Number: 140160

Author: Rigby, Ken Title: The Prevalence and Effectiveness of Anti-Bullying Strategies Employed in Australian Schools Summary: The report examines the prevalence and effectiveness of anti-bullying policies being used in a convenience sample of Australian government schools in six state or territory educational jurisdictions. It has drawn upon the perceptions and experiences of a range of stakeholders, that is, schools, teachers, parents and educational administrators from a number of Australian states and territories. Online questionnaires were answered by schools (N = 26) through a school representative in consultation with colleagues; students (N = 1,688) in Years 5 to 10; teachers (N = 451) and parents (N = 167). In addition, interviews were conducted by telephone with regional administrators/educational leaders (N = 10). Both quantitative and qualitative methods of analyses were employed. Results were analysed in relation to type of school (primary, secondary and combined), disability, gender, ethnicity and year of schooling. The results provide an account of the social context in which bullying takes place. These include estimates on bullying prevalence, student responses to bullying and effects on student wellbeing. How schools are responding is then examined in relation to proactive approaches (i.e., preventing bullying) and reactive approaches (i.e., responding to cases of bullying) adopted by schools. Key findings were that approximately 15% of students reported being bullied, most commonly in verbal and covert ways. Disabled students reported being victimised more often than able-bodied students. In general, the sample of Indigenous students was not bullied more than others, but there was evidence of them being more often racially harassed. All the schools reported having a written anti-bullying policy, but only 47.8% of students indicated that they were aware of its existence. Most students reported that teacher-led instruction and activities on bullying took place at their school, more commonly in primary schools. Whilst students generally recognised the value of this work, they indicated different priorities about what is most useful in stopping bullying. A minority of students (37.7%) reported that they were being bullied to teachers/counsellors. Of these, 29.3% reported that the bullying had been prevented from continuing and a further 39.6% that it had been reduced. Intervention methods, as reported by teachers, included the use of sanctions, strengthening the victim, mediation and restorative practice, and to a lesser extent the Support Group Method and the Method of Shared Concern. Basing their judgements on the experiences of their children at school, parents of bullied children were the least positive in appraising the effectiveness of the work of teachers. Results from teachers on a test of knowledge about bullying indicated that on many issues teachers were in error or divided in their beliefs. Generally, teachers believed that training in countering bullying, especially at pre-service level, was inadequate. It was also evident that the pressure of other business together with scarce resources made it difficult for schools to focus on bullying. Based on the results from this study, the following recommendations are made: (i) enable all members of the school community to become familiar with the school anti-bullying policy; (ii) seek out and act upon student feedback on the helpfulness of actions taken by the school in addressing bullying; (iii) pay particular attention to students who are most vulnerable to being bullied; (iv) engage more effectively with students who are being bullied and require help from the school; (v) provide more anti- bullying professional learning for both pre-service and practising teachers; and (vi) conduct further research to address issues identified as significant in this study. Details: Adelaide: University of South Australia, School of Education, 2016. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/Global/EASS/EDS/Book%20Report%202016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Bullying Shelf Number: 140161

Author: d'Abbs, Peter Title: Monitoring Trends in Prevalence of Petrol Sniffing in Selected Aboriginal Communities 2011-2014: Final Report Summary: This report presents the findings from a study of petrol sniffing prevalence in a sample of 53 Australian Aboriginal communities. The study was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC) in order to contribute to monitoring the impact of an ongoing rollout of low aromatic fuel (LAF) in communities beset by petrol sniffing, and was conducted by Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, in partnership with Bowchung Pty Ltd, Canberra. The study commenced in 2011 and was completed in 2014. Details: Darwin: Menzies School of Health Research, 2016.83p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: https://www.dpmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/monitoring-trends-petrol-sniffing-2011-14.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 140162

Author: Stavrou, Efty Title: Parole release authority and re-offending Summary: Aim: To determine whether recidivism was associated with parole release authority; and to determine whether re-offending was also related to being under supervision or not. Method: Time to first proven re-offence was examined for 1,644 matched offenders who served between 18 and 36 months in custody using Cox proportional hazard regression. Being on-parole was included as a time-varying covariate in the overall model. Estimates of those who re-offended overall and on-parole or off-parole were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates as separate outcomes. Results: One in four offenders re-offended whilst on-parole and 20 per cent re-offended after their parole period had expired. Parolees released by the court were significantly more likely to re-offend overall and when offenders were off-parole (when separately examined). Although the overall model showed that offenders were less likely to re-offend when on-parole, this was not statistically significant. No difference was seen in the type of re-offences committed between court-released and SPA parolees. Conclusion: SPA released parolees appear to be less likely to re-offend, particularly once the parole order has expired. This may be due to the selective processes of the SPA in choosing who should be granted parole or because SPA parolees are more motivated to participate in rehabilitation programs whilst in custody. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 194: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Parole-release-authority-and-reoffending-cjb194.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Parole Shelf Number: 140163

Author: Cross, Cassandra Title: The Reporting Experiences and Support Needs of Victims of Online Fraud Summary: Although fraud has been practiced throughout history, the advent of the internet has created new and effective avenues for targeting potential victims. Victims of online fraud experience substantial financial and other harms, resulting in annual losses in Australia of more than $2b, significant organisational disruption and devastating human suffering. Prior research in this area has generally been conducted through victim surveys and the analysis of official administrative datasets, but little research has involved speaking with victims of online fraud about their experiences. This paper presents the results of in-depth interviews conducted with a sample of 80 individuals from across Australia who lodged complaints of online fraud involving losses of $10,000 or more over the preceding four years. Their stories illustrate the financial impact of fraud and the emotional, psychological, interpersonal and physical impacts of their victimisation. They also document the barriers they faced in reporting these crimes. The paper concludes by identifying the support needs of victims of online fraud. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 518: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi518.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud Shelf Number: 145630

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Self-inflicted Deaths in Australian Prisons Summary: The AIC has operated the National Deaths in Custody Program since 1991, following a recommendation by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. This study updates and extends an earlier AIC study, which examined the important issue of self-inflicted deaths in prison custody using deaths in custody data for the period 1999-2013. Regrettably, suicide remains a common cause of death in prison; however, it is no longer the most common cause of death. While self-inflicted deaths constituted half of all prison deaths between 1980 and 1998, they have declined to the point that between 2004 and 2013 - the most recent decade for which data are available-they represented around a quarter of prison deaths. This decrease reflects the considerable progress made by corrective services administrators in developing policies and practices, and implementing cell designs, that address suicide risk factors. Nonetheless, these data and coronial findings suggest there is still room for improvement, particularly in responding to prisoners with psychiatric needs and in the management of unsentenced prisoners. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 513: Accessed September 3, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi513.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Deaths in Prison Shelf Number: 140166

Author: Cashmore, Judy Title: The Impact of Delayed Reporting on the Prosecution and Outcomes of Child Sexual Abuse Cases Summary: This report examines how the criminal justice systems in New South Wales and South Australia deal with complaints of child sexual abuse reported to the police in childhood compared with those in which the report is delayed until adulthood, which is often referred to as historical child sexual abuse. The research investigates the trends in delayed disclosure and reporting of child sexual abuse, and maps the prosecution process and outcomes associated with varying degrees of delay in reporting to the police, together with other case characteristics such as the age of the complainant victim, and the relationship between the complainant and the alleged offender. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The research focuses on the following questions: 1. What are the trends in recorded reports to police of historical child sexual abuse over a recent 20-year period compared with reports made during childhood in two Australian states - New South Wales and South Australia? 2. What are the trends in the number of prosecutions of cases of historical child sexual abuse over a recent 20-year period compared with child sexual abuse reported during childhood in two Australian states? 3. What factors - including characteristics of the complainant, the type of offence, the relationship between the complainant and the alleged offender, and the delay in reporting to police - are associated with the matter proceeding from a report to the police to prosecution? 4. What is the likelihood of cases reported in childhood and in adulthood resulting in conviction? 5. What factors (as above) are associated with the matter resulting in a conviction or not, and a custodial or other type of sentence? 6. Is there any difference in the rate of appeals, the grounds of appeals, and the outcome of appeals in cases in New South Wales: o where there are delayed complaints compared with cases reported in childhood? o that involved 'institutional' child sexual abuse compared with intra-familial cases of abuse and other extra-familial cases? Details: Sydney: University of Sydney Law School; Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2016. 311p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2016 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/e3312f1c-d58f-490d-a467-221684c050c9/The-impact-of-delayed-reporting-on-the-prosecution Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 147893

Author: Australia. Auditor General Title: Strategies and Activities to Address the Cash and Hidden Economy Summary: In Australia, and similar countries internationally, the cash and hidden economy (cash economy) is a constant presence in the domestic economy. Sometimes also referred to as the �shadow�, �non-observed� or �underground� economy, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) defines the cash economy as referring to businesses that deliberately hide income, from cash or electronic transactions, to avoid paying tax or superannuation obligations on the income they receive. The operation of the cash economy is a major, longstanding tax integrity risk for the ATO. Details: Sydney: Australian National Audit Office, 2016. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: ANAO Report No. 27 2015-16: https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1661/f/ANAO_Report_2015-2016_27.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 140235

Author: Thorburn, Hamish Title: Trends in conditional discharges in NSW Local Courts: 2004-2015 Summary: Courts are increasingly choosing to give offenders a section 10(1)b bond rather than fine them according to new research by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR). A 10(1)b bond is one of the least severe penalties a court can impose on an offender. Offenders given a section 10(1)b bond are released without conviction on condition that they enter into a good behaviour bond. Breach of a bond may result in resentencing for the original offence. BOCSAR examined the penalties imposed by the NSW Local Courts between January 2004 and September 2015 for assault, drug, weapons, property damage and traffic offences. These offences account for around 80 per cent of all section 10(1)b bonds. Between January 2004 and September 2015, the percentage of offenders in these categories receiving a section 10(1)b bond rose from 15.2 per cent to 23.6 per cent. Over the same period the proportion of fines being imposed by the Local Court for the same offences fell from 66 per cent to 55.9 per cent; almost perfectly matching the increase in the use of section 10(1)b bonds. The growth in the use of section 10(1)b bonds remained significant even after controlling for changes in offender characteristics such as Indigenous status, gender, level of disadvantage, age, remoteness of residence, number of concurrent offences and prior criminal record. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 196: Accessed September 15, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Trends-in-conditional-discharges-cjb196.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarcerations Shelf Number: 147882

Author: Moore, Tim Title: Our Safety Counts: Children and Young People's Perceptions of Safety and Institutional Responses to their Safety Concerns Summary: This report has been published by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It attempts to better understand children and young people's perceptions of safety within institutions, and their views on how adults and institutions are responding to their safety needs. It is not a prevalence study and does not attempt to quantify the extent to which children and young people have encountered abuse. Instead, it asks them to consider how they, adults and institutions currently demonstrate that they are safe; and the ways they believe adults and institutions act and would act to keep them safe if they were in a situation where their safety was compromised. Details: Melbourne: Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University, 2016. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2016 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/614b6cc6-ab14-495b-8ce0-ce2e1d3a8c19/Our-safety-counts Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 140299

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce: Results of the 2014 online consumer fraud survey Summary: The Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT) is a group of 22 government regulatory agencies and departments in Australia and New Zealand. It works with private sector, community and non-government partners to prevent fraud. The ACFT has run a range of fraud prevention and awareness-raising activities since 2005. One of its key initiatives is to run an annual consumer fraud survey to take a snapshot of the public's exposure to consumer fraud and fraudulent invitations, to assess their impact, determine how victims respond, and identify emerging typologies and issues. The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC), as a taskforce member and chair of its research subgroup, hosts the survey on behalf of the ACFT. It should be noted that the survey participants were not randomly sampled and so survey findings are not representative of the general population. This report presents the results of the 2014 survey, which ran for six months from 1 January 2014. This period encompassed National Fraud Prevention week, which coincides with global fraud awareness-raising activities. The theme of the 2014 campaign was Know who you're dealing with, and it was aimed at raising awareness about relationship scams by asking people to think twice before transferring money to people they did not know personally. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 21, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rr/001/rr001.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud Shelf Number: 145574

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: Willingness to pay a fine Summary: Aim: To determine whether the fine amount, the fine detection mode and the socioeconomic status of the offender influence the willingness to pay a fine. Method: Adults from NSW were surveyed about their experience with traffic fines and willingness to pay fines. 71 per cent of respondents were obtained from a CATI sample and 29 per cent from on-line surveys. Those who had been fined were randomly allocated to scenarios about paying a future speeding fine based on fine amount ($234, $436, $2,252) and detection mode (speed camera or police). Results: 2,222 (70%) of the 3,154 respondents had been fined for a parking or traffic offence. 21 per cent of this group had not paid their fine on time, while 41 per cent had considered not paying it. Higher fine amounts were associated with lower willingness to pay. While over 80 per cent of the $254 fine scenario was likely or almost certain to pay a future speeding fine, this was only the case for 69 per cent of the $436 scenario and 31 per cent of the $2,252 scenario. There was no significant effect of the mode of detection being speed camera or police. Respondents who were not in paid employment were less willing to pay the $2,252 fine than respondents who were in paid employment (63% certainly would not or would be unlikely to pay vs. 53%). Respondents who had previously considered not paying their fine were more likely to be male, younger, having known a non-payer of a fine who got away with it, had more prior speeding offences and had been fined more recently. Conclusion: Consideration should be given to conducting an economic analysis to determine at what point, the marginal costs associated with higher fines exceed the marginal benefits, at least for offences where fines are commonly used. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in criminal and Justice, no. 195: Accessed September 21, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Willingness-to-pay-a-fine-CJB195.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Employment Shelf Number: 145628

Author: Suggit, Daniel Title: Joining Forces: A partnership approach to effective justice - community-driven social controls working side by side with the Magistracy of the Northern Territory Summary: Community Courts began as a formal pilot project in 2005 within the NT Court of Summary Jurisdiction under the direction of the then Chief Magistrate, Hugh Bradley, and with funding and support from the Yilli Rreung ATSIC Regional Council. In 2008, the pilot was 'expanded' to program status through the NT Government's Closing the Gap of Indigenous Disadvantage: A Generational Plan of Action (2007), which provided a funding commitment of $2.1 million over 5 years: 2008-2012. A Requirement of this funding was for the Department to undertake an external evaluation of the 5 year program. It is understood that the evaluation was intended to be undertaken in the third or fourth year of the 5-year program. However, this evaluation was commissioned at the start of 2012 within the program's final 6 months. The methodology employed by the consultant includes: - Stakeholder consultation (refer: Appendix 1: List of Stakeholders consulted) - Observation of one community court (Youth Justice Court) at Alyangula Court House, Groote Eylandt on 10th May 2012 - Desktop research (refer: References) - Analysis of IJIS data in relation to Community Court pilot and program implementation, reoffending and breach of court orders Key limitations to the effectiveness of this review methodology have been: - Suspension of Adult Community Courts (2011): due to the suspension of Community Courts for adult offenders from 2011 (as detailed below), there was limited opportunity within the current project timeframe to observe this specialist court operation and moreover, to discuss the effectiveness of the program with all participating stakeholders. This particular limitation undoubtedly constrained the consultant's ability to interview Indigenous community participants in relation to this model of court delivery. - Data: the Community Court program objectives refer explicitly to two quantitative indicators of program success: a reduction in both rates of reoffending and breach of court orders. While these may have been both stated program objectives, there appears to have been no commitment to establishing a data analysis framework to monitor these objectives against mainstream outcomes over the past 5 years. It has been left to the consultant - with the patient and time-consuming assistance of NTG officers within and outside the Department - to define, collate, test and analyse the various datasets from scratch. While it is admirable to have identified quantitative measures within the list of original program objectives, it would have been helpful in terms of the program's implementation and subsequent improvement to have established at the outset a framework to monitor and analyse this data. Details: Melbourne: Swinburne University of Technology, 2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/d_suggit_apo_joining_forces_report_sept_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Courts Shelf Number: 145604

Author: Halstead, Imogen Title: The NSW Intensive Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program (IDATP) and Recidivism: An early look at outcomes for referrals Summary: Aim: To investigate whether referral to the Intensive Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program (IDATP) reduces re‑offending and/or returns to custody. Method: The study sample included 1,285 offenders who were released from NSW custody on or after 1 January 2013, all of whom satisfied IDATP eligibility criteria. An intention-to-treat (ITT) design was employed to protect against unobservable selection bias in program commencement and completion, with the treatment group comprising the complete sub-sample of 340 offenders who were referred to IDATP (59.4% of whom commenced treatment). Propensity score matching is used to construct matched samples of treated and untreated offenders across a range of observable characteristics related to recidivism risk. Separate matchings were constructed for offenders with follow-up periods of 3, 6, and 12 months. Rates of re-offending and/or return to custody were compared for the matched samples of treated and untreated offenders. Results: IDATP referrals were younger than the similarly eligible offenders in the comparison group, had a more extensive criminal history, and had been classified according to official risk assessment measures as being at higher risk of recidivism including for reasons related to their drug and/or alcohol use. Nonetheless, after matching on the estimated propensity score, the samples of offenders were similar across these and a broader range of observable characteristics. Although rates of re-offending and/or return-to-custody were lower for the matched treatment than matched comparison group at follow-up periods of 6 and 12 months, there was no statistically significant difference in recidivism outcomes. Conclusion: The power of the statistical analyses was severely limited by the small sample of IDATP participants and the ITT research design. The power to detect a treatment impact will improve as more offenders engage with IDATP over time. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 192: Accessed September 23, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-NSW-Intensive-Drug-and-Alcohol-Treatment-Program-cjb192.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Treatment Programs Shelf Number: 140441

Author: Trevena, Judy Title: Does a Prison Sentence Affect Future Domestic Violence Reoffending? Summary: Aim: To examine whether short prison sentences (up to 12 months) exert a deterrent effect for domestic-violence (DV) related offending. Method: Propensity score matching was used to compare time to reoffence among 1,612 matched pairs of offenders, in which one of each pair received a prison sentence of 12 months or less and the other received a suspended sentence of two years or less. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was then used to examine time to the first proven offence committed after the index court appearance. Results: In the matched analysis, DV-related reoffending was not significantly different for people with suspended sentences and prison sentences. After 1 year, 20.3% of people given a suspended sentence and 20.3% of people given prison sentence had at least one new DV-related offence, and after 3 years the proportions were 34.2% and 32.3% respectively. These were not significantly different (HR 0.96, p=0.6). Conclusion: Short prison sentences (up to 12 months) are no more effective in deterring DV-related reoffending than suspended sentences Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 190: Accessed September 27, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Does-a-prison-sentence-affect-future-domestic-violence-reoffending-cjb190.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Deterrence Shelf Number: 140466

Author: Thorburn, Hamish Title: A follow-up on the impact of the Bail Act 2013 (NSW) on trends in bail Summary: Aim: To examine the effect of the Bail Act 2013 (NSW) and subsequent 'show-cause' amendments on trends in the number and proportion of defendants being refused bail. Method: Descriptive analysis of the number of defendants, proportion of all defendants and proportion of 'bail eligible' defendants refused bail each month in all NSW courts between February 2011 and May 2016. Kendall's tau is used to test for significance in trends in the pre- and post-intervention periods (i.e. before and after the Bail Act reforms). Results: The number of defendants refused bail showed a significant increasing trend of 2.95 defendants per month (p < .01) for the pre-intervention period of February 2011 to May 2014, and a mean number of defendants of 1,042.57. The mean number of defendants rose to 1,264.19 defendants for the post-intervention period of January 2015 to May 2016. No significant trend was found for the post-intervention period (p =.06). The rise in mean post- intervention was higher than what would have been expected due to the increasing trend pre-intervention. The proportion of all defendants being refused bail showed no significant trend either pre- or post-intervention (p =.06 pre-intervention and p =.23 post-intervention). There was a slight difference in mean proportion between the two periods (.098 pre-intervention vs .108 post-intervention). However, it seems likely that this slight difference can be attributed to the very slight (although statistically insignificant) trend pre-intervention. Taking both periods together, there appears to be a very slight but significant increasing trend (p < .01) across the whole period, with a mean rise of .0002 per month. The proportion of 'bail eligible' defendants also showed a significant increasing trend pre-intervention by .001 per month (p <.01). However, the post-intervention proportion showed no significant trend (p = .84). The mean proportion per month increased from .276 to .326 between the pre- and post-intervention periods. Again, the increase in mean proportion between the two periods is higher than what would have been expected given the pre-intervention trend. Conclusion: The Bail Act 2013 (NSW) and subsequent amendments appeared to have an effect on the number and proportion of bail eligible defendants refused bail. However, they appear to have had little to no effect on the proportion of all defendants refused bail. This suggests that defendants who had previously been released on bail are now having bail dispensed with or bail refused. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 116: Accessed September 27, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/bocsar_theimpactofthenswbailact2013ontrendsinbail_sep_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 146116

Author: Weatherburn, Dan Title: What's Causing the Growth in Indigenous imprisonment in NSW? Summary: Aim: To examine the rise in the NSW Indigenous prison population. Method: Descriptive analysis of trends in bail, sentencing and court appearances. Results: The rise in Indigenous imprisonment in NSW is due to a combination of higher rates of arrest resulting in conviction, a greater likelihood of imprisonment given conviction and a higher rate of bail refusal. The growth in number of arrests, percentage imprisoned and percentage bail refused has been especially large in the categories justice procedure offences and acts intended to cause injury. Most of the growth in justice procedure offences is coming from breach of custodial orders (e.g. breach of a community-based order) and breach of Apprehended Violence Orders. Most of the growth in acts intended to cause injury is coming from serious assault resulting in injury and stalking/intimidation. Conclusion: Efforts to arrest growth in the Indigenous imprisonment rate should focus on measures which reduce the number of Indigenous persons being arrested and imprisoned for serious assault resulting in injury, stalking/intimidation and breach of community-based orders. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper No. 118: Accessed September 29, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-What's-causing-the-growth-in-Indigenous-Imprisonment-in-NSW-BB118.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 140508

Author: Smallbone, Stephen Title: Preventing Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse in West Cairns and Aurukun: Establishing the scope, dimensions and dynamics of the problem Summary: he Queensland Government recognises every child's right to feel safe and free from harm. In 2012 the Department of Premier and Cabinet commissioned Griffith University to examine Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse in West Cairns and Aurukun. The results of this examination highlighted evidence of youth sexual violence and abuse and the risks for the future. As a result, the Queensland Government has committed to taking positive action focused on the prevention of youth sexual violence and abuse in Queensland. Details: Brisbane: Griffith University, 2013. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2016 at: https://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/resources/datsima/programs/ysv-report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 147816

Author: Cross, Cassandra Title: Improving responses to online fraud victims: An examination of reporting and support Summary: This study was developed to understand the needs of fraud victims through in-depth interviews conducted with 80 individuals from across Australia who lodged complaints of online fraud involving losses of $10,000 or more in the preceding four years to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) "Scamwatch" website or hotline. The aims of the study were:  to document the various impacts and harms that victims of online fraud experience;  to examine the reasons why some individuals choose to report online fraud to authorities, while others fail to make reports; and  to determine how the support needs of this group of victims might best be met. The personal stories of those interviewed describe the financial impact of what occurred, as well as a range of emotional, psychological, interpersonal and physical impacts resulting from their victimisation. In addition, the barriers to reporting the crimes they suffered officially are documented. The report concludes by identifying what victims of online fraud really want in terms of support from government and non-government bodies, friends, relatives and counsellors. Research participants The 80 participants ranged in age from 30 to 77 years, with a mean age of 56. Forty-six (58%) were male and thirty-four (42%) were female. Participants identified as being from a wide range of countries of birth, predominantly Australia (68%), the United Kingdom (11%) and New Zealand (5%). Participants resided in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Financial impact Reported financial losses ranged from $10,000 to approximately $500,000. In many cases, participants were not able to indicate precisely how much money they had lost to online fraud, as often losses had been incurred over a lengthy period of time (up to several years) while in other cases, victims had simply lost track of how much money they had sent. Some victims, however, suffered substantial and debilitating financial impacts. Some of the current participants described losing all their superannuation, being 'sucked dry', having to pay off loans over periods of months or years, 'losing everything', losing their life savings, not being able to afford to buy food, and 'throwing good money after bad' by hiring lawyers or pursuing civil proceedings against perpetrators. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2016. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: http://www.crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1617/29-1314-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Corporate Crime Shelf Number: 145372

Author: Australian Federal Police Title: Review of Police Pursuits Conducted by ACT Policing in the Australian Capital Territory Summary: Background 1. On 17 April 2014 the Chief Police Officer for the ACT (CPOACT) established a Working Group and endorsed the Terms of Reference for a review of police pursuits conducted in the ACT by ACT Policing. 2. The Working Group was directed to provide advice and recommendations on the AFP's police pursuit governance, procedures and framework. In particular, an emphasis was to be placed on analysing recent pursuits in the ACT to fully explore whether AFP procedures provided appropriate protection to the community and police. 3. The Working Group was directed to provide an analysis of the adequacy of legislation surrounding pursuits, and if deemed deficient, to provide recommendation for legislative reform. Review Objective and Scope 4. The objective of the review was to evaluate the appropriateness of the governance, procedures and legislative framework of police pursuits. 5. In line with the Terms of Reference, the criteria established for review included: a. Current operational practices regarding police pursuits, with a focus on case studies b. Adequacy of current pursuit policy c. Compliance with workplace health and safety legislation, policy and practices d. Jurisdictional comparison to identify best practice e. Analysis of the sufficiency of legislation 6. The scope included an assessment of: a. Existing AFP governance framework b. State and Territory legislative framework, best practice and procedure c. Terms of Reference of the ACT Policing Police Pursuit Review Committee d. Coronial recommendations in recent pursuits 7. The scope included consultation with: a. Community groups or individuals affected by road trauma b. Key ACT Government stakeholders Key Findings 8. The current AFP governance framework surrounding pursuits provides the best protection for the community against the expectation that police will ensure the safety of all road users. The pursuit governance framework has withstood significant scrutiny, however should be continually reviewed to ensure compliance with best practice. 9. The ACT Government has demonstrated confidence in ACT Policing's pursuit governance, policy and procedures. 10. The existing pursuit reporting regime needs to be amended to capture additional data to support the work of the Police Pursuits Review Committee. 11. The Police Pursuit Review Committee is a key governance mechanism that must be retained and requires periodic review of its Terms of Reference. 12. Present legislation does not contain adequate penalties and deterrents for drivers who flee from police and does not sufficiently enable police to take strong action against drivers who engage in dangerous behaviour when fleeing from police. Overall Conclusion 13. ACT Policing has in place an adequate governance framework for conducting police pursuits within the ACT. 14. Notwithstanding this, this review should inform a continued best practice approach to police pursuit policy for ACT Policing. 15. The legislation in the ACT is deficient and does not deter individuals from initiating pursuits. Recommendations 16. The review has made 42 recommendations to the CPOACT which encompass amendments to AFP policy and procedure and reform to current ACT legislation. 17. Endorsement of all 42 recommendations will provide a contemporary evidence based legislation and governance framework which will achieve best practice and meet the needs of ACT Policing and the expectations of the ACT community. 18. The benefits to be realised from this review and subsequent endorsement of recommendations include:  Risk: Reduce prevalence of fleeing drivers;  Options: provide alternatives for police to not engage in pursuits;  Legislation: adequate penalties and deterrence;  Accountability: fleeing drivers will be identified;  Deterrence: to deter drivers who may want to flee from police;  Consequences: harsher penalties for the offence;  Community safety: minimise risk to community; and  Police officer safety: mitigate risks to officer safety. 19. The recommendations for legislative reform will impose significant penalties for drivers who flee from police, and have maximum impact to deter drivers fleeing from police. 20. The recommendations seek to implement strict and/or absolute liabilities for the identified vehicle, as is currently the case for traffic camera offences, by applying the same principles to the registered operator of a fleeing vehicle. 21. The recommendations seek to impose penalties on fleeing drivers similar in nature to the Road Transport (Alcohol and Drugs) Act 1977 offence for Level 4 Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol (PCA). The level of risk posed to the community for a driver fleeing from police is comparable to a high-range PCA offence. 22. This review strongly recommends the following penalties for a first offender be imposed on the driver of the fleeing vehicle, or the registered operator of the fleeing vehicle who has refused or failed to identify the driver:  15 penalty units equivalent to a $2100 fine;  Immediate Suspension Notice of three months with a court imposed minimum disqualification of six months and a default disqualification of three years;  Court imposed maximum nine months imprisonment; and  Seizure, for a period of three months, of the vehicle that was engaged in the pursuit. 23. This review strongly recommends the following penalties be imposed for a repeat offender on the driver of the fleeing vehicle, or the registered operator of the fleeing vehicle who has refused or failed to identify the driver:  20 penalty units equivalent to a $2800 fine;  Immediate Suspension Notice of six months with a court imposed minimum disqualification of 12 months and a default disqualification of five years;  Court imposed maximum 12 months imprisonment; and  Seizure and subsequent forfeiture of the vehicle that was engaged in the pursuit. 24. It is incumbent on ACT Policing to work in partnership with ACT Government and key stakeholders to progress the recommended legislative reforms as a complete package so as to provide alternative options to police pursuits. Details: Canberra: AFP, 2015. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 8, 2016 at: https://www.police.act.gov.au/sites/default/files/PDF/Review%20of%20police%20pursuits%20conducted%20by%20ACT%20Policing%20in%20the%20Australian%20Capital%20Territory.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 145373

Author: Stavrou, Efty Title: The revised Group Risk Assessment Model (GRAM 2): Assessing risk of reoffending among adults given non-custodial sanctions Summary: Aim: To re-examine the Group Risk Assessment Model (GRAM) for predicting reoffending in adults given non-custodial sentences and to assess the accuracy of the model. Method: Adult offenders given non-custodial sentences in 2011 were the cohort of interest. Reoffending within 24 months of the index appearance was measured using court data. Models predicting reoffending using personal, index offence and criminal history characteristics were undertaken using multivariate logistic regression and model fits were assessed. Model validity and reliability was also measured by applying the model estimates to sub-group data and to separate smaller cohorts. Results: Of the 81,199 adult offenders, 26% reoffended within two years of the index appearance. The best model fit for GRAM 2 comprised age, gender, Indigenous status, number of concurrent offences, prior custodial sentence, prior proven offences and the index offence type. The internal and external validity of the model was strong, however application of the model to offenders from smaller geographical areas or to those with a prior history of prison or property offending should be undertaken with care. Application of the model for screening purposes should also be carefully considered. Conclusion: The GRAM 2 has been shown to be a robust tool for predicting reoffending. Although reliable, model estimates and their applicability should be re-examined periodically. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 197: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-GRAM2-Group-Risk-Assessment-Model-CJB197.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Prediction Shelf Number: 145439

Author: Weatherburn, Dan Title: Trends in Indigenous offending NSW: 2001-2015 Summary: Aim: To describe trends in Indigenous arrest rates in New South Wales for property and violent offences. Method: Descriptive analysis of overall and age-specific trends for property and violent crime. Results: Over the last 15 years in NSW the rate of Indigenous arrest for violent offences has declined by nearly 37 per cent (36.81%), while the rate of Indigenous arrest for property crime has declined by almost 33 per cent (32.95%). The falls are apparent for both males and females but are most pronounced among Indigenous arrests for violent crime for males aged 15-19 (down 55.96%) and those aged 20-24 (down 58.44%). Conclusion: If these trends continue, rates of Indigenous imprisonment may stabilize or grow less rapidly than in the past few years Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statics and Research, 2016. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 117: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-Trends-in-Indigenous-offending-NSW-2001-2015-BB117.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Arrest Rates Shelf Number: 140682

Author: MM Starrs Pty Ltd Title: Benefits of Theft Reform -- Technical Working Paper Summary: In accordance with the terms of the inter-government/insurance industry agreement under which it operates, the NMVTRC is required to present an evaluation of its operations to State and Territory Ministers and the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) during 2014/15. There are three discrete elements to the Review:  This study of the economic and social benefits (the benefits element) of the NMVTRC's theft reform activities;  A survey of stakeholders' perceptions of the NMVTRC's performance in meeting its objectives and support for its dissolution or extension (the stakeholder element); and  The development of a set of recommendations by the NMVTRC on whether it should be wound-up or extended. This report deals solely with the benefits element. The report demonstrates the economic value of vehicle theft reform to Australia and the NMVTRC's considerable contribution to delivering those benefits. Details: North Melbourne Victoria: National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council, 2014. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2016 : https://carsafe.com.au/assets/Benefits_Summary__Final_.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 145433

Author: Wan, Wai Yin Title: Forecasting prison populations using sentencing and arrest data Summary: Aim: To develop a method for forecasting the NSW remand and sentenced prisoner populations. Method: Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models with other time series as input variables were employed to estimate and forecast changes in the remand and sentenced prisoner populations. Models were tested by estimating model parameters over the period January 1998 - December 2010 and then comparing model forecasts with actual prison population trends over the period January 2011 - March 2013. Comparison of actual with forecast remand and sentenced prisoner numbers revealed that both models provide fairly reliable predictions of prison population trends over a three year time horizon. Results: Barring any significant change to policing and penal policy, the prison population is expected to rise in the first half of 2013 and then to drop steadily over the next three years. Although modelling suggests an uptrend in the remand prisoner population, this should be more than offset by a decrease in the sentenced prisoner population over the next thirty-three months. Conclusion: Although the models developed here provide accurate forecasts in retrospective testing, they should not be used as the sole basis for projecting future prison numbers. Future projections of prisoner numbers should also be based on advice from correctional administrators, police prosecutors, legal policy analysts, and others on the likely effects of any proposed change to policing, bail or sentence policy. Construction of a simulation model may help in quantifying the effects of these changes. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 174: Accessed October 15, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/cjb174.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Population Forecast Shelf Number: 144867

Author: Wan, Wai Yin Title: Violent Criminal Careers: A retrospective longitudinal study Summary: Aims: To determine: (1) the long-term risk that someone charged with a violent offence will commit another violent offence (2) what factors influence the likelihood of desistance and the length of time to the next violent offence for those who do re-offend. Method: All 26,472 offenders who were born between 1986 and 1990 (inclusive) and who had at least one violent offence proved against them in New South Wales (NSW) before December 31st, 2014 were followed up to December 31st, 2015. An offence was counted as proved if at the index contact it resulted in a caution, a youth justice conference or proven court appearance. The mean follow-up time for offenders in the study was 6.35 years (range = 21.3 years; interquartile range = 4.7 years). Bivariate correlates of time to re-offend were identified using log-rank tests. Multivariate analysis of survival time was undertaken using a cure fraction model with a loglogistic distribution of survival time. Results: In the median case, after 20 years, an estimated 23 per cent of violent offenders committed a further violent offence. However the risk of violent re-offending varies greatly across different offender groups, being much higher for Indigenous offenders, those who were aged 17 and under at the time of their index contact and those whose first contact with the criminal justice system occurred when they were 12 years of age or younger. There is little evidence of specialisation among violent offenders in the sample. Most have committed a wide variety of different offences prior to their conviction for a violent offence and those who do re-offend commit a wide variety of offences. Conclusion: Authorities charged with responsibility for making bail, sentencing and parole decisions in relation to violent offenders need to pay close attention to the characteristics of the violent offenders they are dealing with. Evaluations of violent offender programs should include both short-term and long-term follow up. Prison is not a very effective instrument through which to reduce violent offending. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 198: Accessed October 19, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Violent-Criminal-Careers-A-retrospective-longitudinal-study-cjb198.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Career Criminals Shelf Number: 145381

Author: McCulloch, Jude Title: Review of the Familiy Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (CRAF): Final Report Summary: The Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (often referred to as the common risk assessment framework, or the CRAF) has been in use in Victoria since 2007. The CRAF is used by many different professional groups who come into contact with family violence in a range of services: its key objective is to prevent the repetition and escalation of family violence. The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence recommended a review of the CRAF to ensure that it reflects best practice internationally. The Commission suggested that the review and redevelopment of the CRAF should aim to enhance processes of risk assessment for children, pay attention to more effective inclusion of all the forms of family violence covered by the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 [Vic] and should incorporate a rating and/or weighting of risk factors to identify the risk of family violence as low, medium or high. Overall, this Review found that the CRAF has worked effectively to build shared understanding of, and responsibility for, risk assessment of intimate partner violence as the most prevalent form of family violence. While acknowledging its limitations, those who consistently use the framework, testify to its utility in working with women on identifying and understanding their own risk and supporting the professional judgement of support workers in a range of professional contexts. The current CRAF is grounded in well-established international evidence about known risks to women from male intimate partners. The CRAF is recognised nationally and internationally as a practice leader in risk assessment and it has spread more widely and lasted longer than many other similar tools. Recent and emerging research suggests that attention to new risks associated with smart technologies and the importance of coercive and controlling behaviours in risk assessment should be included in the redevelopment of the CRAF. Risk assessment beyond the context of intimate partner violence is much less developed and this limitation influences the utility and application of the CRAF in assessing diverse forms of family violence. The Review provides a snapshot of the use, usability, strengths and limitations of the CRAF. Its recognised strengths are linked most strongly to building a shared understanding of risk and family violence across service providers. It was considered that the CRAF addresses risk assessment in cases of male perpetrated intimate partner violence reasonably well. However, it was identified that it is important to clarify the limits of risk in assessing the needs of victims and to develop more standardised understandings about what risk is being assessed, when assessment should happen, and the roles and responsibilities of different occupational groups in relation to risk identification and assessment. The aspiration of the CRAF to provide appropriate referral pathways and information sharing is not yet realised and there is considerable work to be done in developing, embedding and monitoring effective and optimal pathways for victim/survivors. Details: Clayton, VIC: Monash University, School of Social Sciences, 2016. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2016 at: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/974551/Review-of-the-Family-Violence-Risk-Assessment-and-Risk-Management-Framework-CRAF-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 145995

Author: Bacon, Wendy Title: Protection denied, abuse condoned: women on Nauru at risk Summary: This report details how women released as refugees into the Nauru community face grave danger from attacks on isolated bush tracks. They have been raped, bashed and even burnt as they scurry from their demountable cabins to the market for food. The resettlement infrastructure for single women consists of isolated cabins in the bush, which has left them open to attacks and rape by local men. This report draws together the evidence from multiple reports on the resettlement policy as well as the intimate stories of women living in fear on an island where neither the local police nor some of the commercial agencies charged with protecting them have shown much desire to do so. The placement of four Australian Federal Police officers on Nauru has seen no improvement in protection for women. Real concerns about the failure of the Nauru police to investigate and charge perpetrators means there is little likelihood that the women will be protected on the island or that perpetrators will be punished for their crimes. Details: Potts Point, NSW: Australian Women in Support of Women on Nauru , 2016. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 24, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/women_on_nauru_web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 140822

Author: Foundation for Alcohol Research Education Title: Busted: Correcting the Sydney Lockout Myths Summary: In February 2014, the New South Wales (NSW) Government introduced a range of measures to reduce alcohol-related violence. This included the restriction of entry to new licensed premises ('lockouts') after 1:30 am and the cessation of alcohol sales ('last drinks') at 3am in the newly established Kings Cross and Sydney CBD Entertainment Precincts. Trading hour restrictions have been identified as one of the most effective policy interventions to reduce alcohol harm, including alcohol-related violence. Australian and international research demonstrates that for every additional hour of trading, there is a 16 to 20 per cent increase in assaults and, conversely, for every hour of reduced trading there is a 20 per cent reduction in assaults. Since their introduction in 2014, there has been misrepresentation of information and propagation of myths in relation to the impact of the lockout and last drinks measures (the liquor law reforms). With an independent review of the measures currently underway, it is important that the facts are clearly established. For this reason, the present study uses newly available data with other sources of robust information to evaluate the impact of the liquor law reforms in Kings Cross. The study identifies a variety of claims in relation to the impact of the liquor law reforms as either false or grossly exaggerated. Details: Deakin ACT: The Foundation, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2016 at: http://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/research/Correcting-the-Sydney-lockout-myths-August-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Violence Shelf Number: 146010

Author: Green, Rachael Title: Policing and pathways to diversion and care among vulnerable people who use alcohol and other drugs Summary: This report explores the facilitators and barriers to care for vulnerable young people who use alcohol and other drugs and who have police contact. In particular, it investigates the role that police in inner-city areas of Sydney (New South Wales/NSW) and Melbourne (Victoria) have in relation to young people’s pathways in the health and welfare service system. The study draws on mixed methods data. These include: a review of relevant literature and policy documents; secondary analysis of two existing datasets describing vulnerable young people with police involvement, the Youth Cohort Study (YoCo) in Victoria and the Exposure and Transition Study in NSW; and N=64 in-depth qualitative interview data derived from clients of youth specialist AOD services aged 16-21 years who have had police contact (n=23), police staff (n=25) and youth AOD treatment service professionals (n=16). Analysis of these data aims to support the development of integrated diversion and treatment pathways for young people who offend, are eligible for diversion and/or may benefit from AOD treatment. The report provides implications that may be taken into consideration by policy makers and decision makers in government, particularly those that make decisions about service allocation and justice processes. The implications identified may also inform continued improvement of practice by police and service providers, as well as enhancing collaborative efforts between them. Details: Sydney: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2016. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 64: Accessed October 26, 2016 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-64.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: At-Risk Youth Shelf Number: 140851

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Review of police use of the firearms prohibition order search powers: Section 74A of the Firearms Act 1996 Summary: Since 1973, the Commissioner of Police has had the power to prohibit any person from possessing a firearm if, in the Commissioner's opinion, the person is not a fit person in the public interest to have possession of a firearm. The mechanism is called a firearms prohibition order (FPO). An FPO, once made, can have a wide-ranging effect: it is an offence for an FPO subject to possess a firearm or ammunition, to reside in premises where a firearm or ammunition is kept, or for another person to sell or give a firearm or ammunition to someone they know is an FPO subject. Police were given strengthened powers in 2013 to conduct searches in aid of FPO orders. The new search powers were introduced as part of a series of legal reforms intended to enhance the ability of police to prevent and control crime, and gun crime in particular. The Commissioner of Police described the new powers as 'extraordinary'. They enable police, without a warrant, to search an FPO subject’s body and any vehicle or premises that the person occupies, controls or manages. A search may be conducted ‘as reasonably required’ to determine if the FPO subject has committed an offence by having a firearm, firearm parts or ammunition. The breadth of the new search powers raised concerns that police may use them arbitrarily or unreasonably. The NSW Parliament required the NSW Ombudsman to keep under scrutiny the exercise of the new FPO search powers for the first two years of their operation. At the end of that review, the Ombudsman is required to prepare a report on the way police have exercised their FPO search powers, and make recommendations for any changes that he considers necessary. This is my report following that review. It contains recommendations for the consideration of the Minister for Justice and Police, about possible changes to legislation and internal procedures and practices that guide the way police use the FPO search powers. I am required to provide my report to the Minister for Justice and Police, the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner. The Minister is required to table the report in Parliament. My office found that police used the FPO search powers extensively during the review period. Over the two years, there were approximately 1,500 interactions where police used the search powers. During those interactions, police conducted over 2,500 separate searches, sometimes of the person’s body as well as their property. The police were sometimes able to use the FPO search powers in circumstances where general search warrant powers were unlikely to apply. Police found firearms, ammunition and firearm parts in 2% of these interactions. In the two years, they seized 35 firearms, 26 lots of ammunition and 9 firearm parts. We examined the profiles of the people whom police searched using the FPO search powers. In total, 400 FPO subjects were searched. The searches conducted on these people appeared to be generally consistent with Parliament’s intention. However, we also found that police conducted searches on over 200 people who were not subject to an FPO at the time of the search (a total of 269 person searches). Police conducted those searches on what appears to be an erroneous application of the new FPO search powers and, as such, the searches may have been unlawful. We also found a lack of clarity in police understanding of when they may conduct an FPO search on an FPO subject. In 14% of search events, police conducted a search on the basis of their apparent understanding that a search can be conducted for the reason alone that the person is an FPO subject. We do not consider this is correct. A search can be conducted only when ‘reasonably required’ to determine if an FPO offence has been committed. It is not a roving search power to be used randomly on FPO subjects, but a power to be used in a targeted way to examine if firearms control legislation is being properly observed. This report recommends changes to ensure that the intended meaning of the legislation is properly observed. One option is for Parliament to consider amending the legislation to resolve the apparent ambiguity that has led to the incorrect use of the search powers. Another option is for the NSW Police Force to develop guidelines regarding the meaning of ‘reasonably required’, and to ensure that, through education, training and monitoring, the intended meaning of the legislation is understood and followed by police. Other measures are also proposed to ensure that police use FPO search powers fairly and reasonably. We recommend that FPOs expire after five years. This recommendation, if implemented, will allow police to continue to target current firearms risks, while reducing the potential for people to be subject to arbitrary or unreasonable searches for an indefinite period. If the circumstances warranted, the Commissioner could make a further FPO against that same person at the expiry of five years. FPO searches have enabled police to confiscate illicit firearms during the review period: this is a positive outcome. However, it is not possible to determine the deterrent, prevention or disruption effects of the FPO search powers by assessing data for only the first two years of use. A study covering a longer period of operation would be required to provide deeper insight. It is still too early to measure whether the FPO search powers will have a significant impact in the policing of firearmsrelated crime. We recommend an evaluation be conducted after the powers have been in place for at least five years. This would also address understandable concerns that have been raised publicly about the potential misuse of these extraordinary powers. It is important that the public can be fully informed about the effectiveness (or otherwise) of the powers. The fair and reasonable use of these new FPO search powers depends largely on the discretion of individual police officers. Adopting our recommendations will assist police to manage the risk of unreasonable use by placing clear limitations around the duration and scope of FPOs. This will encourage and facilitate the appropriate use of the powers and, in turn, maintain public confidence in police. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2016. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2016 at: https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/37132/Review-of-police-use-of-firearms-prohibition-order-search-powers.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Prohibition Shelf Number: 140853

Author: Cortis, Natasha Title: Domestic violence and women's economic security: building Australia's capacity for prevention and redress: Final report Summary: The research report builds on the literature review contained in the ANROWS Landscapes paper "Building effective policies and services to promote women's economic security following domestic violence: State of knowledge paper" (Cortis and Bullen, 2015). That paper discussed how economic abuse is a frequent, yet under-researched tactic of violence. Financial issues, including the prospect of leaving property or assets behind, are major factors in women's decisions about leaving or staying in violent relationships, and the economic difficulties arising from violence, including loss of wealth upon separation, reverberate through women's lives and increase hardship in the long-term. The Landscapes paper also highlighted evidence of inadequacies in the systems intended to identify, prevent and respond to the economic harms arising from violence. This report builds on the Landscapes paper with new statistical analysis and qualitative evidence. The statistical material reinforces how domestic violence contributes to alarming levels of financial stress among Australian women. Domestic violence is associated with economic stressors which penalise women for a number of years after violence is experienced. Interviews with stakeholders demonstrate widespread perceptions that although Australia has some highly effective initiatives in place, these operate on too small a scale to fully address the extent or range of women's needs. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report; Issue 5: Accessed October 27, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/page-attachments/ANROWS%20Horizons%20Report%20-%20Domestic%20violence%20and%20womens%20economic%20security.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 145014

Author: Amnesty International Title: Island of Despair: Australia's "Processing" of Refugees on Nauru Summary: The current policy of the Australian Government is that no person who arrives in the country by boat seeking asylum can ever settle in Australia. Instead, anyone who arrives by boat is forcibly taken to offshore "Refugee Processing Centres", one of which is on the remote Pacific island of Nauru. The government claims that the policy protects people who might otherwise undertake the hazardous boat crossing to Australia. However, since its inception, offshore processing has been designed to be punitive and has been widely promoted by a succession of Australian governments as a deterrent and as a demonstration of Australia securing its borders. Details: London: AI, 2016. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2016 at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa12/4934/2016/en/ Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 145007

Author: Goldsmid, Susan Title: Methamphetamine use and acquisitive crime: Evidence of a relationship Summary: Methamphetamine use among Australian police detainees is rising; the impact of this rise on crime trends, and particularly on trends in acquisitive crime, is yet to be established. Identifying trends in and motivations for offending among methamphetamine users may assist law enforcement and policymakers to better target resources. This paper examines the engagement in acquisitive crime, and perceived motivations for methamphetaminedriven crime, of a sample of Australian police detainees recruited in 2013 through the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program. Methamphetamine users reported deriving a significantly higher proportion of their income from crime than non-users. Logistic regression analysis reveals the use of methamphetamine, heroin and/or cannabis predicts engagement in acquisitive crime when other drug use and polydrug use is controlled for. In addition, methamphetamine users reported their use played a contributing role in their offending, most commonly through intoxication or the need for money to purchase drugs. The findings indicate recent methamphetamine use increases the risk of engagement in acquisitive offences. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 516: Accessed November 2, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi516.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Acquisitive Crime Shelf Number: 145776

Author: Ayre, Julie Title: Examination of the burden of disease of intimate partner violence against women in 2011: final report Summary: Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) has serious health outcomes for Australian women and their children, and its prevention is a recognised national priority. Burden of disease studies measure the combined impact of living with illness and injury (non-fatal burden) and dying prematurely (fatal burden) on a population. This report estimated the amount of burden that could have been avoided if no adult women in Australia in 2011 had been exposed to IPV during their lifetime. This "attributable burden" is reported in terms of total, non-fatal and fatal burden. This report extends results from the Australian Burden of Disease Study 2011 (ABDS 2011) to produce detailed estimates of the health burden due to exposure to IPV that are specific to Australian women in 2011. Of note, this report also includes estimates of attributable burden using a broader definition of IPV than used in the ABDS 2011, one that includes non-cohabiting partners as well as partner emotional abuse Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2016. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Horizons, Issue 06/2016: Accessed November 3, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/bod_horizons_issue_6_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Intimate Partner Violence Shelf Number: 144994

Author: Mathews, Ben Title: Scoping study for research into the prevalence of child abuse in Australia Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) is inquiring into how institutions have engaged with and responded to allegations and instances of institutional child sexual abuse. Key to this inquiry is the need to generate an understanding of the extent of child sexual abuse in Australia. Determining the prevalence of child sexual abuse, and institutional child sexual abuse in particular, provides valuable contextual information to inform the work of the Royal Commission. While thousands of people have come forward to testify in private and public sessions, it is not known whether these victims/survivors are representative of the population of victims of child abuse, how the prevalence and type of abuse has changed over the decades, or what effect past policies have had in addressing these issues. In response to this gap in the knowledge base, the Royal Commission appointed a team of researchers to scope the research design, methodology, cost and governance structure of two studies investigating the prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia, including the prevalence of institutional child sexual abuse. The first study would estimate the prevalence of child maltreatment in a representative sample of Australian adults, while the second study would estimate the prevalence among Australian young people. The Royal Commission specified research questions to guide the study's scope (definitions of abuse, institution, age group), design of the study instrument (use of existing surveys, considering the context of maltreatment and prior victimisation), study methodology (sampling, sub-populations, recruitment, ethics), analysis (sample size, sample size of sub-populations, ethics), governance and costs. In commissioning this research, the Royal Commission provided four research options for each of the two studies (see Appendix A). These can be considered on a continuum of specificity: Option 1 – to estimate the prevalence of child sexual abuse in institutional and all contexts, and to explore the nature and context of child sexual abuse. Option 2 – identical to Option 1, with the addition of estimating the prevalence of physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and exposure to family violence (but without exploring the nature and context of any of these, or health outcomes) Option 3 – identical to Option 2, with the addition of exploring the nature and context of these other forms of maltreatment, although this is limited to situations in which the additional maltreatment is accompanied by institutional sexual abuse. Option 4 – to estimate the prevalence of all five forms of child maltreatment (child sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and exposure to family violence), including their prevalence within institutional contexts, the nature and context of each form of maltreatment, and the impacts of child sexual abuse such as their effect on mental and physical health. Details: Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales Australia, 2016. 262p. Source: Internet Resource: Prepared for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse : Accessed November 3, 2016 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/b9494a15-80b0-4af4-b496-2eb7ef9929af/Scoping-study-for-research-into-prevalence-of-chil Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 145316

Author: Young, John Title: Evaluation of the Community Engagement Police Officers Trial: Final Report Summary: Under the 2009 Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement, a two year trial (ended 30 June 2013) of sworn Community Engagement Police Officers (CEPOs) in eight remote Indigenous communities was funded by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department and implemented by the Northern Territory Police. Those communities were: Ali Curung, Galiwinku, Groote Eylandt, Hermannsburg (Ntaria), Lajamanu, Maningrida, Papunya, Wadeye, and Yuendumu. The trial aimed to develop priority community safety issues, build trust, prevent crime and provide diversionary options and better justice outcomes through community policing methods. This report indicates that improvements to community safety can be achieved through police undertaking a range of community engagement activities. The activities undertaken by the CEPOs varied depending on the needs and requests of the community as well as the particular skills of the officer. A comprehensive evaluation of the trial was conducted by Colmar Brunton Social Research. The evaluation assessed the impact of the CEPOs efforts and clearly identified that CEPOs have been very successful across a number of measures with most participants feeling that CEPOs were an invaluable resource for improving community safety. The evaluation also found that CEPOs were perceived to be most successful at: making it easier for the community to get on with the police (because of their intensive community engagement activities); helping services work better together with the police (because the CEPOs provided a consistent proactive police presence); improving safe behaviour (particularly in relation to improving school attendance; and making the community feel safer. Details: Darwin City NT: Northern Territory Department of the Attorney General, 2005. 207p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2016 at: http://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/mp/files/resources/files/cepo-evaluation-final-report.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 131914

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: Adult prison population size in New South Wales: comparative forecasts Summary: Aim: To compare the accuracy of Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model and Holt-Winters additive exponential smoothing method for forecasting the size of the total NSW adult prison population. Method: NSW adult prison population data was obtained up until July 2016. A rolling origin approach was used with 20 estimation periods (of increasing length) and 20 validation periods (12-months length). ARIMA model and Holt-Winters additive method were applied to each rolling estimation period. Shorter term (e.g. 1 to 3 months) through longer term (e.g. 6 to 12 months) forecasts were made for the relevant 12-months validation period. These forecasts were compared with the actual monthly number of prisoners using mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) to assess accuracy. The average of each accuracy measure was calculated for the one-step through 12-steps lead times across the 20 estimation and validation periods. Results: For shorter forecast lead times (e.g. one-step through three-steps) the ARIMA model and Holt-Winters additive method gave similar accuracy measures for MAE, RMSE and MAPE. In each case, the accuracy of the forecasts decreased as the lead time increased. ARIMA was more accurate than Holt-Winters additive at longer lead times (e.g. six-steps through 12-steps) with smaller forecasting errors. Conclusion: The ARIMA model provided more accurate forecasts compared with the Holt-Winters additive method for longer periods such as six-months to 12-months Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 199: Accessed November 8, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Adult-prison-population-size-in-NSW-Comparative-Forecasts-cjb198.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Population Shelf Number: 146280

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Victoria's Prison Population 2005-2016 Summary: This report on Victoria’s prison population investigates statistical trends in adults held in Victorian corrective services custody between 2005 and 2016. As with the Council’s previous reports on this topic (released in 2007 and 2013), this report highlights a prison population growing at unprecedented rates, significantly outpacing general population growth. Between 30 June 2006 and 30 June 2016, Victoria’s prison population increased by 67%, from 3,908 to 6,520 prisoners. This report examines a number of aspects of the expanding prison population. First, the broad demographics of the prison population are presented in order to analyse whether overall growth is being driven by particular groups within the prison population. Second, offending in Victoria is investigated in order to determine whether changing offending patterns are influencing prison population growth. Third, the report presents sentencing data in order to explore whether increases in the prison population are a result of changing sentencing practices. Finally, the offences, charges, sentences, and time served on remand of current prisoners are examined in order to measure changes in the composition of the prison population. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Victorias_Prison_Population_2005_to_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Population Shelf Number: 141046

Author: McAuliffe, Marie Title: Global Irregular Maritime Migration: Current and Future Challenges Summary: The estimated number of international migrants has increased dramatically over the past fifty years, from estimates of around 77 million in 1960 to around 232 million in 2013. During that time the pace of movement has increased as more and more international travel links have emerged. There has been an expansion in migration pathways as access to air travel has increased resulting in much greater diversity among international travellers. The volume of cross-border movements that many countries around the world are facing is increasing and shows no signs of abating. In the US, it is estimated that up to 360 million cross-border movements occurred in 2013. In Australia, 14.5 million cross-border movements were recorded in program year 1996-97 compared to 31.6 million in 2011-12. The current estimate is that by 2020 Australia will experience 50 million movements per year across its border. Countries in Asia are also experiencing increases in movement, including labour migration to the 'tiger' economies of Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand. As access to international movement has increased, states have sought to implement a range of strategies to manage this increase in scale, pace and diversity. Immigration and border management policies and practices have rapidly evolved to meet changes in global circumstances and perceptions of risk associated with the movement of large numbers of people. Against this backdrop of increasing movement, irregular migration poses enduring challenges. Alongside increased global mobility more generally there has been, over recent years, an increase in refugees and asylum seekers globally. For example, UNHCR data indicate that in 2000 there were around 19 million displaced persons worldwide, compared to 35.8 million in 2012. There has also been a substantial trend increase in the number of displaced persons since the recent global low of 2003. The overall global population of displaced persons more than doubled between 2003 and 2012, from 14.8 to 35.8 million people. With changes in global migration occurring at a more rapid pace than perhaps ever before, it is essential to view global irregular maritime migration as part of bigger dynamic forces rather than a narrow, discrete phenomenon. Of particular relevance are the ever-increasing global migration flows, as well as the movement of asylum seekers and refugees. There are several other frames of reference that can usefully be applied when considering irregular maritime migration including the increasing securitisation of migration, the role of unregulated actors (e.g. people smugglers), human development, and the tension between state sovereignty and international obligations. These issues are discussed in this paper, and add weight to the notion that irregular maritime migration can be thought of as a 'wicked problem'—one that is complex, multi-faceted as well as dynamic and difficult to adequately conceptualise and respond to. The view that this phenomenon is a problem requiring ongoing effort to address is perhaps best underscored by the many thousands of lives lost at sea across the world as a direct result of irregular maritime migration. While it is acknowledged that there are limitations in seeking to distinguish global irregular maritime migration from other forms of irregular migration as well as from broader asylum-related migration flows, it is also important to note that it is a phenomenon with attributes that are distinguishable from irregular migration by land and air. This paper attempts to articulate the key aspects of this phenomenon. Details: Belconnen ACT : Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper Series, 07, 2014: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/research/global-irregular-maritime-migration.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Security Shelf Number: 141049

Author: Webster, Kim Title: A preventable burden: Measuring and addressing he prevalence and health impacts of intimate partner violence in Australian women: Key findings and future directions Summary: Intimate partner violence, including violence in both cohabiting and non-cohabiting relationships and emotional abuse: - is prevalent-affecting one in three women since the age of 15. One in four women have experienced violence or abuse from a cohabiting partner. If we only consider physical and sexual violence, then one in six women have experienced at least one incident of violence by a cohabiting partner; - has serious impacts for women's health-contributing to a range of negative health outcomes, including poor mental health, problems during pregnancy and birth, alcohol and illicit drug use, suicide, injuries and homicide; -contributes an estimated 5.1 percent to the disease burden in Australian women aged 18-44 years and 2.2% of the burden in women of all ages; - contributes more to the burden than any other risk factor in women aged 18-44 years, more than well known risk factors like tobacco use, high cholesterol or use of illicit drugs; is estimated to contribute five times more to the burden of disease among Indigenous than non-Indigenous women; - is estimated to make a larger contribution than any other risk factor to the gap in the burden between Indigenous and non-Indigenous women aged 18-44 years; and - has serious consequences for the development and wellbeing of children living with violence. There has been no decrease in the prevalence or health burden of intimate partner violence since both were last measured in Australia. Intimate partner violence and its health impacts are preventable. The health burden of intimate partner violence can be reduced by: - supporting women and children's long-term recovery in the aftermath of violence; - responding to violence to stop it occurring again; - intervening when there are early warning signs of violence; and - preventing violence from occurring in the first place by addressing known root causes. Because experiencing intimate partner violence increases the risk of health problems, to substantially reduce the health burden, it will be necessary to prevent new cases of violence. This will require a greater emphasis on early intervention and primary prevention to stop violence from occurring in the first place. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2016. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/28%2010%2016%20BOD%20Compass.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 146293

Author: Victoria. Commission for Children and Young People Title: Always Was, Always Will Be Koori Children: Systemic inquiry into services provided to Aboriginal children and young people in out-of-home care in Victoria Summary: The Victorian child protection system is faced with a crisis. Data indicates that there has been a 59 per cent increase in the number of Victorian Aboriginal children in out-of-home care from 2013 to 2015,5 and the numbers have grown since. This Inquiry has concluded that there are systemic failures and inadequacies that have contributed to the vast overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in the child protection and out-of-home care systems, and that there are practice deficits that have led to the degradation of Aboriginal culture for Aboriginal children who are placed in out-of-home care. Taskforce 1000 was an 18-month project, co-chaired by the Commission and DHHS, which commenced in mid-2014 and concluded in early 2016. Through collaboration with ACCOs, CSOs, government departments and the Aboriginal community, Taskforce 1000 critically reviewed the case plans and circumstances of 980 Aboriginal children in out-of-home care in Victoria. As a result of the project, immediate and positive change was achieved for many of these children. However, Taskforce 1000 demonstrated the need for reform and ongoing collaborative work to mitigate the drivers for Aboriginal children’s escalating entry to care, improve the experience for Aboriginal children who require out-of-home care and prevent the cycle of abuse for future generations by ensuring that cultural safety and enrichment are the foundation for service provision. Of grave concern to the Commission is the fact that evidence-based solutions have long been apparent to successive governments but have not been implemented. Previous landmark inquiries have demonstrated the harm that past government policies caused Aboriginal people. Despite this, action has been slow, resulting in the continued harm to our current generation of Aboriginal children. This Inquiry has found that family violence, in combination with parental alcohol and/or drug abuse, is the leading causes for Aboriginal children’s entry to care. Of the children reviewed, 88 per cent were impacted by family violence and 87 per cent were affected by a parent with alcohol or substance abuse issues. More needs to be done to equip families to overcome these issues. Aboriginal early years services are not adequately funded or resourced to meet the growing demand for assistance, and mainstream services lack the inclusion of Aboriginal people to provide culturally appropriate responses. This Inquiry found that the child protection system fails to preserve, promote and develop cultural safety and connection for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care. Deficient practices by DHHS and CSOs, including non-compliance with legislative and practice requirements for cultural planning and inadequate inclusion and engagement with Aboriginal family, programs and community in decision-making, have resulted in the dislocation from culture and family for large numbers of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care. Over 60 per cent of the children reviewed during Taskforce 1000 were placed with a non-Aboriginal carer, 41 per cent were placed away from their extended family and over 40 per cent of children with siblings were separated from their brother or sister. This Inquiry also found that almost half of the non-Aboriginal carers had not been provided with essential cultural awareness training. Support for kinship carers is seriously lacking and requires far greater resourcing, attention and effort to ensure that Aboriginal children have strong, capable and resilient carers. Details: Melbourne: Commission for Children and Young People, 2016. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://www.ccyp.vic.gov.au/downloads/always-was-always-will-be-koori-children-inquiry-report-oct16.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 141084

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people in child protection services and under youth justice supervision 2014-15 Summary: Research shows that children and young people who have been abused or neglected are at greater risk of engaging in criminal activity and entering the youth justice system. A better understanding of the characteristics and pathways of children and young people who are both in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision can assist support staff, case workers and policy makers to get the best outcomes for these children and young people. With the recent introduction of a national unit record child protection data collection, it is now possible to link child protection and youth justice supervision data to explore the relationships between child protection and youth justice supervision. This report presents information on young people aged 10–17 who were involved in the child protection system and subject to youth justice supervision at some time during 2014–15, using data from the linked child protection and youth justice supervision data collection. Results are limited to the 5 jurisdictions with both child protection and youth justice National Minimum Data Set data for 2014–15 (Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory)—a total of 30,402 young people aged 10–17. The results from the linked data collection will be enhanced in future years as data become available for more states and territories and as years of data accumulate. Linking to other health and welfare data collections would also provide additional information on multiple service use among vulnerable children and young people. Young people in the child protection system were 14 times as likely as the general population to be under youth justice supervision in the same year In 2014–15, 5.5% of those aged 10–17 who were in the child protection system were also under youth justice supervision in the same year (although not necessarily at the same time), compared with just 0.4% of the general population aged 10–17. Indigenous young people in the child protection system were more than twice as likely to be under youth justice supervision as non-Indigenous young people (10.4% compared with 4.3%). The level of dual involvement was 8.0% for those under care and protection orders, 6.3% for those in out-of-home care and 4.1% for those who were the subject of an investigated notification. Young people under youth justice supervision were 15 times as likely as the general population to be in the child protection system in the same year In 2014–15, 32.4% of those under youth justice supervision were also in the child protection system. Two (2) in 5 (40.8%) of those in detention were involved in the child protection system in the same year, which is 19 times the rate for the general population. The level of child protection involvement for those under community-based supervision in 2014–15 was also high: with about one-third (32.1%) also in the child protection system. The younger someone was at their first youth justice supervision, the more likely they were to also be in child protection in 2014–15: of those under youth justice supervision in 2014–15, 3 in 5 (60.0%) of those aged 10 at their first youth justice supervision were also in child protection in 2014–15, compared with 9.4% of those aged 17. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Data Linkage Series NO. 22: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/aihw_20323_oct_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Services Shelf Number: 146665

Author: Cozens, Paul Title: The Relevance and Importance of Designing Out Crime to Design Schools and Design Companies in Australia Summary: The Office of Crime Prevention (OCP) of Western Australia (WA) has developed the State Community Safety and Crime Prevention Strategy: Preventing Crime (OCP, 2004). Within this overall crime prevention framework is located the State’s Designing Out Crime Strategy (OCP, 2007). A significant component of the State’s Designing Out Crime Strategy is to apply Designing Out Crime approaches to product design for crime reduction (see Goal 5 below). The State’s Designing Out Crime Strategy (OCP, 2007) provides a plan of action to achieve five goals; 1. To embed Designing Out Crime within local and state planning polices both make a commitment to reduce crime through the use of product design and technology; 2. To manage the built and landscaped environment to reduce crime; 3. To increase understanding of Designing Out Crime; 4. To apply Designing Out Crime in a multi-agency approach, and; 5. To use product design and technology to reduce crime. Specifically, the aim of Goal 5 is; To establish policy frameworks to ensure that product designers eliminate the ‘crime potential’ of their products to reduce opportunities for crime. The State’s Community Safety and Crime Prevention Strategy (OCP, 2004) and the Designing Out Crime Strategy (OCP, 2007) both make a commitment to reduce crime through the use of product design and technology. However, very little has been known prior to this research about the use of Designing Out Crime strategies in product design practice in industrial and commercial settings and in the education of product designers. 1.1 Objectives This research was an enquiry into ‘the state of play’ concerning the knowledge and use of product design in Australia to reduce crime via Designing Out Crime approaches. The objectives of the research were to: · evaluate current knowledge and awareness of Designing Out Crime ideas in the product design arena in Australian product design companies and design schools to establish background information on which future work could be based, and; · organise a national design competition in which participants designed products to reduce crime using Designing Out Crime principles to gain understanding of the cutting edge of Designing Out Crime activity, and to promote Designing Out Crime and the work of the WA Office of Crime Prevention in reducing crime via product design. 1.2 Research approach The research involved four stages: 1. A literature review involving the collection and analysis of published information about the status of Designing Out Crime policies, projects and programs in Australia and the UK. This provides a resource and basis for comparative assessment of DOC understanding and skills in Australia using the UK as a reference. 2. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to design companies identified by their web presence, the Yellow Pages and the Design Institute of Australia. The survey was also distributed to University design schools across Australia. The questionnaire was used to investigate the level of awareness, practice and enthusiasm for DOC in Australia. 3. A brief analysis of products vulnerable to theft and vandalism. 4. A design competition (the Design Out Crime Awards’08) and website (www.docawards.org) were created to gather some examples of the current ‘state of play’ in DOC, to manage the entry process and to promote Designing Out Crime approaches across Australia. The research adds to the body of knowledge by investigating whether Designing Out Crime is known, understood, practiced and taught to any meaningful extent in Australia. The findings are significant because they provide the Office of Crime Prevention with an overview of the current state of play to guide crime prevention strategies, policy and practice and future research. They help target the best opportunities for funding research to reduce crime, for example, for reducing the opportunities for crime for specific products. Details: Perth: Government of Western Australia, Office of Crime Prevention, 2009. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://designoutcrime.org/publications/DOC-Product%20DesignReport.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia Keywords: CPTED Shelf Number: 141095

Author: Northern Territory. Children's Commissioner Title: Own Initiative Investigation Report Services Provided by the Department of Correctional Services at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre Summary: JURISDICTION This investigation was conducted in accordance with Section 10(1)(a)(ii) of the Children's Commissioner Act 2013 (the Act) which allows the Commissioner, on his own initiative, to investigate a matter which may form the grounds for a complaint. The grounds for a complaint are defined under Section 21(1)(a)&(b) of the Act which states that the Children's Commissioner can investigate complaints relating to services provided or that might reasonably be expected to be provided, for vulnerable children. . The services investigated must be provided by either 'a public authority', or another person, or body acting for or under an arrangement with a public authority that has taken or is taking action in relation to the child as a vulnerable child. FORMALITIES There are a number of relevant legislative regimes that apply to the young persons referred to in this report. For the sake of convenience, and despite the terminology differing in each piece of legislation, including 'youth' , 'child' , 'vulnerable child' and 'youth detainee' or ' youth prisoner' , this report will use the phrase young person. BACKGROUND TO INVESTIGATION The decision to conduct this self-initiated investigation was made by the former Children’s Commissioner, Dr Howard Bath, and was based on events that occurred at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre ('Don Dale') in the Behaviour Management Unit ('BMU') between 4 and 21 August 2014. On 12 August 2014, concerns were raised by a professional stakeholder on behalf of five young persons who were in detention. The complaint related to the alleged indefinite nature of the confinement in the BMU, and the unhygienic living conditions of the environment. It was the complainant's opinion that the conditions were 'inhumane' as young persons were being held in solitary confinement in cramped and darkened cells, for up to 23 hours a day. There were also concerns about the long term impact this could have on the five young persons' psychological and physical well-being. Details: Darwin: The Commissioner, 2015. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2016 at: http://www.childrenscommissioner.nt.gov.au/publications/Childrens%20Commissioner%20DDYDC%20-%20Report%20to%20Minister%20170915.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Detention Centers Shelf Number: 147318

Author: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Title: Illicit firearms in Australia Summary: The use and movement of illicit firearms by criminals is a serious national problem. It impacts every Australian jurisdiction and affects the safety of our community. Criminals continue to acquire and use firearms to enable their criminal business, whether it is to protect their interests, intimidate or to commit acts of violence. Technological advancements have seen individuals and organised crime increasingly able to purchase illegal firearms and components anonymously facilitated through the use of darknets, encrypted communications and digital currencies. Illegal virtual marketplaces have made firearms more widely available and increasingly allow anonymous procurement of firearms by criminal entities. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission continues to conservatively estimate that there are more than 260,000 firearms in the illicit firearms market. This estimate is based on intelligence and information from several sources. Contemporary methods of diversion include theft, illicit assembly and manufacture, and illegal importation. Firearms enable organised crime groups to be more lethal in their activities. It only takes one firearm in the hands of a person with malicious intent to be of great concern to the community. Illicit firearms put us all at risk. Any efforts, including both local and national firearm amnesties that reduce the number of and access to illegal or unregistered firearms in the community are a positive step forward. Details: Canberra: The Commission, 2016. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 11, 2016 at: https://www.acic.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1491/f/2016/10/illicit_firearms_in_australia_0.pdf?v=1477016769 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Gun-Related Violence Shelf Number: 141104

Author: Le, Vy Kim Thi Title: Understanding the operational structure of Southeast Asian drug trafficking groups in Australia Summary: This thesis examined the operational structure of Southeast Asian drug trafficking groups operating on the eastern seaboard of Australia by testing the validity and application of organised crime and drug trafficking typologies using data obtained from 159 drug trafficking cases in three Australian states: New South Wales; Queensland; and Victoria. Key findings indicated that the usefulness of typologies is limited when classifying and analysing organised crime groups. In particular, Southeast Asian drug trafficking groups operated largely in small, informal, family-based hierarchies or groups that were better conceptualised using theoretical perspectives from network and cultural studies. The study recommended that replicating previous empirical research in the field is an effective approach that will contribute towards building a cumulative body of knowledge on organised crime structures Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 11, 2016 at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/60670/ Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Networks Shelf Number: 130145

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Vulnerable Victims: Homicide of Older People Summary: This Research and Issues Paper reviews published literature about suspected homicide of older people, to assist in the investigation of these crimes by Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) or police investigators. The paper includes information about victim vulnerabilities, nature of the offences, characteristics and motives of offenders, and investigative and prosecutorial challenges. Although police and CMC investigators are the paper's primary audience, it will also be a useful reference for professionals such as clinicians, ambulance officers or aged care professionals who may encounter older people at risk of becoming homicide victims. Details: Brisbane: The Commission, 2013. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and Issues no. 22: Accessed November 12, 2016 at: www.ccc.qld.gov.au Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Elderly Victims Shelf Number: 131147

Author: Queensland. Crime and Misconduct Commission Title: Multiple and prolonged Taser deployments Summary: The Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) has been conducting research into Taser use by the QPS since Tasers were first trialled in Queensland in 2007. Our research has shown that a substantial proportion of Taser deployments involve a multiple or prolonged cycle. At present, very little is known about multiple or prolonged Taser deployments. It is important that we improve our knowledge of these types of deployments for two reasons. First, research suggests that multiple and prolonged Taser deployments may be associated with an increased risk of harm and even death. It is important that we know more about these types of deployments in an effort to balance the risk of harm to the subject person with the risk of harm to the police or others. Second, QPS policy and public expectation dictate that police use the minimum amount of force to resolve a situation. When police use a Taser, and particularly when they deploy the Taser for a multiple or prolonged cycle, they are using the upper limits of their use of force options. Although the proportion of Taser deployments that involve a multiple or prolonged cycle has decreased over time, our 2012 paper showed that these types of deployments constitute about 30 per cent of all Taser deployments. It is within this context that the CMC sought to develop a more comprehensive understanding of multiple and prolonged deployments, to ensure that they are justified according to policy and are being used in the appropriate types of situations. Scope of this review This review examined incidents involving a multiple or prolonged Taser deployment to better understand why they occur, whether they are appropriate and justified according to policy, and whether they are a good use of force option. Details: Brisbane: The Commission, 2013. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2016 at: www.ccc.qld.gov.au Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Electronic Control Weapons Shelf Number: 131148

Author: Queensland Corrective Services Title: The Individual, Social and Environmental Factors related to Staff Assaults Summary: This report examines the individual, social and environmental factors that are associated with assaults perpetrated against custodial staff. The analyses are based on all staff assault incidents (including serious assaults and other assaults) that occurred between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2012 and align with the Report on Government Services (RoGS) coding rules. Details: Brisbane: Corrective Services, 2012. 17p. Source: Available from the Rutgers Criminal Justice Library. Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Officers Shelf Number: 130118

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Operation Ross: An investigation into police conduct in the Ballarat Police Service Area Summary: n March 2015 IBAC received closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from Victoria Police showing the alleged mistreatment of a woman in custody in the cells of the Ballarat Police Station in January 2015. IBAC subsequently commenced an own motion investigation named Operation Ross. The investigation expanded to examine: incidents involving alleged excessive use of force against other people at the Ballarat Police Station Victoria Police data which indicated the complaint profile of Ballarat Police Station was a cause for concern (including the over-representation of sergeants in complaints) the response of senior police managers at the divisional level, as well as Professional Standards Command (PSC), to that concern. Front line policing can be extraordinarily challenging. Operational police officers regularly deal with potentially volatile people and situations, frequently exacerbated by drugs, alcohol, and/or mental illness. Notwithstanding such challenges, Operation Ross exposed the casual disregard and at times mistreatment of a vulnerable woman in police custody. The other cases examined by IBAC also showed excessive force used against three women in the public foyer of the Ballarat Police Station. All incidents were captured on CCTV; interestingly the presence of CCTV cameras did not appear to deter some officers from questionable conduct. The investigation also highlighted shortcomings in a number of Victoria Police policies and practices including in relation to probity around promotions, interventions when an officer has multiple complaints, and compliance with strip search policy. As a result of Operation Ross, IBAC recommended Victoria Police consider whether or not charges should be brought for common assault (or other equivalent charges) in relation to the first case study concerning person A. A number of other recommendations have been made which relate to improving Victoria Police policies and practices which were identified as deficient. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2016. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/operation-ross-special-report-november-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 141153

Author: Sutherland, Paul Title: Patterns of recorded offending behaviour amongst young Victorian offenders Summary: Previous research has identified that groups of young offenders follow diverse offending trajectories over their early offending careers. This paper uses a statistical technique, the semi-parametric group-based method, to identify the latent offending trajectories of a cohort of Victorian offenders born over a two year period between April 1996 and March 1998, across the first eight years of their offending as recorded by Victoria Police. The analysis identified four trajectory groups: ‘low’, ‘adolescent limited’, ‘late developing’ and ‘high’, with the vast majority of offenders falling into the low group. Risk factors for inclusion in one of the three higher rate trajectory groups included being male, identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and living in one of the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas at the commencement of their offending record. Additional research is required to identify whether there are particular life events or characteristics that trigger escalation or desistance from offending across the groups identified. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: In brief No. 6: Accessed November 15, 2016 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2016/09/a6/b8c111e6e/20160915_in%20brief6FINAL.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 141166

Author: Poynton, Suzanne Title: Breach rate of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders in NSW Summary: Aim: To estimate the proportion of ADVOs breached and identify factors associated with a breach of a final order. Method: Details of all ADVOs granted between 1 July 2013 and 30 June 2014 (inclusive) were extracted from the NSW COPS database and linked to breach ADVO incidents occurring after 1 July 2013 and before 30 June 2015 using defendant and victim identifying information. Breaches were assigned to a particular order if they occurred after the order issue date and before the order expiry date or before a higher ADVO order was issued. Multivariate analysis was undertaken to examine factors independently associated with the time to first breach of a final ADVO. Results: Overall 23,240 provisional orders, 18,045 interim orders and 24,458 final orders were issued during the observation period. The breach rate was much higher for final orders (20%), which are longer in duration, than for provisional (5%) or interim (9%) orders. When breaches occurred, most often only one incident per order was recorded (88% of provisional order breaches, 73% of interim order breaches and 64% of final order breaches). Of all ADVOs which did record a breach, 34% were breached within one month of being granted, 23% within 1-3 months and 18% within 3-6 months. Male, Indigenous and younger POIs breached their final order sooner than other defendants. Final orders protecting just one victim, non-Indigenous victims or victims aged less than 20 took longer to be breached. Conclusion: Only a minority proportion of ADVOs record a breach whilst the order is in effect. Where a breach does occur it most often happens soon after the order is issued and involves a single incident. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 119: Accessed November 16, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-Breach-rate-of-Apprehended-Domestic-Violence-Orders-in-NSW-BB119.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Orders Shelf Number: 147315

Author: Millsteed, Melanie Title: Predictors of recidivism amongst police recorded family violence perpetrators Summary: Prior research has identified that a number of factors are associated with an increased risk of recidivism amongst perpetrators of domestic violence and that the risk assessment tools currently available have limited statistical capacity to accurately predict recidivism. In Victoria, police complete a risk assessment form (the L17 form) for each family incident reported to them. This study sought to analyse the relationship between repeat family incidents, and factors that may predict such incidents including alleged perpetrator characteristics and L17 risk factors recorded by police. Logistic regression modelling identified statistical relationships between some, but not all, of the alleged perpetrator characteristics and risk factors recorded, and the perpetration of further family incidents. Opportunities for further research are identified, including piloting and evaluation of any new or revised risk assessment tools developed in Victoria. Details: Melbourne, AUS: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2016. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief, no. 4: Accessed November 21, 2016 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2016/06/96/97f49b66e/20160530_final_in_brief4.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 147852

Author: New South Wales Ombudsman Title: Restricted Premises Act: Review of police use of firearms search powers and new offence provisions Summary: Since the Second World War police could apply to a court, under the Disorderly Houses Act 1943, for a declaration over particular premises to curtail certain unlawful and undesirable activities. These included the unlawful supply of drugs or alcohol, and people of criminal repute frequenting the premises. Once a declaration was made, police could search the declared premises without a further warrant from a judicial officer to look for alcohol, drugs and related items. The owners and occupiers of declared premises were liable to criminal prosecution if they failed to stop the proscribed activities from continuing. The Disorderly Houses Act was renamed the Restricted Premises Act 1943 in 2002. Since 2009, the NSW Police Force has used the powers conferred by this Act to target the clubhouses of suspected outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs). On 1 November 2013, amendments to the Restricted Premises Act commenced, adding new features to the existing scheme as part of reforms intended to make it easier for police to obtain a declaration over premises routinely being used by serious criminals, and to combat firearms-related crime. The amendments authorised police to search for weapons and explosives (including firearms) as well as drugs and alcohol. A new category of ‘reputed criminal declaration’ and new offences for owners and occupiers of declared premises were also created. The NSW Ombudsman was given the role of keeping under scrutiny the additional police search powers and monitoring the operation of the new offence provisions, during the first two years of operation. No declaration was made over any premises during the review period. Although police applied for a declaration in relation to one suspected OMCG clubhouse, this application was withdrawn when the owner stopped using the premises as a clubhouse and leased them to a legitimate business. As a result, police did not use the search powers to find weapons or explosives, and no charges were laid for the new offences. Concerns were raised both in the parliamentary debates about the amendments, and in submissions to this review, about the potential operation of the new search powers and offence provisions. I have recommended a further independent review of these search powers and offence provisions be conducted should a reputed criminal declaration be made in the future. Prior to applying for a declaration, police can apply for a warrant to search premises where they suspect proscribed activities are taking place. The 2013 amendments expanded the items that could be searched for under such a warrant to include weapons and explosives. During the review period, police executed seven of these kinds of warrants. This was an extension of an existing policing strategy that has used the search powers under the Restricted Premises Act, alongside other disruption activities, such as the giving of consorting warnings, to disrupt activities at suspected OMCG clubhouses. During these seven searches police stripped the premises, seizing almost all of their contents, including not only drugs, alcohol, weapons and explosives, but also items such as furniture, sound systems and OMCG paraphernalia. These actions appeared to have successfully led to the closing down of most of those bikie clubhouses, as the occupants stopped using the premises following most of the searches. However, I have some concerns about the legal basis for the seizure of some of those items and recommend that the NSW Police Force seek advice to clarify the scope of their seizure powers. Our review also identified an urgent need to clarify the powers of police to manage the people present on premises when they arrive to conduct a search. Police encountered a number of people when arriving to search 3 of the 7 premises, with 62 people present at one set of premises, 22 at another and 6 at the third. On each occasion, prior to commencing the premises search, police detained and searched every person, obtained their identification, took their photograph and directed them to leave. Our legal advice indicates that police do not currently have a firm legal basis, of general application, under the Restricted Premises Act to take the actions described. In my view, the Act should be amended to give police adequate powers to manage the risks associated with potentially dangerous operations and to ensure the safety of people and officers present at searches. The recommendations I have made should provide police with certainty about the scope of their powers, ensure that people on premises are managed in a reasonable manner, and ensure there is clearer and more effective accountability for police actions. From our review, it does not appear that the expansion of powers to enable police to search under the Restricted Premises Act for weapons and explosives has enhanced police's ability to disrupt OMCGs or detect unlawful firearms. A future review of the provisions may be better placed to evaluate the efficacy of the amendments, particularly following any declaration under the Act. Whether or not a declaration is sought in the future, the adoption of the recommendations in this report will facilitate reasonable and effective use of the Restricted Premises Act scheme and thereby assist public confidence in police being maintained. Details: Sydney: NSW Ombudsman, 2016. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2016 at: https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/38904/NSW-Ombudsman-Restricted-Premises-Report-web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Shelf Number: 140234

Author: Australia. Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Title: Domestic Violence and Gender Inequality Summary: Referral 1.1 On 25 November 2015 the Senate referred the following matters to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee (the committee) for inquiry and report by 24 August 2016: (a) the role of gender inequality in all spheres of life in contributing to the prevalence of domestic violence; (b) the role of gender stereotypes in contributing to cultural conditions which support domestic violence, including, but not limited to, messages conveyed to children and young people in: (i) the marketing of toys and other products, (ii) education, and (iii) entertainment; (c) the role of government initiatives at every level in addressing the underlying causes of domestic violence, including the commitments under, or related to, the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children; and (d) any other related matters.1 1.2 The inquiry was not completed when the Senate and the House of Representatives were dissolved on 9 May 2016 for a general election on 2 July 2016. When Parliament resumed, the committee recommended to the Senate that the inquiry be re-referred in the 45th Parliament with a reporting date of 24 November 2016. This recommendation was agreed by the Senate.2 The committee has decided to report early. Previous committee inquiry 1.3 During the 44th Parliament, from June 2014, the committee undertook a comprehensive inquiry into domestic violence, reporting on 20 August 2015. The committee does not intend to replicate that inquiry but to focus on the issue of gender inequality as per the terms of reference. The committee's previous report is available from the committee website. Conduct of the inquiry 1.4 The committee advertised the inquiry on its website. In addition, the committee invited submissions from individuals, organisations and government departments by 31 March 2016, although the committee accepted submissions after this date. 1.5 The committee received 76 public submissions. A list of individuals and organisations which made public submissions, together with other information authorised for publication by the committee, is at Appendix 1. 1.6 Submissions may be accessed through the committee website at: www.aph.gov.au/senate_fpa. Acknowledgements 1.7 The committee thanks those individuals and organisations who made submissions, The terms of reference for this present inquiry focus on specific aspects of that discussion. This committee has been asked in particular to inquire into and report on: (a) the role of gender inequality in all spheres of life in contributing to the prevalence of domestic violence Details: Canberra: The Senate Committee, 2016. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 22, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/dv_and_gender_inequilty_report_nov_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 147906

Author: Llewellyn Gwynnyth Title: Disability and Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Context Summary: Children and young people with disability are often absent in discussions about child sexual abuse as people with disability are left out of discussions about violence, abuse and neglect. This is due in part to individuals with disability being excluded from society, hidden away in institutions or in family homes. Community attitudes contribute to and are informed by the fact that people with disability, including children, are often seen in segregated, special and demeaning settings. This situation is changing slowly. People with disability are taking their rightful place as citizens actively contributing to and increasingly benefiting from all that our society has to offer. Segregation and exclusion in closed institutional contexts away from public scrutiny leaves children (and adults) with disability at heightened risk of violence and harm including sexual abuse. Further, when children with disability are stereotyped as dependent and passive and unable to 'speak up', they are at heightened vulnerability to being segregated, abused, overlooked and not heard. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recognised early on the likely particular vulnerabilities of children with disability and the institutional contexts which they encounter. This commissioned discussion paper set out to provide a reasoned analysis of the historical, social and policy context surrounding children with disability and to examine the evidence about prevalence and prevention of sexual abuse of children with disability in institutional contexts. To achieve this aim we proceeded iteratively and conceptually, drawing on our expertise and cumulative experience of over 60 years in disability, child and family studies, and care and protection. We used reports, submissions, position papers and scientific literature in Australia to analyse past approaches to children with disability and the present context of the changing nature of disability services in Australia. While the paper draws from materials that are relevant to Australia as a whole, some documents from New South Wales are used to illustrate specific points. Just as children and young people with disability are rarely present in discussions about sexual abuse, they are also remarkably absent from Australian literature on this subject. This is a major failing: we do not know the extent of sexual abuse of Australian children with disability. We therefore turned to international literature to identify prevalence figures and to examine the interactions between impairment and environment and their potential influence on the risk of sexual abuse. We found that internationally there is no clearly developed evidence base for the prevalence and risk of sexual abuse of children with disability. We provide an analysis and critique of international prevalence and risk figures and the application of these in the Australian context. Quality of care and safeguarding processes form the basis of the disability reform agenda in Australia and also of the incoming market approach to specialist support and service delivery, which relies on mainstreaming, and building inclusive and accessible communities. This has led to debate on possible fail-safe governance mechanisms and prevention strategies, although with remarkably less focus on children and young people with disability. There is an absence of empirical data in Australia on strategies to prevent sexual abuse of children with disability in institutional contexts. Again, we turned to the international literature to source information on relevant key factors. We approached this from a public health perspective that recognises the need to implement both population-based and targeted interventions. In this discussion paper we argue the need to put aside the community perception that disability is embedded within the child. This is not the official understanding of disability in Australia. Instead, disability is understood as arising from interactions between individuals with impairment and the various barriers that may hinder (their) full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. This understanding comes from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). We adhere to the key frameworks of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). These international covenants require that children with disability are considered as children first, with disability considered as only one feature and not the defining feature of their everyday lives. We also present an analysis and critique of the available literature on prevention of sexual abuse, noting the pitfalls in assuming a ‘special group’ approach to children with disability or a broad-brush approach to diversity. The human rights perspective is embedded within Australian legislation and policy directives in disability. It provides an excellent foundation to ensure that children with disability and their rights are more visible and to give them the same priority as other children. This is essential to ensure children with disability are safe in institutional contexts in the future. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2016. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2016 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/0f4f0eb9-2a04-4f5b-967d-6e658a5db53c/Disability-and-child-sexual-abuse-in-institutional Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 147909

Author: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. General Purpose Standing Committee Title: Elder Abuse in New South Wales Summary: It is clear to the committee that the time has come for the NSW Government to embrace a comprehensive, coordinated and ambitious approach to preventing and addressing elder abuse, captured in the eleven recommendations set out in this report. This comprehensive approach must engage the entire community with a clear focus on prevention, and must include key legislative reforms. It must be informed by a human rights framework affirming older people’s autonomy and self determination, and boost training for service providers to identify and respond to abuse. It must include an enhanced role for the NSW Elder Abuse Helpline and Resource Unit, and embrace an active commitment to developing the evidence base, in order to furnish better policy and service responses into the future. The committee appreciates that building this approach will necessarily take time and careful planning. Given the evidence that elder abuse is a significant and growing problem, the government must make elder abuse an immediate focus for action, so that the ambitious approach that we envisage is fully functioning by 2020. In respect of prevention, the committee acknowledges the important work that the government is already implementing via the NSW Ageing Strategy, the NSW Elder Abuse Helpline and Resource Unit, the NSW Carers Strategy, and later life planning. Nevertheless, it is self evident that a great deal more needs to be done to prevent the complex problem of elder abuse. The committee thus recommends that the NSW Government make a significant new investment in the prevention of elder abuse by preparing and funding a framework that provides for substantially enhanced primary prevention, community education and awareness, community engagement, carer support and later life planning initiatives. This prevention framework must provide specific resources targeting culturally and linguistically diverse communities and Aboriginal communities, and engage with Multicultural NSW and Aboriginal Affairs NSW. Turning to current service provision, the committee underscores that leadership by government officers in various agencies will be critical to the sustained effort required to build a new approach to elder abuse in New South Wales. We expect that the steering committee overseeing the government’s strategies will meet at least quarterly in order to enhance accountability and drive the implementation of government policy. It is timely that the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) will soon commence its review of the NSW Interagency policy for preventing and responding to abuse of older people. The review should give due consideration to the content improvements proposed by stakeholders documented in our report and indeed the many detailed submissions to our inquiry; FACS should also conduct further consultation on potential improvements. Furthermore, it will be critical to the success of the revised interagency policy for FACS to develop a strong publicity and dissemination strategy. Ultimately, FACS must ensure that service providers actually utilise the document, develop their own policies and exercise their responsibilities under the policy. The committee congratulates the Elder Abuse Helpline and Resource Unit for the important work that it is doing with older people, family members and service providers on a modest budget, and we also congratulate the NSW Government for establishing the Unit. Like others, we consider both the Helpline and the Resource Unit as essential components of the elder abuse system in New South Wales. At the same time, it is clear to the committee that there is a significant need for greater provision of training to service providers to enable them to identify abuse and respond to it effectively. We note the recent provisions for additional training, but given the number of relevant service providers across the state, and the particular need to educate health professionals highlighted by several inquiry participants, the committee recommends that FACS and the NSW Ministry of Health together develop and resource a comprehensive plan for service provider training over the next four years. The committee also considers that the role of the Elder Abuse Helpline and Resource Unit should be expanded to include some provision for case management and coordination, owing to the inherent complexity of victims’ needs, and the multiple interventions that many require, as well as the demands that reporting abuse can place on an individual and their family. In addition, as the government’s comprehensive approach to elder abuse enables the community to better recognise abuse, it may be that there is an emerging need for the Helpline to operate beyond its current hours. The government should duly consider this possibility in the future, and ensure that in all aspects of the Unit’s work there is adequate provision for culturally and linguistically diverse and Aboriginal clients. Financial abuse emerged during the inquiry as a substantial problem demanding urgent action on the part of government. We are especially troubled by claims that the law as its stands provides insufficient safeguards against financial abuse, that it does not treat many forms of financial abuse as criminal, and indeed, that the law itself is significant enabler of abuse, especially the current law in respect of enduring powers of attorney. We share the view of many inquiry participants that offences and penalties should be introduced for misuse of enduring powers of attorney. In addition, it is extraordinary that an older person (a principal) has very limited ability to seek from the person or organisation they have appointed to manage their financial affairs (an attorney) any money that the attorney has stolen. As a matter of justice, there should be a straightforward process for an errant attorney to be ordered to pay compensation to the principal. Similarly, we see much merit in the view that attorneys must be subject to greater accountability and oversight. We agree that these deficits would be well addressed by the NSW Government amending powers of attorney legislation in line with the changes recently legislated under Victoria’s Powers of Attorney Act 2014, which itself was modelled on Queensland legislation. The committee considers that by adopting the Victorian model, New South Wales will significantly enhance protections at the very earliest stage – when enduring powers of attorney are being made – with the effect that attorneys would be much less likely to act inappropriately, and if they did, would be unable to claim that they were not aware of their responsibilities. In addition, restitution of assets will be made much more straightforward (and indeed likely) by enabling the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to order an attorney who has misused their powers and caused loss to a principal to pay compensation to the principal or their estate. The provisions would also place a greater onus on legal practitioners to fulfil their own obligations when making an enduring power of attorney. Furthermore, by utilising the Victorian model, New South Wales will not only adopt a highly regarded set of provisions, but in so doing, would achieve uniformity along the east coast in an area of legislation where such uniformity is highly desirable. Like numerous participants, we consider that these amendments are urgently required in New South Wales. We further agree with stakeholders that people who take on the attorney role need to be better educated about their responsibilities. The Victorian provisions will address this to some extent, but more thought needs to be given to the best means by which it can be achieved. Details: Sydney: The Legislative Council, 2016. 206p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 5, 2016 at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/DBAssets/InquiryReport/ReportAcrobat/6063/Report%2044%20-%20Elder%20abuse%20in%20New%20South%20Wales.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse Shelf Number: 140278

Author: Leslie, Ellen Title: Alcohol use and motivations for drinking among types of young adult illicit stimulant uers Summary: Drinking among young adult users of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) during episodes of ecstasy and methamphetamine use is reported to have a number of possible functions, such as mitigating the unwanted effects of the drugs, enhancing intoxication and pleasure, and increasing drinking capacity. While there is evidence to suggest a high prevalence of risky drinking among users of ATS in Australia, little is known about how they combine their use of ATS with the consumption of alcohol or why they do so. This paper considers how ATS users consume alcohol during ecstasy and methamphetamine use, and also addresses alcohol abuse and dependence among low-risk and at-risk ATS users. At-risk users are more likely to have experienced alcohol abuse and dependence during adolescence or early adulthood, suggesting that higher-risk use of ATS may be linked with problematic drinking patterns. The paper suggests that problematic behaviour relating to alcohol and ATS use is interlinked, and may be important in developing appropriate policy responses. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 515: Accessed December 5, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi515.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 140281

Author: Alazab, Mamoun Title: Spam and criminal activity Summary: The rapid growth of the internet is transforming how we engage and communicate. It also creates new opportunities for fraud and data theft. One way cybercriminals exploit the vulnerabilities of new technologies and potential victims is the use of deceptive emails on a massive scale. In a sample of more than 13 million emails identified as spam, more than 100,000 contained malicious attachments; nearly 1.4 million contained malicious web links. If opened, these attachments and links could infect the recipients' devices with software that allows cybercriminals to remotely access them. This paper describes how crime groups increasingly adopt novel approaches to cybercrime. Increased law enforcement capacity, the cultivation of high-level coordination between industry, government and police, and the further development of machine learning techniques should be at the forefront of government initiatives in this area. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 526: Accessed December 5, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi526.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 147867

Author: Smith, Marcus Title: Procedural impediments to effective unexplained wealth legislation in Australia Summary: Australia’s unexplained wealth laws form part of a range of measures introduced in response to growing concern about the prevalence and impact of organised crime. The confiscation of criminal assets, including through the use of unexplained wealth legislation, seeks to undermine the business model of organised crime by removing its financial return, punishing offenders, compensating society, preventing the improper use of assets and deterring participation in crime (Bartels 2010a). The Australian Crime Commission has conservatively estimated that serious and organised crime cost Australia $36b in 2013–14 (ACC 2015). According to published national statistics, the total value of assets confiscated in Australian jurisdictions between 1995–96 and 2013–14 was approximately $800m, averaging around $44m annually. The discrepancy between these two amounts clearly shows more needs to be done to target the profits of organised crime. This paper reviews Australia’s current approaches to confiscating unexplained wealth and aims to identify any barriers to their implementation, to inform effective procedural reforms to the laws and better target the proceeds of crime of Australia’s most serious criminals. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 523: Accessed December 5, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi523.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeitures Shelf Number: 140298

Author: Fuller, Georgina Title: The nature of risk during interactions between the police and intoxicated offenders Summary: How best to respond to and manage intoxicated offenders is a concern shared by policing agencies across Australia. Intoxicated offenders present additional behavioural and health risks during their interaction with police. These risks may result in harm to the officers, the offender or the community. This research examined how intoxication influences the nature and magnitude of the risk associated with police officer/offender interactions. Using data from the National Deaths in Custody Program, a qualitative sample of 41 cases were analysed. These cases involved offenders who died in police custody and who, according to autopsy results, had alcohol or drugs in their system at the time of death. Results showed that, while intoxication influences an offender's behaviour and health, the overall level of risk during the interaction was determined by the interplay between these two elements and the police response. This interplay between intoxicated behaviours, health risks and police responses should be considered in the development of policies and practices to minimise harm. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 525: Accessed December 5, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi525.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 147883

Author: Miller, Peter Title: Drug and Alcohol Intoxication and Subsequent Harm in night-time Entertainment Districts (DASHED) Summary: The harm associated with consuming alcohol, particularly among young people, is of growing concern within the Australian community. It presents a major challenge to all levels of government. In 2004–05, alcohol use was estimated to cost the community approximately $15.3 billion through crime, violence, and treatment costs (Collins & Lapsley 2008), increasing to an estimated $36 billion by 2010 (Laslett et al. 2010). Developing policies that attempt to influence drinking behaviour is notoriously difficult, largely because consuming alcohol is both widely accepted as a significant part of Australian culture and at the same time responsible for a range of social and health related problems. Australia has a well-established drinking culture of ‘drinking to get drunk’. Consuming alcohol, frequently at excessive and harmful levels, is associated with many forms of entertainment and participation in social events (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy 2006). Strong evidence shows the range of individual and social harms associated with alcohol misuse. In 2013, 22 percent of Australians were victims of alcohol-related verbal abuse, 13 percent were put in fear, and 8.7 percent of Australians aged 14 years or older had been physically abused by someone under the influence of alcohol (AIHW 2014). The rates of physical and verbal abuse by a person affected by alcohol are more than twice the rate for other drug types (Nicholas 2006). Alcohol-related crime and disorder can have a significant adverse impact on the perceptions of safety among the broader community. This concern and perception extends well beyond those who have been directly involved in an incident of alcohol-related antisocial behaviour or harm (Nicholas 2006). The National Alcohol Strategy 2006–2011 reflects a greater recognition of the acute and chronic problems associated with alcohol and intoxication (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy 2006). This strategy shows a significant shift in emphasis in defining and prioritising alcohol-related problems, with an increased focus on those associated with intoxication, particularly within the public domain (Nicholas 2008). The four main aims of the strategy are to: • reduce the incidence of intoxication among drinkers; • enhance public safety and amenity at times and in places where alcohol is served; • improve health outcomes among all individuals and communities affected by alcohol consumption; and • facilitate safer and healthier drinking cultures by developing community understanding about the special properties of alcohol and through regulating its availability (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy 2006). Three of the four aims clearly relate to operating and managing licensed premises and entertainment precincts, and the need to develop a safe drinking culture. Australian policy directed towards reducing the incidence of alcohol-related victimisation has been primarily concerned with regulatory responses that target licensed premises and liquor outlets. Restricting closing times has been a recent focus (Kypri et al. 2011; Loxley et al. 2005). Licensed premises are a high-risk setting for alcohol-related violence, with a large proportion of assaults occurring in or near to hotels and nightclubs. Both patrons and staff of licensed premises are at a heightened risk of becoming involved in a violent incident compared with other locations (Graham & Homel 2008; Menéndez et al. 2015). Research demonstrates a strong correlation between liquor outlet density and the incidence of multiple forms of social disruption, including assault, injury and drink-driving (Chikritzhs et al. 2008). Research has also shown that in any given area, a relatively small number of outlets can be responsible for a disproportionate number of incidents of alcohol-related harm (Briscoe & Donnelly 2001a, 2001b). The relationship between alcohol and violence, like many other complex social phenomena, is not simple or straightforward. Research suggests that the association between alcohol and aggression stems from a complex interaction of variables, including: • pharmacological effects of alcohol on the cognitive, affective and behavioural functioning of the drinker which can lead to increased risk-taking, disinhibition, ‘liquid courage’, a distorted interpretation of events, and an inability to resolve incidents verbally; • effects of the drinking environment including situational factors such as crowding, permissiveness of violent behaviour, the management of licensed premises and the behaviour of staff; • individual characteristics, personality, attitudes and expectations of the drinker including younger age, predisposition to aggression, deviant attitudes and expectations of the drinker about the effects of alcohol; and • societal attitudes and values, including a culture of drinking to deliberately become intoxicated (‘determined drunkenness’), and using alcohol as an excuse for behaviour not normally condoned, holding individuals less responsible for their actions (Graham et al. 2006; Graham et al. 1998). Preventing violence and aggression in and around licensed premises must be based on a clear understanding of these interacting processes and risk factors, drawing on the evidence base for the most effective interventions, and customising action to suit the specific circumstances of local communities (Graham & Homel 2008). Also to be considered is the broader social and regulatory context in which licensed premises operate. Regulating the sale and supply of alcohol in Australia is the responsibility of state and territory governments. While most jurisdictions have adopted harm minimisation as a primary objective in their liquor licensing legislation, the National Competition Policy and the requirement for state and territory governments to ensure that there are no unfair restrictions on competition has, in recent years, resulted in considerable change to some liquor acts (Chikritzhs et al. 2008). As a result there has been, as in many other countries, a general trend towards liberalising liquor licensing legislation, deregulating the sale of alcohol, and growth in the night-time economy (Graham & Homel 2008). This has important implications for developing strategies that aim to reduce alcohol-related problems in and around entertainment precincts, influencing the specific types of premises that are established in these areas, the characteristics of the clientele, and the culture and community within which the intervention is delivered (Graham & Homel 2008). This project—Drug and Alcohol intoxication and Subsequent Harm in night-time Entertainment Districts (DASHED)—used an innovative research design by collecting data within the night-time economy. As a mixedmethods cross-sectional study it used three techniques to collect data about consumers during an episode of alcohol and other drug use: • short patron interviews with people entering or leaving licensed venues; • sessions of structured observation within licensed venues; and • using administrative data (police, ambulance, emergency department and licensing compliance data). Little is also known about how behaviour and harms differ between location and types of venue. Without specific evidence—of rates of alcohol and other drug use, patterns of consumption, associated behaviour and harms—the efforts of police and licensees to address intoxication and offending in licensed venues will continue to be undermined by ineffective policy. This study attempted to address these important questions, using a research design that enabled researchers to capture data from consumers during an episode of alcohol and other drug use. This approach limited the potential for recall bias, and allowed first-hand observation of behaviour in and around licensed venues. A core aim of DASHED was to research, evaluate and review drug law enforcement relating to licit and illicit drugs by examining alcohol-related harm and violent or offending behaviour around entertainment precincts. The study focused specifically on alcohol-related violence, investigating the factors and correlates associated with alcohol-related violence in the night-time economy. The results can be used to inform evidence-based practice in drug law enforcement. They can do this by informing strategies to both minimise and enforce behaviours including alcohol or other drug-related violence, offending, risky behaviour and experience of harm. DASHED also provides a valuable evidence base to help in selecting and adapting appropriate responses to alcohol and drug-related intoxication and crime in Canberra and Hobart. It also provides a baseline against which to measure the impact of future responses. The study includes an estimate of the costs attributable to alcohol and drug-related crime within a particular entertainment precinct, including the costs to policing. This can be used to inform future decisions on the allocation of resources. Such research will also improve the role of law enforcement and licensees in developing and evaluating innovative licit and illicit drug law enforcement practices. It will also enhance collaboration across law enforcement, licensees and research staff when working together to tackle problems associated with alcohol/ drug-related behaviour in entertainment precincts Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2016. 270p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 67: Accessed December 6, 2016 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-67.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 140313

Author: Australian Institute of Criminology Title: Improving lighting to prevent non-domestic violence related assault. Handbook for local government Summary: This handbook forms part of a series of guides to help local governments in New South Wales implement evidence-based crime prevention strategies funded by the Department of Justice (DJ) Crime Prevention Programs (CPP). This handbook has been developed to help guide you through the various stages of planning, implementing and evaluating an improved lighting strategy to reduce non-domestic violence related assault (NDVRA) in your local government area. Using the handbook The handbook provides an overview of the key steps that are involved in delivering an improved lighting strategy to reduce NDVRA. These steps are classified under the following three stages: Stage 1: Planning Stage 2: Implementation; and Stage 3: Review. These steps do not necessarily need to be undertaken in order. You may undertake some steps concurrently, or you may need to go back and revisit earlier steps. However, it is vital that some steps be undertaken early on in the project, such as consulting stakeholders and planning for evaluation. The successful implementation of a strategy to prevent NDVRA will often be heavily influenced by the characteristics of the local community. This needs to be considered throughout the project. Details: Canberra: AIC, 2016. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2016 at: http://www.crimeprevention.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Councils-Handbooks/assault_lighting_handbook.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 140314

Author: Australia. Attorney-General's Department Title: Identity crime and misuse in Australia 2016 Summary: This is the third in a series of reports that seek to analyse the nature and extent of identity crime and misuse in Australia. These reports compile data from Commonwealth, state and territory agencies, as well as the private sector and other non-government sources. The Attorney-General’s Department leads the development of these reports as a key initiative of the National Identity Security Strategy. Cost of identity crime The annual cost of identity crime in Australia is $2.2b. This includes the direct and indirect losses incurred by government agencies and individuals; and the cost of identity crimes recorded by police. The costs of preventing and responding to identity crime are estimated to be a further $390m, bringing the total economic impact of identity crime in Australia to approximately $2.6b per year. These figures represent a revised estimate of the cost of identity crime in Australia to $2.2b compared to the estimate of $2b from the 2013–14 report. This is due to better availability of data and is not necessarily an indicator of change over the intervening time. Details: Canberra: Attorney-General's Department, 2016. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2016 at: https://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/IdentitySecurity/Documents/Identity-crime-and-misuse-in-Australia-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 147922

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: The relationship between age and consumer fraud victimisation Summary: he Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates consumer fraud costs Australians $1.4b per year. Advances in technology allow fraudsters to reach an increasing number of potential victims. Age has long been considered a potential factor in the risk of victimisation; however, it remains unclear which age groups are most vulnerable. This paper examines the relationship between age and the risk of consumer fraud, using the results of online surveys conducted by the AIC on behalf of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce in 2011 and 2012. The surveys found statistically significant relationships between age and how invitations were received; age and frauds resulting in victimisation; and age and those who sent money in response to invitations. Targeted, age-specific awareness-raising campaigns may be an effective means of reducing the risk of consumer fraud. Initiatives that address the risks associated with lifestyle factors such as social networking, online dating and the use of both new and existing technologies may be of particular benefit. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 519: Accessed December 6, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi519.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Fraud Shelf Number: 147923

Author: Mann, Monique Title: A Story of Organized Crime: Constructing Criminality and Building Institutions Summary: his is a narrative about the way in which a category of crime-to-be-combated is constructed through the discipline of criminology and the agents of discipline in criminal justice. The aim was to examine organized crime through the eyes of those whose job it is to fight it (and define it), and in doing so investigate the ways social problems surface as sites for state intervention. A genealogy of organized crime within criminological thought was completed, demonstrating that there are a range of different ways organized crime has been constructed within the social scientific discipline, and each of these were influenced by the social context, political winds and intellectual climate of the time. Following this first finding, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with individuals who had worked at the apex of the policing of organized crime in Australia, in order to trace their understandings of organized crime across recent history. It was found that organized crime can be understood as an object of the discourse of the politics of law and order, the discourse of international securitization, new public management in policing business, and involves the forging of outlaw identities. Therefore, there are multiple meanings of organized crime that have arisen from an interconnected set of social, political, moral and bureaucratic discourses. The institutional response to organized crime, including law and policing, was subsequently examined. An extensive legislative framework has been enacted at multiple jurisdictional levels, and the problem of organized crime was found to be deserving of unique institutional powers and configurations to deal with it. The social problem of organized crime, as constituted by the discourses mapped out in this research, has led to a new generation of increasingly preemptive and punitive laws, and the creation of new state agencies with amplified powers. That is, the response to organized crime, with a focus on criminalization and enforcement, has been driven and shaped by the four discourses and the way in which the phenomenon is constructed within them. An appreciation of the nexus between the emergence of the social problem, and the formation of institutions in response to it, is important in developing a more complete understanding of the various dimensions of organized crime. Details: Griffith University, School of Humanities, 2014. 238p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed December 7, 2016 at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/91930/1/PhD_MANUSCRIPT_REVISED_MANN.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Mafia Shelf Number: 147924

Author: Hamburger, K. Title: A safer Northern Territory through correctional interventions: Report of the review of the Northern Territory Department of Correctional Services Summary: A number of incidents involving escapes and incidents within youth detention, and public criticisms regarding prisoners with open ratings having access to the community, resulted in the appointment of a new Commissioner for Correctional Services and the subsequent establishment of this review to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of correctional services currently provided. The Northern Territory imprisonment rate is by far the worst in Australia and ranks with the world’s worst, with the Territory accounting for about 1% of the Australian population but about 5% of all prisoners. Even worse, in our view, is the fact that 85% of the adult prisoner population and 95% of youth detainees are Indigenous people with a very high recidivism rate. These tragic outcomes are largely driven by extreme social dysfunction and economic disadvantage in the Territory’s Indigenous communities. Clearly the Northern Territory's imprisonment rate indicates a social, economic, and law and order crisis of devastating proportions for the Territory as a whole and for Indigenous people in particular. It has been a longstanding crisis. It is clear that the excessive number of prisoners, the high recidivism rate and the gross over-representation of Indigenous people in contact with the criminal justice and correctional systems are the greatest drivers of inefficient and ineffective outcomes in NTDCS, and in the Territory's criminal justice system and human service delivery agencies generally, incurring huge costs to the taxpayer. The new Commissioner inherited an agency without a Strategic Plan with no defined connectivity between divisional business plans and the Strategic Intent document with regard to defined strategic action plans and inputs, activity, or performance measures. He identified this as a significant risk for NTDCS. The new Commissioner also identified a number of critical high risk areas across NTDCS, including not fit for purpose youth detention facilities and inadequate Youth Justice services; gaps in the capacity of Primary Health Care to meet demand; ineffective commissioning of the Darwin Correctional Precinct; service effectiveness degraded by a siloed approach to organisational management; absence of defined Strategic Accountability Frameworks; poorly defined Performance Management Systems and an Information Management System that is not meeting business needs. The leadership skills demonstrated by the new Commissioner and the approach he is taking to deal with the range of inherited problematic and complex issues across NTDCS is impressive. He is providing strong and informed leadership to create a Strategic Plan and enhance operational performance while oversighting the myriad of critical and controversial issues that arise on a day to day basis in corrections. The review draws attention to the uniqueness of the offender population where Indigenous people represent the great majority of people under the control and supervision of NTDCS in adult and youth corrections. This over representation of Indigenous people is not reflected in either the staffing of Head Office or in correctional centres or community corrections, or even in NTDCS' policies, publications or procedures. Details: BDO, Perth/Knowledge Consulting, Brisbane, 2016. 204p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2016 at: https://justice.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/384454/NTDCS-Review-Final-Report-PDF-Redacted-Final.pdf#Full Redacted Hamburger Report Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration Shelf Number: 140324

Author: Sutherland, Paul Title: Family violence, alcohol consumption and the likelihood of criminal offences Summary: Alcohol is involved in a substantial number of family violence incidents recorded by police. However, there is a paucity of Australian research on the relative contribution of alcohol use by perpetrators and/or victims to whether or not the incident results in the perpetrator being arrested for or charged with a criminal offence. This study involved statistical analysis of a sample of 121,251 family violence incidents recorded by Victoria Police over a two-year period from 2014 to 2015. Twelve percent of incidents were noted by police as involving only perpetrator alcohol use, two percent were noted as involving only victim alcohol use and eight percent were noted as involving alcohol use by both parties. A regression model was constructed to examine the contribution of alcohol involvement to predicting whether a criminal offence will be recorded, controlling for other factors known to be related to whether a perpetrator is arrested. Perpetrator alcohol use was not found to contribute to predicting whether an offence would be recorded while incidents where victims used alcohol and where both parties used alcohol were less likely to have an offence recorded. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/20161201_inbrief7_final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 140351

Author: Palmer, Donald Title: Final report: The role of organisational culture in child sexual abuse in institutional context Summary: This report analyses the role that organisational culture plays in child sexual abuse in institutional contexts. It specifically considers how organisational culture can affect the perpetration and detection of child sexual abuse and the responses to child sexual abuse in institutional contexts. The report also develops suggestions for addressing child sexual abuse in institutional contexts that are based on its analysis. These suggestions are geared towards reducing the incidence of child sexual abuse, detecting abuse earlier and improving the responses to abuse in institutional contexts. Definitions employed in the analysis The report uses definitions of child sexual abuse and institutional contexts stipulated by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that are broad in scope and largely consistent with definitions found in the literature. Child sexual abuse is defined as 'any act that exposes a child to, or involves a child in, sexual processes beyond his or her understanding or contrary to accepted standards' as well as 'actions deliberately undertaken with the aim of befriending and establishing an emotional connection with a child to lower the child’s inhibitions in preparation for sexual activity'. Institutional contexts are defined as 'any public or private body, agency, association, club, institution or other entity or group of entities of any kind' that provides services to children. The report uses a conception of organisational culture specified by the Royal Commission that is based on Palmer (2012). This conception understands culture to consist of content and form. Cultural content includes assumptions (most importantly, presumptions of fact regarding people's attitudes and behaviours), values and beliefs (most importantly, understandings regarding the virtue of alternative ways to think and act) and norms (expectations regarding how people should think and behave). Forms include artefacts and practices that symbolically convey cultural content. Methodology of the analysis The report’s analysis is based on two bodies of theory and research. It builds on a systematic search of literature on the role that culture plays in child sexual abuse in institutional contexts, which included 41 articles and books. It also builds on the author's knowledge of the role that culture plays in misconduct in and by organisations more generally, which is examined in his published and forthcoming works (Greve, Palmer & Pozner, 2010; Palmer, 2012; Palmer, 2013; Palmer & Feldman, 2013; Palmer, Smith-Crow & Greenwood, 2016; Palmer & Moore, 2016; Palmer forthcoming). Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2016. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2016 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/c9d090b0-cc5a-4013-b78e-3591ad50db3d/The-role-of-organisational-culture-in-child-sexual Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Grooming Shelf Number: 144431

Author: Ramsey, Stephanie Title: Reporting rates of assaults at The Star casino by licensed premises staff Summary: Aim: To determine whether there has been any change in the rate of reporting of assaults at The Star casino by staff before and after the lockout reforms were introduced in February 2014. This paper also briefly examines the characteristics of both offenders and victims of assaults occurring at The Star casino. Method: Narrative descriptions of all 278 non-domestic assaults recorded by police as having occurred at The Star casino from January 2012 to June 2016 were extracted from the police database (COPS). Results: There was no statistically significant change in the proportion of reports of assaults emanating from staff or security at The Star casino after the introduction of the 2014 lockout reforms. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 121: Accessed December 8, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-Reporting-rates-of-assaults-at-The-Star-casino-BB121.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 140364

Author: AUSTRAC Title: Australia's Superannuation Section: Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment Summary: AUSTRAC assesses the overall money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) risk for the superannuation sector as MEDIUM. This rating is based on an assessment of the criminal threat environment, the vulnerabilities within the sector, and the consequences or harms associated with the criminal threat. This assessment relates to superannuation funds regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). The criminal threat environment is varied and multifaceted, ranging from opportunistic offences conducted by individual members, to complex and sophisticated attacks executed by organised crime groups, including from entities based overseas. The size of the superannuation sector ($1.26 trillion in assets)1 makes it an attractive target for money laundering and associated predicate crimes. Fraud is by far the most prevalent predicate crime, with many reported cases of falsified documents and attempted illegal early release of superannuation savings. Many cases of fraud are enabled by cybercrime, with funds observing regular and sophisticated hacking attempts. Terrorism financing is a limited but emerging threat. Foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs), who are generally self funded, have accessed superannuation accounts to finance their activities. The specific characteristics of the superannuation sector that make it vulnerable to ML/TF and predicate crimes include: • the extremely large number of member accounts and volume of transactions • low levels of member engagement, which hampers timely detection of fraud • post-preservation accounts which have few restrictions on making transactions to and from the accounts • voluntary contributions to accumulation accounts by members, where the source of money is difficult to verify • payments to members and outgoing rollovers that are vulnerable to fraud and illegal early release • the growing reliance on online delivery of products and services, resulting in less face-toface interaction with customers and increasing online data storage. Details: West Chatswood, NSW: AUSTRAC, 2016. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2016 at: http://austrac.gov.au/sites/default/files/super-annuation-risk-assessment-WEB.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crime Shelf Number: 140411

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Vulnerable Young People: Interactions across homelessness, youth justice and child protection Summary: This report reveals that individuals who experience multiple, cross-sector services in the specialist homelessness, protection or youth justice service areas are a particularly vulnerable group. Clients experiencing 2 or more of these services were more likely than specialist homelessness services-only clients: to report having substance use issues; to report having mental health issues; to have an over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and to receive more days of support and more support periods from specialist homelessness services agencies. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2016. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 13, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129557799 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 146102

Author: Victorian Law Reform Commission Title: The Role of Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process Summary: The Commission has completed its report on Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process, and delivered its report to the Attorney-General by the due date, 1 September 2016. The report was tabled in Parliament on 22 November 2016. The Commission has reviewed and made recommendations on the role of victims at stages of the criminal trial process including: the decision to prosecute the committal for trial and pre-trial proceedings the trial sentencing proceedings (but not sentence levels) appeal proceedings compensation or restitution for the benefit of victims support for victims before, during and after the trial. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2016. 328p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 13, 2016 at: http://www.lawreform.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VLRC_Victims%20Of%20Crime-Report-W.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Trials Shelf Number: 140419

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Special report concerning illicit drug use by Victoria Police officers Operations Apsley, Hotham and Yarrowitch Summary: This report presents the findings of key investigations by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) into serious police misconduct involving the use of illicit drugs, and broader consideration of Victoria Police’s systems and practices to detect and prevent illicit drug use by its officers. IBAC's Operations Apsley, Hotham and Yarrowitch raise serious concerns about illicit drug use by sworn police officers and also highlight potential systemic weaknesses in Victoria Police's approach to this issue. Any illicit drug use by police is a serious problem with significant ramifications not only for the individual officers involved, but also for their colleagues, and the police force as a whole. Importantly, police use of illicit drugs adversely impacts the safety of the community and undermines the community's level of trust and respect for police and the law. In summary, illicit drug use by police is clearly unacceptable because: Illicit drug use, possession and trafficking are criminal offences which contravene the oath or affirmation sworn by all police officers, as well as contravening the professional and ethical standards and values they are required to uphold. Illicit drug activity exposes individual officers to compromise and corruption. An officer who procures and uses illicit drugs is by definition engaging in criminal conduct. This not only seriously compromises the officer but also leaves them vulnerable to blackmail or coercion and at real risk of engaging in other serious forms of misconduct or corruption. As previously reported by IBAC, organised criminals seek to exploit risk taking behaviour such as illicit drug use to compromise and corrupt public officials, especially police. Victoria Police's authority to uphold the law, and maintain the community’s respect for the law are eroded by police using illicit drugs. An individual officer using illicit drugs lessens their authority to enforce the law, and diminishes the collective authority of Victoria Police in the community. Illicit drug use by police officers also presents a serious health and safety issue for individual officers, their work colleagues and the broader community. It is imperative that an officer's judgement and performance are not impaired by illicit drugs, particularly when police are exercising a range of lethal and non-lethal force options, making decisions about arrest and the exercise of other powers, driving in unpredictable situations, or dealing with difficult and challenging situations. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2016. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/special-reports/special-report-concerning-illicit-drug-use-by-victoria-police-officers.pdf?sfvrsn=6 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Illicit Drug Abuse Shelf Number: 146150

Author: Australian Law Reform Commission Title: Elder Abuse: Discussion Paper Summary: This is the second consultation document for the Elder Abuse Inquiry, in which the ALRC has been asked to consider existing Commonwealth laws and frameworks which seek to safeguard and protect older persons from misuse or abuse by formal and informal carers, supporters, representatives and others, and to examine the interaction and relationship of these laws with state and territory laws. Table of Contents: Terms of Reference Participants Proposals and Questions 1. Introduction to the Inquiry 2. National Plan 3. Powers of Investigation 4. Criminal Justice Responses 5. Enduring Powers of Attorney and Enduring Guardianship 6. Guardianship and Financial Administration Orders 7. Banks and Superannuation 8. Family Agreements 9. Wills 10. Social Security 11. Aged Care 12. Other Issues Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2016. 266p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 83: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/dp83.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse Shelf Number: 146151

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Drink driving detections of Victoria Police officers: Analysis of trends from 2000-2015 Summary: To help ensure the public has confidence in how Victoria Police fulfils its duties including adhering to drink driving laws, the Independent Broad-based Anticorruption Commission (IBAC) examined drink driving detections of Victoria Police officers and disciplinary outcomes over the period 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2015 (the sample period). IBAC's analysis identified the typical sworn Victoria Police officer detected for drink driving is a male senior constable with an average of 15 years' service. Most officers are detected off duty while driving a private vehicle and via a random breath testing (RBT) site, with a reading between 0.050 and 0.099. An officer detected drink driving is likely to keep their job but receive some form of sanction such as a fine, good behaviour bond or counselling. The analysis identified the number of officers detected drink driving over the 15 year period has steadily declined. However, other key findings are of concern including: - the median BAC reading of officers detected drink driving has steadily increased - the proportion of officers detected after a collision has increased - the number of officers dismissed for drink driving has increased. Based on its data analysis, IBAC has made a number of recommendations to Victoria Police to strengthen its efforts to discourage officers from drink driving and to respond appropriately when officers are detected driving over the legal BAC limit. IBAC acknowledges that Victoria Police has done some work in this area, however vigilance is required to ensure police officers consistently model the behaviour expected of all members of the community around alcohol consumption and driving. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/drink-driving-detections-of-victoria-police-officers-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence Shelf Number: 146153

Author: Lyneham, Mathew Title: Prisoner-on-prisoner homicides in Australia: 1980 to 2011 Summary: The number of prisoner-on prisoner homicides has dropped considerably since 1998 and remained consistently low over the last decade. Although not common, prisoner-on prisoner homicides generally receive considerable public attention. This paper builds on previous AIC research, analysing the circumstances and nature of homicides that occurred in correctional facilities across Australia between 1980 and 2011. The findings show prisoner-on-prisoner homicides typically involve non-Indigenous male prisoners between the ages of 20 and 34, with violent offenders more likely to be victims than those sentenced for other offences. The paper discusses effective strategies for managing violent offenders in prison. It also provides an overview of the preventive policies and procedures introduced by corrective services agencies that may have contributed to the decline in the number and rate of homicides. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 517: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi517.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Deaths in Custody Shelf Number: 140474

Author: Cameron, Prue Title: Expanding early interventions in family violence in Victoria Summary: The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence (RCFV) envisaged a family violence system in which all universal services are enabled to engage in early interventions in family violence. Such a significant broad-based reform has major implications for organisations and their staff. This project scoped a range of specialist family violence and universal services and organisations in Victoria to ascertain their capability and perspectives on early intervention in family violence. Its findings reveal a readiness to engage with the issue across these services. The organisations interviewed shared the expectation that they had a role and a responsibility to help address family violence in their client group and within their workforce, although there was uncertainty about what that role would be. The insights of women affected by family violence provide the foundation for this work. Their experiences illustrate the complex nature and dynamics of family violence, including the often covert effects of coercive and controlling behaviours. Understanding these dynamics is the foundation for all practitioners in all universal services engaging in early intervention responses. The project provides a qualitative snapshot of the early intervention landscape through the perspectives of specialist family violence practitioners and universal service providers in education, early childhood and health settings, as well as women who have experienced family violence. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Victoria, 2016. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/expanding_early_interventions_in_family_violence_in_victoria_report_dv_vic_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 146154

Author: Renshaw, Lauren Title: Migrating for work and study: The role of the migration broker in facilitating workplace exploitation, human trafficking and slavery Summary: Temporary migrants play an important role in Australia's workforce and student population. Little is known, however, about the migration mechanisms temporary migrants use and the associated risks these may involve. This paper examines the role of migration brokers in alleged and finalised cases of migrant exploitation ranging from low pay and hazardous working conditions to more severe forms involving debt bondage, forced labour and other slavery-like practices. This paper presents a typology of two kinds of migration broker - the migration facilitator and the labour supplier - developed from these case studies. Points of intervention are discussed with reference to these types, as is the effectiveness of various responses to the actions of migration brokers in preventing and detecting human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices. These responses may overlap with responses to other serious crimes such as immigration fraud, corruption, extortion and people smuggling. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 527: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi527.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 146156

Author: Sutherland, Paul Title: What drug types drove increases in drug use and possession offences in Victoria over the past decade? Summary: Previous CSA research papers have identified large increases in the number and rate of drug use and possession offences across Victoria over the past decade, which were more prominent in regional Victoria than they were in rural or metropolitan areas. To date, this work has not considered the particular types of drugs that accounted for the observed increases. This study used information recorded by Victoria Police about the type of drugs involved in use and possession offences to examine the drug types associated with the observed increases and the characteristics of alleged offenders across drug types. The study found that cannabis offences continue to account the majority of use and possession offences, but that there have been significant increases in the number of cannabis, ecstasy, methamphetamine, prescription and 'other' drug offences over the past ten years. As at end of March 2016, the rates of amphetamine, cannabis, ecstasy and methamphetamine use and possession offences are higher in regional areas than they are in rural or metropolitan areas. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2016. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief no. 5: Accessed December 19, 2016 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2016/07/b1/e4c026718/08072016_Inbrief5_FINAL.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 147752

Author: Young, Jesse T. Title: Transition from prison for people with intellectual disability: A qualitative study of service professionals Summary: People with intellectual disability face a range of challenges on their release from prison due both to their own needs and the complexity of the service delivery system, which can make effective service delivery difficult. This difficulty is exacerbated by the sometimes combative nature of relationships between service providers. These issues could be addressed, at least in part, by improved training and stricter guidelines for those working in the sector. Representatives of disability and justice-related agencies in Queensland and Western Australia were interviewed for this research. The findings will be useful to policymakers and those who work in corrections, disability support and related sectors. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 528: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi528.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Disability Shelf Number: 147306

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: Justice reinvestment Summary: Justice reinvestment is based on the premise that imprisonment is an expensive and largely ineffective way of reducing crime. Different versions of the concept have emerged but the original idea in the United States was that funding for prisons should be reduced and redirected towards addressing the underlying causes of crime in communities with high levels of incarceration. Over the last decade, many State governments in the United States have introduced a justice reinvestment policy. The United Kingdom Government has also conducted some pilot justice reinvestment projects at the local council level. This paper outlines the development and experience of justice reinvestment in those countries, summarises key reports and commentary in Australia, and refers to local trials in NSW, South Australia and the ACT. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: e-brief: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/researchpapers/Documents/Justice%20reinvestment.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Corrections Shelf Number: 147305

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth detention population in Australia 2016 Summary: This bulletin examines the numbers and rates of young people aged 10 and over who were in youth detention in Australia due to their involvement, or alleged involvement, in crime. It focuses on trends over the 4-year period from the June quarter 2012 to the June quarter 2016. About 900 young people are in detention on an average night There were 917 young people in youth detention on an average night in the June quarter 2016. Just over half (57%) were unsentenced-that is, they were awaiting the outcome of their court matter or sentencing-and the remainder were serving a sentence. Most young people (83%) in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2016 were aged 10-17. This equates to 3.3 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000. The other detainees were aged 18 or older. Detention rates are stable after long-term falls and despite recent rise in numbers The number of young people in detention on an average night decreased, from a high of 1,069 in the June quarter 2012 to 917 in the June quarter 2016. The rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention on an average night decreased, from 3.8 per 10,000 to 3.3 per 10,000, over the 4-year period. Over the most recent year, despite a slight increase in the number of young people (of all ages) in detention on an average night in each quarter (from 877 to 917), the rate of those aged 10-17 in detention remained relatively stable, between 3.1 and 3.4 per 10,000. Unsentenced and sentenced detention rates have decreased The rate of young people in unsentenced detention fell slightly over the 4-year period, from 2.4 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000 on an average night in the June quarter 2012, to 2.1 per 10,000 in the June quarter 2016. The rate was lowest in the December quarter 2014 (1.7 per 10,000). In sentenced detention, the rate was 1.2 young people aged 10-17 per 10,000 on an average night in the June quarter 2016-a decrease from 1.4 per 10,000 in the June quarter 4 years earlier. The rate was highest in the September quarter 2012 (1.5 per 10,000). Over half of those in detention are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Over half (55%) of all young people in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2016 were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. In the June quarter 2016, Indigenous young people aged 10-17 were 26 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be in detention; however the level of over-representation fluctuated between 23 times and 28 times over the 4-year period. Trends vary across the states and territories There were different trends in the youth detention population across the states and territories. Over the 4-year period, the rate of young people aged 10-17 in detention increased in Victoria and Queensland, showed no clear trend in South Australia and the Northern Territory, and decreased in the remaining states and territories. Details: Sydney: AIHW, 2016. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 138: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/aihw_youthdetentionpopulationinaustralia2016_dec_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 147304

Author: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse Title: Family violence prevention programs in Indigenous communities Summary: Family violence is a serious and widespread issue in Australia, and is a key priority area for government. This resource sheet investigates the effectiveness of current mainstream, international, and Indigenous prevention programs and identifies the principles behind successful programs. Background information is also provided on the extent and nature of the problem in Australia, including impact and risk factors, The resource sheet examines what works, what doesn't, and what further research is needed. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Resource sheet no. 37: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129557831 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 147303

Author: Mitra-Kahn, Trishima Title: Invisible women, invisible violence: Understanding and improving data on the experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault for diverse groups of women: State of knowledge paper Summary: Women from all cultures, ages and socio-economic groups are affected by domestic and family violence and sexual assault, but the extent, nature and impact is not evenly distributed across communities in Australia. Women from diverse backgrounds are disproportionally affected by violence. The differential nature and effects of this violence is often compounded by various forms of marginalisation for diverse groups of women such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse and women with disability. Invisible women, invisible violence establishes the state of knowledge about the experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault among women from diverse groups. Reviewing existing knowledge and data on the experiences of violence and identifying key gaps in data as they relate to diverse women, it also affirms the more complex message that, while we know there is disproportionate impact, the exact nature and scale of this difference is extremely difficult to quantify. Despite not knowing the exact quantum of the violence, there is significant evidence that expressions of violence in these communities are distinct, and that these differences require considered and specific service and policy responses, for which data that is coherent, accessible, relevant and accurate is needed. This paper finds there are challenges within the Australian research and data landscapes in understanding the experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault for the diverse groups. Four key gaps in information in the current Australian research landscape were identified: · Limitations in quantitative evidence on the prevalence and perpetration of violence; · The complexity and specificity of violence; · Multiple, intersecting barriers to reporting violence and accessing appropriate services and; · "Diversity within diversity" the intersections of identity and disadvantage. In the process of mapping the current Australian data landscape, this paper identified that while a wide range of data are currently being collected administratively and via surveys, there are limitations of individual data sources and across the Australian data landscape as a whole. The analysis identified the following five key data gaps as they relate to the diverse experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault: 1) Design and methodological gaps in data sources; 2) Definitional complexities within data sources; 3) Gaps in the quality of existing data sources; 4) Gaps in recording and reporting of data; and 5) Gaps in the leveraging of existing data for the creation of new statistical information. This project provides 36 options for enhancing Australia's domestic and family violence and sexual assault data landscape in the short to medium term. Options for improvement range in cost from under $250,000 to several million dollars and provide both discrete and ongoing improvements. While each option provides valuable enhancements to the data landscape, decisions regarding which options to progress will always reflect complex policy and budgetary considerations and, as such, may or may not align with these suggestions. A long term commitment to fit-for-purpose data collection and analysis through the implementation of the Foundation for a "National Data Collection and Reporting Framework for family, domestic and sexual violence" (DCRF) is also crucial to ensuring systemic change and improvement in policy and practice. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2016. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Landscapes: Accessed December 21, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/DiversityData_UPDATED191216.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 147777

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Access control and awareness campaigns to prevent residential burglary: Handbook for local government Summary: This handbook forms part of a series of guides to support local governments in New South Wales to implement evidence-based crime prevention strategies funded by the Department of Justice (DJ) Crime Prevention Programs (CPP). This handbook has been developed to help guide you through the various stages of planning, implementing and evaluating an access control strategy and awareness campaign to prevent residential burglary in your local government area. Using the handbook The handbook provides an overview of the key steps that are involved in delivering an access control and awareness campaign to prevent residential burglary. These steps are classified under the following three stages: • Stage 1: Planning • Stage 2: Implementation; and • Stage 3: Review. These steps do not necessarily need to be undertaken in order. You may undertake some steps concurrently, or you may need to go back and revisit earlier steps. However, it is vital that some steps be undertaken early on in the project, such as consulting stakeholders and planning for evaluation. The successful implementation of a prevention strategy will often be heavily influenced by the characteristics of the local community. This needs to be considered throughout the project. This term burglary is used throughout this handbook to refer to both 'break and enter – dwelling' and 'stealing from dwelling' offences. These offences differ in the way that the offender enters the building. Break and enter – dwelling refers to offences where the offender forcibly gains entry to someone’s home. Stealing from dwelling involves property being stolen from someone's home where the offender doesn’t break in, but instead gains entry through an open door or window or steals property from the yard. You will need to choose just one of these offences to target, based on your local crime statistics, etc. The strategies for either offence, however, will be the same. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Department of Justice, 2012. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2016 at: http://www.crimeprevention.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Councils-Handbooks/burglary_handbook.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Burglary Prevention Shelf Number: 147768

Author: Turner-Walker, Jennifer Title: Clash of the Paradigms: Night Patrols in remote central Australia Summary: This research examines the crucial crime and violence prevention role of Aboriginal Night and Community Patrols in the 20 plus remote Aboriginal settlements of the Northern Territory region south of Tennant Creek. The research focuses on the period from the early 1990s with the appearance of the first remote settlement Night Patrols in the Northern Territory, to their demise as community owned services with the Howard Liberal government's Northern Territory Emergency Response (the Intervention) and the implementation of a Shire system of local NT government. These measures removed the last vestiges of remote Aboriginal community ownership of Patrols and other Aboriginal initiatives, thereby undermining the Aboriginal cultural and family imperatives that were the basis of functional Night and Community patrols. Though there are some similarities to community safety initiatives in other cultural and geographic areas, Aboriginal Night and Community Patrols in remote regions of Australia are very locally and culturally specific. The intention of this thesis is to explore some of the enormous range of roles, strategies, and methodologies of remote Patrols during the time when they could have been viewed as stellar examples of Aboriginal self-determination in action, a genuinely grassroots wholly Aboriginal initiative to improve the safety of their families and settlements where the non-Aboriginal domain had so clearly failed. The Patrols’ local and cultural specificity has disadvantaged the patrols in their interactions with non-Aboriginal organisations such as police and government agencies, as their strategies and actions are largely opaque to the nonAboriginal administrative, regulatory and social domains. The tendency is to try to understand Patrols in terms of equivalence to non-Aboriginal community policing initiatives such as Neighbourhood Watch, or security services. This does the Patrols a great disservice, and fails to recognise the extraordinary complexity of Patrol functions and strategies. It also overlooks the skill, commitment and determination of the Patrollers in undertaking to protect their families and make a difference to quality of life and safety in their home settlements. Night and Community Patrols’ major strengths are in harm minimisation, crime prevention and dispute mediation. As cultural insiders, they have a deep and intimate knowledge of the intricacies of family and individual relationships that comprise the remote Aboriginal political and socio-cultural milieu. This enables them to identify, manage and mediate potentially dangerous disputes and situations before they escalate to unregulated violence. Preventative activities are notoriously difficult to quantify, which has affected attempts by funding bodies and others to "benchmark" Patrol activities, and to implement appropriate and effective Patrol reporting systems . Details: Crawley WA: University of Western Australia, 2012. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed December 21, 2016 at: http://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/research/Thesis+complete+2.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Communities Shelf Number: 147765

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Transit Protective Services Officers: An exploration of corruption and misconduct risks Summary: Since 2011, transit Protective Services Officers (PSOs) have been employed by Victoria Police to patrol metropolitan and major regional railway stations. Their functions include maintaining a visible presence on train stations and surrounding areas, engaging with the community and fostering a sense of safety. They exercise a range of powers including the power to arrest and detain people, to request personal information, and to search people and property. This report reviews complaint and use of force data relating to transit PSOs. IBAC identified three key areas of risk in relation to PSO conduct: assault and excessive use of force unauthorised access to and/or disclosure of information predatory behaviour involving members of the public. Engagement with the public is fundamental to the role of PSOs. This includes dealing with people who are vulnerable, for instance because they are minors, have alcohol and/or drug dependencies, are homeless, and/or have a disability or mental health issues. PSOs who have well developed communication and conflict resolution skills are less likely to be the subject of complaints, such as allegations of assault or excessive force, or unlawful requests for information. IBAC therefore recommends that Victoria Police provides PSOs with ongoing communication and engagement training. The report also identifies that some members of the Victorian community may not fully understand the role of PSOs and the extent of their powers, which has the potential to lead to conflict with PSOs and therefore complaints. IBAC recommends that Victoria Police takes steps to ensure the public better understands the role and powers of PSOs. This report does not consider the effectiveness of the PSOs in fulfilling their functions. However, it is noted that in 2016, the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office conducted an audit of the effectiveness of the PSO program and found that while there is evidence that people who travel on trains at night feel safer due to PSOs, there is insufficient data to assess the impact, if any, that PSOs have had on crime rates. Details: Melbourne: IBAC, 2016. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 23, 2016 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/research-documents/transit-protective-services-officers---an-exploration-of-corruption-and-misconduct-risks.pdf?sfvrsn=4 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 144838

Author: Giles, Margaret Title: Welfare and recidivism outcomes of in-prison education and training Summary: This report represents the final stage of a three-phase study of the project "Labour market outcomes of education and training during incarceration". The two earlier phases were the extraction of WA Department of Corrective Services (WADCS) prison and training data (Phase 1), and the extraction of Centrelink (CL) welfare data and the linkage of these data with the WADCS data (Phase 2). Analysis of the contribution of in-prison study to reduced recidivism and reduced welfare dependence (Phase 3) is reported here. Phase 1 of the overarching project involved the extraction of five years of prisoner data (including socio-demographics, offences and prison education and training information) from the WADCS. The data were then cleaned and sorted and a Linkage Key (based on 14 alpha-numeric characters take from surname, given name, date of birth and gender) was constructed. Descriptive statistics were produced. The data included prisoners who had been in prison at any time during the period 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2010 (Giles and Whale 2013). Phase 2 of the overarching project involved two steps. First, a subset of Centrelink welfare data (including a Linkage Key) was obtained from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) on behalf of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) which (then) managed Centrelink data. Next these data were merged with the WA prisoner education and training dataset constructed in Phase 1 to produce a comprehensive longitudinal dataset. This WA prisoner education and welfare dataset contains prisoner/ex-prisoner socio-demographics, offences, prison time, recidivism, study, and welfare reliance (Giles and Whale 2014). Phase 3 of the overarching project, summarised in this report, involved the analysis of the WA prisoner education and welfare dataset constructed in Phase 2 to examine the impact of in-prison study, and other factors, on recidivism and welfare use. The study tested different measures of recidivism, welfare dependence and in-prison study and, using multivariate regression and survival analysis techniques, the relative impacts of in-prison study on post-release outcomes. This report finds that prisoners choose to study if their most serious offence type is Economic Crime and if they were incarcerated earlier in the dataset period. Factors influencing the successful completion of classes are the prisoner being of nonAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent or male, the most serious offence type being an offence other than Economic Crime or the sentence type being Fine Default. Fewer prison terms or shorter prison terms can also contribute to all classes being successfully completed. Factors affecting up-skilling include the prisoner being non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or from rural WA, with sentence type of Fine Default or most serious offence of Economic Crime. Fewer prison terms and longer sentences also contribute to up-skilling. Prisoners who enrol in Forklift Classes or Resources Courses are more likely to up-skill than other prisoners. How study in prison is measured is critical to estimating its influence on post-release outcomes such as recidivism and welfare dependence. Findings in this study include that prisoners who have up-skilled are less likely to recidivate (in terms of increased offence seriousness) and an increased number of successful classes will also reduce recidivism. In addition, ex-prisoners who are best able to remain in the community for longer have studied and successfully completed all their classes. Study also affects welfare dependence, in particular, receipt of unemployment benefits or student allowances. That is, the more classes that were successfully completed or involved up-skilling, the shorter time the ex-prisoners spent on welfare in the immediate post-release period. Although the study was constrained by the variables included in each of the contributing databases, the results confirm the usefulness of prison study generally in reducing reoffending and improving post-release outcomes. Future research could obtain additional data, such as self-report or verified education and employment information, verified physical and mental health status information, and learning disability diagnostic data, which have been shown, in the labour economics literature, to be important confounding factors for labour market participation and success. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2016. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1516/33-1213-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 144923

Author: Giles, Margaret Title: Prisoner education and training, and other characteristics: Western Australia, July 2005 to June 2010 Summary: Spending public funds on educating and training prisoners can generate a significant return on investment, because as this report argues, studying in prison can reduce costly recidivism and improve life outcomes for ex-prisoners. What are the costs of recidivism? Let's start with incarceration. Prisoners cost money - about $110,000 per prisoner a year. With over 4,000 prisoners in WA prisons at any one time and a turnover of 8,000 prisoners per year, incarceration is a costly business. In addition, there are policing and legal costs related to finding, charging and sentencing alleged offenders; as well as costs to the community in relation to property damage, insurance premium increases, lives lost and harm and trauma to victims of crime. Reducing recidivism alone can therefore bring about huge cost savings to the government and the community. Then there’s the cost of welfare dependence. In the short term, these include payments to families of incarcerated breadwinners and unemployment benefits for ex-prisoners; just two of the many different types of welfare payments administered by Centrelink. In the longer term, intergenerational welfare looms for an increasing number of disenfranchised, unskilled and unemployed workers, including ex-prisoners who are further disadvantaged by having a criminal record. Improving employability and reducing welfare dependence can therefore reduce demand on the public purse, as well as promote more productive lives. In Western Australia, considerable efforts have been made by the WA Department of Corrective Services (DCS) to reduce recidivism and improve individual and community outcomes. Internal reviews of offending behaviour by the Education and Vocational Training Unit (EVTU), which has provided courses and classes in Western Australia prisons for many years, show proportionately fewer repeat offences by ex-prisoners who studied in prison, compared with those who did not. Missing from these reviews however is the bigger picture. This research project demonstrates how studying in prison can lead to better labour market outcomes and reduced recidivism, and provides an evaluation of the resulting impact on welfare utilisation. This report is the first of three and summarises the prison training data. It indicates that the Western Australia prison population is diverse, and as can be seen from the class and course profiles, prisoners have varied education and training experiences. Details: Joondalup WA, Australia: Edith Cowan University, Centre for Innovative Practice, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2017 at: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1586&context=ecuworks2011 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Education Shelf Number: 144920

Author: Broderick, Elizabeth Title: Cultural Change: Gender Diversity and Inclusion in the Australian Federal Police Summary: On 22 August 2016, AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin released the report Cultural Change: Gender Diversity and Inclusion in the Australian Federal Police, following an independent review of the organisation by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick. The report followed extensive consultation with more than 1,000 AFP members over the past six months. A number of key themes emerged during the review process: the importance of strong leadership to cultural reform; the differential impacts of AFP culture on men's and women's experiences; high rates of sexual harassment and bullying in the AFP; barriers to and opportunities for increased women's representation in the AFP workforce; and, the challenge of combining a police career with family. The review highlights strong and courageous leadership as an essential ingredient of cultural change. While many in the AFP described the organisation as a supportive and respectful workplace, the rates of sexual harassment and bullying reported in the survey were alarming. Overall, 29% of survey respondents reported being subjected to at least one work-related incident of sexual harassment in the last five years, with 64% of survey respondents reporting being subjected to workplace bullying over the same period. Details: Canberra: Elizabeth Broderick & Co.: Australian Federal Police, 2016. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2017 at: https://www.afp.gov.au/sites/default/files/PDF/Reports/Broderick-Report-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Diversity Shelf Number: 145540

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Mass shootings and firearm control: comparing Australia and the United States Summary: The debate around measures to prevent mass shootings has largely focussed on the effectiveness of firearm controls. Specific mass shooting events in the UK, Canada and Australia were followed by increased restrictions on firearm access and use while in countries such as the US, the response was less conclusive. Various examinations of the impact of firearm controls on firearm deaths have produced inconclusive results and, in particular, made little mention of the impact on the prevalence of mass shootings. This paper compares the incidence and characteristics of mass shooting events in Australia and the US in the period 1981 and 2013. The authors suggests that it is a complement of actions introduced with the Australian firearm reforms of 1996 and 2002 – particularly around access to specified firearm models and legislated methods to identify firearm licence owners at risk of harm or of harming – that have, for Australia at least, provided the stronger preventative response. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015?. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 2015? Accessed January 30, 2017: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/aic/foi/mass-shootings/Document-1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Gun Control Shelf Number: 144880

Author: Fitzgerald, Robin Title: Recidivism among prisoners: Who comes back? Summary: This study examined recidivism in an Australian correctional population. Three different groups of offenders were identified from their recidivism profiles: low-risk or slow recidivists, moderate-risk or delayed recidivists, and high-risk or rapid recidivists. Slow recidivists were more likely to be younger Indigenous men, with a history of both drug use and parole suspension or cancellation. Delayed recidivists were more likely to be younger non-Indigenous women serving shorter sentences. Rapid recidivists were differentiated only by being more likely to serve shorter sentences. Data were drawn from the Queensland Corrective Services Integrated Offender Management System. The findings will be useful to policymakers and practitioners working in corrections and related fields. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 530: Accessed February 1, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi530.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Recidivism Shelf Number: 140771

Author: Krone, Tony Title: Trajectories in online child sexual exploitation offending in Australia Summary: Although the full extent and nature of the sexual exploitation of children is only beginning to be recognised, it is a problem of global significance that requires strong and effective responses. The extent to which the viewing of child exploitation material (CEM) is linked to involvement in producing such material, sharing it and using it to groom and then assault children is a key concern. Most such material is held online, and it is important to understand how offenders use the internet to access CEM and to groom children for sexual exploitation. This exploratory study examines data relating to a sample of offenders convicted of online child sexual exploitation offences under Australian Commonwealth law, to determine how online forms of child sexual exploitation and offline child sexual exploitation, or contact offending, are related. The majority of offenders in this study appeared to commit only online offences, although in a minority of cases there was a connection between exploitative material, grooming and contact offending. This study is an important early step in improving our understanding of offenders and points to the need for further assessment of the nature of online child sexual exploitation and its relationship to other forms of sexual and violent offences. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 524: Accessed February 1, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi524.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 145098

Author: Gannoni, Alexandra Title: Readiness to change drug use and help-seeking intentions of police detainees: Findings from the DUMA Program Summary: The nexus between drug use and crime is well established. Offenders are considerably more likely to use illicit drugs than the general population, and a large proportion of offenders attribute their criminal offending to drug use, yet very little is known about how to respond effectively to drug problems among police detainees. Using data obtained through the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, this paper explores the readiness to change drug use and help-seeking intentions of Australian police detainees with drug problems. The analysis revealed those detainees most in need of drug treatment were also those most ready to change their drug use. The findings serve as a reminder of the need and desire for interventions for drug abuse among the police detainee population, and have implications for the development of intervention strategies aimed at reducing drug use among offender populations. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 520: Accessed February 1, 2017 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi520.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 140773

Author: Norton, Simon Title: Detect, Disrupt and Deny: Optimising Australia's Counterterrorism Financing System Summary: Detecting, disrupting and denying terrorist financing is vital to efforts to degrade terrorist organisations. Reducing or cutting their cash flow makes it harder for them to attract and train new members, equip themselves and conduct their operations. Understanding their financing methods provides intelligence to support disruption efforts of police and military forces. Terrorist organisations are adaptive. They take advantage of opportunities created by technology, poor governance and changes to the financial system. They exploit consequent weaknesses in countering terrorism financing (CTF) systems. Because the terrorism and the terrorism financing environment is constantly evolving, CTF arrangements must be continually reviewed, refined and innovated, and they are only as strong as their weakest link. This paper examines the nature of terrorist financing and the system used to counter this activity in three sections. Using both contemporary and historical examples, Section 2 analyses how terrorist organisations raise, move and use funds. While the focus is currently on Islamist terrorist groups, particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), historical examples demonstrate how terrorism and terrorism financing are neither new phenomena nor dominated only by groups in the Middle East. ISIL is simply terrorism’s latest and most high profile iteration. Some of the groups mentioned in this report have been defeated—and countering their financing played an important role in their downfall. Section 3 examines the international and Australian systems for targeting terrorism financing before turning to analyse the key CTF measures and actors. After an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each CTF element, we find that Australia’s overall system is robust but could be enhanced and strengthened. The Australian Government's recent Review of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 and Associated Rules and Regulations (AML/CTF Review) is a good start to improving the CTF system but doesn't go far enough in some cases. However, because of controversy surrounding some of the review's 84 recommendations, the implementation of its recommendations isn't guaranteed. This misalignment could create weaknesses and vulnerabilities in Australia’s CTF system, providing exploitable opportunities for terrorist organisations and their financiers. Drawing from our findings in sections 2 and 3, Section 4 sets out our recommendations on how the Australian Government could enhance Australia's CTF system. Some of the recommendations require legislative amendments, while others are aimed at transforming CTF culture and information sharing within the private and public sectors. Specifically, we recommend that Australia address three lines of effort through a number of initiatives. Details: Barton ACT Australia: Australian Strategic policy Institute, 2016. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2017 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/detect,-disrupt-and-deny-optimising-australias-counterterrorism-financing-system/SR98_countering_terrorism_funding.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 140803

Author: Stavrou, Efty Title: Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Australia: related factors and help-seeking behaviours Summary: Aim: To determine which factors were associated with (1) female experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV), (2) female reporting of physical or sexual assault by an intimate partner to the police and (3) females seeking help and support after experiencing IPV. Method: Women who experienced violence from an intimate partner in the two years prior to participating in the ABS Personal Safety Survey 2012 (PSS) were compared with women who reported never having experienced any violence. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine which factors including socio-demographic, financial stress, social connectedness, abuse before the age of 15 and emotional abuse by a partner were related to experiences of IPV. In order to ascertain which factors were related to help-seeking behaviours, multilevel regression models were used on a subsample of females whose most recent incident of violence in the last two years was perpetrated by an intimate partner. Results: The risk of IPV varies greatly across the community. Factors associated with a higher risk of IPV included being younger, Australian-born, having a long-term health condition, lacking social support, experiencing financial stress, having previously been a victim of child abuse and having experienced emotional abuse by an intimate partner. Where the most recent incident of physical or sexual assault in the last two years was perpetrated by an intimate partner, less than one in three assaults were reported to the police. Intimate partner assaults were less likely to be reported to the police if the perpetrator was still a current partner of the victim at the time of the interview, the assault was sexual (not physical) and if the victim perceived the assault was "not a crime" or "not serious enough". Having a physical injury after the incident was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting the assault to the police. Where the most recent incident of violence (assaults and threats) was perpetrated by an intimate partner, a counsellor or social worker was consulted after 30% of all incidents. Conclusion: Efforts to prevent IPV and improve services and supports for IPV victims should focus on women who experienced emotional abuse by a current or previous partner, sole parents, women who lack social supports, women experiencing financial stress, women who have experienced abuse as a child and women with a disability or long-term health condition. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 200: Accessed February 8, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2016-Intimate-partner-violence-against-women-in-Australia-CJB200.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 147297

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Report on youth justice facilities at the Grevillea unit of Barwon Prison, Malmsbury and Parkville Summary: The riots at the Parkville Youth Justice Centre in November 2016 and the Government's subsequent establishment of a youth justice centre within Barwon Prison have prompted reviews, inquiries, and legal proceedings, by numerous agencies. These include the responsible department, the Commission for Children and Young People, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Parliament. It is not the purpose of this report to add to those inquiries; rather, it is intended to inform Parliament -- and through them the public -- of the response to recent events by oversight agencies, and to put facts into the public domain to help inform the debate. The public debate that has accompanied these events is predictably polarised, from one perspective that youth crime is out of control and a strong response is needed, to the claim that the Government's response is an overreaction that arbitrarily infringed the human rights of the young people concerned. The facts that emerge from independent sources provide succour to both sides of the debate: while youth crime is decreasing overall, more is being committed, more violently, by a small cohort of repeat offenders, who the system is plainly failing to deal with. This was presciently noted by the previous Ombudsman, George Brouwer, in 2013, when he said: It is evident that the youth justice system is limited in its capacity to deal with a small, but increasing, cohort of young people exhibiting violent behaviours. It is important that the youth justice system respond appropriately to these children rather than abrogate its responsibility by transferring them to the adult system. This is illustrated by the startling statistic that some 25 per cent of offences are committed by less than two per cent of offenders -- 182 young people -- so we should not tar all young offenders with the same brush. It is not the purpose of this report to examine the causes of the recent Parkville riots, but the Ombudsman's concerns about the suitability of Parkville are a matter of public record, including the view expressed by my predecessor in 2010 that: the design and location of the Precinct is inappropriate for a custodial facility which houses vulnerable children. ... the only practical way to address the conditions at the Precinct in the long term is to develop a new facility at another site. Among other things, the report noted design features such as a low roof-line allowing detainees to climb onto the roof and ill-placed staircases creating blind spots and posing a safety risk to detainees and staff. It is a matter of record that while the government's response to that report was in many respects substantial -- for example, the establishment of Parkville College that transformed the educational services available to young people -- the precinct itself still exists and young people are still able to climb onto the roof. The record so far is patchy - while improvements have undoubtedly been made, successive governments have failed to make the significant investment needed to address the long-term issues that are increasingly apparent. There is no short-term quick fix to the serious problems affecting youth justice, which have their origins not only in ageing infrastructure but in the complex interplay of health and human services, education and the justice system. Increasing numbers of detainees are also on remand - making for an increasingly volatile and unsettled cohort. I welcome the government's review of youth justice - commissioned last year before the recent troubles and led by an eminent behavioural scientist - with its focus on long-term and joined-up solutions. The chorus of blame will not make us safer as we worry about youth crime. Nor will it make either the staff or the young people safer - an essential prerequisite if youth justice facilities are to provide an environment that promotes rehabilitation. Safety will lie in a system that makes it less likely these young people will be repeat offenders. It is neither in the interests of public safety nor the public purse for young people to become entrenched in a life of crime, cycling through youth justice centres into adult prisons to which all too often they return. Reform must also recognise not only the alarming trend to more 'calculated and callous offending' by young offenders, but also the systemic changes needed to address this deeply disturbing behaviour. My 2015 report into rehabilitation in prisons illustrated how ill-equipped the correctional system is to deal with young adult prisoners; Victoria's dual track system must go on recognising that children – even dangerous children - are different from adults. This report is of a different nature to most reports I present to Parliament. It is the product of enquiries and information shared by other oversight bodies rather than a formal investigation. I hope it will also assist the Parliamentary Inquiry in their work. It is also intended to give Parliament and the public a window into the actual state of affairs within Victoria's youth justice facilities and how oversight agencies hold government to account. The report evidences the close scrutiny of the Grevillea unit in Barwon Prison by the Commission for Children and Young People since the unit was hastily set up last November. It also evidences the pressures on the Parkville and Malmsbury facilities: while staff shortages have long been a problem there, this has plainly been exacerbated by the creation of Grevillea, with the predictable effect that young people are kept in lockdown for longer periods, creating further unrest. This report covers the period to 20 January 2017, and was being finalised when the serious disturbances at Malmsbury occurred on 25 January. While it is sadly inevitable that short-term solutions will continue to be sought to deal with urgent situations that arise, it is vital that the government keep its sights set on long-term reform that addresses the causes of young offender behaviour. Reform should not be derailed by knee-jerk responses to events, which will not make us safer in the long run. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2017. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/c6880f35-3cf3-4237-b463-9be28db448c8//publications/parliamentary-reports/report-on-youth-justice-facilities-at-the-greville.aspx Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Shelf Number: 145127

Author: Beatton, Tony Title: Larrikin Youth: New Evidence on Crime and Schooling Summary: This paper reports new evidence on the causal link between education and male youth crime using individual level state-wide administrative data for Queensland, Australia. Enactment of the Earning or Learning education reform of 2006, with a mandatory increase in minimum school leaving age, is used to identify a causal impact of schooling on male youth crime. The richness of the matched (across agency) individual level panel data enables the analysis to shed significant light on the extent to which the causal impact reflects incapacitation, or whether more schooling acts to reduce crime after youths have left compulsory schooling. The empirical analysis uncovers a significant incapacitation effect, as remaining in school for longer reduces crime whilst in school, but also a sizeable crime reducing impact of education for young men in their late teens and early twenties. We also carry out analysis by major crime type and differentiate between single and multiple offending behaviour. Crime reduction effects are concentrated in property crime and single crime incidence, rather than altering the behaviour of the recalcitrant persistent offender. Details: London: London School of Economics and Political Science, Centre for Economic Performance, 2016. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: CEP Discussion Paper No 1456 : Accessed February 13, 2017 at: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp1456.pd Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Education and Crime Shelf Number: 145124

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Missing persons in Australia, 2008-2015 Summary: Between 2008 and 2015 over 305,000 people were reported missing in Australia, an average of 38,159 reports each year. Youths aged 13-17 years were most likely to go missing; half of all people reported missing between 2008 and 2015 were in this age group and less than 10 percent were children. More than sixty percent of those who go missing return or are found within 48 hours. Ninety-eight percent are ultimately located, most alive. Collecting data on the circumstances of those who go missing will assist in developing a national picture of vulnerable population groups and predicting outcomes for these groups. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2016. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin 01: Accessed February 13, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/sb/001/sb001.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Missing Persons Shelf Number: 145018

Author: Gyles, Roger Title: Certain Questioning and Detention Powers in Relation to Terrorism Summary: This report is to review the operation, effectiveness, and implications, of the relevant legislation, including consideration as to whether it: contains appropriate safeguards for protecting the rights of individuals; remains proportionate to the threat of terrorism, or threat to national security, or both; and remains necessary. Assessment as to whether the legislation is being used for matters unrelated to terrorism and national security is required. I must have regard to Australia's obligations under international agreements and to the arrangements agreed from time to time between the Commonwealth, the States, and the Territories, to ensure a national approach to countering terrorism. A review of div 3 of pt III of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (Cth) (ASIO Act) and any other provision of that Act as far as it relates to that division, pursuant to s 6(1)(b) of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010 (Cth) (INSLM Act) is required to be completed by 7 September 2017. That division provides the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) with special powers relating to terrorism offences, being questioning warrants (QWs), and questioning and detention warrants (QDWs), and related matters. That time limit requires that the review take place notwithstanding s 9 of the INSLM Act. A review of pt IC of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) (Crimes Act) is also one of the functions of the office. That part provides for the detention (and questioning) of persons arrested for Commonwealth offences. Subdivision B of div 2 deals with terrorism offences. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (formerly the Australian Crime Commission) (ACIC) has compulsory questioning powers. The arrangements that are in place mean that those powers apply to certain terrorism offences, and to that extent, may be reviewed pursuant to s 6(1)(b) of the INSLM Act. Combining those reviews provides a better perspective than separate reviews and is the best use of limited resources. The existence and exercise of other powers relating to counter-terrorism and national security vested in federal and state bodies form part of the backdrop to this review and report. The previous Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM), Mr Bret Walker SC, reviewed and made recommendations about ASIO QWs, and QDWs, in chs IV and V of his 2012 Annual Report. He dealt with police powers of questioning post-arrest and pre-charge in Appendix F of the same report, but made no recommendations as to them. He touched on pre-emptive detention for questioning by the then Australian Crime Commission, and the New South Wales Crime Commission, in ch V of that report. The principal recommendation was that QDWs be abolished by repeal of the relevant statutory provisions. That recommendation has not been acted on. Several changes to the QW procedures were recommended, some based on the assumption that QDWs would be abolished. Only some have been adopted. These powers are revisited in this report in light of experience over recent years and the current security situation. This review has involved public and private written submissions, public and private hearings, private consultations, and the voluntary and compulsory provision of information. As much material as possible has been published on the INSLM website. The submissions published there give a comprehensive account of the considerations and arguments that have been advanced and taken into account. It is unnecessary to reproduce all of that information in this report. An account of the review process may be found at Appendix 1. Details: Sydney: Australian Government, Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, 2016. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/inslm_certainquestioninganddetentionpowers_feb_2017.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: National Security Shelf Number: 145788

Author: Gotsis, Tom Title: Social Impact Bonds and recidivism: A new solution to an old problem? Summary: Recidivism is not a topic that has traditionally been associated with the world of high finance. Yet, in recent times, recidivism and other intractable social challenges have become the subject of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs); a novel form of investment that makes use of private funds to address pressing public concerns. In July 2016 the NSW Government entered into its third SIB and Australia’s first recidivism SIB, known as On TRACC (Transition, Reintegration and Community Correction). On TRACC funds intensive support services to parolees, particularly in the first four months after their release, in order to facilitate their successful reintegration into the community. This paper provides an overview of SIBs. It defines recidivism, and considers the extent and costs of recidivism in NSW. The effectiveness of overseas SIBs designed to reduce recidivism is examined. The paper concludes by discussing NSW's nascent experience with SIBs, including its new On TRACC recidivism SIB. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2017. 17p, Source: Internet Resource: e-brief Issue 1/2017: Accessed February 16, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/t_gotsis_social_impact_bonds_and_recidivism_feb_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice Shelf Number: 141053

Author: Palumbo, Jenna Title: Social Impact Bonds: reducing reoffending in Western Australia Summary: Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) SIBs are a promising new approach that leverages private investment to support high-impact social programs. SIBs are designed to separate the payment for the delivery of services (funded upfront by private investors) with payment for the success of those interventions; where Government pays if, and only if, the desired outcomes are achieved. By doing so, SIBs enable Governments to trial innovative, preventative services and then pay for those services out of the savings generated. Social Impact Bonds are a promising new approach that has been applied to a range of social issues around the world including: recidivism, children in out of home care, homelessness and unemployment. Criminal justice has been one of the focus areas for early SIB development due to the very high social and financial costs of the problem. Details: Social Ventures Australia, 2014. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 17, 2017 at: https://www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au/_files/about-us/statistics-publications/report-sib-reducing-reoffending-WA.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Justice Funding Shelf Number: 141073

Author: Growns, Bethany Title: Supported Accommodation Services for People Released from Custody: A systematic review to inform the development of the Rainbow Lodge Program Summary: A 2015 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimated that there were 51,000 instances of people being released from Australian prisons in 2014 (AIHW, 2015). There is a substantial need for programs that provide support and services to people at this vulnerable time. Securing safe and secure accommodation is one of the most critical challenges that people leaving custody face; however, obtaining housing can be problematic due to interpersonal conflict, lack of family, complex treatment needs and limited finances (Fontaine & Biess, 2012; Graffam & Shinkfield, 2012; Roman & Travis, 2004). Therefore, people recently released from custody may rely on other options, such as supported accommodation programs or homeless shelters (Clark, 2015). These can take many forms, including 'halfway houses', where people live in a house as a group, sometimes following a therapeutic program; or scattered site supported housing programs, where people are provided with their own accommodation (i.e. a house or apartment), while also receiving therapeutic support in the form of home visits and/or participating in other therapeutic activities (e.g. attending a day centre). There is a growing demand within the field of criminal justice for more rigorous research and evaluation of interventions (Wright, Zhang, Farabee, & Braatz, 2014). Demonstrating the effectiveness of criminal justice interventions is critical in developing and producing evidence-based programs that can produce tangible outcomes for individuals. There is some evidence that interventions for people released from prison that include an accommodation component are effective in reducing re-offending and the severity of future re-offending (Seiter & Kadela, 2003; Somers, Rezansoff, Moniruzzaman, Palepu, & Patterson, 2013). A recent narrative review examined the efficacy of a variety of post-release programs, including programs that included a residential component, provided counselling services, vocational training, education or aftercare. Programs that included some kind of a residential component were found to produce the most positive results overall (Wright et al., 2014). Existing reviews have not looked at specific forms of supported accommodation for people released from prison, nor identified elements of supported accommodation services that contribute to positive outcomes. Objectives of this study The Rainbow Lodge Program is a non-profit organisation in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, that provides a responsive, intensive and supportive service to male Corrective Services clients assessed with having high needs, a strong risk of re-offending and homelessness, in order that they effectively re-enter and integrate into the community. This study has been undertaken to: Document the Rainbow Lodge Program; and Identify opportunities for the development of the Rainbow Lodge Program as an evidence-informed service. To these ends, this report includes: A description of the Rainbow Lodge Program, developed in consultation with staff and management of the Program; The results of a systematic review aimed at assessing the evidence on effectiveness of post-release supported accommodation programs similar to Rainbow Lodge, and identifying elements of such programs that contribute to positive client outcomes; and Implications of the findings of the systematic review for the Rainbow Lodge Program. Results of the systematic review The systematic review identified only nine publications meeting the eligibility criteria for inclusion (evaluation of a post-release supported accommodation program similar to the Rainbow Lodge Program). Studies were frequently methodologically flawed, and few consistent findings were evident, with regards to either effectiveness of post-release supported accommodation programs in reducing recidivism, or program characteristics associated with positive participant outcomes. Recommendations for the Rainbow Lodge Program Given the inconclusive findings of the review, it is difficult to identify recommendations for the day-to-day operations or components of the Rainbow Lodge Program. What is clear from the review is that there is a need for methodologically rigorous, comprehensive research on this type of post-release program, particularly outside the United States. Ideally, an outcome evaluation would be undertaken to assess the impact of the Rainbow Lodge Program on recidivism and other outcomes. However, there are important challenges to consider in proposing an outcome evaluation: identification and recruitment of an appropriate comparison group, and recruitment of sufficient numbers of participants to detect any effect that may exist. Given the challenges of undertaking an outcome evaluation (which will require further planning to be overcome), in the short-term, a process evaluation may be a more feasible option for further research on the Rainbow Lodge Program. This could include a retrospective file review, as well as quantitative and qualitative data collection with current residents. In order to enable future research, it is recommended that the Rainbow Lodge Program introduce a “Consent to research” form at program entry. This will allow client assessments to be used in research, and data linkage into the future. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2016. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: NDARC Technical Report No. 335: Accessed February 21, 2017 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/NDARC%20Technical%20Report%20No%20335.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Interventions Shelf Number: 141142

Author: Independent Commission Against Corruption Title: Investigation into the Smuggling of Contraband into the Metropolitan Special Programs Centre at the Long Bay Correctional Complex Summary: This investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption ("the Commission") concerned the trafficking of contraband items into the Metropolitan Special Programs Centre (MSPC) at the Long Bay Correctional Complex. Karaha Pene Te-Hira, an activities officer employed by Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) at the MSPC, admitted that, over a six-month period in 2012, he trafficked contraband, including food, clothing, shoes, mail, mobile telephones, chargers, SIM cards, steroids and a plunger for steroid injection, for two MSPC inmates in return for payment. The smuggling of contraband into correctional centres was previously dealt with in the Commission’s July 2010 report on an investigation involving the John Morony Correctional Centre. The question of how and why the same kind of conduct had recurred, despite the corruption prevention recommendations made by the Commission on that occasion having been implemented to some degree, was also explored in this investigation. This investigation examined the steps that had been taken by CSNSW to date and made recommendations about further measures to be adopted by CSNSW in the future. Results The Commission found that the following persons engaged in corrupt conduct: 1. Mr Te-Hira by i. trafficking contraband, including food, clothing, shoes, mail, mobile telephones, chargers, SIM cards, steroids and a plunger for steroid injection, into the MSPC for an inmate named Omar Zahed and another inmate identified during the inquiry as Prisoner X over a six-month period in 2012 1 Independent Commission Against Corruption, Investigation into the smuggling of contraband into the John Morony Correctional Centre, July 2010. ii. trafficking a pair of shoes into the MSPC, which he delivered to Mr Zahed on or around 14 June 2012, in return for cash and a pair of shoes iii. trafficking a pair of shoes into the MSPC, which he delivered to Mr Zahed on or around 28 June 2012, in return for a pair of shoes iv. accepting a benefit of at least $500 towards the cost of a car stereo and DVD system installed in his vehicle by Xtreme Car Audio on 23 June 2012, which he knew came from either an inmate named Alfred Fonua or another inmate, on the understanding that he would exercise his official functions in favour of Mr Fonua or Mr Zahed or another inmate associated with Mr Fonua or Mr Zahed. 2. Mr Zahed by arranging for his sister, Asmahen Zahed, to provide Mr Te-Hira with shoes for delivery to himself in the MSPC and to reward Mr Te-Hira with shoes and cash in return. 3. Ms Zahed by providing a pair of shoes and cash on 13 June 2012 and a pair of shoes on 27 June 2012 to Mr Te-Hira in return for his delivering shoes to Mr Zahed in the MSPC. These findings are set out in chapter 2 of this report. The Commission also found that Mr Te-Hira engaged in corrupt conduct by: • trafficking one pair of shoes, tweezers and a shaving razor into the MSPC, which he delivered to Prisoner X in April 2012, in return for a cash payment exceeding $50 • trafficking unspecified contraband items into the MSPC, which he delivered to Prisoner X in June 2012 trafficking two HTC mobile telephones into the MSPC, which he delivered to Prisoner X sometime after 28 June 2012. These findings are set out in chapter 3 of this report. Chapters 2 and 3 of the report also contain statements pursuant to section 74A(2) of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 ("the ICAC Act") that the Commission is of the opinion that the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) should be obtained with respect to the prosecution of Mr Te-Hira for offences of corruptly receiving a reward contrary to section 249B(1) of the Crimes Act 1900 ("the Crimes Act"). The Commission is also of the opinion that CSNSW should give consideration to taking disciplinary action against Mr Te-Hira with a view to his dismissal. Chapter 4 sets out the Commission's corruption prevention response to the conduct disclosed during the investigation. The Commission has made the following recommendations to CSNSW. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2013. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2017 at: https://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/documents/investigations/reports/4050-investigation-into-the-smuggling-of-contraband-into-the-metropolitan-special-programs-centre-at-the-long-bay-correctional-complex-operation-drake-january-2013/file Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Contraband Shelf Number: 114188

Author: Independent Commission Against Corruption Title: Investigation into the Smuggling of Contraband into the John Morony Correctional Centre Summary: This investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption ("the Commission") concerned the conduct of Sebastian Wade, a Senior Corrections Officer with Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW). The investigation was primarily concerned with Mr Wade supplying contraband, including drugs, to inmates at the John Morony Correctional Centre (JMCC) in return for payment. As a result of its investigation, the Commission established that on at least four occasions between mid- 2009 and January 2010 Mr Wade obtained contraband from associates of two inmates and gave them to the inmates in return for payment. His attempt to smuggle contraband into JMCC on another occasion for a third inmate was aborted when he was apprehended and arrested by NSW Police. The investigation also examined the steps taken by CSNSW to prevent the recurrence of conduct of the kind undertaken by Mr Wade as well as the steps that should be taken in the future. Results Findings that Mr Wade engaged in corrupt conduct in relation to supplying contraband to inmates are set out in chapter 2 of the report. Chapter 2 of the report contains a statement pursuant to section 74A(2) of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 (“the ICAC Act”) that the Commission is of the opinion that the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) should be obtained with respect to the prosecution of Mr Wade for offences of receiving corrupt payments from associates of three inmates contrary to section 249B of the Crimes Act 1900 and offences of giving false or misleading evidence to the Commission contrary to section 87(1) of the ICAC Act. The Commission is also of the opinion that CSNSW should give consideration to taking disciplinary action against Mr Wade with a view to his dismissal. Chapter 3 sets out the Commissions' corruption prevention response to the conduct disclosed during the investigation. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2010. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2017 at: https://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/docman/investigations/reports/3655-investigation-into-the-smuggling-of-contraband-into-the-john-morony-correctional-centre-operation-cicero/file Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Contraband Shelf Number: 147428

Author: Sindicich, Natasha Title: Patient Motivations, Perceptions and Experiences of Opioid Substitution Therapy in Prison Summary: People with opioid dependence are overrepresented in correctional settings (AIHW, 2013; Indig et al., 2010). Opioid substitution therapy (OST) is an effective treatment for opioid dependence, reducing illicit opioid use (Mattick, Breen, Kimber, & Davoli, 2009, 2014) and mortality (Degenhardt et al., 2011). OST is provided in correctional settings in many jurisdictions around the world (HRI, 2014), but there has been limited examination of the patient experience of opioid substitution therapy (OST) in correctional settings. Unexplored issues include reasons for entering (or not entering) treatment; patient perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of OST in prison; and preferences to cease or remain in treatment on release from prison. This latter issue is of particular importance, as clinicians report that patients often wish to cease OST prior to release, even when informed of the risk of overdose and benefits of remaining in treatment. This qualitative study aimed to examine patient motivations for, and perceptions and experiences of, OST in prisons in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Forty-seven participants were recruited from seven correctional centres across NSW between September 2012 and October 2013. All participants had a recorded history of opioid use and/or dependence. To ensure a broad range of perspectives were obtained, participants were selected on the basis of specific exposures to OST: Exposure group A (n=7): New inductions to OST. These individuals were within 28 days of commencing OST at the time of interview. They may have been in OST previously, in community or custodial settings; Exposure group B (n=11): Continuing OST from the community. This group of patients had been in OST prior to custody, and were in treatment in custody for at least 28 days before interview (i.e. had some familiarity with the opioid treatment program in prison). Exposure group C (n=10): Commenced OST in custody. These participants were in treatment for at least 28 days before interview (i.e. had some familiarity with the opioid treatment program in prison). Exposure group D (n=9): Voluntarily ceased OST in custody. Exposure group E (n=10): Patients who reported heroin use on reception to prison, but have not entered OST or have declined to be placed on the OST waiting list during this custodial sentence. The sample was predominantly male (n=32; 68%), and 18 participants (38%) identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The average age of participants was 35 years. Three-quarters (n=35, 75%) of the sample were sentenced, 11 were on remand, and one participant was unsure of sentencing status. The majority (n=42; 89%) reported a previous incarceration history. Twenty-eight participants were currently prescribed OST (methadone n=27, 57%; buprenorphine-naloxone-naloxone n=1, 2%). Findings by exposure group Among new OST inductions (Group A, n=7), reasons for commencing OST included wanting to abstain from drug use in prison and in the community upon release, as well as to aid with opioid withdrawal. Some participants noted the role of OST in the management of chronic pain. Benefits of OST identified by this group included elimination of opioid cravings, and the financial advantages of not buying drugs in prison. Criticisms of the opioid treatment program reported by this group included the waiting period to enter the program, with over half reporting drug use during this period in order to manage withdrawal symptoms. All participants in this group reported a willingness to stay in OST post-release, with two participants noting that they would prefer to be switched from methadone to buprenorphine formulations due to the lower frequency of administration (every second day) and higher number of ‘take-away’ doses available, which was deemed more practical for meeting employment commitments. Almost all (10/11) Group B patients (continuing OST from the community) were satisfied to remain in OST. Most (7/11) were willing to continue with OST post-release, so as to avoid drug relapse. As in Group A, two participants reported a preference to switch from methadone to buprenorphine-naloxone formulations post-release. For those who were wanting to cease treatment prior to release, reasons for this included pressure from family members and friends, the stigma attached to OST, the long-term nature of OST, and the perceived side-effects of poor dental health and appearing "stoned". Group C (n=10) were current OST patients who had commenced OST during this custodial period. Participants in this group reported drug use and unsafe injecting practices while in prison before commencing treatment. Most (6/10) reported that they would remain in OST post-release, at least until they felt they were stable and had a daily routine in the community. Those who wanted to cease treatment prior to release reported that they were primarily on OST for the management of their chronic pain and that on their release, they would seek other medication, often the preferred opioid analgesic they were prescribed prior to custody. Group D (n=9) had ceased OST during their current incarceration period. Around half (4/9) of participants in this group expressed interest in re-starting OST. Motivations for restarting OST included wanting to cease drug use in prison, and prevention of opioid withdrawal. Again, it was reported that drug use and unsafe injecting practices occurred during waiting periods to enrol in treatment. Reasons for ceasing OST related to release from prison and a reluctance to continue in OST due to the long-term nature of treatment, daily stressors of obtaining methadone in the community, and previous unsuccessful attempts OST episodes in the community. Group E (n=10) were people with a history of opioid use and/or dependence who had not entered OST in this period of incarceration. Seven participants in this group reported prior OST in the community or during previous incarcerations. Six of the ten participants in this group reported that they would like to be in OST, preferably prescribed a buprenorphine-naloxone formulation. Recurrent themes across groups Perceptions of opioid treatment program operation Participants were critical of the time taken to be assessed for OST and commenced on treatment. Participants perceived that this process was expedited if they reported drug use in prison to health centre staff; however, drug use is not a high priority indication for treatment entry per se (unlike pregnancy or HIV seropositivity, for example), so it is unclear if this perception was valid. Once treatment had commenced, participants perceived that there was a lack of monitoring and limited discussion of long-term treatment plans, particularly in relation to ceasing OST. Some participants questioned the motivations of other OST patients; for example, people with no recent history of opioid use who requested assessment for the opioid treatment program, or patients who deliberately requested higher doses of medicine than necessary in order to feel intoxicated. Intentions to cease OST prior to or on release Around one-third of current OST patients reported an intention to cease OST prior to or on release from prison. Participants identified aspects of OST in the community that they perceived as restrictive (e.g. daily dosing; difficulties in travelling to clinics within opening hours; difficulties going away from home). Some participants expressed concern that attending an OST clinic would result in drug use and/or crime as a result of exposure to past associates. Participants also expressed concern about the long-term nature of OST, with the perception that OST was replacing one addiction for another and in conflict with the goal of being "drug free". Participants also identified the stigma attached to OST as a reason for ceasing treatment prior to release. For some participants, this issue was framed in terms of where best to withdraw from OST, specifically methadone – in custody, or in the community. These participants identified the prison setting as a more fitting environment for managing withdrawal. Drug use in prison, including buprenorphine-naloxone diversion Across groups there was consensus that drugs including cannabis, heroin, methamphetamine, and buprenorphine-naloxone diverted from the opioid treatment program. Availability and pricing of drugs varied by prison. Drugs were injected and smoked. Awareness of the risk of blood borne virus transmission via sharing of needles and syringes was high, with specific mentions of risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV transmission. Participants reported use of needles and syringes by multiple people despite these risks. The issue of buprenorphine-naloxone diversion from the opioid treatment program was mentioned by 18 participants. Diversion appeared to occur largely in the context of patients being "stood over"; that is, being forced to give their buprenorphine-naloxone to someone else. Participants reported that people engaged in stand over behaviour to obtain buprenorphine-naloxone for their own use (medicating withdrawal symptoms, or getting intoxicated) or to sell for profit. Use of OST for chronic pain Five participants were prescribed methadone for the treatment of chronic pain. Participants generally stated a preference for other analgesic medicines. Methadone was, however, perceived as more effective for pain relief than other options available in the prison setting (e.g. ibuprofen). Naltrexone for the treatment of opioid dependence Over half of participants (27/47) had heard of naltrexone (either oral or implant formulation). There was some scepticism regarding the utility of naltrexone treatment for opioid dependence in the prison settings, primarily because participants believed that those prescribed naltrexone would continue to use, or commence using, non-opioid drugs. Discussion and conclusions Treatment seeking was often precipitated by drug use and injecting in prison. OST was also sought to medicate opioid withdrawal symptoms. Keeping prison-based OST numbers within a range that results in safe management both in custody and upon release to the community has led to delays in accessing OST for those patients seeking to commence treatment in prison, and patients clearly have strong negative views about this approach. Among some participants, the waiting list appeared to act as a barrier to initiating the process of commencing OST. Balancing the needs of opioid dependent patients against operational and capacity issues, and safety and security concerns, are ongoing challenges for clinical staff. With some exceptions, benefits of OST in prison were largely framed in terms of avoiding negative experiences or outcomes, rather than as direct positive benefits of treatment. These findings highlight that although OST is perceived as preventing negative outcomes, it is not necessarily seen as producing positive outcomes for the individual, such as better health or quality of life. This is line with previous research that has reported the considerable ambivalence that many opioid dependent persons have towards OST (Harris & Rhodes, 2013). Diversion of buprenorphine-naloxone from the opioid treatment program appeared to most commonly occur in the context of patients being "stood over" for their medicine, although there may also be patients who voluntarily engage in diversion. The potential for diversion of buprenorphine products used for OST in correctional settings has been previously identified (Gordon et al., 2014; Kinlock, Gordon, Schwartz, & Fitzgerald, 2010; Magura et al., 2009), and the combination buprenorphine-naloxone film was introduced into NSW correctional centres specifically in response to concerns regarding diversion of the mono-buprenorphine formulation (administered sublingually). Policies and procedures for reducing the incidence of diversion and for responding to identified cases of diversion are in place in correctional health centres in NSW. Despite the identified benefits of OST in prison, there was considerable ambivalence among patients regarding continuation of OST once released. Balancing the preference of many patients to cease OST prior to release against patient safety post-release is a substantial challenge for correctional health care providers. The weeks immediately after release from prison are associated with an elevated risk of drug-related death (compared to other time at liberty) (Merrall et al., 2010), and exposure to OST during this period is highly protective against mortality (Degenhardt et al., 2014). As such, correctional health care providers in NSW are trained to advise patients to remain in OST through their transition to the community, and are reluctant to assent to patient requests to cease OST prior to release. This tension between patient preference and evidence-informed clinical practice appears to be perceived by patients as a lack of consultation and/or poor treatment planning. Further work is needed examining provider perspectives of OST in prison, and determining models of care to enhance post-release engagement in OST. Participants reported that injecting drug use occurred in prisons. Awareness of the potential for HCV or HIV transmission through the sharing of injecting equipment was high; nonetheless, participants reported that sharing of needles and syringes was common. Participants perceived a needle and syringe program as feasible for the prevention of re-use of injecting equipment. This study has generated unique data on patient perspectives of OST in correctional settings. We have described patient perspectives on entry to, experiences of, and retention in, OST in prison and post-release. Our findings have highlighted the challenges facing opioid treatment providers in prison in addressing patient ambivalence towards OST and preferences to cease OST prior to release, and can inform the development of policies and clinical practices that are mindful of patient perspectives and concerns. These results are suggestive of the need for further work examining how best to attract and retain opioid dependent prisoners in treatment, including provider perspectives; evaluation of programs designed to increase post-release retention in OST (and other care), and quantitative analyses of retention in OST in prison and post-release. Details: Sydney: NATIONAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 2016. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical Report Number 332: Accessed February 24, 2017 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/Technical%20Report%20Number%20332.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 141212

Author: Dowse, Leanne Title: People with Complex Needs who are the Victims of Crime: Building evidence for responsive support Summary: This project aimed to provide a detailed description of the nature and experience of crime victimisation for an identified group of people with complex needs in NSW, including those who have intellectual disability and mental health disorders and other co-occurring experiences of social disadvantage and who have been in the criminal justice system as offenders. Through interview and consultation with key organisations delivering services or representing the interests of this group, the project has also explored the current context of service delivery in NSW, identified key current challenges in providing responsive, appropriate and adequate support to this group and identified current gaps and innovative or best practice where it currently exists. The report provides context and background to the issue and draws on an already assembled unique source of linked data obtained from routine data collections from a range of service organisations in NSW on a cohort of 2731 people who have complex needs and who have been incarcerated in NSW. The People with Mental Health Disorders and Cognitive Disabilities (MHDCD) in the Criminal Justice System dataset www.mhdcd.unsw.edu.au allows both quantitative and qualitative descriptions of victimisation pathways and experiences. Outcomes of the analysis of the MHDCD dataset are provided here in the form of descriptive statistical analysis of the cohort as a whole, supported by selected case studies, which allow detailed illustration and nuanced observation of the ‘lived experience’ of victimisation for this group. Consultation and interviews were conducted with 21 individuals from organisations identified through an environmental scan as key stakeholders in providing services to this group or representing their interests in policy and practice. Key findings emerging from the descriptive statistical analysis suggest that victimisation is very common in the lives of people with complex needs who offend. The majority of the cohort (85%) has experienced at least one instance of being a victim and over half (65%) have been the victim of violent crime. Victimisation is more common among women, and those reporting a prior history of homelessness, those with a history of alcohol and drug use problems, intellectual disability, a mental health condition, an acquired brain injury and a history of serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. Analysis of violent victimisation identifies higher incidence for women, Aboriginal Australians, those with a history of homelessness and those who had experienced custody as a juvenile. Aboriginal Australians on average experience their first victimisation at a younger age than non-Aboriginal people. Analysis suggests that whilst the presence of any disability diagnosis is associated with high rates of victimisation, increasing levels of health complexity and need are associated with an increased risk of violent victimisation (54.6% of those with one diagnosis had been violently victimised compared to 71.8% of those with two diagnoses and 80.6% of those with three diagnoses, p<0.01). This indicates that it is not simply the presence of a disability that increases vulnerability to victimisation, but rather the interaction of multiple and compounding disability and social disadvantage operates to increase vulnerability to violence. Interestingly it was found that this pattern is reversed in relation to non-violent victimisation experiences, so that while having greater complexity in diagnoses makes individuals more likely to be a victim of violence, it appears to proportionally decrease the likelihood of non-violent victimisation. Analysis of service interactions for the cohort indicate that those who have received disability services at some point in their lives, those who have received Legal Aid, and are clients of Housing NSW experience higher levels of violent victimisation as compared to non-violent crime. Clients of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, and of its Community Justice Program, have particularly high rates of personal victimisation indicating that these services face challenges in dealing with their clients’ disability needs when they clearly occur in the context of a more complex life world characterised by high vulnerability to victimisation. Legal Aid clients similarly experience a disproportionately high incidence of victimisation, particularly of a violent nature, as do those who have tenancies with Housing NSW. Case study analysis illustrates the simultaneous and multiple processes of marginalisation experienced by people with complex needs. These can be seen to both create the context for their vulnerability to victimisation and to result in system and service responses which are limited, inadequate and often criminalising in and of themselves, such as the consequences of victimisation in out of home care settings. The significant impact of early victimisation experiences, especially sexual abuse and assault, can be seen in the life trajectories of the individual case studies presented. The impact of unstable early life and childhood experience of victimisation can be seen in the later teenage and early adult years of individual lives manifesting as vulnerabilities to their both experiencing and perpetrating further forms of violence, in particular in their adult domestic contexts. Also clearly illustrated is the vulnerability to harassment and victimisation associated with having a cognitive impairment where individuals are both subject to victimisation directly related to their disability and less able to respond in ways that do not escalate their victimisation. Similarly, the presence of cognitive impairment appears to lessen the chances lessen the chances of recognition, reporting and adequate redress such as reports not being taken seriously, appropriate support for disclosure not being available and the risks associated with disclosing victimisation within a care relationship on which an individual may be dependent. Key representative and service provider organisations identified through an initial environmental scan were approached for interview. The 21 individuals interviewed identified a range of significant issues which are currently seen to impact on policy and services for this group. Barriers to the provision of responsive and appropriate services for this group were identified by informants to include issues around a general lack of capacity of mainstream support services to cater to the needs of this group, poor communication and awareness of services that are available, low levels of identification and engagement of people with complex needs in services generally, restricted availability and accessibility of services and the reluctance of people with complex needs to engage who generally have had poor experiences with services in the past. Enablers for better responses were identified as service flexibility and accessibility, proactive and outreach service models which are skilled in the recognition, identification and assessment of victimisation and its impacts on those with complex needs. Key principles underpinning best practice in the area were identified as including inclusive and universal communication strategies for engaging individuals in services, a trauma informed care approach which is holistic, person-centred and premised on relationship and trust building as a foundation for addressing more complex issues of vulnerability to victimisation. Enhanced capacity in both specialist and mainstream provision would be enabled by the development of training and awareness of the connections between complex needs, offending and victimisation. An approach which is informed by a human rights framework which is community based and which premises prevention and early intervention was identified as foundational to enhancing capacity to provide responsive and appropriate support for those with complex needs who have or at are risk of being the victim of crime. Details: Sydney: University of New South Wales, 2015. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 27, 2017 at: http://www.victimsclearinghouse.nsw.gov.au/Documents/People_with_Complex_Needs_and_Crime_Victimsation_Final_Report_Jan_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Disability Shelf Number: 141222

Author: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Title: Analysis of claims of child sexual abuse made with respect to Catholic Church institutions Summary: The Royal Commission has conducted a comprehensive survey of Catholic Church authorities in Australia to gather data about the extent of claims of child sexual abuse made against Catholic Church personnel. A significant proportion of the people who contacted the Royal Commission made allegations of child sexual abuse occurring in Catholic Church institutions. At the time this report was published, of all people who attended a private session with a Commissioner, 37% reported abuse occurring in Catholic Church institutions Analysis of claims data provides detailed information about claims of child sexual abuse, including information about where the alleged abuse occurred and when it occurred. The claims data also provides information about the people who made claims of child sexual abuse and the alleged perpetrators who were subject to the claims of child sexual abuse. Finally, the claims data provides comprehensive information about aspects of the institutional response to claims of child sexual abuse, including the outcome of claims for redress Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2017. 282p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/analysis-of-claims-of-child-sexual-abuse-with-respect-to-catholic-church-institutions-in-australia_february_20_-2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Catholic Church Shelf Number: 141250

Author: Tasmania. Department of Justice, Sentencing Advisory Council. Title: Mandatory Treatment for Sex Offenders Summary: The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to better protecting the most vulnerable in our community and ensuring sex offenders take responsibility for their crimes and their rehabilitation. The Sentencing Advisory Council (SAC) has now completed its Research Paper No. 1: Mandatory Treatment for Sex Offenders, as part of its referral from the Government in 2015 regarding mandatory treatment for sex, drug and alcohol offenders. The Tasmanian community has been appalled at past revelations that serious sex offenders could elect not to take part in any treatment or rehabilitation while in jail. The Government shares the community concern and has acted on it, with a Bill to amend the Corrections Act 1997 passing the Parliament in 2015 requiring that sex offender treatment to be taken into consideration in parole and remission decisions. The SAC Paper considers mandatory treatment for sex offenders in prison and in the community, including justifications for creating a mandatory treatment regime and the legal mechanisms that may be used for this purpose. As this is a research paper it does not provide specific recommendations, but does consider options to expand the current requirements for treatment for sex offenders in Tasmania. Details: Hobart: The Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 1: Accessed March 2, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/368722/SAC_Research_Paper_-_Mandatory_treatment_for_sex_offenders_-_November_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Sex Offender Treatment Shelf Number: 141299

Author: Tasmania. Department of Justice, Sentencing Advisory Council. Title: Sentencing of Adult Family Violence Offenders Summary: This Report provides advice on the sentencing of adult family violence offenders in Tasmania and includes consideration of the range and adequacy of sentencing options and support programs available and the role of specialist family violence lists or courts in dealing with family violence matters. The request to the Sentencing Advisory Council was made by the then Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, the Hon Brian Wightman MP in October 2013. The Council was not required to provide recommendations but instead the Report offers a number of observations about current sentencing practices for family violence offences. Details: Hobart: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Final Report no. 5: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/333324/SAC_-_family_violence_report_-_corrected_accessible_version_for_web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 141304

Author: Tasmania. Department of Justice, Sentencing Advisory Council. Title: Phasing out Suspended Sentences Summary: The paper examines Tasmania's current use of suspended sentences. It then examines how to phase out suspended sentences in Tasmania and makes 55 recommendations concerning the approach to phasing out suspended sentences. Details: Hobart: The Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 168p. Source: Internet Resource: Consultation Paper: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/342321/Phasing_out_Suspended_Sentences_report_final_for_Web2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Sentencing Shelf Number: 141305

Author: Tasmania. Department of Justice, Sentencing Advisory Council. Title: Mandatory Sentencing for Serious Sex Offences against Children Summary: The Sentencing Advisory Council investigated the implementation in Tasmania of mandatory minimum sentencing for serious sex offences against children following a request from the Attorney-General. It released its final report on 15 November 2016. The report is divided into 2 Parts: Part A examines objections to the implementation of a mandatory minimum sentencing scheme in Tasmania and reiterates an earlier Council recommendation that such a scheme not be introduced in Tasmania. Part B discusses the implementation of a mandatory scheme and provides preliminary advice on the structure and coverage of a mandatory scheme, and levels of mandatory minimum sentences. Details: Hobart: The Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Final Report no. 7: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/360999/2016_SAC_Mandatory_Sentencing_Final_Report-Web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 141306

Author: Hayes-Jonkers, Charmaine S. Title: Bouncers, Brutes and Brawn: Are bouncers being discriminated against in news reports? A critical discourse analysis Summary: Public perceptions of bouncers have been of thuggish, brutish men who like nothing better than to 'pound people into the pavement' or 'heave people out onto the street'. Arguably, Neanderthal-like perceptions of bouncers have prevailed over time, both in the eyes of the public and the eyes of the news media. Incidents of bouncers being involved in violent encounters, including deaths, have been well documented in the news media; most notably, the death of the Australian cricketer David Hookes in 2004. Links between bouncers, biker gangs and organised crime have also been identified and may well influence public perceptions of bouncers. Alcohol-related violence in the night-time economy is a complex social, cultural and structural problem that has no simple solution. Bouncers occupy a precarious and contradictory position as the protectors and minders of persons and property within the night-time economy. The news media is a powerful mechanism for influencing, producing and reproducing dominant ideological values and norms in relation to biases, discrimination and racism. This thesis employs a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) perspective and seeks to determine, through an in-depth analysis of news reports and a categorical qualitative analysis, if negative portrayals and discrimination through rhetorical and discursive strategies in the news media contribute to the public perception of bouncers as thugs. CDA seeks to uncover the political and ideological meanings behind talk and text. The aim of this research is to expose the underlying sociopolitical factors that are contributing to the vilification of bouncers in the news media in Australia. A manual, 'deep' qualitative analysis was conducted on 10 randomly selected news reports and 80 reports were analysed using the NVivo 10 qualitative software program. The manual analysis has indicated that rhetorical and discursive strategies are used in news reports to undermine bouncers' credibility and portray the industry as staffed with violent, undertrained, criminal individuals. Under- and over-statements, metaphors, and metonymic concepts, together with lexical choice, styles and structures are used freely by the news media to vilify, discriminate against and discredit bouncers. Bouncer 'voices' were excluded in news reports and only the 'voices' of credible 'experts' were quoted or 'heard' to legitimate journalists' claims of violent bouncers. The NVivo analysis showed 809 references to violence in the 80 news reports, with 233 'experts' cited or quoted in the text. There were 130 political abstractions and generalisations and 61 references to criminality. There were also 307 references to power being exerted over bouncers and 519 organisations mentioned in the text. Collectively, industry 'experts' distanced themselves from bouncers involved in violence and the bouncers responsible were 'blamed' for the violence, which supports the political ideology of responsibilisation. It is proposed that lack of state authority, low social status and working in an industry described as 'dirty work' contribute to social perceptions of bouncers as violent thugs. Details: Cairns, AUS: James Cook University, 2015. 272p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/43775/1/43775-hayes-jonkers-2015-thesis.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 141317

Author: Victoria Legal Aid Title: Care Not Custody: A new approach to keep kids in residential care out of the criminal justice system Summary: Children living in out-of-home care are some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community. Many have been exposed to multiple traumas from a young age resulting from family violence, substance abuse, neglect or abandonment and/or sexual or physical abuse. Unfortunately, as numerous studies have demonstrated, too many of these children are still ending up involved from a young age - often unnecessarily - in our criminal justice system. The over-representation of children from out-of-home care in our criminal justice system is a matter of longstanding concern to Victoria Legal Aid. A recent review of our child protection client data found that: • Almost one in three young people we assist with child protection matters who are placed in out-of-home care later returns to us for assistance with criminal charges; • Young people we assist placed in out-of-home care are almost twice as likely to face criminal charges as those who remain with their families; Young people we assist placed in out-of-home care are more likely than other children to be charged with criminal damage for property-related offending; Our practice experience suggests that this problem is particularly acute with respect to children placed in residential care. This is due at least in part to the continued practice in many residential facilities of relying on police to manage incidents of challenging behaviour by young people. While serious offending by young people may warrant a police response, we also see cases where police have been called to a residential facility to deal with behaviour by a young person that would be unlikely to come to police attention had it occurred in a family home. We have represented children from residential care who have received criminal charges for smashing a cup, throwing a sink plug or spreading food around a unit's kitchen. As the case studies in this report demonstrate, frequently children who may never have had a criminal charge prior to entering care, quickly accrue a lengthy criminal history due to a cycle of "acting out" followed by police responses which develops in a residential unit. The broader reforms to the residential care system being introduced by the Victorian Government provide an important opportunity to address this criminalisation of vulnerable young people. Plans already underway to significantly reduce the number of children placed in long-term residential care and introduce mandatory qualification and training requirements for staff represent big steps forward, but do not do enough to address this specific problem. The present expectation that care providers develop their own guidelines about responding to challenging behaviour and when police should be called leads inevitably to variable and inconsistent responses in the way children are treated. Further guidance, support and training for care providers are clearly needed about more therapeutic ways to manage challenging behaviour so as to minimise the need for police involvement in cases where there is no immediate danger to staff or other young people. In New South Wales and parts of the UK, this has been done through the adoption of protocols that apply across all residential care facilities and explicitly aim to reduce young peoples' contact with the criminal justice system. Such protocols, which have been developed in partnership with care providers and police, provide a clear and consistent structure for decision-making in residential units when a child exhibits challenging behaviour. Together with appropriate training for staff, they have been highly effective in reducing the numbers of offences recorded against children in residential care – in one UK county by as much as 66%. The adoption of a similar Protocol in Victoria would have clear benefits for both staff and young people living in residential care. It would provide staff with a structured process for responding to incidents which distinguishes between behaviour which is merely disruptive or confrontational versus situations that are dangerous for staff and other young people. It would ensure a consistent process across the 240 residential care units in Victoria so that all young people, regardless of geography, are treated equally. Finally, it would provide children and young people with a response that is therapeutic and based on principles of care. Details: Victoria, AUS: Victoria Legal Aid, 2016. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2017 at: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/sites/www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/files/vla-care-not-custody-report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 141330

Author: Victoria. Auditor General Title: Managing Community Correction Orders Summary: A community correction order (CCO) is a sentence imposed by a court that allows offenders to complete their sentences in a community setting. Offenders on CCOs may have to comply with specific conditions imposed by the courts, such as mandatory drug or alcohol treatment, and significant restrictions such as curfews and judicial monitoring. In this audit, we examined how effectively Corrections Victoria (CV) manages CCOs. We also looked at: the Department of Health and Human Services to assess how well it coordinates court-ordered programs with CV Victoria Police, to examine how well it exchanges information with CV about offenders on CCOs. Twelve recommendations are made in this report for CV, and one each for Victoria Police and the Department of Health and Human Services. Details: Melbourne: Auditor-General, 2017. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2017 at: http://www.audit.vic.gov.au/publications/20170208-Community-Corrections/20170208-Community-Corrections.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 141340

Author: AMES Australia Title: Violence against women in CALD communities. Understandings and actions to prevent violence against women in CALD communities Summary: The problem of violence against women (VAW) was first raised by the Australian women's movement in the 1970s. Due largely to those efforts it has now been accepted as a key public policy concern in Australia. To date the focus has been on establishing service systems designed to respond to the needs of women who have experienced violence and to prevent violence from reoccurring. While the potential to prevent the problem in the first place has been well understood, until recently this has been an aspirational goal. However, given both the continuing prevalence of the problem and its serious health, social and economic consequences, there is increasing recognition of the need to turn attention to preventing violence against women (PVAW) before it occurs. There is now a broad consensus among women's services, governments, non-government organisations and community leaders that VAW is serious and unacceptable, and that prevention of this violence requires a continuum of interlinked and interdependent approaches. These include responses to women affected by violence to limit its consequences and prevent violence from reoccurring, intervening early with high-risk individuals, and efforts to prevent violence from occurring in the first place. The latter - preventing violence before it occurs (sometimes referred to as primary prevention) is the focus of this report. Australia's commitment to PVAW is encapsulated in the National plan to prevent violence against women and their children 2010-2022 (the National Plan), to which all state and territory governments are signatories. Australia was the first country to develop a comprehensive approach to PVAW, with the Australian Government establishing two new centres to support the implementation of this plan: Our Watch and Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS). Progress is being monitored through a range of mechanisms including the Personal Safety Survey (PSS), designed to monitor the experience of violence, and the National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS), designed to gauge the extent of cultural support for violence and the factors underpinning it in the Australian community. To date, action to PVAW has focused largely on the community as a whole, with minimal attention being paid to addressing factors relevant to particular groups. The risk of such "universal" approaches - when not accompanied by efforts to tailor strategies to the needs and contexts of particular groups - is that the gains made in prevention may not be shared equally In the development of the National Plan, two challenges were identified. The first of these was the need to strengthen commitment to the primary prevention of VAW. The second was ensuring that efforts in primary prevention are extended to meet the needs of specific sub-populations, including culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Almost half of Australians were either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas (ABS 2013a). We are a nation proud of our cultural diversity and have developed legislation and policies to ensure that all citizens are provided with equal opportunities, rights and entitlements. Among these is the right of women to live free from violence and the fear of violence. Extending efforts to PVAW in CALD communities is critical to ensuring that this right is realised. This document summarises the outcomes of a project focusing on the primary prevention of VAW in CALD communities. Based on community consultation and research it identifies issues that need to be considered when working with CALD communities to PVAW and recommends future actions for consideration. Details: Melbourne: AMES Australia, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2017 at: https://www.ames.net.au/files/file/Research/20832%20AMES%20Actions%20Report%20Web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 141341

Author: Queensland. Department of Premier and Cabinet Title: Queensland Parole System Review: Final Report Summary: The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier and Minister for the Arts and the Honourable Bill Byrne MP, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services and Minister for Corrective Services established a review into the parole system in Queensland. Mr Walter Sofronoff QC was appointed to lead the review. The review sought input from victims' organisations, organisations working with offenders, academic researchers and experts, interested members of the public and persons working in the criminal justice system. A report including findings and recommendations was provided to the Premier and Minister for the Arts and the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services and Minister for Corrective Services on 1 December 2016. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Government, 2016. 362p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 6, 2017 at: https://parolereview.premiers.qld.gov.au/assets/queensland-parole-system-review-final-report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Community-based Corrections Shelf Number: 141348

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Bail Support: A review of the literature Summary: This report presents the results of a literature review on bail support programs and services, commissioned by the Australian Capital Territory Justice and Community Safety Directorate as part of their Justice Reform Strategy. The literature review was conducted through a wide range of resources on criminological and other social services databases accessed through the services of Australian Institute of Criminology's JV Barry Library and through examination of government agency websites and generally available Internet resources. The literature search found information on a range of different support programs, including evaluations and reviews of some of those programs. Each Australian state and territory has at least one program or service available to support people on bail, either directly to allow the courts to grant bail or to provide treatment and other services during a defendant's time on bail. In some instances different types of programs have been merged, but overall bail support programs share substantial commonalities across Australia. They nonetheless vary in the range of services available, the extent and duration of those services, the degree to which services are provided directly by government agencies or provided through referral by non-government agencies. There are differences between Australian jurisdictions in the eligibility requirements for defendants to participate in the program, with some requiring that defendants have entered a guilty plea while this is not a consideration for others. In addition to the programs offered throughout Australia, the literature review included bail support and supervision responses in New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. The program and service responses in those nations are generally similar to those in Australia, representing broadly comparable criminal justice systems and processes, and broadly comparable needs of offenders and defendants. The literature review also examined practices in a number of European countries, including Scandinavian countries. This aspect of the review showed that these countries take quite different approaches from Australia in the way they determine and effect the release or incarceration of accused persons. In Scandinavian countries bail is very rarely used. From the examination of bail support practices, and the evaluations and reviews that have been undertaken of various programs and services, a set of best practice principles for the implementation and operation of bail support programs was identified. These principles will apply both to programs targeting adults, and those targeting children and young people. However, there will be some differences in application of the principles, reflecting differences in legal considerations, responsibilities and needs between adult and youth clients. Best practice principles suggest that bail support programs should: be voluntary, ensuring that the client has at least some degree of motivation and willingness to engage with treatment and make changes to their life be timely and individualised, being available immediately upon bail being granted and able to respond to the accused person's immediate needs, even before they have left the court be holistic in nature, addressing the full range of the individual's criminogenic needs utilise collaborative arrangements and interagency approaches involving other government and non-government service providers adopt a strong and consistently applied program philosophy that manifests program-wide and at the level of individual case managers emphasise prioritise support before supervision, with treatment and responding to an individual's criminogenic needs being privileged over monitoring and supervision be localised and able to make use of local community resources and knowledge have a court-based staffing presence and establish good working relationships with court officers and service providers. Working relationships with court officials and the judiciary are important for establishing credibility and instilling judicial confidence be based on sound guidelines and processes that assist them to interface with the structured processes of the courts and the requirements of court orders while maintaining program integrity. The implementation of bail support programs also poses a number of challenges. Perhaps the foremost is the availability of suitable, affordable housing. This is critical to defendants being granted bail and being able to complete a bail program. Housing is also critical to longer term successful outcomes in terms of employment and maintaining a stable pro-social lifestyle. Housing availability is a challenge across all Australian jurisdictions and will remain an issue for bail support service providers. The establishment of bail hostels, as widely used in the UK, may present a way of increasing housing availability, although hostels raise a range of issues and have had little success in Australia. The availability and accessibility of treatment programs and other services is integral to the provision of bail support. Limited treatment places, particularly outside metropolitan areas, are a barrier to clients being able to successfully complete bail programs Despite these challenges, experience in Australia and overseas shows that government agencies are able to deliver effective bail support services to a wide range of people coming before the courts. Bail support services have been demonstrated to contribute to reduced remand populations, reduced reoffending among participants and improved sentencing and long term outcomes for accused persons and for the criminal justice system. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 6, 2017 at: http://cdn.justice.act.gov.au/resources/uploads/JACS/PDF/Bail_support_literature_review_v02_1.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 141350

Author: Australia. Auditor General Title: The Australian Border Force's Use of Statutory Powers Summary: Background 1. On 9 May 2014, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection announced the government's decision to bring together the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (Immigration) and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (Customs) in a single department from 1 July 2015. Within the integrated department, the government established the Australian Border Force (Border Force) as a 'single frontline operational border agency to enforce our customs and immigration laws and protect our border'. 2. Both the Customs Act 1901 (Customs Act) and Migration Act 1958 (Migration Act) contain a wide range of powers. While many of these are essentially administrative in nature, there are a wide range of coercive powers - such as powers to question, search, detain or arrest people, or enter and search vehicles or premises - which departmental officers, such as Border Force officers, can now exercise. Other Acts (such as the Maritime Powers Act 2013) also confer powers on officers. In total, officers can exercise coercive powers under 35 Acts and more than 500 empowering provisions. Audit objective and criteria 3. The objective of the audit was to assess the establishment and administration of the Australian Border Force's framework to ensure the lawful exercise of powers in accordance with applicable legislation. 4. To form a conclusion against the audit objective, the ANAO adopted the following high-level audit criteria: Is there an effective accountability and reporting framework for the lawful exercise of powers? Do Border Force officers have adequate knowledge of their powers and how to use them? Conclusion 5. As part of the integration of Immigration and Customs, the department has made progress towards establishing a framework to ensure Border Force officers exercise coercive powers lawfully and appropriately. However, significantly more work needs to be done to gain assurance that controls are effective. 6. The department's enterprise risk management framework does not adequately address the risk of officers exercising coercive powers unlawfully or inappropriately. Several internal assurance reviews have uncovered problems relating to the exercise of statutory powers. The Border Force has established an integrated operational quality assurance team, which has not yet finalised any reports. Delegations and authorisations for coercive powers are complete and in place but not all instruments are accessible to officers. 7. The ANAO found instances of potentially unlawful searches and failure to comply with instructions under both the Customs Act and Migration Act, which indicate current internal controls for mitigating the risk of unlawful or inappropriate use of coercive powers are inadequate. 8. The department has not provided adequate instructions and guidance for officers exercising coercive powers. There is currently no single source of instructions and guidance material for Border Force officers, and much of the guidance material available is out of date and inaccurate. While positive foundational work has commenced on integrating the former Customs and Immigration training regimes, officers have been exercising significant coercive powers without having undertaken pre-requisite training. Supporting findings 9. The department's approach to risk management at the enterprise level has been developing over the past two years. It has established an enterprise risk framework and is finalising profiles for each of its enterprise risks. The current profile relating to unlawful or inappropriate use of coercive powers conflates this risk with integrity and corruption risks, which require different internal controls. This has the potential to divert attention from controls relating to the risk of unlawful or inappropriate use of coercive powers. 10. The department has undertaken several internal assurance reviews that have uncovered problems relating to the exercise of statutory powers. The Border Force has recently established an integrated team responsible for operational quality assurance testing. The team has not yet completed any reviews. Prior to this, the department did not have satisfactory mechanisms for gaining assurance that officers understand their powers and are exercising them lawfully. 11. Instruments of authorisation and delegation for coercive Migration and Customs Act powers are complete and up-to-date. While Migration Act instruments of authorisation and delegation are available on the intranet, instruments relating to the Customs Act (and other Acts) are not accessible to officers. 12. Some personal searches of passengers at international airports examined by the ANAO were unlawful or inappropriate, indicating weaknesses in the control framework. A number of searches of premises under the Migration Act potentially exceeded the authority of the warrant which authorised them, and officers routinely questioned people without documenting their legal authority to do so. Officers also frequently failed to comply with departmental policy instructions, including compliance with certification and recordkeeping requirements. 13. The department has commenced a project to identify the statutory powers of officers of the integrated department, with a longer term view to possibly amending some powers. As part of the project, in July 2016, the department completed a consolidated inventory of all powers available to departmental officers under Commonwealth legislation. Such an inventory will enable the department to identify overlap, duplication, redundancy and inconsistency within and between Acts. It will also assist with identifying any gaps or deficiencies in powers in order to be able to submit a proposal for potential legislative change for government consideration. 14. The Border Force is developing a coordinated systematic framework for reporting on its use of coercive powers. It presently does not have such a framework. 15. Many of the instructions that are provided to Border Force officers on the department's intranet are out of date, incomplete, inaccurate and are not accessible to all officers. A project to remedy this situation was endorsed by the department's executive in December 2015 and has to date delivered only a very small number of operational instructions for Border Force officers. 16. The department has made progress in integrating the former Customs and Immigration training regimes and addressing deficiencies identified through pre-integration training audits conducted in 2014. The establishment of an integrated Learning and Development Branch and the Border Force College has been managed as a priority project, under the Reform and Integration Taskforce. While this project has delivered solid foundations for enhancing the learning maturity of the department, at the time of examination the results of these foundational efforts had yet to be realised. 17. Not all officers exercising coercive powers under the Migration Act and Customs Act have received pre-requisite training. The department has established an integrated Learning Management System but issues remain in relation to the completeness of training records. 18. The department has been undertaking a project to transition to a new workforce model, which has involved establishing 'vocations', profiling job roles under each vocation, mapping required competencies, and developing high level curricula. Training needs analysis for the Border Force vocational stream commenced in October 2016. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian National Audit Office, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 7, 2017 at: https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2766/f/ANAO_Report_2016-2017_39.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Patrol Shelf Number: 146415

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Fraud within the Commonwealth: A census of the most costly incidents 2014. Summary: From financial years 2010-11 to 2014-14, Commonwealth entities experienced 9,467 incidents of internal fraud, with losses of over $12.7m. This study analysed information about the most costly incidents each entity experienced each year and those who perpetrated these. The majority of the 166 frauds related to employee entitlements or financial benefits, and most were committed through the misuse of documents or technology. The findings provide an insight into the fraud risks facing the Commonwealth and how these might best be addressed. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin 02: Accessed March 7, 2017 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/sb/002/sb002.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Consumer Protection Shelf Number: 146416

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: The effect of lockout and last drinks laws on non-domestic assaults in Sydney: An update to September 2016 Summary: Aims: To assess the longer-term effects of the 2014 NSW liquor law reforms on levels of violence in the inner Sydney area. Method: Interrupted time series models were used to examine the effects of the legislative reforms introduced in January 2014. Police recorded non-domestic assaults were analysed over the period January 2009 and September 2016. Separate analyses were carried out for the Kings Cross Precinct (KXP); the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct (CBD); an area contiguous with KXP and CBD called the proximal displacement area (PDA); a group of entertainment areas not far from KXP and CBD called the distal displacement area (DDA) and the rest of NSW. Results: Following the reforms statistically significant reductions in non-domestic assault incidents occurred in both the Kings Cross (down 49%) and CBD Entertainment Precincts (down 13%). There was evidence of geographical displacement to surrounding areas with increases in non-domestic assault observed in both the PDA (up 12%) and the DDA (up 17%). The reduction in the combined Kings Cross and CBD Precincts (930 fewer non-domestic assaults) was much greater than the increase in the combined proximal and displacement areas (299 more non-domestic assaults). Conclusion: Restrictions on the availability of alcohol appear to have reduced non-domestic assault in the target Precincts. Continued research is needed to monitor if displacement of these assaults increases further Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 201: Accessed March 7, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2017-Effect-of-lockout-and-last-drinks-laws-on-non-domestic-assaults-cjb201.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Enforcement Shelf Number: 146417

Author: Tasmania. Department of Justice, Sentencing Advisory Council. Title: Sex Offence Sentencing Final Report Summary: The Sentencing Advisory Council's Final Report on Sex Offence Sentencing has been prepared by the Council following the raising of concerns that sentencing for sexual offences in Tasmania was out of step with sentencing for comparable offences in other Australian jurisdictions and/or community standards and expectations. The terms of reference asked the Council to report on existing sentencing practices in the Tasmanian Supreme Court regarding sex offences and to provide advice on how to address any inadequacies. The Council was also asked to gauge public opinion on this matter. The research and public responses have been incorporated into this final report which makes 15 recommendations Details: Hobart: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/325054/1832_SAC_sex_offenders_report_Access2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Sentencing Shelf Number: 144432

Author: Machin, Stephen Title: Larrikin youth: can education cut crime? Summary: If young people spend longer in school, are they less likely to commit crimes? Stephen Machin and international collaborators examine the impact on youth crime of an educational reform in Australia that raised the minimum school leaving age. Details: Centrepiece, 2017. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2017 at: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp494.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Shelf Number: 144442

Author: Hedwards, Bodean Title: Labour exploitation in the Australian construction industry: risks and protections for temporary migrant workers Summary: There have been a number of alleged cases of labour exploitation involving temporary migrant workers in Australia since the late 1990s. The Australian construction industry was identified as particularly problematic, with allegations of deception in relation to work contracts, lack of compliance with employment standards, limited autonomy and threats of abuse levelled. In response to these concerns, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart Josephite Counter- Trafficking Project and the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney commissioned the Australian Institute of Criminology to undertake research on labour exploitation in the Australian construction industry, with a particular focus on temporary migrant workers. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Research report 02: Accessed March 10, 2017 at: http://aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/rr/rr002.html Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Construction Industry Shelf Number: 144447

Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: Service and support needs of specific population groups that have experiences child sexual abuse: Report for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) contracted researchers from the Gendered Violence Research Network (GVRN) at UNSW Australia to provide a literature review on the support needs of specific population groups affected by institutional child sexual abuse. Two core questions were agreed with the Royal Commission to comprehensively address the focus of the literature review. These were: Question 1: Do different groups of survivors have distinctive service and support needs? Question 2: What does the research tell us about interventions targeted at specific groups and about the effectiveness of these interventions? This report distinguishes the particular support and service needs of victims of institutional child sexual abuse and how these needs may differ from victims of non-institutional child sexual abuse. In addition, it examines whether factors such as context, duration and perpetrator influence the nature and extent of longer-term effects on survivors. The literature presented relates specifically to services and support provided to three select population groups: - people who have experienced child sexual abuse in an institutional context - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - people with disability. The first group is of primary interest to the Royal Commission, while the latter two groups have been included because of their increased vulnerability to child sexual abuse compared with the general population, their long history of institutionalisation carried out as accepted government policy, and their continued over-representation in various forms of institutional care. However, it is important to note that the research on institutional child sexual abuse does not always distinguish between these population groups, and victims could potentially be at the intersection of all three. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2017 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/df1215dd-9351-4ccf-bc57-c7a210cf3e05/Service-and-support-needs-of-specific-population-g Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 144491

Author: Harris-Hogan, Shandon Title: Violent Extremism in Australia: An Overview Summary: Since Federation, Australia has not been immune to violent extremism, although the scale of such violence is less evident than in many countries throughout the world. While such acts of violence within Australia have been intermittent, around 150 have occurred since World War II, though most have not been successful. Further, Australian nationals have also died overseas, such as during the 9/11 attacks in New York and the bombing of the Sari Club in Bali in 2002. These incidents have sensitised the public to extremism. Currently, the nation is responding to a heightened risk of violent extremism. It is therefore timely to describe the nature of violent extremism that has manifested in Australia – ethno-nationalist, political and most recently, jihadist. This paper examines the nature of extremist violence that has impacted on Australia, and highlights changes in the risk and the nature of violent extremism over time. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 491: Accessed march 20, 2017 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi491.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremists Shelf Number: 144521

Author: Coghlan, Sarah Title: Identifying the Differences between Generalist and Specialist Family Violence Perpetrators: Risk factors and perpetrator characteristics Summary: Some previous approaches to family violence offenders have assumed that these offenders exclusively commit violent offences against partners or family members and do not commit other types of crime. This is known as 'specialisation' in offending. A substantial amount of research has been conducted examining specialisation in criminal offending, but fewer studies have focused on specialisation in family violence, particularly in the Australian context. This study examines the recorded family violence incidents and non-family violence offences for a cohort of family violence perpetrators over a five year period from 2012 to 2016. Forty percent of the cohort were classified as generalist perpetrators who were recorded for non-family violence offences in addition to family violence incidents, while 60% were specialists who were only recorded for family violence incidents and related offences. A logistic regression model was constructed to examine the differences between generalist and specialist perpetrators in terms of perpetrator and incident characteristics. Similar to the findings of previous studies, female perpetrators were less likely to be generalists than males, and perpetrators who were younger at the time of their first family incident during the study period were more likely to be generalists those who were older at the time of their first family incident. The current study also reports the relationship between generalisation amongst FV perpetrators and a number of other factors that have not been examined in previous research studies. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency. 2017. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief No. 8: Accessed March 21, 2017 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2017/02/f2/088d72633/20170215_In_Brief8.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 144527

Author: Feakin, Tobias Title: The Australia-US Cyber Security Dialogue Summary: Unlike other traditional security issues, cybersecurity can’t remain purely the purview of states. The multifaceted nature of the threat requires a multifaceted response. Australia and the US face an environment in which our understanding of 'the rules' is being challenged by states that push the envelope of acceptable behaviour online through disruption and disinformation. But governments aren't the exclusive targets. States pursue competitive economic advantage through the theft of intellectual property from foreign corporations, cybercriminals siphon money from banks, and hacktivists compromise the data of organisations. So working with allies, bringing together the public and private sectors and pooling information and resources will be essential elements of tackling this threat effectively. The inaugural Australia–US Cyber Security Dialogue held in Washington DC in September 2016 examined all these issues and how best to manage them in a cooperative manner. The dialogue was facilitated by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The robust bilateral and cross-sectoral discussion sessions, summarised below, traversed issues of cooperation in the Asia–Pacific, combating cybercrime and advancing the digital economy. The dialogue identified focus areas and a corresponding ASPI–CSIS joint work plan designed to further advance bilateral collaboration in this critical policy area. The three initiatives, outlined in the final section of this report, will sustain the momentum of Australia–US cyber cooperation, laying the groundwork for the agenda and driving discussion at the 2017 dialogue. Details: Barton ACT: Australian Strategic policy Institute, 2017. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2017 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/the-australiaus-cyber-security-dialogue/SR101_Australia_US_dialogue.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Cybercrime Shelf Number: 144528

Author: Appleby, Gabrielle Title: A Federal Anti-Corruption Agency for Australia? Summary: Effective institutions to prevent, detect, expose and remedy official corruption are vital at all levels of government. Under Articles 6 and 36 of the UN Convention Against Corruption (2004), governments including Australia's have committed to ensuring they have 'a body or bodies or persons specialised' in combatting corruption, through prevention and enforcement. A crucial question for Australia's national integrity system is what shape these institutions should take at a federal level, moving forward. The question is made natural by Australia's long history of specialist anti-corruption agencies (ACAs) at State level, including the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (NSW ICAC) (1988), Queensland Crime & Corruption Commission (1991), WA Corruption & Crime Commission (1992), Tasmanian Integrity Commission (2010), Victorian Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC, 2012) and SA Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (SA ICAC, 2012). However, the question is also more complex than might first appear. Despite their important achievements, State integrity systems including these agencies are confronting their own problems, including: - Variable and inconsistent legal definitions of official corruption; - Questions over whether ACA's efforts are properly prioritised, proactive and coordinated with other agencies; - Concerns over the action taken to deal properly with individuals who engage in or benefit from corrupt conduct, once exposed; - Debates over whether ACAs have the right powers, sufficient resources and necessary independence from government; and - The adequacy of accountability, oversight and performance assurance Details: Brisbane: Griffith University; Transnational International Australia, 2017. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion paper no.1 - Strengthening Australia’s national integrity system: priorities for reform: Accessed March 23, 2017 at: http://transparency.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Griffith-University-TIA-Discussion-Paper-A-Federal-ICAC-Integrity-of-Purpose-March-2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Corruption Shelf Number: 144546

Author: Saunders, Vicky Title: Help-seeking needs and gaps for preventing child sexual abuse Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) commissioned the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University to carry out a research project, aiming to explore: the service needs and help-seeking behaviours of professionals, parents and community members concerned about the behaviour of an adult who is exhibiting potentially sexually harmful behaviour towards a child (including grooming, sexually inappropriate online behaviour and use of child pornography) the help-seeking needs and behaviours of professionals, parents and community members concerned about a child who is exhibiting potentially sexual, harmful behaviour the help-seeking needs and behaviours of individuals concerned that they may sexually harm or otherwise abuse a child the functions and effectiveness of existing services tasked with responding to the needs of these target groups, including the knowledge, skills and abilities required of practitioners responding to target groups' service needs. This research project will make an important contribution to informing the Royal Commission about how to better prevent child sexual abuse, including child sexual abuse in institutional contexts. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2017 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/59a45327-bcdd-41a8-a682-4bae997d87f6/Help-seeking-needs-and-gaps-for-preventing-child-s Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Grooming Shelf Number: 144548

Author: Fuller, Georgina Title: Returning to work after armed robbery in the workplace Summary: Armed robbery exposes workers to serious harm in an environment where day-to-day safety is not normally a concern, and can have a wide range of negative consequences for employees. Victims may find it difficult to return to or cope at work. This research examined a sample of 93 victims of armed robbery in the workplace from the AIC's Database of Victimisation Experiences to determine what helped or hindered their return to work. The results are discussed in the context of enhancing how small businesses respond to and support victims of armed robbery in the workplace. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 529: Accessed March 23, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi529.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Armed Robbery Shelf Number: 144563

Author: Millsteed, Melanie Title: Attrition of sexual offence incidents across the Victorian Criminal Justice System Summary: Sexual offences historically have had higher attrition rates than many other offences, meaning fewer of the recorded offences result in cases which progress through to a conviction in the criminal justice system. This new research examines how many sexual offences progress through the criminal justice system, from first being recorded by police through to being heard in court. The study builds on previous work in this area by linking information about sexual offending incidents recorded by police directly to cases heard in court. The research found that a third of the sexual offence incidents recorded by Victoria Police throughout 2009 and 2010 progressed to prosecution by police (33.7%). Of those that were progressed, just over two thirds (69%) were matched to a court case, indicating that the offences went on to be heard in court. The study also looked at which offenders, victim and case characteristics were statistically related to whether a case progressed. These included the type of offence, with indecent assault cases more likely to progress than rape cases. Where the length of the police investigation was more than two weeks, cases were also less likely to progress through the system. Details: Melbourne: Crime Statistics Agency, 2017. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2017 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2017/01/fd/8d51b2494/20170202_SexualOffenceAttrition_FinalReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 144567

Author: Adams, Kerryn Michelle Title: Reflections of evidence: locating the role of data in drug policy discourse Summary: This study critically examines the concept of evidence-based policy and the role research evidence plays in shaping Australian drug policy decisions. The theoretical framework adopted is Weiss's (1979, 1977) research utilisation model, which suggests three ways research can be used in the policy context: instrumental (research influencing the direction of policy), political/symbolic and conceptual/enlightenment use. The importance of research evidence is contrasted with the influence of other factors in the policy sphere such as values, interests, symbolism and cultural perceptions of risk and danger. The study focuses on one example of evidence collection (drug information systems) to investigate to what extent evidence is reflected in the context of drug policy discourse and how data use is shaped by these other factors. The central aim is to identify to what extent references to three Australian drug information systems (the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program and Illicit Drug Reporting System) can be identified within drug policy discourse. A documentary analytical approach is adopted to locate systematically references to each of the systems within policy documentation, academic research and mass media print articles between 2000 and 2009. Semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders are also conducted to understand the broader application of research within the drug policy environment. The documentary analysis revealed a generally low uptake and unsophisticated use of data from the drug information systems; however, this differed significantly across the three systems. In the context of Weiss’s framework, there were few examples of policy being directly based on the research data in line with the theoretical concept of a rational evidence-based decision-making model. The author extended Weiss’s model by introducing a fourth category of research use. Termed ‘methodological validation’, this includes any instances where the drug information system was referred to simply to justify the government’s desire to collect data to produce evidence-based policy, without any direct use of the data. The study reveals a significant gap between the expected use of data as understood by data collection agencies and their actual use in policy. Whilst the political climate was important to this finding, a lack of proactive communication by agencies, tight control over data and overly technical representation of findings also hindered the development of evidence-based policy in this area. The findings from this study are important for understanding why Australia continues to fund these monitoring systems given their relatively minimal footprint within drug policy discourse. Within drug policy discourse, it provides greater support for the theoretical approach of a values-based as opposed to evidence-based policy framework. Details: Melbourne, AUS: The University of Melbourne, 2014. 287p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed march 24, 2017 at: https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/handle/11343/39639 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 144576

Author: ORIMA Research Title: Cashless Debit Card Trial Evaluation. Wave 1 Interim Evaluation Report Summary: With support from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), and developed in close consultation with local community leaders, local and state government agencies and other Australian Government agencies, the Department of Social Services (DSS) is conducting a 12-month trial of a Cashless Debit Card for income support payments (ISPs) in two regional communities. The Cashless Debit Card Trial (CDCT) aims to reduce the levels of harm associated with alcohol consumption, illicit drug use and gambling by limiting Trial participants' access to cash and by preventing the purchase of alcohol or gambling products (other than lottery tickets). Between 50% and 80% of CDCT participants' ISPs are directed to a restricted bank account, accessed by the debit card, with the remainder of these payments accessible through a normal (unrestricted) bank account. Participation in the Trial is mandatory for all working age ISP recipients in the selected Trial sites. Wage earners, Age Pensioners and Veterans' Affairs Pensioners who live in the Trial sites can opt in to the CDCT . To support the implementation of the Trial, DSS worked with the South Australian and Western Australian state governments, community agencies and local Indigenous leadership to supplement the support services being provided in the Trial areas with significant further investment. The Trial commenced in Ceduna and Surrounds (South Australia, SA) on 15 March 2016; and in the East Kimberley (EK) region (Western Australia, WA) on 26 April 2016. Three evaluation reports are planned across the period of the Trial, with this being the second of these. It is based on data collected during the first six months of the Trial (up to 4 October 2016). This is the Wave 1 Interim Evaluation Report of the Cashless Debit Card Trial (CDCT) being conducted in Ceduna and Surrounds (South Australia; SA) and in the East Kimberley (EK) region (Western Australia, WA). This report consists of several layers of information and data, suited to different readers and purposes. As these layers build on top of each other, some content is repeated across multiple layers as relevant. Readers are suggested to utilise the layer(s) most suited to their needs, and to seek more detailed data from deeper layers as and when required. The layers are: 1. Executive Summary. A brief narrative summary of the CDCT and its objectives, and the key findings from the Wave 1 Interim Evaluation Report (Part I). 2. Overview of Performance against the KPIs. A summary of key survey results, qualitative observations and administrative data which specifically relate to the Evaluation Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the CDCT, including an overview table of KPIs (Part III). 3. Response to Evaluation Questions. A discussion of the broader Evaluation Questions, drawing together and considering evidence from all data sources as they relate to these questions (Part IV). 4. Conclusions. A succinct statement of the conclusions as at the Wave 1 Interim Evaluation (Part V). 5. Quantitative Survey Results. The detailed survey results in chart and table form, with minimal commentary. These results are presented in two sections – those relating to KPIs (Appendix A) and those relating to other facets of the CDCT (Appendix B). 6. Qualitative Research Summary Reports. Detailed descriptive results from the qualitative research with stakeholders and community leaders in each of the Trial sites (Appendix C). Information on the evaluation methodology can be seen in Part II, and in Appendix D: Organisations Interviewed and Contacted in Qualitative Research. Details: Canberra: Australian Department of Social Services, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/cdc-wave1-interim-evaluation-report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 144679

Author: ORIMA Research Title: Evaluation of the Cashless Debit Card Trial -- Initial Conditions Report Summary: The Australian Government is undertaking a Cashless Debit Card Trial (CDCT) to deliver and manage income support payments (ISPs), with the aim of reducing levels of community harm related to alcohol consumption, drug use and gambling. In the CDCT, a proportion of an individual's ISP is directed to a restricted bank account, accessed by a debit card (not allowing cash withdrawals). Participation in the CDCT is mandatory for all working age ISP recipients who live in the selected trial sites. In addition, wage earners, Age Pensioners and Veterans Affairs Pensioners who live in the trial sites can opt-in to the CDCT. To date, the CDCT is being implemented in Ceduna and Surrounds in South Australia and Kununurra / Wyndham (East Kimberley) in Western Australia. The Department of Social Services (DSS) commissioned ORIMA Research to conduct an independent evaluation of the CDCT. This report is focused on identifying initial conditions prevailing in the trial sites before the implementation of the CDCT. The report is primarily based on the findings of qualitative research (interviews and focus groups) with key stakeholders in each of the trial sites. It also includes some coverage of administrative data that was available at the time of report writing. A total of 37 stakeholders (members of regional leadership groups as well as government and non-government service providers) participated in the qualitative research, which was conducted between 21 April and 26 May 2016. Details: Canberra: Australian Department of Social Services, 2017. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2017 at: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/03_2017/3018_dss_evaluation_of_cdct_initial_conditions_report_baseline_admin_data_030317.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 114680

Author: Victoria. Commission for Children and Young People Title: The same four walls: Inquiry into the use of isolation, separation and lockdowns in the Victorian youth justice system Summary: Children and young people in Victoria's youth justice centres are subjected to unacceptable levels of isolation and are routinely "locked down" due to staffing issues, a report by the Commission for Children and Young People tabled in Parliament today reveals. The same four walls offers an unheard perspective on current issues in Victoria's youth justice system. Its findings point to long-standing issues of understaffing, poor transparency and extensive use of restrictive practices. The inquiry found isolation was imposed at least nine times per day on average, rising to 42 times per day in December 2016. While 23 per cent of recorded isolations were imposed for periods of an hour, others were recorded for significantly longer, including periods of 24 hours or more. The inquiry found evidence of children and young people on separation plans, isolated from peers and the routine of the centre, for up to 45 days at a time. Some vulnerable children and young people were isolated on "separation plans" because they had been victims of assault or had attempted suicide. Others were isolated on separation plans following poor behaviour with no evidence of other attempts to address the causes of their behaviour. "This inquiry suggests isolation is used as a key behaviour management tool in Victoria’s youth justice centres, rather than as a last resort and for the shortest possible time," Commissioner for Children and Young People Liana Buchanan said. "This practice fails to recognise that isolation can cause severe short and long term harm to children and is simply not an effective way to address behavioural problems." In addition to the recorded use of isolation, the inquiry found whole units or entire centres were locked down at least 520 times in 18 months, largely due to inadequate staffing levels. More than 50 of the recorded lockdowns lasted longer than 36 hours and another 88 saw children locked in their rooms for 13 to 20 hours. "These findings provide a broader context for recent unrest in Victoria’s youth justice centres," Ms Buchanan said. "Lockdowns impact children and young people’s access to education, visits and other programs essential for their rehabilitation. They also impact their mental health, exacerbating anxiety, anger and frustration. This creates tensions and makes centres even harder for staff to manage safely." Of particular concern was the overrepresentation of Koori children and young people subjected to isolation. At Malmsbury, 30 per cent of children and young people in isolation were Koori, despite Koori clients only making up 16 per cent of the youth justice population. Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People Andrew Jackomos said "I am appalled by the high rates of Koori kids being subjected to isolation. More than two-thirds of isolations imposed on Koori kids were not appropriately authorised and cultural support workers are not being engaged as policy requires." "Isolation as is being practiced currently is contrary to the findings and principles of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and after 25 years the system does not appear to have learnt anything," Mr Jackomos said. Isolation and separation practices featured inadequate decision making processes and poor record keeping. Data provided to the Commission also showed many instances of isolations, separation plans and lockdowns not authorised at appropriate levels. The Commission was concerned about the management of children and young people with mental illness, particularly the regular isolation of those who presented with self-harm risks. The Commission found that custodial staff, rather than clinical staff, had the key responsibility for determining the appropriate observation of these children. Given that one in five children and young people in the system has a history of self-harm or suicidal ideation, this issue poses a significant risk. "It is my hope that this inquiry informs current government action to address issues in Victoria’s youth justice centres," Ms Buchanan said. "It highlights a range of problems requiring urgent attention, some of which have affected centres for years. Without attention to staffing, an effective behaviour management regime, a reduction in inhumane practices and measures to better protect the mental health of children, we cannot hope to see real improvement." The Commission makes 21 recommendations for improvements in the system, including ensuring compliance with legislation and policy, appropriate responses to mental health needs, introducing basic sanitation into isolation rooms and staffing. The inquiry examined the use of isolation for the 18-month period of February 2015 to July 2016, and also examined the use of these practices in the first two weeks of December 2016. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2017. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2017 at: http://ccyp.vic.gov.au/downloads/the-same-four-walls.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Housing Restrictions Shelf Number: 144682

Author: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Title: National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program. Report 1, March 2017 Summary: This report contains a summary of the evolution and context of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program (NWDMP), and the findings of the two contracted universities during the initial collection period. In March 2015, the (then) Australian Crime Commission publicly released a report which summarised our concerns in relation to the threat posed by the methylamphetamine market. The purpose of the report was to help shape Australia's understanding of the market and the challenges it posed, so stakeholders could focus their collective efforts to combat the harm the market was causing to the nation. Soon after, the Government announced a National Ice Taskforce to address the issues raised in the report and related matters. One of the key issues considered by the National Ice Taskforce in 2015 was whether existing data sources provided an adequate representation of trends in illicit drug markets, and whether there was scope to seek data from additional sources. In addition, the Taskforce aimed to ensure that decisions by Government and other key stakeholders on drug issues were founded on timely and accurate data. The National Ice Taskforce Report recommended the Government should, "expand and improve data sources available for the central analysis of illicit drug trends by...establishing a national wastewater analysis capability which should be drawn upon to provide a more accurate analysis of drug use in Australia." Subsequently, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed the National Ice Action Strategy 2015, which included recognition that there was a need for better research and data. The strategy commented that, "our efforts need to be informed by better data and research...including continuing wastewater testing...to inform how governments respond to ice and other emerging drug trends." The National Ice Taskforce concluded, and the National Ice Action Strategy reinforced, that effective responses to address the diverse aspects of drug problems rely heavily on access to quality data. Moreover, it is essential that holistic responses are developed that do not merely transfer the threat posed by one drug market to another market. Agreed strategies must also contain elements to drive both demand reduction and supply reduction in an appropriately balanced manner. Economic theory defines demand as the quantity of a good or service that consumers are willing and able to buy at a given price, in a given time period. It follows that a mechanism must be found to measure the quantity of drugs consumed by a given population in order to accurately identify the level of demand. Inherently, the survey data currently available in Australia is unable to provide reliable information on the quantity of drugs that is being consumed. Accordingly, the Taskforce found that existing estimates of drug use in Australia did not adequately measure the demand for drugs. To address this shortcoming, innovative sources of data were needed. Wastewater analysis was found to provide the best opportunity to complement existing data sources and fill the identified gap. Following on from the above recommendations and actions, the Commonwealth Minister for Justice approved $3.6 million over three years from the Commonwealth Confiscated Assets Account for the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) to develop a national program to monitor drug consumption through wastewater analysis. This program of sampling and analysis is known as the NWDMP. Details: Canberra: ACIC, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2017 at: https://www.acic.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1491/f/national_wastewater_drug_monitoring_program_report_1_0.pdf?v=1490333695 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 144683

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: A National System for Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Summary: 1.1 Report aims This Report aims to: - highlight the importance of domestic and family violence death review mechanisms in Australia, - identify the steps needed to expand the function to jurisdictions where it does not exist; namely Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. identify how to better ensure national coherence of data, and - identify mechanisms to ensure that recommendations made to Federal Government agencies in Death Review processes are actioned. 1.2 Report methodology This Report was developed using the following methods: - Literature review - Questionnaire to Coroners, the Western Australian Ombudsman, and Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Teams - Meetings with Coroners and the Western Australia Ombudsman - Meetings with the Australian Domestic Violence Death Review Network members - Meetings with National Coronial Information Service and Australia's National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety. 1.3 Report terminology The Report recognises that there is variance in the use of terms 'domestic violence', 'family and domestic violence' and 'domestic and family violence'. It also recognises that consistency of terminology in the context of statistical data and evidence based reform is critical. In this regard the work undertaken by the Australian Law Reform Commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics in this area is key. For the purposes of this report the term 'domestic and family violence' is used in relevant contexts. 1.4 Report structure This Report is divided into the following 5 sections with 2 appendices: 1. Executive summary 2. Human rights obligations 3. Models of domestic and family violence death review 4. Guiding principles for the death review process 5. National data collection, monitoring and reporting Appendix A: Coroner and Death Review Function and remit by Jurisdiction Appendix B: Compiled responses to the Commission questionnaire sent to Australian Coroners and the Western Australian Ombudsman in 2015. Details: Sydney: AHRC, 2016. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2017 at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_2016_12_19_Expanding_DV_Death_Review.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 144687

Author: Pease, Bob Title: Men as Allies in Preventing Violence against Women: Principles and Practices for Promoting Accountability Summary: This paper explores the implications of the increasing role of men in violence prevention work for the women's services sector. There are many different ways for men to work with women in violence against women prevention campaigns. The language of male-led campaigns, partners in violence prevention, bystanders, male champions, male allies, aspiring allies and solidarity activists are but a few of the roles that have been identified for men. However their roles are defined, as men have become more prominent in violence against women prevention work in recent years, the issue of men's relationship with women against violence services has become a subject of ongoing concern for many feminist anti-violence activists, practitioners and scholars. This paper aims to explore the nature of those concerns and the various ways in which activist men and the organisations they work within, or are auspiced by, have responded to them. A key issue in these discussions is whether men involved in violence prevention work should be accountable to women against violence services in some form or not. How men themselves respond to this issue is related to a number of questions. What are the motivations for men to get involved in violence prevention? How do men understand their own positioning within relations of gender inequality? What knowledge do they have of women's involvement in violence prevention work? How do they understand feminism and how do they engage with it? Many men who get involved in violence prevention will not necessarily have a political analysis of gender inequality or a profeminist commitment to transforming patriarchal gender relations. They may get involved because a'woman in their own life has been the subject of men’s violence and they want to play a part in ending it. As children, they may have witnessed their father's violence against their mother. Alternatively, they may just be shocked by media reports of increasing levels of men's violence against women. These men are at the beginning of a journey in terms of their understanding of patriarchy and their place within it. The purpose of this paper is not to establish criteria for men's involvement in violence prevention that they cannot live up to. It is rather to open up discussion among men (and among women) about how to guard against the potential harms that men can cause when they do not understand the ways in which patriarchy works and their own complicity in reproducing it. There are wider issues of men's complicity with violence against women that go beyond the violence prevention movement. Men, as policy makers and law makers within the state, as health and welfare professionals, as judges and police, as employers and CEOs of companies, all may make decisions that are not accountable to women and that minimise, overlook or ignore men's violence against women. Although these issues are beyond the brief of this paper, they must be considered when planning violence prevention work with men to ensure that systems and structures of gender inequality are not neglected. The premise on which this paper rests is that feminist analysis and men's accountability to women's services should be central underpinnings of violence prevention work with men. I acknowledge that many men involved in violence prevention may not necessarily share these premises. However, to be effective, violence prevention organisations need to be alert to the consequences for women and women’s services of engaging men in this work. If men are to be accountable, to which organisations, women or feminists should they be accountable to and what form should that accountability take? The paper will explore why accountability is necessary and engage with political dilemmas associated with it. It will also explore different levels of accountability including personal, interpersonal and organisational forms and outline different models of accountability and strategies for their implementation Details: Sydney: White Ribbon Australia, 2017. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2017 at: https://www.whiteribbon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WhiteRibbonResearchPaper_LR.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 144695

Author: Cuthbert, Neil Title: Removal of Failed Asylum Seekers in Australia: A Comparative Perspective Summary: This working paper reviews the current policy of removing failed asylum seekers in Australia and draws lessons from similar policy areas and reforms in the United Kingdom and Canada. The authors put forward five policy recommendations. First, forcible removal of failed asylum seekers should be used as a last resort. Second, timely processing and removal is critical and deadlines could be reintroduced. Third, immigration detention periods can be shortened. Fourth, Australia would benefit from stronger international cooperation, including readmission agreements with countries of origin. Lastly, and most importantly, policymakers must ensure that removal of failed asylum seekers adheres to the principle of non‑refoulement. Details: Sydney: Lowry Institute, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2017 at: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/documents/Removal%20of%20failed%20asylum%20seekers%20in%20Australia.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 144701

Author: Queensland. Audit Office Title: Criminal Justice System -- Prison Sentences. Report 4: 2016-2017 Summary: Achieving intended sentence outcomes depends on how efficiently and effectively the court's prison sentence is administered. Some sentence calculations are simple. Others are more complex, involving considerations such as multiple convictions, specific sentence requirements under various State and/or Commonwealth legislation, and consideration of time the prisoner has served on remand awaiting trial (known as presentence custody). If those who calculate the sentence get it wrong, they can expose the community to risk by releasing prisoners early into the community (called a discharge in error) or infringe on prisoners' rights by holding them longer than they are legally entitled to (called an unlawful detention). Sentencing errors also expose the state to unnecessary costs associated with managing prisoners beyond their sentence, locating and returning prisoners released in error, and managing complaints, compensation, and legal costs. This audit examined how well the Queensland criminal justice system exchanges and records data to calculate and administer custodial (prison) sentences accurately. We focused on the public sector entities carrying out sentences. We did not consider the decisions and sentences of magistrates and judges as part of the audit. This is the first of two reports from the criminal justice audit. The second report is due to be tabled in parliament in early 2017 and focuses on the integration and reliability of criminal justice data. Recommendations We recommend the Department of Justice and Attorney‑General in collaboration with the Queensland Police Service: 1. better integrate the sentencing administration processes and quality assurance to reduce the risk of error, including: improving the sharing of sentencing information and documents across criminal justice entities making greater use of technology such as remote (electronic) appearance of prisoners in court to reduce process, communication, and data entry errors associated with the transfer of prisoners; and providing means for direct entry of sentence orders into QWIC strengthening quality assurance practices. 2. assess the need to review relevant sentencing legislation to reduce the complexity of sentence calculations 3. ensure the appropriate capacity, capability, and training of staff responsible for the calculation and administration of sentences across the criminal justice system is in place 4. improve the accuracy and level of detail recorded about discharge and detention errors. Consolidate the recording and reporting of the errors within and across the three entities 5. formalise, implement, or update where necessary, policies and procedures for responding to, managing, reporting, and investigating discharge and detention errors. Policies and procedures should address as a minimum: communication protocols for prisoners affected by, and individuals potentially at risk from, discharge and detention assessment of risk to the community and individuals and where needed mitigation strategies reporting requirements within individual entities and across the criminal justice system investigation of discharge and detention errors (collaboratively where appropriate) quality checks to ensure that processes are followed. Details: Brisbane: Audit Office, 2017. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2017 at: https://www.qao.qld.gov.au/sites/all/libraries/pdf.js/web/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.qao.qld.gov.au%2Fsites%2Fqao%2Ffiles%2Freports%2Fcriminal_justice_system-prison_sentences_0.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts Shelf Number: 144709

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth justice in Australia 2015-16 Summary: There were about 5,500 young people (aged 10 and older) under youth justice supervision in Australia on an average day in 2015–16, due to their involvement, or alleged involvement, in crime. This number has decreased by 21% over the 5 years to 2015–16. Around 4 in 5 (82%) young people under supervision on an average day were male. Most (84%) young people were supervised in the community and the remainder were in detention. Indigenous young people continued to be over-represented in the youth justice system: young Indigenous people were 17 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision on an average day. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 139: Accessed April 5, http://aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=601295590532017 at: Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Shelf Number: 144714

Author: Stavrou, Efty Title: Changing age profile of NSW offenders Summary: Aim: To report on the age profile of the NSW offender population with particular attention given to older offenders. Method: This is a descriptive study utilising criminal court data from BOCSAR’s Reoffending Database and inmate census data from Corrective Services NSW. Results: Older offenders increasingly contributed to the NSW offender population and those sentenced to custody at finalisation. The largest increases in the proportion of older offenders were for drug, other traffic offences, PCA / DUI and violent offences. Conclusion: The ageing population cannot be given as the main reason for the increase in older offenders and inmates in NSW. Future research should focus on the reasons for older people offending. Corrective services should prepare infrastructure for the estimated increase in the older inmate population which adequately services the physical and psychosocial needs of older people. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 123: Accessed April 5, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/bocsar_changingageprofileofnswoffenders_mar_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aged Offenders Shelf Number: 144715

Author: Australia. Senate. Economics References Committee Title: 'Lifting the fear and suppressing the greed': Penalties for white-collar crime and corporate and financial misconduct in Australia Summary: n 25 November 2015, the Senate referred the matter of inconsistencies and inadequacies of current criminal, civil and administrative penalties for corporate and financial misconduct or white-collar crime to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report. The terms of reference were as follows: (a) evidentiary standards across various acts and instruments; (b) the use and duration of custodial sentences; (c) the use and duration of banning orders; (d) the value of fine and other monetary penalties, particularly in proportion to the amount of wrongful gains; (e) the availability and use of mechanisms to recover wrongful gains; (f) penalties used in other countries, particularly members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD]; and (g) any other relevant matters. Details: Canberra: Australia Parliament, 2017. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/economic_references_ctee_lifting_the_fear_march_2017report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Corporate Crime Shelf Number: 144727

Author: Australian National Audit Office Title: Proceeds of Crime: Australian Federal Police; Australian Financial Security Authority Attorney-General's Department Summary: The objective of this audit was to examine the effectiveness of the Australian Federal Police's, the Australian Financial Security Authority's and the Attorney-General's Department's administration of property and funds under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Background 1. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (the POCA) provides a scheme (the"POCA scheme") to trace, restrain and confiscate the proceeds of crimes against Commonwealth law. It seeks to disrupt, deter and reduce crime by undermining the profitability of criminal enterprises, depriving persons of the benefits derived from crime, and preventing reinvestment of the proceeds in further criminal activity. 2. The POCA also provides a scheme that allows for confiscated funds to be given back to the community in an endeavour to prevent and reduce the harmful effects of crime in Australia. This mechanism has provided funding to non-government and community organisations, local councils, as well as Commonwealth and state police forces and Commonwealth criminal intelligence entities. Audit objective and criteria 3. The audit objective was to assess whether the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA) and the Attorney-General's Department (AGD) effectively carried out key operational and advisory functions related to property and proceeds under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. 4. To form a conclusion against the audit objective, the ANAO adopted the following high-level audit criteria: effective restraint is achieved by the AFP and/or AFSA through the timely implementation of appropriate court orders; AFSA administers restrained property in an efficient and economical manner and consistent with relevant court orders; AFSA disposes of forfeited property in an appropriate manner and transfers the net proceeds to the Confiscated Assets Account; AGD provides advice to the Minister for Justice on which proposals for funding from the Confiscated Assets Account represent the best value for money; and the AFP and AFSA report against benchmarked performance measures. Conclusion 5. The AFP, AFSA and AGD effectively carry out key operational and advisory functions related to property and proceeds under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. 6. Risk based planning procedures are in place for deciding which property should be restrained and what conditions should be placed on the property when seeking a restraining order. The manner in which restraining orders are implemented depends on the type of property under restraint. For the major classes of property, AFP and AFSA processes have worked well and custody and control of property has been achieved in a way that minimises the risk of the property being dissipated. 7. AFSA has appropriate custodial arrangements in place for all types of property. Legislative and administrative constraints currently limit the ability the of Official Trustee to achieve improved rates of return from the substantial amount of funds held in the restrained and forfeited monies bank accounts and the Confiscated Assets Account. AFSA also manages property in a way that is consistent with the relevant court orders and disposes of forfeited property in an appropriate manner in order to maximise the sale proceeds. 8. The AGD has established effective processes to identify the possible use of funds from the Confiscated Assets Account. It has also advised the Minister for Justice on proposals to assist in achieving value for money from expenditure. During the financial years 2010-11 to 2015-16, the main beneficiaries of funding have been Commonwealth law enforcement and criminal intelligence agencies. Significant funding has also been approved for non-government, community organisation and local council projects, with the New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland police forces also receiving funding. 9. The AFP publicly reports the estimated recovery value of property restrained each year. When combined with the Australian Crime Commission's (ACC's) public reporting of the estimated value of property confiscated each year, this illustrates the trends in the amount of criminal proceeds intercepted by the POCA scheme. AFSA also undertakes limited public reporting on its administration of property. This reporting does not include information on the costs of administering property under its custody and control, which is an important aspect of its overall performance in relation to the proceeds of crime. However, AFSA has made some improvements in its internal reporting capacity about the costs of managing property and is in the early stages of developing benchmarks for some aspects of these costs. Supporting findings Restraining property 10. Planning and decision-making procedures by the Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce investigators and litigators relating to restraint are risk-based. Where the AFP has judged that the risk of dissipation is high, restraining order applications include a provision for custody and control of the property to be granted to AFSA. 11. Restraining orders are implemented in a timely manner and in a way that minimises the risk of property being dissipated. However, the AFP could do more to register orders involving motor vehicles on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) in a timely manner. Custody and disposal of property 12. Custodial arrangements for property that has been placed into the custody and control of AFSA vary depending on the type of property restrained. Testing demonstrates that appropriate custodial arrangements are in place for all types of property. Management of the funds held in the restrained and forfeited monies bank accounts and the Confiscated Assets Account reflect legislative and administrative constraints that limit the ability of the Official Trustee to achieve improved rates of return from the substantial amount of funds held in these accounts. 13. AFSA manages property in a way that is consistent with the relevant court orders. Where consent, variation and/or exclusion orders are granted by the court, AFSA has acted consistently with the court order. 14. In 2015-16, the disposal processes utilised by AFSA have achieved sale proceeds from forfeited property which have exceeded the estimated value of the property, as determined by an independent and/or certified valuer, in 76 per cent of matters, including all of the higher-value property. How funds from the Confiscated Assets Account are used 15. The processes through which the possible use of funds - stand-alone projects or grant programs-are identified and submitted for the Minister for Justice's approval have evolved over time. In recent years, more structured and targeted processes have been implemented in order to assist in achieving better overall outcomes from Confiscated Assets Account funding. The AGD provided the Minister with relevant advice to assist him in meeting his decision making obligations. 16. The main beneficiaries of funding from the Confiscated Assets Account have been Commonwealth criminal intelligence or law enforcement entities. Significant funds have been approved for non-government, community organisation and local council projects, mainly through the Safer Streets Programme. The New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland police forces have also received funding. Performance Monitoring and Reporting 17. The AFP publicly reports on the estimated recovery value of property restrained each year and whether the AFP has met the benchmark set for that year. It also internally monitors another key performance measure-the estimated value of property confiscated each year-which is publicly reported by the ACC. These two measures illustrate the trends in the criminal proceeds intercepted by the POCA scheme. In the context of a current AFP wide review of performance measures, additional metrics could be developed to provide better information both on the AFP's performance in litigating POCA cases and, in the longer term, the effect of the POCA scheme on the underlying criminal economy. 18. AFSA's public reporting on its administration of property under its custody and control is limited to high-level information. It is in the early stages of developing an improved internal reporting capacity to monitor the costs of managing property under AFSA custody and control. This work could be also be used to enable public reporting of the costs to administer such property, which is an important aspect of AFSA's overall performance and responsibilities under the POCA scheme. Details: Canberra: ANAO, 2017. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: ANAO Report No. 43 2016-17: Accessed April 6, 2017 at: https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2766/f/ANAO_Report_2016-2017https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/g/files/net2766/f/ANAO_Report_2016-2017_43_0.pdf_43_0.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeiture Shelf Number: 144738

Author: Griffiths, Andrew Title: Evaluation of ACT Extended Throughcare Pilot Program Final Report Summary: This report presents the findings of the evaluation of the Extended Throughcare program (the Program) provided by ACT Corrective Services. Extended Throughcare is a voluntary program that provides support to detainees returning to the community at the end of their custodial sentence at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC; the ACT's only adult correctional facility). ACT Corrective Services clients can be characterised as experiencing multiple disadvantages, including mental health issues, substance abuse issues, low levels of literacy and numeracy, interrupted education and sporadic employment history, as well as high level of homelessness. The findings of this report highlight clients' experiences with the Program, the impact of the Program in key areas, the strengths of the Program, and areas for improvement. It also details the perspectives of stakeholders with regard to the aims and impact of the Program and the effectiveness of the Program's governance. Objectives of Extended Throughcare The Program aims to reduce reoffending, improve community integration post-release, and improve the social and health outcomes of clients. Ultimately, the Program is designed to reduce recidivism and its associated costs. The Program, which commenced in June 2013, is tailored to each individual, commences pre-release, and continues for a period of 12 months post-release with the support of community organisations. The Program provides coordinated and continuous support, and aims to reduce duplication and gaps in services, to help detainees reintegrate into the community and to reduce the risk of homelessness, poor physical and mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, and premature death. The Program is similar to other Throughcare programs in Australia in that it provides person-centred case management and support in five core areas: accommodation, health, basic needs, income and community connections. Extended Throughcare is a voluntary program and is not mandated as part of any supervision order. Initially, the Program was limited to supporting prisoners prior to their release. The extension of the model to supporting the client into the community after their release was first funded in the ACT 2012-2013 budget. While this post-release care model is not unique to the ACT, the Extended Throughcare model is unique in offering support for 12 months and in offering this service to ex-detainees without ongoing supervision orders. Details: Sydney: Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW Australia, 2017. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: (SPRC Report 02/17).Accessed April 8, 2017 at: https://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/media/SPRCFile/Evaluation_of_ACT_Extended_Throughcare_Pilot_Program.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aftercare Shelf Number: 144750

Author: Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory Title: Interim Report Summary: There is a strong perception that the system of detention in the Northern Territory is failing. It is failing our young people, it is failing those who work in the system and it is also failing the people of the Northern Territory who are entitled to live in safer communities. This has been made clear to the Royal Commission and Board of Inquiry into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory since it was announced on 26 July 2016. This Interim Report provides a summary of work to date. We are currently holding public hearings and will conduct further hearings over the coming months. Royal Commissions often look to the past in their investigations. We are inquiring not only into the past, but also into systems that are in operation today - we are hearing evidence from people who are currently detained or working in these systems. Despite the significance of much of the evidence received already, we will not be making specific findings or recommendations at this stage. It is too early in our work, while hearings are ongoing, to be able to draw any final conclusions. The Commission is yet to hear evidence on many issues, including evidence from senior management and political leaders in charge of youth detention who provide a perspective that is necessary to inform the work of the Commission. The Commission is also still to hold hearings on the child protection system which is a critical part of our work. The youth justice and child protection systems in the Northern Territory are inextricably linked. Evidence before the Commission reveals that children and young people in out-of-home care are more likely to enter the youth detention system. In the remaining period, the Commission's attention will focus on child protection, including its link to detention. Details: Kingston ACT: The Commission, 2017. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: https://childdetentionnt.royalcommission.gov.au/about-us/Documents/RCNT-Interim-report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 144781

Author: Mathews, Ben Title: Oversight and regulatory mechanisms aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse: Understanding current evidence of efficacy Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) is required to inquire into, among other things, 'what institutions and governments should do to achieve best practice in encouraging the reporting of, and responding to reports or information about, allegations, incidents or risks of child sexual abuse and related matters in institutional contexts'. Across Australia, oversight bodies enable monitoring of aspects of child welfare, particularly for children in the care and protection system. For this report, the Royal Commission examined oversight bodies including ombudsmen offices (including children's ombudsmen); reportable conduct schemes; children's commissions; community visitors schemes; child advocates and children's guardians; and crime and misconduct commissions. In some instances, these agencies facilitate oversight and responses to child sexual abuse; in other instances, this facility is an implicit or consequential aspect of their authority. These bodies differ across jurisdictions in their form, scope and power. In addition, various regulatory mechanisms exist in Australia. For this report, the Royal Commission has examined regulatory bodies including non-government schools' accreditation boards; early childhood and care regulators; and medical sector regulators. In some instances, agencies' express purpose is to prevent or minimise the likelihood of child sexual abuse; in other instances, this function is an implicit or consequential aspect of their authority. These bodies also have different features across jurisdictions. To assist the Royal Commission in addressing its terms of reference, the report initially focuses on understanding the nature of these oversight and regulatory bodies. This is presented in Part 2. The report then assesses the efficacy of these bodies in protecting children from sexual abuse, focusing on institutional contexts. To fulfil the aims of the study as stated by the Royal Commission, this report covers narrow efficacy and broad efficacy. The report has been informed by regulatory theory, and has used legal analysis, policy analysis and public health research methods, to review and analyse literature for its evaluative purpose. Appendix 2 explains in more detail the concepts of narrow efficacy and broad efficacy, and how they are measured. In sum, the evaluation of narrow efficacy explores the presence and nature of key requirements enabling the protection of children from child sexual abuse in institutional contexts; it does so through synthesis and doctrinal analysis. Broad efficacy is conceptualised as the effect in practice of the oversight or regulatory mechanism in protecting children from sexual abuse in institutional contexts. The evaluation of broad efficacy asks whether the oversight or regulatory body achieves the policy goal of improving protection of children from sexual abuse in institutional contexts. Accordingly, the report first analyses narrow efficacy using selected significant features and parameters of the relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks. This analysis is presented in Part 2, alongside the synthesis of the nature of these bodies. The report then analyses broad efficacy using a systematic review of literature, according to the normal conventions of social science and public health scholarship. This is presented in Part 3. A third, less central, aspect of the report is a summary of evidence about the efficacy of other innovative regulatory models for protecting children from sexual abuse in institutional contexts. This is presented in Part 4. A fourth, again less central, aspect of the report is a summary of models of regulation from other fields or industries that may be applicable or adaptable for protecting children from sexual abuse in institutional contexts. This is also presented in Part 4. Two additional substantial components of the project were added after parts 1-4 were completed. To assist the Royal Commission in addressing its terms of reference, Part 5 explores how components, structures and mechanisms from occupational health and safety regulatory models in Australia could be used to inform a regulatory approach to protecting children from sexual abuse in institutional contexts. Accordingly, Part 5 presents a synthesis of these occupational health and safety regulatory models. It also analyses whether and how their central concepts and mechanisms may inform a regulatory approach to protecting children from sexual abuse in institutional contexts. Finally, to assist the Royal Commission in addressing its terms of reference, and with special reference to different kinds of organisations that serve children and youths, Part 6 explores the regulatory models and approaches that could be used to ensure that smaller organisations with limited resources (namely, sporting, cultural and arts, and recreational groups) are not overburdened with regulation, while still keeping children safe from sexual abuse. As with Part 5, the completion of Part 6 involved research, synthesis and analysis, and the development of reform proposals informed by the relevant principles, theory and evidence. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 258p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/f6d43e2a-48b2-4999-9867-3938dcbcdf7e/Oversight-and-regulatory-mechanisms-aimed-at-prote Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 144782

Author: KPMG Title: Sentence and Remand Order Processing Internal Audit Report Summary: In May 2016 KPMG was commissioned to undertake an audit of sentence and remand order processing following the identification of a number of occasions where prisoners had been released on the incorrect date. The audit report produced by KPMG was released by the Government on 8 March 2017. The objective of the audit was to understand the inadequacies in the existing system and improve compliance with the processes for obtaining, entering and validating sentence and remand orders, and calculating release dates. The report includes a suite of recommendations for reforms to address the factors that contributed to the incorrect releases and to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the process for the future. The Government's response to the audit recommendations has also been released, outlining the actions that will be taken to prevent a recurrence of these issues. Work has already commenced to implement some of these responses. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Department of Justice, 2017. 37p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/371790/KPMG_Sentence_And_Remand_Audit_March_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Prisoner Release Shelf Number: 144788

Author: Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW Title: Inquiry into the exploitation of people through trafficking, in all its forms in NSW Summary: The key findings from the Inquiry into the exploitation of people through trafficking, in all its forms are that NSW needs to develop its own policy and service response, in line with a human rights framework, work with the Commonwealth and contribute to the development of Commonwealth and State coordinated efforts. Australia is a destination country for human trafficking (IDC 2012). However, the Inquiry notes that exploitation can occur before a trafficked person leaves their home country, in transit, at the point of arrival in Australia (or any other country), in the early days of migration settlement or at any time post-arrival, especially when individuals experience financial, social or psychological difficulties. Additionally, the Inquiry observes that slavery and slavery-like practices such as forced labour and forced marriage are conditions of exploitation where immigration or citizenship status may be irrelevant. The Inquiry notes that elements of complex migration processes or crimes are often misunderstood. For example, a survey conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology in 2009 confirmed that the general public frequently confuses people trafficking with people smuggling, by placing undue emphasis on the journey rather than the exploitative elements of human trafficking and slavery (AIC 2009). In 2011-12, the (then) Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) referred 31 reports of possible people trafficking, involving 26 possible victims, to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for assessment. The suspected victims had entered Australia on a variety of visa types, including tourist, student and sports visas and some held electronic visas. Some visas had expired by the time their holders were located, making them unlawful over-stayers, while the immigration status of others remained lawful (IDC 2012). Through its call for submissions and public consultations, the Inquiry Committee found differences in perception about where the government and the community should focus their attention, and the level of emphasis and prioritisation on the different forms of human trafficking and slavery. The focus of the media is typically on exploitation of women in the sex industry, in particular Asian women migrants working in brothels. In contrast, the Inquiry heard from community groups and service providers that exploitation more frequently occurs in family homes and businesses. Seeking help can be fraught with complexity for the trafficked and enslaved person. A lack of knowledge of Australian law and the legal system, of what constitutes exploitation and of the support services available, may be barriers to seeking and accessing help. A sense of duty to their spouse and family, shame, the fear of reprisal, fear of deportation and of government officials, loss of livelihood, language and cultural differences, and may also stop a trafficked or enslaved person from seeking help. The Inquiry has identified a number of areas for attention from the NSW Government along the whole spectrum of issues, from education, prevention, service delivery, investigation and enforcement. Key findings and Recommendations The results of the Inquiry are grouped into five key findings: 1. Strengthen the NSW response 2. Undertake legal and policy reform 3. Improve outcomes for trafficked people 4. Enhance knowledge and awareness 5. The need for more research. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2013. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: multicultural.nsw.gov.au Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 144797

Author: Connery, David Title: For the right reasons, in the right ways (Part 1): A four-nation survey of information sharing about organised crime Summary: This special report examines how government, business and the community in four nations share information about organised crime. Its key finding is that the Australian Government, businesses and community as a whole must be open to new kinds of information sharing partnerships. The report begins by defining information sharing as 'the trusted exchange of relevant knowledge or data between organisations to achieve their mutual objectives'. The types of information shared are then divided into two: case information that involves data about individuals who are usually suspected of involvement in criminal activity; and bulk data that includes people in a given set regardless of any possible connection with crime. The field work involved over 80 interviews, including visits to or discussions about a range of information sharing mechanisms in Israel, the UK, the Netherlands and the US. Those mechanisms were broadly differentiated by their location (within or outside government) and the nature of the sharing interaction (exchange or collaboration). The variety of mechanisms used in the four selected nations shows that information sharing is valued and strongly shaped by the particular national context. This means some countries rely heavily on informal systems, others have large numbers of specialised exchanges, and some are more risk accepting in their arrangements than others. The field work showed that a wide range of options for sharing information about crime exist, and Australian authorities and businesses might wish to consider a number of them in more detail. This research found both upsides and downsides to information sharing about crime. Some benefits are clear, including the opportunity to shape better interventions and build economy of effort in activities. While these upsides are undoubtedly attractive, it seems that the possible downsides of sharing - such as loss of control, the potential to compromise sensitive activities or an unwillingness to risk breaking laws, including those around privacy - were viewed as considerably strong downsides to sharing. Still, it's clear that sharing must occur. That's because the scale of the challenge posed by organised crime - and the speed, reach and depth of penetration that the internet enables - means information sharing is critical for all three groups. This report explains that information sharing is best promoted by building a strong sense of shared interest among the participants and then developing a strong system for information sharing that's governed by understood rules. This finding stands in contrast to those who emphasise interpersonal trust as the basis for sharing. Factors that work against information sharing about crime include legislative barriers and complexity, poor value propositions around sharing, the self-conceptions of the actors and what they value information for, and cultural barriers. Such barriers include a culture of secrecy in government, a lack of willingness to expose possible flaws, and the view that 'information is power'. These are perhaps the most powerful inhibitors to sharing. Efforts to enhance Australia's methods of sharing information about organised crime should be designed to cope with these inhibitors while making best use of the factors that promote this activity. Options for hosting information sharing organisations outside government, accepting a greater role for private funding for law enforcement activities, and encouragement of commercial efforts to gather and collate information, should all be considered by the Australian Government as it looks for new ways to undermine organised crime. Details: Barton ACT: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2017 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/for-the-right-reasons,-in-the-right-ways-part-1-a-four-nation-survey-of-information-sharing-about-organised-crime/SR96_info_sharing_crime.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Collaboration Shelf Number: 144798

Author: Tomsen, Stephen Title: Homicide and the Night-time Economy Summary: Homicide and social patterns of alcohol use have become matters of wide concern in the Australian community. In recent years there has been particular interest in understanding and preventing attacks in commercial nightlife settings that typically involve high levels of collective drinking. Although overall rates of Australian homicide are in a long-term pattern of decline the Australian Institute of Criminology National Homicide Monitoring Program has produced a series of reports that draw out the persistent role of alcohol in homicide. This study provides evidence that homicides related to the night-time economy are not highly concentrated in locations of nightlife and heavy drinking that are usually understood as problematic sites of assaults and public disorder. Nevertheless, there is a broad persistence of after dark homicides that involve intoxication and are either directly or indirectly related to commercial night leisure. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Council, 2016. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1617/47-1011-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 145061

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: Australian study tour report - Visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women 2012 Summary: From 10-20 April 2012, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, including its causes and consequences, Ms Rashida Manjoo, undertook a study tour in Australia. The study tour was co-hosted by the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Government (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)). The objectives of the study tour included: - gathering information on violence against women, its causes and consequences, from government and non-governmental organisations, including women's organisations; - gathering information on culture and violence against women in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; and - identifying strategies to eliminate all forms of violence against women and its causes, and remedy its consequences. Although the Special Rapporteur had highlighted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and communities as a particular focus of her visit, the study tour was structured to enable her to meet a cross-section of organisations and individual women. The tour encompassed meetings with the Federal Attorney-General, federal, state and territory government representatives, service providers, business representatives, academics and community representatives, including representatives from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from both urban and rural areas, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, women with disability, women of diverse sex, sexuality and/or gender, young women, and older women. In the course of the study tour, 27 roundtables, meetings and site visits were held across four states and territories, including: - Sydney, New South Wales - Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia - Alice Springs, Northern Territory - Melbourne, Victoria - Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Key issues Violence against women as a human rights issue - The failure to articulate violence against women as a human rights issue was a common concern in discussions. - The National Plan recognises the right to live safe and free from violence and this should also inform the implementation of the National Plan. - Where governments fail to address the issue in human rights terms it can lead to an inappropriate and inadequate response by government and state agencies with long-term social and economic consequences. -It was frequently noted that discrimination against women is a cause and consequence of violence against women. The risks of 'mainstreaming' and the need to ensure specificity and intersectionality in plans, programs and services addressing violence against women - 'Mainstreaming' violence against women programs results in a formal rather than substantive equality approach to program design and content. - Men's programs can often divert essential resources from critical women's services. - Integrating the specific needs of women with disability, women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or migrant and refugee communities into plans, programs and services aimed at the prevention and redress of violence against women is essential to effective outcomes. - The lack of recognition of the impact of intersectional discrimination based on sex, race, disability, and sex/gender identity on violence against women, often undermines the utility or effectiveness of plans and programs aimed at reducing violence. - The absence of integration of the role and impact of cultural, political, social historical and inter-generational trauma in understanding and addressing violence against women leads to simplistic justifications of violence and one-size-fits-all formulations of programs that lack requisite cultural and psychological training components. Effective program design and service delivery require comprehensive consultation, adequate funding, appropriate coordination and regular monitoring and evaluation - The disconnection between government plans, programs and projects aimed at preventing, addressing and reducing violence against women and the needs of women 'on the ground' is a manifestation of: " an inadequate meaningful and effective consultation with women, particularly in the implementation of the National Plan; - a lack of dedicated, sustainable resources and funding models for both preventative and response based services (which recognise the long-term, protracted nature of the crisis rather than short-term, quick-fix approaches); - a lack of service providers transferring skills and building capacity within communities who are well-positioned to deliver effective services; and - a lack of regular monitoring and evaluation of programs, in particular the lack of independent monitoring and evaluation of the National Plan, and of service providers to inform programs; this is exacerbated by the lack of disaggregated data and analysis. - Although many state governments have developed impressive integrated (cross-departmental) models to address and prevent violence against women, there was a concern around the lack of coordinated implementation of the National Plan, within and across governments. - In the absence of the Council of Australia Governments (COAG) first three-year implementation plan, the execution of the National Plan to date has been ad-hoc and implemented without adequate consultation. - The need for governments across all jurisdictions to demonstrate their leadership to addressing violence against women and fully commit to the effective implementation of the National Plan was repeatedly noted. - There is a need for central focal points within government to address violence against women and ensure cross-departmental or integrated development of programs. For example: - the lack of adequate housing and homelessness arose as a constant issue, especially within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: dire over-crowding exposes children to violence and alcohol/substance abuse and early sexualisation due to lack of privacy; limited opportunities for learning and playing exist; refuges meet a limited short-term need, but are unable to effectively provide follow-up services; - workplace/industrial relations and health departments need to work collaboratively on the long-term impact (physical and emotional) of domestic violence in workplaces; and - the lack of gender-specific correctional facilities gives rise to women prisoners (often victims with a history of domestic violence) being held in maximum security prisons with male prisoners leading to an increased risk of abuse. Impacts of violence against women on children - Although the study tour had a specific focus on women experiencing violence, the immediate and long-term impact of violence on children - both as victims and observers - was a key issue of discussions. Educational initiatives (the development of healthy and respectful relationships) were seen as important, but the urgent need to address impact meant that crisis services were under considerable and increasing pressure and prevention strategies are, consequently, under-resourced. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2012. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2017 at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/UNSRVAW%202012%20Web%20Version.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Shelf Number: 145155

Author: O'Leary, Patrick Title: Grooming and child sexual abuse in institutional contexts Summary: Recent efforts to clarify definitions of grooming in research reflect an increased awareness of the diverse range of settings in which grooming may occur, as well as the diverse range of targets and purposes of grooming techniques. Grooming can be defined as: The use of a variety of manipulative and controlling techniques; with a vulnerable subject; in a range of inter-personal and social settings; in order to establish trust or normalise sexually harmful behaviour; with the overall aim of facilitating exploitation and/or prohibiting exposure. (McAlinden, 2012, p.11) Grooming can involve a range of behaviours that seek to build trust with and increase access to a child, and cement the authority of the perpetrator and/or compliance of a child to perpetrate or continue to perpetrate child sexual abuse. Grooming and related techniques are difficult to identify and define. Grooming includes numerous techniques, many of which are not explicitly sexual or directly abusive in themselves (McAlinden, 2006). Some grooming techniques can co-exist with other regular behaviour or functions within an otherwise normal relationship with a child. Given this, a key difficulty in identifying grooming is that it consists of many discrete acts that, on their own, are not necessarily criminal or abusive (Bennett & O'Donohue, 2014), and is distinguishable only by the perpetrator's motivation to facilitate and/or conceal child sexual abuse. This paper provides an overview of key conceptual issues in the definition and understanding of grooming. It takes a narrative review approach to synthesising key literature, drawing on an understanding of perpetrator modus operandi. It identifies and discusses what is known about grooming, particularly as it relates to institutional child sexual abuse. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2017 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/b8c8cc19-ad65-44f5-951e-3b1705156da2/Grooming-and-child-sexual-abuse-in-institutional-c Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Grooming Shelf Number: 145237

Author: Australia. Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee Title: Serious allegations of abuse, self-harm and neglect of asylum seekers in relation to the Nauru Regional Processing Centre, and any like allegations in relation to the Manus Regional Processing Centre Summary: Australia's policy of offshore processing has been the subject of a number of Senate inquiries. These inquires have been highly critical of many aspects of the Regional Processing Centre (RPC) policy. The evidence which this committee has received has fallen primarily within three main areas: - the operation and administration of RPCs, including service delivery, incident reporting, and health, safety and welfare; - the offshore processing policy itself, including whether it is effective, lawful, and/or represents 'value for money'; and - looking to the future, including how Australia can expedite third country resettlement options. A substantial part of this report is devoted to recording the high number of incident reports made public through the publication of 'the Nauru files', and supported by evidence from submitters to this inquiry. While evidence of this nature is not new, and reflects evidence which has been presented to previous inquiries, it is the first time that this volume and detail of information has been publicly available. Some of the reports are recordings of allegations made by refugees and asylum seekers, and many contain information which workers have observed first hand. The content is deeply concerning. Collectively, these reports paint the picture of a deeply troubled asylum seeker and refugee population, and an unsafe living environment - especially for children. Even more troublingly, these reports only record those incidents which have actually been reported to workers, or which workers have themselves observed. Undoubtedly, they do not reflect the true prevalence of such incidents. In its current manifestation, Australia's policy of offshore processing is deeply affected by structural complexity. Despite the efforts of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the department), its contractors and sub-contractors, and other related stakeholders, there are clear failures by the department in administering the current policy in a safe and transparent manner. The policy structure is complex, and it relies heavily on the private sector to administer the day-to-day management of the scheme. This structural complexity has led to a lack of accountability and transparency in the administration of the policy, and a failure to clearly acknowledge where the duty of care lies in relation to those asylum seekers and refugees. For a policy which represents such a significant investment of Australian public funds, this lack of accountability is disturbing. Details: Sydney: The Senate, 2017. 245p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed May 2, 2017 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/NauruandManusRPCs/Report Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 145239

Author: Wan, Wai Yin Title: Forecasting trial delay in the NSW District Criminal Court: an update Summary: Aim: To develop a statistical model which enables court administrators to determine the future impact on trial court delay of changes in the backlog of pending trials. Method: Data on the size of the pending caseload between January 2011 and June 2016 were drawn from records held by the NSW District Criminal Court Registry. Data on mean and median delay between committal for trial and trial finalisation over the same time period were drawn from records held by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Changes in the mean and median time between committal for trial and case finalisation were linked to changes in the size of the pending trial caseload using polynomial distributed lags modelling (a special form of distributed lags model). Results: The long run effect of a 10 per cent increase (decrease) in the size of the pending trial caseload is a 5.73 per cent increase (decrease) in the mean time between committal for trial and trial finalisation and a 6.08 per cent increase (decrease) in the median time between committal for trial and trial finalisation. Conclusion: Changes in the number of pending trial cases can be used to forecast changes in the time taken to finalise criminal cases in the NSW District Criminal Court. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 122: Accessed May 4, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/bocsar_forecastingtrialdelayinthenswdistrictcriminalcourt_apr_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Delay Shelf Number: 145303

Author: Queensland. Audit Office Title: Criminal Justice System -- Reliability and Integration of Data Summary: Queensland's criminal justice system prevents, detects, and investigates crimes. It delivers judicial processes, manages prisoners and offenders, and provides rehabilitation services. The Queensland Police Service and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (through its Queensland Courts Service, Queensland Corrective Services, and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) are the prime agencies for delivering these services. Throughout this report, we refer to these entities collectively as criminal justice entities. These entities collect valuable data on occurrences (crimes, traffic matters, missing persons, domestic violence, and other incidents), people, and property, and on their activities. They use the data when making decisions about their activities and when allocating resources. The government relies on the statistics and reports generated from this data to set its policy direction. The public rely on it for an appreciation of levels of community safety. Between 2010-11 and 2015-16, the Queensland Police Service recorded 2 174 144 occurrences with 2 809 283 reportable offences into the Queensland Police Records Information Management Exchange (QPRIME) system. The Queensland Police Service define a reportable offence as any act reported to, or becoming known by, the police that they consider, prima facie (at first view, before investigation), to be in breach of the criminal law. The Queensland Police Service has an unacceptable amount of crime data across the state that is incomplete, inaccurate, and wrongly classified. Contributing to this are officers' poor understanding or use of data classification rules, poor guidance, inappropriate data classification practices and inadequate quality assurance controls. As a result, reported crime statistics are questionable at best and unreliable at worst, and should be treated with caution. Underlying the crime statistics, we undertook a statewide assessment of Queensland Police QPRIME system data. Between 2010-11 and 2015-16, we found 22 per cent of all occurrence reports with reportable offences recorded in the Queensland Police Records Information Management Exchange (QPRIME) system, were incomplete, inaccurate or both. We also identified trends in withdrawn and unfounded offences that warranted investigation Details: Brisbane: Audit Office, 2017. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 14: 2016-17: Accessed May 5, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/qao_criminal_justice_system_data_report_14_april_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Administration of Justice Shelf Number: 145319

Author: Ryan, Emma Title: Below the belt: police use of conducted energy weapons in Australia Summary: This thesis represents the first critical examination of the proliferation of sub-lethal weapons in Australian policing. It traces the introduction of such weapons in Australian policing, with an emphasis on Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWs), in particular Tasers. Using a multi-method, phronetic approach it examines whether the rhetoric used to support the introduction of CEWs is reflected in the policies related to the use of such weapons and in evidence about their use in the field. Phronetic methodology aims to explain social phenomena via the piecing together of large and small details that form the context of events; in this case the introduction of CEWs in Australia, the resulting policies established to control the weapon's use (excluding Tasmania and South Australia where access to the policy documents was refused) and also evidence about its use in practice. This comparative analysis of CEW use in each Australian state and territory is directed at three specific sites: the rhetoric used in relation to the introduction and further justification of CEW use by police across Australia, the policies used to guide police in their use and the available evidence about how CEWs are used in practice. The analysis draws on a broad range of sources incorporating document, news media and interview material. The findings draw attention to the phenomenon of 'mission creep' occurring in Australia, where CEWs have come to be used well outside of their original intended purpose. The thesis shows that this pattern has already been observed in relation to Oleoresin Capsicum spray (OC Spray), which is the other type of sub-lethal weapon widely adopted by police in Western democracies. It is now being observed internationally in relation to CEWs. The thesis therefore adds an Australian perspective to a growing body of literature suggesting that sub-lethal weapons' use by police is likely to have a corrosive effect on police/ community relationships and, crucially, on the principle of minimum force. It further argues that the weapons may have a profound impact on the delicate balance of consensual versus coercive policing styles. The analysis is set against the broader history of CEWs, and especially events in North America, where electronic weaponry evolved. Experiences in Britain and New Zealand are also examined briefly. The findings also demonstrate that the reasons for CEW adoption by police across jurisdictions, nationally and internationally, are very similar. It is argued that this is the case because decisions (and policy making) have been based on a series of misconceptions about sublethal weapons' utility. The thesis argues that the problems arising in jurisdictions that use CEWs are so similar as to warrant a set of clear statements about the potential consequences of their inappropriate deployment in Australia. On this basis, this research concludes by making an argument for the importance of establishing strict national guidelines to control the use of CEWs and by offering a range of observations on what such guidelines could look like. Details: Clayton, Victoria, AUS: Monash University, 2012. 255p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 5, 2017 at: http://arrow.monash.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/monash:89033;jsessionid=E79AD5DD3381841D4B31D1125437E67C?exact=sm_subject%3A%22Accountablility%22 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Assault Weapons Shelf Number: 145322

Author: Ryan, Nigel Title: Ice Dragon: A proposal to target the supply of methamphetamine from China to Australia Summary: This paper addresses the issue of methamphetamine supply into Australia, aiming to identify viable options to reduce the amount of the drug and its chemical precursors that enter the country, particularly originating from China. It contends that the situation in Australia is quite drastic, exacerbated by the role and impact of organised crime groups, which are targeting Australia because of the demand for amphetamines and the high profits that can be gained as a result. The paper makes five recommendations aimed at enhancing the detection capabilities and collaborative efforts in reducing the supply of methamphetamine and its precursors into Australia, taking account of the recommendations already made by the National Ice Taskforce. It asserts that the advocated options and recommendations should assist in reducing the supply of methamphetamine from China and, as a consequence, addressing the methamphetamine issue in Australia more generally. Details: Sydney: The Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies (CDSS), 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Indo-Pacific Strategic Papers ;Accessed May 6, 2017 at: http://www.defence.gov.au/ADC/Publications/IndoPac/Ryan_IPSP.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 145327

Author: McGuire, Magdalena Title: The Right to Refuse: Examining Forced Marriage in Australia Summary: This project drew on The Right to Refuse forum (a cross-sectoral forum on forced marriage which was held by the research partners) and the literature to devise some key findings about forced marriage. These findings are that: �h- Forced marriage is primarily a human rights and gender equality issue, not a cultural issue. Having said this, any interventions around forced marriage need to be approached with cultural sensitivity. �h- Forced marriage is a form of violence against women and girls. It can lead to a range of negative consequences for victims, including physical, sexual, and psychological violence, economic abuse, denial of education, social isolation, and mental health problems.1 �h- Forced marriage and arranged marriage are two distinct practices. While forced marriage is unlawful and harmful, arranged marriage is an acceptable practice (to the extent that it allows potential partners to consent to the marriage). Currently, there is little awareness in the community about the difference between forced marriage and arranged marriage. �h- Little is known about the prevalence and manifestation of forced marriage in Australia. Nonetheless, it is clear that forced marriage happens to a diverse range of women and girls in the Australian community. Young women and women with cognitive impairments can be particularly at risk of experiencing forced marriage. �h- School personnel, especially school welfare officers, are in a key position to identify potential cases of forced marriage involving girls and young women. �h- Forced marriage cases are complex and cross over multiple service sectors. It is rare for victims of forced marriage to present with only one problem for which they require assistance. �h- Many women and girls who have experienced forced marriage will require the assistance of domestic violence support services. Domestic violence services can be the first place where forced marriage is identified and responded to. �h- Women and girls who have experienced forced marriage can be reluctant to engage with services. A key way to address this barrier is to establish a relationship of trust between the victim of forced marriage and a worker within the relevant service. �h- A challenge for support workers is striking an appropriate balance between establishing trust with the victim of forced marriage and maintaining their own professional boundaries. This is because women and girls who have exited situations of forced marriage tend to be very socially isolated. Under these circumstances, they may come to regard their workers as the most important people in their lives. �h- Women and girls who have experienced forced marriage may require years of intense support to help them live safe and productive lives Details: Melbourne: Good Shepherd Youth & Family Services, Domestic Violence Victoria, 2014. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2017 at: https://www.goodshep.org.au/media/1222/right-to-refuse_final-report_v2.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 145333

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Sentencing for Contravention Monitoring Report Summary: Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices examines sentences for contravention of family violence intervention orders over two periods: 2004-05 to 2006-07 and 2009-10 to 2011-12. It also considers sentences for contravention of family violence safety notices, which became available in December 2008. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2013. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2017 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/publications/family-violence-intervention-orders-and-safety-notices Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 131181

Author: Coghlan, Paul Title: Bail Review: First advice to the Victorian government Summary: The provisions relating to bail in Victoria are already very strict. I do not consider that the Bail Act 1977 (the Bail Act) needs a major overhaul in terms of its theoretical underpinnings. In particular, I consider that there should continue to be a general presumption for bail, subject to the reverse onus and unacceptable risk tests. However, the Bail Act is difficult to follow and apply. In particular, it is often difficult to work out what offences are in the reverse onus categories, and the provisions relating to grant of bail should be clarified. I also consider that greater emphasis should be placed on assessment of risk. My proposed rewrite of section 4 places the assessment of risk upfront, retains two reverse onus categories and clarifies that both those categories involve a two step process. Additional offences would be added to the 'exceptional circumstances' category. The 'show cause' category would become the 'show good reason' category, with new offences added, such as rape and sexual penetration of a child. The offences to which the reverse onus provisions apply would be set out in schedules for clarity. I also consider that more emphasis should be placed on offending whilst on bail, including making it more difficult for further bails to be granted. In relation to who may grant bail, I recommend making it clear that police have power to grant bail in most cases. However, police and bail justices should not have power to grant bail in exceptional circumstances cases. I note that the decisions of bail justices are largely uncontroversial. They consider bail in a very small number of cases and mostly refuse bail. I recommend that bail justices should be retained subject to further review. In the meantime, police should be able to apply to the duty magistrate for a stay of bail granted by a bail justice. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government, 2017. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2017 at: https://engage.vic.gov.au/application/files/9814/9419/7926/Coghlan-report-1.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 145368

Author: Coghlan, Paul Title: Bail Review: Second advice to the Victorian Government Summary: My first advice was directed largely to legislative reform in accordance with the Terms of Reference. This advice deals with broader systemic issues that arise directly out of the consideration of the operation of the bail system, including Terms of Reference 4 to 7. It also addresses issues that I indicated in my first advice I would deal with. At the moment, the greatest individual difficulty in the operation of bail and remand matters in the Magistrates' Court is the failure to produce accused at court, either in person or by audio visual link. The simple cause of this situation is that there are not enough custodial places available in Victoria. One of the difficulties which arises is that prisoners are serving sentences in police cells, including in the Custody Centre at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court. The position will be eased somewhat when the new prison at Ravenhall comes into operation towards the end of 2017. However, the issue is unlikely to be completely resolved, particularly as any reforms to the Bail Act 1977 (Bail Act) arising from this Review are likely to increase the number of prisoners on remand. If prisoners are not produced, then their cases are often put off. Costs may be directly incurred and the need to return to court on multiple occasions can be inefficient and costly. If the case had been able to proceed, bail might have been granted or the matter resolved. It has been well understood for many years that much is to be gained in the criminal justice system by early resolution. As I discuss in this advice, a very large number of warrants are issued in the Magistrates' Court each year (about 60,000 in 2016). These warrants are for the arrest of accused who do not answer bail and for those who do not answer summons when the Court is unable to deal with the matter or takes the view that it is inappropriate to do so. It is likely that the predominant majority of those arrested on warrant are either re-bailed or bailed, particularly when the offending is at the lower end of seriousness and would not result in a custodial term. I recommend that a new process be developed for dealing with these less serious offences. The successful operation of this process will depend on amending the law to allow some indictable offences to be dealt with in the absence of the accused. That is not possible now because an indictable offence can only be dealt with by a magistrate in the presence of the accused and with their consent. As noted above, a large number of warrants are also issued for accused who fail to answer a summons. A reasonably high percentage of these are for indictable offences at the lower end of the range. Such offences could properly be dealt with in the absence of the accused. The changes I recommend should reduce the number of people on bail and therefore less warrants may issue as a result of failure to answer bail. Allowing some indictable offences to be dealt with in the absence of the accused should also reduce the number of warrants for cases in which a summons was issued. If less warrants are issued, then less court time and police time will be taken to deal with those warrants, and less custodial places will be required. That should have some positive effect on the numbers in police cells. I have looked at the operation of the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP). Even a moderate increase of about 200-300 extra CISP places would take significant pressure away from the remand system. I make a number of recommendations about CISP. When considering the question of out of hours remand, I discovered that because of the very large numbers involved, there are delays in dealing with cases in the Magistrates' Court in usual hours. The Court sitting hours end at 4pm, but some magistrates have been sitting until 7.30pm to try and deal with their lists. The disadvantages of this are obvious. The trial of the Night Court has been limited because of the available resources, including the lack of prosecutors or legal aid lawyers. There is a strong argument to say that a Bail & Remand Court should ordinarily sit from about 9am to 10pm, and I make a recommendation of how this could be done. The Court could deal with many bail applications during these hours (and also finalise some matters) particularly with an increased use of audio visual links. If that leaves only the period from 10pm to 9am the next morning, it would be possible to give police officers the power to remand adults for that period, and to preserve the bail justice system for children and vulnerable people (who should have immediate access to a bail justice). I received submissions from the Office of Public Prosecutions (Victoria) and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions about appeals to the Supreme Court. There are two aspects to this. The first relates to staying a decision of magistrates or judges to grant bail, and the second relates to the test to be applied. Consultation on these issues will be required, particularly in relation to the appeal test. I make recommendations on the information which should be provided to any bail decision maker. Finally, the Bail Act does need to be rewritten. It is not a task within my Terms of Reference, but I discuss some aspects that could be reviewed or improved if a rewrite is conducted. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government, 2017. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/coghlan-report-2.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 145388

Author: Halloran, Nick Title: The NSW Prison Population Simulation Model: A policy analysis tool Summary: Aim: To describe a simulation model of the NSW prison system and demonstrate its utility as a tool for examining the effects of changes to the criminal justice system that influence the number of prisoners in custody Method: The model consists of four states (bail, remand, custody and parole) and a set of parameters governing flows into and out of those states as well as lengths of stay in each state. Data for the model were sourced from police, court and correctional databases. Results: The prison system is extremely sensitive to changes in the percentage of persons refused bail. A one percentage point change in the percentage of persons refused bail by a court increases the remand population by 7.66 per cent, the sentenced prisoner population by 6.03 per cent and the parole population by 6.15 per cent. Conclusion: It is feasible to build a simple model of the prison system which is easy to maintain but nonetheless useful in analysing the likely consequences of changes in arrest, bail and sentencing policy. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 203; Accessed May 10, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2017-NSW-Prison-Population-Simulation-Model-CJB203.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 145396

Author: Magalingam, Pritheega Title: Complex network tools to enable identification of a criminal community Summary: Retrieving criminal ties and mining evidence from an organised crime incident, for example money laundering, has been a difficult task for crime investigators due to the involvement of different groups of people and their complex relationships. Extracting the criminal association from enormous amount of raw data and representing them explicitly is tedious and time consuming. A study of the complex networks literature reveals that graph-based detection methods have not, as yet, been used for money laundering detection. In this research, I explore the use of complex network analysis to identify the money laundering criminals' communication associations, that is, the important people who communicate between known criminals and the reliance of the known criminals on the other individuals in a communication path. For this purpose, I use the publicly available Enron email database that happens to contain the communications of 10 criminals who were convicted of a money laundering crime. I show that my new shortest paths network search algorithm (SPNSA) combining shortest paths and network centrality measures is better able to isolate and identify criminals' connections when compared with existing community detection algorithms and k-neighbourhood detection. The SPNSA is validated using three different investigative scenarios and in each scenario, the criminal network graphs formed are small and sparse hence suitable for further investigation. My research starts with isolating emails with 'BCC' recipients with a minimum of two recipients bcc-ed. 'BCC' recipients are inherently secretive and the email connections imply a trust relationship between sender and 'BCC' recipients. There are no studies on the usage of only those emails that have 'BCC' recipients to form a trust network, which leads me to analyse the 'BCC' email group separately. SPNSA is able to identify the group of criminals and their active intermediaries in this 'BCC' trust network. Corroborating this information with published information about the crimes that led to the collapse of Enron yields the discovery of persons of interest that were hidden between criminals, and could have contributed to the money laundering activity. For validation, larger email datasets that comprise of all 'BCC' and 'TO/CC' email transactions are used. On comparison with existing community detection algorithms, SPNSA is found to perform much better with regards to isolating the sub-networks that contain criminals. I have adapted the betweenness centrality measure to develop a reliance measure. This measure calculates the reliance of a criminal on an intermediate node and ranks the importance level of each intermediate node based on this reliability value. Both SPNSA and the reliance measure could be used as primary investigation tools to investigate connections between criminals in a complex network. Details: Melbourne: School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, 2015. 129p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 13, 2017 at: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:161407/Magalingam.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Investigation Shelf Number: 145462

Author: Corrie, Tanya Title: Economic Security for Survivors of Domestic and Family Violence: Understanding and Measuring the Impact Summary: Survivors of domestic and family violence-the majority of whom are women-experience a range of negative economic outcomes as a consequence of the violence they have survived. Some of these include: reduced access to savings and assets; a reduction in feelings of financial confidence; lower levels of workforce and educational participation; and damage to credit records. This is particularly prevalent for women where economic abuse was also part of the pattern of violence. Lack of financial resources makes leaving a violent relationship challenging for survivors. Financial insecurity is also a reason some women return to violent relationships. While these links are becoming better understood, there is a lack of consistency about what the definition of economic security for survivors of domestic and family violence is. Broad economic analysis demonstrates the costs of domestic and family violence to the economy are great and that survivors bear proportionally more of these costs. However, there is no consistent index with which to measure the economic security for survivors of domestic and family violence. In the absence of this understanding it is more difficult to gauge the extent of the problem. It also difficult to measure whether service and policy responses are dealing with the issue. To this end Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (Good Shepherd), with the support of the Con Irwin Sub-fund of the Victorian Women's Trust, reviewed the literature about economic security and domestic and family violence. The review was conducted in order to develop a definition of economic security that reflected its individual and structural elements. From there, a range of potential indicators with which to measure the economic security for survivors were scoped. A measurement tool was also piloted with the support of the Australia Institute. It is hoped that a larger scale, national study will be conducted to build on this research and measure the full extent of this problem, and that the creation of an 'Economic Security for Survivors Index' will be developed on the basis of the proposed indicators in this report. This index could then be updated regularly to see whether progress has been made in dealing with the issue. The research makes a series of recommendations for policy and practice to better respond to the economic insecurity of survivors. There are also a series of recommendations for furthering data collection and the creation of the index. Details: Abbotsford, VIC: Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, 2016. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2017 at: https://www.goodshep.org.au/media/1421/financial-security-for-survivors-of-domestic-and-family-violence_march2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 145469

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Drugs and cRime Prevention Committee Title: Inquiry into the application of safer design principles and crime prevention through environmental design: final report Summary: The last few decades have witnessed a significant shift in how crime is controlled and managed. A range of developments, including the rise of private security, the strengthening of surveillance apparatuses, the emergence of risk analysis and management, and diverse crime prevention practices, are a feature of everyday life in state and private responses to crime. A movement known as crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is part of the contemporary approach to crime prevention. CPTED is defined as 'the proper design and effective use of the built environment', which 'can lead to a reduction in the fear and incidence of crime, and an improvement in the quality of life' (Crowe 2000, p.46). The principles underpinning the Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria, the main focus of this Inquiry, are drawn from the key CPTED tenets. Crime is the result of many factors and cannot be simply prevented or reduced through the design of the physical environment. Nonetheless, the use of safer design principles is an important part of a suite of crime prevention strategies that include law enforcement, particularly proactive and specialist policing, education, and social development approaches. Certainly the most successful initiatives to incorporate environmental crime prevention measures are those based on holistic strategies that incorporate a wide range of measures and rely on collaborative multi-agency partnerships. The various means of achieving safer design include: restricting access to buildings; activating spaces to enhance the natural surveillance of an area; fixing and repairing damage to buildings to demonstrate capable guardianship; increasing ownership over areas so that proprietorial behaviour discourages unlawful behaviour; installing electronic forms of surveillance or engaging security personnel to monitor specific sites; and ensuring landscaping does not obscure sight-lines, so that people feel safe to use public spaces. Safer design principles and CPTED has gained increasing traction over the last few decades. Many police and local authority staff now receive Safer Design/CPTED training. Rating systems for various forms of development operate in some jurisdictions to quantify safety and security (for example, the Secured by Design accreditation scheme in the United Kingdom). CPTED practitioner professional associations have also emerged (for example, the International CPTED Association) and planning regimes in many countries incorporate safer design principles. In many jurisdictions the most obvious embodiment of CPTED is through the creation and ratification of specific design guidelines that influence the way that the built environment is developed. In Victoria the Department of Sustainability and Environment produced the Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria in 2005. Despite the Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria and the principles therein having been in place for eight years, there has been no evaluation of the Guidelines or their implementation and application, particularly by local government. Nor has the impact of these guidelines been thoroughly investigated. Without detailed evaluation or analysis it is therefore difficult to determine to what extent the Guidelines have been used and what impact they have had on local government planning activities or the work of the private property development industry. For this reason the Committee commissioned the Sydney Institute of Criminology, University of Sydney to design, conduct and analyse a survey of all local government municipalities in Victoria to gauge the extent to which local governments incorporate the Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria in local planning. Despite this lack of information, the Committee acknowledges, however, that there has been some good work done in applying the Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria and CPTED principles generally to local developments throughout the state, as demonstrated in several case studies included in this Report. In undertaking the Inquiry the Committee has examined the use of safer design principles and CPTED comparable to the Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria in interstate and overseas jurisdictions. The jurisdictions covered included New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland in this country, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States and New Zealand overseas. The lessons these states and countries have learned about how to apply CPTED and more importantly the pitfalls to avoid as a result of their experiences have been invaluable. During the course of the Inquiry the Committee became aware of a number of challenges that have prevented the Guidelines from being implemented to any significant degree. These challenges are documented extensively in Chapters 9 and 10. However, of particular concern was the finding from the survey that whilst a high percentage of respondents from local government authorities were aware of the Guidelines they were not applying them to either assess development applications that came before them or using them in developing their own local projects. Also of concern was the lack of awareness of the Guidelines by developers and other professional groups, identified during the Inquiry. To some extent this lack of awareness could be attributed to problems associated with language, in other words there were stakeholders aware of the general principles of CPTED but not necessarily of the Safer Design Guidelines for Victoria themselves. Conversely, other people may have had some awareness of the Guidelines but not of CPTED or related designing out crime principles Details: Melbourne: Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee, 2013. 444p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2017 at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/file_uploads/Drugs_and_Crime_Final_Report_5gMLfDXw.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: CPTED Shelf Number: 131203

Author: Australia. Parliament. House of Representatives. Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs Title: Troubled Waters: Inquiry into the arrangements surrounding crimes committed at sea Summary: 1.1 Almost 700 000 Australians took a cruise in 2012, and the Australian cruising market has been growing strongly for nearly a decade. It is almost five times bigger than it was ten years ago. For most cruising passengers, cruises are a time of relaxation, celebration and adventure. Most Australian cruise passengers expect that the cruising environment reflects Australian social and legal standards, especially as cruising operators have Australian companies and run cruises from Australian ports. However, cruises are an international destination in themselves, and passengers must treat them as such. 1.2 On the infrequent occasions that accidents or crimes occur on a cruise, the cruising environment can pose particular challenges to safety and justice. Cruise ships can hold over 5 000 people, and are often a long way from law enforcement. Additionally, establishing which country has jurisdiction to enforce its laws can be extremely complex. 1.3 Past crimes and accidents have highlighted the risks of cruising to Australian consumers. The tragic death of Ms Dianne Brimble in 2002, and the recent disappearance overboard of Mr Paul Rossington and Ms Kristen Schroder in May 2013 serve as reminders that an accident or crime at sea can be profoundly tragic. This inquiry focusses on the proactive ways that Australian and foreign cruise passengers can be kept safe at sea, on the actions the Australian Government can take to improve safety and justice on cruises, and on the steps that industry and government need to take to ensure that their responses to tragedies are appropriate. Details: Canberra: The Committee, 2013. 144p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2017 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=spla/crimes%20at%20sea/report.htm Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime at Sea Shelf Number: 131260

Author: Browne, E. Clancy Title: Exploring dynamic risk factors and recidivism risk in Victorian prisoners: a what works perspective Summary: Given that approximately 48% of sentenced offenders in Victoria have been incarcerated previously, recidivist offenders constitute a major financial burden for the Victorian tax payer. Consequently, it is important to ensure that programs intended to reduce recidivism are efficacious. It has been established, in other countries, that offenders present with a wide range of dynamic risk factors, and that targeting treatment to these dynamic risk factors is effective in reducing recidivism. The profile of dynamic risk factors for local offenders is not known. The three studies reported in this thesis aimed to close the knowledge gap with regard to this understanding of the distribution of dynamic risk factors experienced by local offenders. In assessing a sample of male and female offenders incarcerated in Victoria, a profile of demographic details, dynamic risk factors and other offence-related variables was first developed. Second, the sample was grouped by important static variables (recidivist status, age of offending onset, and risk of re-offending level) in order to assist in describing the differing pathways to crime and different outcomes for each subgroup. Finally, given that the high rates of recidivism and the wide variance in offender needs suggests significant heterogeneity in incarcerated offender populations, the presence of subtypes within the sample was explored. The importance of this research lies in the potential to better match treatment to 'need' within this population, resulting in greater reductions in recidivism locally. While the study demonstrated the applicability of the RNR model to Victorian offenders, it also uncovered the existence of a subtype of offender for whom this type of model may be ineffective in reducing recidivism. Future research is required to examine the replicability and generalisability of subtypes, and the efficacy of both, expanded needs-based programs, and of strengths-based programs, to reduce recidivism. The findings are set in the context of the wider body of corrections literature. Both the methodological considerations of the study, and the wider implications of the findings, are discussed. Details: Melbourne: Health Sciences, RMIT University, 2012. 283p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 16, 2017 at: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:161631 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 145482

Author: Poynton, Suzanne Title: Bonds, suspended sentences and re-offending: Does the length of the order matter? Summary: Aim: To examine the effectiveness of good behaviour bonds and suspended sentences in reducing re-offending. Method: Propensity score matching was used to match offenders who received a court imposed bond of less than 24 months with offenders who received a court imposed bond of 24 months or more. These two matched groups were then compared on two re-offending outcomes; the likelihood of reoffending within three years of the index offence and the time to first new conviction. Propensity score matching was also used to match offenders who received a court imposed suspended sentence of less than 12 months with offenders who received a court imposed suspended sentence of 12 months or more. Again, the likelihood of reoffending and the time to first reconviction were compared for these matched groups. Reoffending comparisons between long and short bonds, and long and short suspended sentences were repeated separately for supervised and unsupervised orders. Results: After adjusting for other factors, the probability of reconviction and the time to reconviction were lower for offenders placed on bonds 24 months or longer compared with offenders placed on shorter bonds. A significant effect of bond length on reoffending was apparent for both supervised and unsupervised orders. After adjusting for other factors, the probability of reconviction and the time to reconviction were also lower for offenders given long (12 month plus) suspended sentences compared with offenders given short suspended sentences. However, no significant effect of suspended sentence length was found when supervised and unsupervised suspended sentences were analysed separately. Conclusion: This evidence suggests long bonds and long suspended sentences are more effective in reducing re-offending than short bonds and short suspended sentences. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2012. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1314/02-1112-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Recidivism Shelf Number: 131264

Author: Saliba, Antoinette Mary Title: Beyond the Prison Walls: the role of a criminal record check in balancing risk management and reintegration through employment Summary: The role of rehabilitating ex-offenders has traditionally been understood as belonging firmly within the administration of corrections and as such governed by the state. This thesis is undertaken within the area of criminal justice studies and examines what happens beyond the realms of corrections, through the utilisation of the criminal record, specifically in relation to employment. It brings into focus the reintegration of ex-offenders into the community and the impact of their criminal record on their reception by non-government institutions, employers and the community. To this end, this thesis uses theories of governmentality and the discourse of failure as outlined by Michel Foucault. These theories are applied to the analyses of the governing of ex-offenders by non-government organisations, institutions and employers within society. Furthermore, a Foucauldian genealogical approach is taken in relation to the disjointed and, at some stages, simultaneous development of facets of the criminal record within Victoria. Quantitative and qualitative Victorian data are considered in relation to the construction and development of the criminal record. This approach is utilised to gain a purchase on the particular ways in which the criminal record is constructed and used by prospective employers as a form of risk assessment for the possible future behaviour of ex-offenders. This form of risk assessment used by prospective employers will be considered against the forms of risk assessments performed by Corrections in relation to reoffending. Specifically, an in-depth analysis will be undertaken of the Victorian Intervention Screening Assessment Tool (VISAT), to illustrate how risk assessment tools have a tendency to reduce an immense level of information into simplistic and predetermined formats. Furthermore, the growing practice of criminal record checks will be analysed for its impact on the employment options of ex-offenders. This will be presented through a critical analysis of various forms of data, including employment advertisements, employment statistics of offenders and future industry indications. Through this multi-dimensional analysis of texts relating to criminal records and Corrections data, this thesis examines the role played by non-government institutions as distinct from the role of Government itself in thwarting stated aims of rehabilitation. Finally, recommendations will be made which are aimed at improving this problematic condition. The research findings support the conclusions that the criminal record is a complex, multifaceted inscription and as such, its reduction to a simplistic predetermined form - the National Police Certificate - makes it an inappropriate risk assessment tool for prospective employers. Furthermore, this research has found that the way the criminal record is used significantly impacts on the reintegration of ex-offenders. It is argued that the inability of ex-offenders to become gainfully employed and regain full active citizenship, subsequent to participation in rehabilitation programs and correctional intervention contributes to the high rate of recidivism. It is therefore concluded that society has a critical role to play in the successful reintegration of ex-offenders and the lowering of recidivism rates. Details: Melbourne: RMIT University, 2012. 264p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 17, 2017 at: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:160273/Saliba.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Background Checks Shelf Number: 131275

Author: Thompson, Carolyne Title: An evaluation of the efficacy of Corrections Victoria's assessment process Summary: This research examined the assessment outcomes of men and women serving sentences in Victorian prisons during 2006 to 2008. The assessment process used by Corrections Victoria (CV) comprises three tiers that guide assessments from the point of reception into the justice system through to assessments of suitability for therapeutic intervention. The three armed framework supporting this process comprises the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) approach (Andrews & Bonta, 2006), the Good Lives Model (GLM; Ward, 2002), and Therapeutic Jurisprudence (Wexler & Winnick, 2008). The framework was developed as a means of strengthening the way in which the correctional system responded to prisoners and community-based offenders through increasing their motivation to change their offending behaviour. Following sentencing, the three tiered assessment process commences with the administration of non-clinical Victorian Intervention Screening Assessment Tool (VISAT), which provides an individual's general risk of re-offending as well as identifying the dynamic and static risk factors that contribute to offending. The VISAT replaced the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R; Andrews & Bonta, 1994), which served the same purpose, in 2006, but as yet has not been standardised. All sexual offenders, and some violent offenders, are referred directly for specialised assessment. However, all other offenders who have been assessed as having a medium to high risk of re-offending via the VISAT are referred for the second tier of assessment, the Tier 2A. The Tier 2A is a semi-structured, non-standardised, clinical assessment developed by CV to further investigate offence specific and related needs that were initially highlighted using the VISAT. The outcomes of the Tier 2A should indicate the need for further assessment in specific areas of offending as well as any other clinical concerns, such as mental health. CV offers offence specific intervention in the areas of substance use, sexual offending, and violence. In the event that one of these areas is assessed as significant to an individual's offending repertoire, a referral is made to one (or more) of the offence specific therapeutic interventions offered through CV. This phase of the assessment process signifies the third tier of the assessment process. Each offence specific intervention uses standardised assessments specific to that particular offending typology, and are collectively referred to as Tier 2B. Details: Melbourne: RMIT University, 2013. 316p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 17, 2017 at: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/eserv/rmit:160372/Thompson.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Classification of Offenders Shelf Number: 131272

Author: Clough, Alan R. Title: Alcohol, assault and licensed premises in inner-city areas Summary: It is widely recognised that data from the Emergency Department is a better measure of violence in the community than police statistics. But other data sources should also be used where possible. Cairns is a large regional centre in far north Queensland. Around one-quarter of injuries due to violence requiring treatment in the ED at Cairns Base Hospital can be linked with the Cairns late night entertainment precinct, a tiny area of less than one square kilometre in the inner city. Alcohol is involved in the overwhelming majority of injuries due to violence in Cairns generally. In this study, a surveillance system for incidents of person-to-person violence was developed and tried in the Cairns late night entertainment precinct. In the ED, clinicians and triage nurses flagged incidents believed to have happened in the late night entertainment precinct, Queensland Police Service provided data on alcohol-related assaults occurring there, Cairns Regional Council CCTV camera room operators described incidents of concern and venue security reported incidents from registers on licensed premises. The combined results captured by the surveillance tool were consistent with local understandings and experiences and with the published evidence; i.e. they made sense. This makes the tool potentially useful for monitoring, surveillance and evaluating the effects of targeted intervention strategies if methodological shortcomings can be addressed. A methodologically rigorous and robust surveillance system would include at least i) a clear definition of the target area, ii) sound ways to repeatedly and comprehensively count and describe incidents of person-to-person violence in the target area, iii) sound ways of estimating the population exposed to the risk of violence for the target area and iv) strong local coalitions of stakeholders with the capacity to use such a surveillance system and to provide sustained support for intervention strategies. Importantly, the study was able to engage with the ED and QPS, but also with security providers and the Cairns Regional Council. The Cairns Regional Council's closed circuit television (CCTV) system incorporates real-time communication links between camera room operators and security on-the-ground. Camera operators are proactive, efficiently directing street security to assault incidents intervening in 40% of assaults examined, limiting possible injury. The Cairns system appears to be unique in Queensland. Also, private security personnel, the guardians of patrons in the night-time economy, were shown to hold considerable potential to contribute to reducing alcohol-related harm and injury through improving strategic and operational good practices. To address alcohol-related violence in the night-time economy of a city like Cairns, the following strategies are feasible but depend on a robust supportive network of stakeholders that have an agreed focus. feedback of results as research or monitoring progresses along with information and education with specific local content, situational interventions to better manage groups of people on the streets, featuring educational activities by health and alcohol and drug agencies improved transport to enable quick and safe egress from the city, enhancing capacities to prevent incidents by enhancing security providers skills and improving practice, enhanced provision of brief intervention for people with alcohol problems, enhanced collaboration between agencies providing victim support services targeted joint operations between Liquor Licensing, Police and Emergency Services, support for more proactive prevention by venue-based management, venue-based environmental changes and increased focus on responsible service of alcohol, awareness-raising among youth by key agencies a supportive city-wide media strategy. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2013. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 45: Accessed May 18, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph45.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 131382

Author: State Coroner of New South Wales Title: Inquest into the deaths arising from the Lindt Cafe siege: Findings and recommendations Summary: The inquest into the deaths arising from the Lindt Cafe siege examined the circumstances surrounding, and issues arising in relation to, the deaths of Tori Johnson, Katrina Dawson and Man Haron Monis in December 2014. The New South Wales Coroner has delivered his findings into the Lindt Cafe siege which took place in December 2014, and resulted in the deaths of three people, including the hostage-taker. The report examines the actions of the police, the interactions and exchange of information between state and federal agencies, differences between domestic sieges and terrorist sieges, hostage negotiation, use of experts such as psychiatrists and psychologists, police command and operational structures and communications system. Details: Glebe, NSW: Coroners Court of New South Wales, 2017. 495p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 24, 2017 at: http://www.lindtinquest.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/findings-and-recommendations.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Hostage Negotiations Shelf Number: 145765

Author: Anderson, Helen Title: Phoenix Activity: Recommendations on Detection, Disruption and Enforcement Summary: Phoenix activity occurs where the business of a failed company is transferred to a second (typically newly incorporated) company and the second company's controllers are the same as the first company's controllers. Phoenix activity can be legal as well as illegal. Phoenix activity is illegal where the controllers' intention is to shift assets from the predecessor company to the successor company to avoid liabilities such as unsecured debts, employee entitlements, taxes, adverse court judgments and fines. Phoenix activity has become a significant concern for governments because of the number of individuals promoting illegal phoenix activity, the significant loss of tax revenue it causes, and the recognition of the potentially devastating impact it has on creditors and employees. This report is the third by the authors dealing with phoenix activity. The first report examines the various historical attempts to define phoenix activity and identifies five categories of phoenix activity ranging from legitimate business rescue to complex illegal phoenix activity and provides examples of each. The second report captures all available data relating to the incidence, cost and enforcement of laws dealing with illegal phoenix activity. In this report, the authors propose reforms aimed at better detection, disruption, punishment and deterrence of illegal phoenix activity. Details: Melbourne, AUS: Melbourne Law School, 2017. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2924277 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Business Crimes Shelf Number: 145806

Author: Gregory, Adrienne Title: Aggressive Events On-Board Buses Between Drivers and Passengers: An Analysis of CCTV Footage Summary: Bus drivers face an increased risk of customer violence and there have been a number of high profile assaults across Australia in recent years. However little is known about the nature of these aggressive encounters. Existing research is focused on taxis, trains and airlines, tends to be cross-sectional, and there is very little emanating from Australian-based research that recognises local differences. The current study utilises CCTV as a novel observational tool to analyse 20 cases of physical violence between drivers and passengers on-board. Details: Robina QLD: Bond University, 2016. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 26, 2017 at: http://epublications.bond.edu.au/theses/152/ Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: CCTV Shelf Number: 145816

Author: Hawkins, Zoe Title: Australia's cyber security strategy: execution and evolution Summary: The Australian Government's Cyber Security Strategy was released on 21 April 2016. This report provides an accessible and critical appraisal of the government's implementation of the strategy over the past 12 months. It addresses each of the strategy's five themes, highlighting achievements and areas of weakness; evaluates issues of execution; and suggests ways to evolve the delivery and initiatives of the strategy to achieve its objectives. The report also includes a table showing a detailed breakdown of progress against each initiative in the strategy's Action Plan, and another that examines the funding provided to achieve the objectives of the strategy. Details: Barton ACT, Australia: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2017. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2017 at: https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/australias-cyber-security-strategy-execution-and-evolution/ASPI-Cybersecurity-Exec-and-Evolution.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 145841

Author: Krone, Tony Title: Online Child Sexual Exploitation Offenders: A Study of Australian Law Enforcement Data Summary: Children are among the most vulnerable members of our society and need our nurture, care and protection, yet too many children around the world experience some form of child abuse. The exploitation of children for sexual purposes, in which children are used as commodities for the sexual pleasure of adults, is particularly heinous. Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a global problem that demands strong and effective responses. The full extent and nature of the problem, both historically and currently, is only now beginning to be recognised. The reality of child sexual exploitation within families, in institutions and elsewhere must be confronted. Evidence tells us that intrafamilial sexual exploitation of children has been, and remains, a major problem. The reality - of exploitation by offenders who are known to their child victims - runs counter to the perceived danger presented by strangers. The focus on the danger presented by strangers appears to have been part of a collective denial of the reality of exploitation committed by those entrusted with the care of children. A key concern for those working to address this problem is to determine how the viewing of child exploitation material (CEM) is linked to involvement in the production and sharing of such material, or its use in the grooming of children for sexual purposes or the commission of further sexual assaults on children. Most CEM is held online; it is therefore important to understand how offenders inhabit and use the internet to groom children for sexual purposes. This exploratory study examines data related to a sample of offenders convicted of online child sexual exploitation offences under Australian Commonwealth law, to determine the relationship between offline or contact offences and online CSE offending. In this sample, most CEM offenders appeared to commit only online offences, although there did appear to be a connection between CEM, grooming and contact offending in a minority of cases. This study is an important early step in improving our understanding of Commonwealth online CSE offenders. It points to the need to further assess the nature of online CSE and its relationship to other forms of sexual and violent offences. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research advisory Council, 2017. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 2, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1617/58-1213-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 145903

Author: Grover, Caitlin Title: Youth justice in Victoria Summary: This paper provides an overview of the changing nature of youth offenders and youth offending and the pressures that these have placed on the youth justice system, as well as the related policy developments of the Andrews Government. (Section 12) Victoria has long been regarded as the leader in youth justice with significantly lower rates of young people on remand or serving custodial sentences than other Australian jurisdictions. Evidence shows consistently fewer young people are offending each year and young people are responsible for a diminishing proportion of all crime committed in Victoria. (Section 5) Despite these positive developments, there is a small but increasing cohort of young people exhibiting violent behaviours who are responsible for a disproportionate number of offences. (Section 7) Youth justice is a complex issue that encompasses important areas of public policy, including systemic disadvantage, community safety, offender rehabilitation and the human rights of children and young people. Youth justice is distinct from the mainstream criminal justice system due to the unique circumstances and the context of youth offending. (Section 2) The causes and effects of youth offending and the state of Victoria's youth justice system have become the subject of widespread debate following a series of violent incidents in Victorian youth justice centres. Although diversion is fundamental to reducing reoffending by young people, access to diversion programs has been somewhat limited, particularly for young people in rural and regional Victoria. Access to bail support programs has also been limited. (Sections 3.7 and 10.3) The unprecedented proportion of young people in youth justice centres held on remand creates significant challenges in the management of these centres and complicates the process of rehabilitation of young people. (Section 10) Investigations by the Victorian Ombudsman and, most recently, by the Commissioner for Children and Young People, have detailed concerns about circumstances within youth justice centres and the treatment of young people held therein. These investigations have found that young people have been subjected to conditions that breach their rights as provided for by the Children and Young People Act 2005 (Vic) and the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities 2006 (Vic). (Sections 8 and 9) An analysis of similar investigations in other Australian jurisdictions shows that these issues are not unique to Victoria. (Section 9.1) The significant over-representation of Indigenous people in the youth justice system is another particularly complex and systemic issue common to each Australian state and territory. This over-representation reflects the multi-layered nature of disadvantage and marginalisation experienced by Indigenous people. The Koori Youth Justice Program aims to reduce over-representation through early intervention services targeting young people at risk of offending and people on community-based and custodial orders. (Section 6) Details: Melbourne: Parliamentary Library & Information Service, Department of Parliamentary Services, Parliament of Victoria, 2017. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper no. 2: Accessed June 2, 2017 at: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/publications/research-papers/send/36-research-papers/13806-youth-justice-in-victoria Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Peoples Shelf Number: 145905

Author: PriceWaterhouseCoopers Title: Indigenous incarceration: Unlock the facts Summary: Indigenous incarceration in Australia has been the subject of many thorough and well evidenced reports and reviews over the past three decades including the landmark Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Our report contributes new economic modelling to the evidence base. It estimates the costs of Indigenous incarceration and the potential savings if Indigenous incarceration rates were no different to those of the non-Indigenous population. The high, and growing, rates of Indigenous incarceration has a heavy impact on individuals, families, communities, and the Australian economy but it doesn't have to be this way. Our modelling suggests that implementing a holistic suite of initiatives would contribute significantly to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous rates of incarceration, but this alone would not be enough. Closing the gap requires systemic change, as well as smarter investment in programmatic solutions with Indigenous Australians having ownership and control over program settings. This report seeks to raise awareness of, and calls for action to address, the disproportionate rates of Indigenous incarceration across Australia. Details: Australia: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2017. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: https://www.pwc.com.au/indigenous-consulting/assets/indigenous-incarceration-may17.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 145915

Author: Shlonsky, Aron Title: Rapid evidence assessment: Current best evidence in the therapeutic treatment of children with problem or harmful sexual behaviours, and children who have sexually offended Summary: Sexually harmful behaviour is not limited to the sexual abuse of children by adults. It includes sexually problematic and harmful behaviour by other children. While the prevalence of sexually harmful behaviour by children is difficult to establish, emerging and ongoing research indicates that it is a significant problem that represents a substantial proportion of sexual harm to children. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse commissioned this evidence review to identify current best evidence about the effectiveness and content of programs and practices, in Australia and internationally, aimed at treating children with problem sexual behaviour (aged under 10), harmful sexual behaviour (aged 10-17), and children who have sexually offended (aged 10-17). This report details the systematic methods used to locate and synthesise the evidence, the results of this process, and their implications for practice and policy in Australia. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/de93ff4d-649a-4105-8ed7-b32dd00ad04b/Therapeutic-treatment-of-children-with-problem-or Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 145916

Author: McDonald, Kathryn Title: Perspectives on effectiveness: What works in a juvenile fire awareness and intervention program? Summary: Deliberate lighting of fires by juveniles is both a public health concern and a community issue. This collaborative multiagency project aimed to establish best practice guidelines for child and youth firesetter programs in Australia. The study proceeded in two parts. Firstly, the practices and perceived effectiveness of the Victorian Juvenile Fire Awareness and Intervention Program (JFAIP) were investigated and contrasted with other Australian and overseas programs (US, Canada and NZ). Reviewing the literature, extensive interviewing, comparative analysis of approaches and site visits enabled the development of criteria associated with juvenile firesetter programs that were well designed, well implemented, and appeared to provide effective interventions. Secondly, pre and post fire-specific and psychosocial risk factors were investigated with a sample of 29 firesetter boys (7-13 years)referred to the JFAIP using the firesetting risk interview (FRI) and children's firesetting interview (CFI). Children's recidivism was also prospectively followed-up for 12 months. Pre and post findings on the FRI suggested that all JFAIP clients benefited from the intervention. From the parent's perspective, lower fire-specific risk factors were reported after the intervention, but as expected psychosocial risks remained unchanged. From the child's perspective on the CFI, some fire-specific risk variables had improved. Of the 29 children in the sample, nine participants were dentified as recidivists. Thus a third of the sample, although receiving an intervention, continued to light fires. Recidivist and non-recidivist children were also compared on FRI and CFI and significant differences were found in both fire-specific and psychosocial risk factors. The study highlighted that high risk and low risk clients participate in fire safety education programs in Australia. Low risk clients benefited from a fire safety intervention emphasising education. Thus, fire safety education programs may be appropriate as a sole intervention with some firesetters under certain conditions. However, about a third of the JFAIP clients were recidivists and would benefit from additional interventions. It is recommended that juvenile firesetting programs follow best practice guidelines. Details: Melbourne: Victoria University, 2010. 508p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: http://vuir.vu.edu.au/16037/2/kate_mcdonald_PHD_Final_Thesis1.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Arson Shelf Number: 145919

Author: Hemphill, Sheryl Title: Positive associations between school and student problem behaviour: Recent Australian findings Summary: School suspension- the temporary removal of a student from school-is one of the most severe responses to student misbehaviour in Australian schools. Evidence suggests school suspension is associated with negative behavioural outcomes in adolescence. Using data from the International Youth Development Study, a large longitudinal study of adolescent development, this research found positive associations between school suspension and adolescent problem behaviour. These associations remained after taking into account other known risk factors for such behaviours. The paper discusses the implications for policy development around the management of student misbehaviour and conduct breaches. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 531: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi531.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: School Crime Shelf Number: 145924

Author: Shanahan, Marian Title: Police diversion for cannabis offences: Assessing outcomes and cost-effectiveness Summary: Police diversion is widely utilised as an intervention for minor cannabis offending in Australia. This study compared the cost-effectiveness and outcomes of three kinds of diversions- cautions, expiation and warnings - with the traditional criminal justice system response of charging the offender. A sample of 998 people who had recently had contact with police for cannabis use or possession completed an online survey, with those who were diverted reporting reduced drug use and offending compared with those who were charged. The study supports previous findings that diversion for minor cannabis offences can save money and lead to better social consequences. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 531: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi532.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Cost Analysis Shelf Number: 145925

Author: Leslie, Ellen Title: The role of procedural justice in how young adult stimulant users perceive police and policing Summary: Procedural justice is concerned with ensuring police treat those they interact with fairly and make fair decisions. It is a key strategy for promoting willingness to cooperate with police. Little is known, however, about how procedural justice might influence young adult drug users. This study compares perceptions of police and policing and willingness to cooperate with police in a population based sample of young adult amphetamine-type stimulant users and non-users, using both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings suggest that procedural justice-based policing promotes positive perceptions of police and increases support for, and willingness to cooperate with, police among young adult illicit drug users Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 533: Accessed June 5, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi533.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 145926

Author: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Title: Analysis of complaints of child sexual abuse received by Anglican Church dioceses in Australia Summary: The Royal Commission has conducted a comprehensive survey of the 23 Anglican Church dioceses in Australia to gather data about the extent of complaints of child sexual abuse received by Anglican Church dioceses. 2. A substantial proportion of the people who contacted the Royal Commission made allegations of child sexual abuse occurring in Anglican Church institutions. As at the end of 2016, of all people who attended a private session with a Commissioner, 60 per cent reported that they were abused in a faith-based institution and of those, 15 per cent reported that they were abused in an institution managed by the Anglican Church. Of all people who attended a private session, almost nine per cent reported that they were abused in an institution managed by the Anglican Church. Institutions managed by the Anglican Church were the second most reported faith-based institution by people who attended private sessions, with institutions managed by the Catholic Church being the most reported (37 per cent). 3. Analysis of complaints data provides detailed information about complaints of child sexual abuse, including information about where the alleged abuse occurred and when it occurred. The complaints data also provides information about the people who made complaints of child sexual abuse and the alleged perpetrators who were subject to the complaints of child sexual abuse. Finally, the complaints data provides information about aspects of the institutional response to complaints of child sexual abuse, including outcomes such as redress for complainants and disciplinary processes for alleged perpetrators. 4. The Royal Commission has conducted a similar survey of Catholic Church authorities in Australia which resulted in the report titled Analysis of claims of child sexual abuse made with respect to Catholic Church institutions in Australia (February 2017). 5. The Royal Commission contracted Sphere Company to develop the survey necessary for the data collection; clean and analyse the data; and produce this report. An outline of the data collection and cleaning process adopted by Sphere Company for the complaints data is set out in Appendix 2. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2017. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2017 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/bd92c213-3b41-414b-b4a6-3640d72f7b17/Analysis-of-complaints-received-by-Anglican-Church Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Anglican Church Shelf Number: 145955

Author: Australian Law Reform Commission Title: Elder Abuse - A National Legal Response. Final Report Summary: The ALRC was asked to consider Commonwealth laws and legal frameworks and how they might better protect older persons from misuse or abuse, and safeguard their autonomy. The Report includes 43 recommendations for law reform. The overall effect will be to safeguard older people from abuse and support their choices and wishes through: improved responses to elder abuse in residential aged care; enhanced employment screening of care workers; greater scrutiny regarding the use of restrictive practices in aged care; building trust and confidence in enduring documents as important advanced planning tools; protecting older people when 'assets for care' arrangements go wrong; banks and financial institutions protecting vulnerable customers from abuse; better succession planning across the self-managed superannuation sector; adult safeguarding regimes protecting and supporting at-risk adults. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2017. 432p. Source: Internet Resource: (ALRC Report 131); Accessed June 16, 2017 at: https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/elder_abuse_131_final_report_31_may_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse Shelf Number: 146201

Author: Tasmania Law Reform Institute Title: Consensual Assault Summary: Prosecutions of assaults and other serious offences of violence are commonplace in the criminal courts. As a rule, such cases involve a non-consenting victim. However, occasionally, cases involving a consenting 'victim' also make it to court. These are cases where the parties involved have willingly exchanged blows or inflicted violence upon each other, for example, where two individuals resort to a fist fight to resolve a disagreement. Such cases pose difficulties for the criminal justice system and legal scholars alike since they lack the clear stamp of unlawfulness that the victim's absence of consent otherwise provides. In the search for a principled distinction between lawful and unlawful consensual assault courts and legislatures have been obliged to balance public policy justifications for refusing to condone violence, regardless of consent, against competing claims of personal autonomy. This has proved no easy task. The Issues Paper examines the current law on consensual assault in Tasmania which is contained in s 182(4) of the Criminal Code Act 1924 (Tas) sch 1 (the 'Code'). It traces the history of this provision from its roots in the common law, and explains how successive common law authorities have informed the judicial interpretation of the provision. The paper contends that some aspects of s 182(4) lack clarity and do not reflect current concerns about when the law might appropriately negate consent to assault. It also expresses concern that the provision reflects an outmoded view of when consent should or should not operate as defence to assault and leaves those who are particularly vulnerable to violence in the home outside the protection of the law. The paper concludes by proposing five separate options for reform. Details: Hobart: The Institute, 2017. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper no. 24: Accessed June 16, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/93286/apo-nid93286-240346.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Assaults Shelf Number: 146210

Author: Kurti, Peter Title: Terror in the Name of God: Confronting acts of religious violence in a liberal society Summary: Acts of violence perpetrated in the name of religion have been reported with great prominence in recent times. Scholars of religion continue to weigh whether people who kill or injure others are really doing so in the name of their God, as they claim; or whether they are actors merely identifiable as followers of that God. There are no obvious answers to the problem of religious violence. Although it is not a new phenomenon, it has taken on a new, more deadly form that is provoking heightened concerns about the integration of Muslims into the wider society. Confronting religious violence effectively requires the preservation of strong bonds of trust and respect between citizens, the voluntary associations of civil society, such as religious communities, and the organs of government. It also requires an unfailing commitment to upholding the cultural, moral, and legal stability of a liberal society in order that citizens may freely challenge religious believers who advocate militant or illiberal teachings. Upholding and defending the values of an open, liberal society needs to be a priority for all who are prepared to engage in the ideological contest provoked by religious violence. This paper sets out to examine some of the key problems religious violence poses for western, liberal societies. Details: Sydney: Centre for Independent Studies, 2017. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: CIS Occasional Paper 154: Accessed June 17, 2017 at: https://www.cis.org.au/app/uploads/2017/06/op154.pdf? Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Religion Shelf Number: 146236

Author: Goldsmid, Susan Title: Australian methamphetamine user outcomes Summary: Illicit drug use costs Australia billions of dollars every year in lost productivity and healthcare and crime costs. This paper examines the demographics of methamphetamine users and their employment, education and health outcomes using data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program, the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services data collection and the National Prisoner Health Data Collection. Across all data sources, methamphetamine users reported worse employment, education, housing and health outcomes than those who used other illicit drugs and those who did not use drugs. In the general population, this effect was more pronounced for crystal methamphetamine users than for users of other forms of methamphetamines. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical bulletin 03: Accessed June 17, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/sb/003/sb003.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 146238

Author: Flood, Michael Title: Inquiry into the harm being done to Australian children through access to pornography on the Internet Summary: I am a researcher (Associate Professor) and educator based at the University of Wollongong. I was the co-author of the first Australian research to examine the extent of children's and young people's exposure to pornography. I co-published two reports in 2003, the first on children's exposure to pornography, the extent of this exposure, and its likely effects, and the second on what to do in response. These reports generated powerful debate in the community and among advocates and policy-makers. I have continued to explore issues of pornography, sexuality, and gender in my current work, including publishing two journal articles and a book chapter on children, young people, and pornography. My submission focuses on a summary of contemporary scholarship on the impact of pornography exposure among children and young people. I describe this scholarship, updating the accounts given in my already published works, and I conclude with some brief recommendations. Details: The Author, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Submission to the Senate Standing Environment and Communications References Committee: Accessed June 19, 2017 at: http://www.xyonline.net/sites/default/files/Flood,%20Senate%20submission%202016_0.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Internet Crimes Shelf Number: 146265

Author: Nelson, Paul Title: NSW court user experience survey: Results from two metropolitan courthouses Summary: Aim: To examine the experience of court users of two metropolitan courthouses in New South Wales. Method: 311 court users were surveyed regarding their awareness, understanding, contacts, and satisfaction with services at court. The sample included defendants (33.1%), victims (10.6%), witnesses (8.0%) and supporters (48.2%). Court professionals were not sampled. Results: Nearly all (90.6%) court users had previously attended court. Court users who reported contacts with court staff (64.1%) typically found these contacts very helpful. Court users who were well informed about support options at court (31.9%) were much more likely to rate other measures of court experience positively. Court experiences varied somewhat with user role; notably, victims, witnesses and their supporters were much more likely to receive proactive assistance than defendants and their supporters (37.0% vs. 20.7%, p<.01). Court users' suggestions for improving their experience included clearer and more prominent signage and more frequent information about the timing of hearings. Conclusion: In line with previous research, this sample of court users primarily reported positive experiences. Opportunities for increased awareness about support were apparent across court user roles. A number of court users' concerns were practical and thus might be resolved through increased communication before and at court. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 124: Accessed June 19, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2017-NSW-court-user-experience-survey-BB124.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Users Shelf Number: 146271

Author: Bryant, Willow Title: Homicide in Australia 2012-13 to 2013-14: National Homicide Monitoring Program report Summary: In the 25th year of the National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) data collection, this report describes the nature and context of homicides that occurred in financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14, and trends in homicide victimisation and offending since 1989-90. Although much of the data are presented in the aggregate, certain figures for each financial year are provided to aid the monitoring of trends. Ongoing monitoring of homicide locates short-term changes within a longer timeframe, and allows policymakers and law enforcement personnel to identify changes in risk markers associated with incidents, victims and offenders. The overall number of homicide incidents continues to decline. In 2013-14, the homicide incident rate reached a historical low of one per 100,000 people since the NHMP data collection began in 1989-90. This report's key findings include: - from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2014, there were 487 homicide incidents - 249 in 2012-13 and 238 in 2013-14; - these incidents involved 512 victims and 549 offenders - 264 victims and 276 offenders in 2012-13 and 248 victims and 273 offenders in 2013-14; - since 1989-90, homicide incident rates have decreased from 1.8 per 100,000 to 1.1 in 2012-13, and again to one in 2013-14; - males remain over-represented as both victims (n=328; 64%) and offenders (n=483; 88%); - in 2013-14, males were victimised at the rate of 1.3 per 100,000, the lowest rate recorded since 1989-90 (2.5 per 100,000). The rate of female victimisation was 0.8 per 100,000 in 2013-14; - knives continue to be the most commonly used weapon, with 37 percent (n=89) of all homicide incidents in 2013-14 involving knives or sharp instruments; - during the 2012-14 period, approximately a fifth (n=69; 14%) of homicide incidents involved the use of a firearm. This is a decrease of 11 percent in the use of firearms in homicide incidents since 1989-90 (n=76; 25%), and a decrease of one percent since 2011-12; - in 2012-14, the most common relationship between a homicide offender and a victim was a domestic relationship (41%; n=200), followed by an acquaintance (27%; n=133). Thirteen percent (n=62) of homicide incidents were stranger homicides (which includes homicide incidents involving those known to each other for less than 24 hours); - of the 200 domestic homicide incidents recorded in 2012-14, 63 percent (n=126) were classified as intimate partner homicides, 15 percent as filicides (n=30, 14 of which involved the death of a child under one year of age), 11 percent as parricides (n=21), eight percent as other family (n=16; includes aunts/uncles, in-laws, cousins etc) and four percent as siblicides (n=7); - females continue to be over-represented as victims of intimate partner homicide (n=99; 79%), while males are still over-represented as victims of acquaintance (83%; n=116) and stranger homicide (92%; n=58); - 42 children aged 17 years and younger were killed in 2012-14; - 78 victims (46 males and 32 females) and 91 offenders (75 males and 16 females) in 2012� 14 were Indigenous Australians. Indigenous people remain over-represented as both victims of homicide and homicide offenders. At a national level, the rate of Indigenous victimisation in 2013-14 (4.9 per 100,000) was approximately five times higher than non-Indigenous victimisation (0.9 per 100,000); - eight in ten homicide incidents were not committed in the course of another crime (n=408; 84%). A fifth of homicide incidents where a precipitating crime was known and recorded were committed during the course of another crime, such as a break and enter (n=15; 19%), robbery (n=14; 18%), other violent crime (n=11; 14%) or sexual assault (n=10; 13%); and - a fifth of offenders had a prior history of domestic violence (n=106; 19%) or mental illness (n=70; 13%) at the time of the homicide incident. Details: Canberra:: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Statistical Report 02: Accessed June 20, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/sr/sr002.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 146296

Author: Parkinson, Patrick Title: Assessing the different dimensions and degrees of risk of child sexual abuse in institutions Summary: The purpose of this research was to establish a means of differentiating between types of institutions in terms of level of risk of child sexual abuse according to the characteristics of the institution and the kinds of activities that it organises. It draws on the existing research concerning risk factors in relation to child sexual abuse and examines how these risk factors might operate cumulatively in the context of institutions. It examines to what extent various risk factors might be clustered more within some institutions or activities than other institutions or activities. Some of the groundwork for this has been laid by the research literature on situational risk. This research report goes beyond this, however, to explore how the existing body of research on individualised risk factors for victimisation and for offending might be applied to the task of identifying greater or lesser risks of child sexual abuse in institutional contexts. In considering these issues, a distinction is drawn, where appropriate, between adult-child abuse and child-to-child abuse since the way in which the risk factors for each are clustered in institutions is, to some extent, different. Research questions The research questions are as follows: 1. What are the essential components in an effective typology of risk of child sexual abuse in institutional settings? 2. How should these components be represented in a typology (single-risk continuum; low-high; two-dimensional quadrant approach; other) 3. How should the components be measured and applied in institutions within the Royal Commission's Terms of Reference? These questions are answered by seeking to identify which institutions and activities may constitute more risky environments for child sexual abuse than others. This involves working out, as far as possible, where individual vulnerabilities may be clustered (for example, services for abused or neglected children). This includes discerning where there is heightened situational risk and vulnerability risk, where propensity risk might be disproportionately clustered, and where institutional risk creates a culture in which, even if child sexual abuse is disclosed, it is unlikely to lead to a strong disciplinary response. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/95176/apo-nid95176-315456.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Residential Care Shelf Number: 146303

Author: Wan, Wai Yin Title: The determinants of trial duration: a preliminary study Summary: Aim: To conduct an exploratory analysis of the factors influencing trial duration in the NSW District Criminal Court Method: Bi-variate relationships between trial duration and various offence types were examined using one way analyses of variance, fixed effects modelling was employed to examine the joint effects of offence type, number of concurrent offences, year of case finalisation and registry on trial duration. Results: The average trial in the current study lasted 8.2 days, with a standard deviation of 8.6 days and a range of 138 days. Trials were found to be 20.2% shorter where the charges involve break and enter, 35.2% shorter where the charges involve illegal drugs, 44.8% shorter where the charges involve a traffic offence and 44.3% longer where the charges involve abduction The relationship between trial duration and offence type varied from registry to registry. The average sexual assault trial in Dubbo was 2.38 times longer than the average sexual assault trial in Sydney. Similarly, sexual assault trials in Gosford were found to be approximately 1.3 times longer than in Sydney. By contrast, cases involving sexual assault in Newcastle were, on average, only about 76 per cent of the length of such trials in Sydney. Fraud trials in Newcastle were 41 per cent shorter than the non-fraud trials in Newcastle and are only about 35 per cent of the length of the average fraud trial in Sydney. Conclusion: Given the substantial variability in trial duration and the adverse consequences associated with insufficient capacity, courts should operate with spare capacity. Effective management of capacity will require improvements in our ability to predict trial duration. Further research should be conducted into the effects on trial duration of number of witnesses and the use of forensic and audio-visual evidence. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 127: Accessed June 20, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/95031/apo-nid95031-315261.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Delay Shelf Number: 146304

Author: Powell, Martine Title: An Evaluation of How Evidence is Elicited from Complainants of Child Sexual Abuse Summary: Child sexual abuse is difficult to prosecute and has one of the highest attrition rates of all criminal offences. Part of the difficulty in prosecuting these cases is that offending is often hidden from public view, leaving only the complainants' evidence to establish the defendants' guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The ability of child sexual abuse complainants to give quality evidence is crucial for successful prosecution, but it can be problematic for complainants to give such evidence. For both child and adult complainants, a willingness to engage in the justice process, and the accuracy and usefulness of the evidence they give, can be affected by anxiety and stress, delays in the trial process and how professionals question them. Over the past two decades, jurisdictions have attempted to address these concerns by introducing alternate measures and guidelines for eliciting evidence from child sexual abuse complainants. This report provides a comprehensive, holistic and contemporaneous picture of this process. Specifically, it examines: - the use and effectiveness of alternate measures - how complainants are questioned when evidence is elicited. The researchers used a mixed method that involved conducting 17 studies using information from various sources. Criminal justice professionals (judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers and witness advisors) were interviewed and surveyed to provide a stakeholder perspective on issues and challenges. A large representative sample of prosecution case files, trial transcripts and police video interviews with complainants were analysed to determine trends across jurisdictions and demographic variables (such as age groups), and how measures are actually being administered. For these analyses, the Royal Commission nominated three representative Australian jurisdictions: NSW, Victoria and WA. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2016. 327p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 24, 2017 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/f2e642e9-7e93-46a5-aab8-2175e46b90d7/An-evaluation-of-how-evidence-is-elicited-from-com Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 146375

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision 2015-16 Summary: The majority of young people who receive a supervised youth justice sentence serve only 1 sentence, and do not return. For those born from 1990-91 to 1997-98, about 61% had only 1 sentence before the age of 18. Of the young people aged 10-16 in 2014-15 who were released from sentenced community-based supervision, about 22% returned to sentenced supervision in 6 months, and 46% returned within 12 months. Of those released from sentenced detention, 48% returned to sentenced supervision within 6 months, and 74% returned within 12 months. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2017. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Series No. 21: Accessed June 28, 2017 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129559882 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Corrections Shelf Number: 146433

Author: Humphreys, Cathy Title: PAThways and Research Into Collaborative Inter-Agency practice: Collaborative work across the child protection and specialist domestic and family violence interface: The PATRICIA Project. Final report Summary: PAThways and Research In Collaborative Inter-Agency practice (the PATRICIA Project) is an action research project focused on the collaborative relationship between specialist community-based domestic and family violence (DFV) support services for women and their children, and statutory child protection (CP) organisations. Drawing together a diverse range of participants from five states of Australia, it comprised five components of research, each with its own methodology, set within an action research framework that facilitated a process of changing things while simultaneously studying the "problems" of developing collaborative work and strengthening perpetrator accountability. The intended outcome was to use evidence to foster greater collaboration to support the safety and wellbeing of women and their children, and strengthen accountability for perpetrators of DFV. Its key findings include: - DFV and CP collaboration has not always been straightforward. The PATRICIA project found no silver bullet for making collaborations productive and constructive. However a range of factors were essential to engage in collaborative DFV partnerships. Specifically, the focus on the issues of safety and shifting attention to the risks of the perpetrators' use of violence to the safety and well-being of children and their mothers. The project also found that an authorising environment is foundational to partnership work between statutory and non-statutory organisations. - A Collaborative Practice Framework for Child Protection and Specialist DFV services has been developed to guide and sustain collaboration where DFV involving children occurs. - The case reading project, based on Safe and Together principles developed by David Mandel and colleagues, highlighted practitioners' inattention to the impact of DFV on children and family functioning. The case reading process provided a powerful tool to interrogate DFV practice and for statutory and non-statutory workers to work together using common principles and auditing template for review. - The analysis of specialist case studies pointed to strategies for creating a differential response which ensured that notifications were only made for children who reached the threshold for an investigation. The studies also pointed to the need for stronger community based services for children and their families. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Horizons Research Report: Accessed June 29, 2017 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Patricia_Horizons_final.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 146452

Author: Connolly, Marie Title: The Collaborative Practice Framework for Child Protection and specialist domestic and family violence services: The PATRICIA project: Key findings and future directions Summary: PAThways and Research In Collaborative Inter-Agency practice (the PATRICIA Project) is an action research project focused on the collaborative relationship between specialist community-based domestic and family violence (DFV) support services for women and their children, and statutory child protection (CP) organisations. Drawing together a diverse range of participants from five states of Australia, it comprised five components of research, each with its own methodology, set within an action research framework that facilitated a process of changing things while simultaneously studying the "problems" of developing collaborative work and strengthening perpetrator accountability. The intended outcome was to use evidence to foster greater collaboration to support the safety and wellbeing of women and their children, and strengthen accountability for perpetrators of DFV. It's key findings include: - DFV and CP collaboration has not always been straightforward. The PATRICIA project found no silver bullet for making collaborations productive and constructive. However a range of factors were essential to engage in collaborative DFV partnerships. Specifically, the focus on the issues of safety and shifting attention to the risks of the perpetrators' use of violence to the safety and well-being of children and their mothers. The project also found that an authorising environment is foundational to partnership work between statutory and non-statutory organisations. - A Collaborative Practice Framework for Child Protection and Specialist DFV services has been developed to guide and sustain collaboration where DFV involving children occurs. - The case reading project, based on Safe and Together principles developed by David Mandel and colleagues, highlighted practitioners' inattention to the impact of DFV on children and family functioning. The case reading process provided a powerful tool to interrogate DFV practice and for statutory and non-statutory workers to work together using common principles and auditing template for review. - The analysis of specialist case studies pointed to strategies for creating a differential response which ensured that notifications were only made for children who reached the threshold for an investigation. The studies also pointed to the need for stronger community based services for children and their families. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Compass, Issue 03/2017):Accessed June 29, 2017 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Patricia_Compass.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 146453

Author: Craig, Winfield Scott Title: Bonds of Empire: The Politics of Penal Colonies in the Founding of America and Australia Summary: "Bonds of Empire: The Politics of Penal Colonies in the Founding of America and Australia," is a transnational study of convict transportation, a method of exile typically accompanied by forced servitude that existed in Britain's early modern empire. It explores the advent of a penal-settlement imperial ideology which was intended to solve both the domestic problem of petty crime, while simultaneously allowing the English (and later British) government to establish a foothold in places to which free settlers would not immigrate. "Bonds of Empire" reveals that this imperial ideology was almost universally a failure. After free settlers became important components of British colonies in both America and Australia, convict transportation turned into a serious point of contention between colonial governments concerned with their own moral purity and reputation, and the British government which cared more about punishing offenders and deterring crime at home. Ultimately, this study argues that the inherent contradiction which existed between penal colonies and free settler colonies, made Britain's penal-settlement ideology untenable as a method of empire building. Details: Tallahassee: Florida State University, 2014. 185p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 29, 2017 at: https://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu:253399/datastream/PDF/view Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Penal Colonies Shelf Number: 146473

Author: Kaspiew, Rae Title: Domestic and family violence and parenting: Mixed methods insights into impact and support needs: Final report Summary: The Domestic and Family Violence and Parenting program is an extensive mixed method project that examines the impact of inter-parental conflict (IPC) and domestic and family violence (DFV) on parenting and parent-child relationships. It makes a unique contribution by bringing together evidence on a diversity of Australian populations, life-course stages, and experiences of IPC and DFV. The research captures the experiences and impacts on fathers, mothers, and children at varying ages and stages of development and independence. This has enabled identification of important issues that are shared or differ across gender and family structure. The results illustrate the impacts of IPC and DFV that affect a large number of families, as well as the experiences of those who have undergone highly challenging and traumatic circumstances. The research findings have significant police and practice implications at a range of levels, including: - Women who engage with services against a background of DFV have a number of complex material and psychosocial needs. - If women are not already engaged with a specialist DFV service, then such a referral is usually necessary. - It is likely that women and their children are experiencing ongoing abuse unless contact with the perpetrator has ceased and other safety measures to prevent abuse are available (e.g. being legally permitted to live at an undisclosed address to prevent stalking). - Women may need assistance and referral in relation to financial and housing needs, including being informed about the availability of Financial Wellbeing and Capability services and Financial Counselling. - Women and their children may be experiencing physical and emotional consequences from DFV and abuse and may need long-term therapeutic assistance. - Mothers may need referrals to programs and services that will support the restoration of parenting capacity from a perspective of understanding the dynamics of DFV, including programs that offer services to mothers and children together. Children may also need assistance separately. - Where relationships between fathers and children are being maintained, fathers may need referral to services in relation to parenting. Where this is occurring, the wellbeing and safety of children need to be monitored. - Service providers should be alert to the fact that their services and other types of services and agencies may be used in a pattern of systems abuse. Staff, including legal professionals, should be trained to recognise this and provide appropriate advice and referrals where this is occurring. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 228p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2017 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Parenting_Horizons_FINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Shelf Number: 146480

Author: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Title: Proportion of priests and non-ordained religious subject to a claim of child sexual abuse 1950-2010 Summary: 1. The Royal Commission has conducted a comprehensive survey of Catholic Church authorities in Australia to gather data about the extent of claims of child sexual abuse made against Catholic Church personnel. This includes claims made against any current or former priest, religious brother or sister, or any other person employed in or appointed to a voluntary position by a Catholic Church authority. Catholic Church authorities include archdioceses, dioceses and religious institutes (also known as orders or congregations). 2. This survey was undertaken with the assistance of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council and the Catholic Church authorities who provided the data about claims of child sexual abuse. 3. Analysis of the claims data provides detailed information about claims of child sexual abuse, including information about where the alleged abuse occurred and when it occurred. The claims data also provides information about the people who made claims of child sexual abuse and the alleged perpetrators who were subject to the claims of child sexual abuse. 4. The Royal Commission gathered data from three sources: a. Data from Catholic Church authorities in Australia regarding claims of child sexual abuse made against Catholic Church personnel. b. Data from 10 Catholic religious institutes in Australia regarding the total number of non-ordained religious (religious brothers and religious sisters) who were members of these institutes and who ministered in Australia between 1950 and 2010. c. Data from 75 Catholic Church authorities in Australia who have priest members (archdioceses/dioceses and religious institutes) regarding the total number of priests who were members of their authority and who ministered as Catholic priests in Australia between 1950 and 2010. 5. A claim includes: a. Claims of child sexual abuse made against Catholic Church personnel by a claimant, or a solicitor or advocate on their behalf, seeking redress through Towards Healing, the Melbourne Response or another redress process, including civil proceedings, whether ongoing, settled, or concluded without redress. b. Complaints of child sexual abuse against Catholic Church personnel made by any person without redress being sought, that are substantiated following an investigation by the relevant Catholic Church authority or another body, or otherwise accepted by the relevant Catholic Church authority. 6. The claims survey requested information about claims, irrespective of the outcome of the claim. The survey gathered information about all claims for redress, including those that were ongoing, settled, or concluded without redress. The survey sought all claims accepted by a Catholic Church authority; discontinued before the Catholic Church authority could investigate the allegations; and claims where the alleged abuse was investigated and was not accepted. 7. The claims data includes all claims of child sexual abuse, whether or not they were accepted or substantiated by the relevant Catholic Church authority.8. The claims data does not indicate the total number of allegations of child sexual abuse made to Catholic Church authorities in Australia. This is because the claims data survey did not seek data about all allegations of child sexual abuse but only about claims where the claimant had sought redress, or about complaints that were accepted by Catholic Church authorities without redress being sought by the claimant. 9. Analysis of the data from these Catholic Church authorities regarding the number of their members (priests and non-ordained religious) who ministered in Australia between 1950 and 2010, when analysed in conjunction with the claims data, enabled calculation of the proportion of priests and non-ordained religious who served in this period and who were alleged perpetrators. 10. This document presents the results of this aspect of the claims data analysis. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2017. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2017 at: http://www.tjhcouncil.org.au/media/130569/170206-Proportion-of-Priests-and-non-ordained-religious-subject-to-a-claim-of-sexual-abuse-1950-2010.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Catholic Church Shelf Number: 146483

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2015-16 Summary: In 2015-16, about 796 alcohol and other drug treatment services provided just over 206,600 treatment episodes to an estimated 134,000 clients. The top 4 drugs that led clients to seek treatment were alcohol (32% of treatment episodes), cannabis (23%), amphetamines (23%), and heroin (6%). The proportion of episodes where clients were receiving treatment for amphetamines has continued to rise over the 5 years to 2015-16, from 12% of treatment episodes in 2011-12 to 23% in 2015-16. The median age of clients in AOD treatment services is rising, from 31 in 2006-07 to 33 in 2015-16. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2017. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug Treatment Series No. 29: Accessed July 5, 2017 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129559769 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Treatment Shelf Number: 146509

Author: Hulme, Shann Title: CCTV use by local government: Findings from a national survey Summary: There has been considerable growth in the use of closed circuit television (CCTV) in public spaces as a crime prevention measure and, increasingly, as a tool to detect and identify offenders. In Australia, CCTV systems have become an increasingly common fixture in urban centres, in shopping centres and malls, individual shops and banks, on public transport and in car parks. There has been significant investment in CCTV systems as part of state, territory and Commonwealth government crime prevention programs, with CCTV accounting for a growing proportion of overall grant funding available to community-based organisations, particularly local councils (Attorney General's Department 2015; Homel et. al. 2007). More than a decade ago, Wilson and Sutton (2003) explored the operation and management of 33 open-street CCTV systems in Australia. They found that, while open street CCTV systems were initially primarily located in central business districts of major metropolitan centres, there was a growing trend towards their installation in smaller regional and rural centres and in suburban locations (Wilson & Sutton 2003). Around the same time, Iris Research (2005) conducted a survey of all local councils in Australia to assess the use of CCTV and characteristics of the systems in operation, finding that around one in ten councils had a CCTV system in operation. More recently, Carr (2014) examined the use of CCTV by 18 local councils funded by the Australian Government, finding that police were increasingly reliant on local government CCTV and that the ensuing additional cost to council was significant. Similarly, Edmonds (2014) found that nearly half of all councils in NSW (46%; n=70) had installed CCTV in public spaces, with urban councils more than twice as likely than rural councils to have a system in place. Given the continued investment in CCTV at all levels of government plus the significant advances in technology over the past ten years, it is timely to reassess the use of CCTV by local councils in Australia. This paper presents the findings from a national survey of local government. The overall aim of this research was to develop a national picture of the prevalence and characteristics of open-street CCTV systems in Australia managed by local councils. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Research in Practice, No. 40: Accessed July 5, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/rip/rip40/rip40.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: CCTV Shelf Number: 146514

Author: Gibson, Althea Title: On the face of it: CCTV images, recognition evidence and criminal prosecutions in New South Wales Summary: Since 2002, the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) has increased significantly in all states and territories in Australia. CCTV surveillance systems (both public and private) now regularly record images of offenders before, during or after the commission of an offence. Increasingly, these images are disseminated among law enforcement officers and members of the public, at which point in time offenders may be recognised by friends, family members or acquaintances. On the face of it, this type of evidence is of great utility. As the act of recognition can occur at any time after the offence has been committed, evidence of identification can be acquired in cases where eyewitness evidence is weak or lacking altogether, or where eyewitnesses or victims are reluctant or unable to testify in criminal proceedings. However, the use of this type of evidence in criminal prosecutions has not been the subject of any detailed scholarly analysis, and it is unclear to what extent it is effective facilitating the administration of justice. This thesis examines the admissibility and use of recognition evidence based on CCTV images in criminal prosecutions in New South Wales. It draws on a detailed analysis of case law and insights gained during observation fieldwork to analyse whether the provisions of the Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) are appropriate and adapted to this type of evidence. It concludes that there is judicial confusion about the application of the relevance and opinion provisions of the Act to this type of evidence, and that the unsettled and inconsistent nature of the jurisprudence in this area reduces the accessibility of the law, increases the costs of litigation, and undermines the purposes of the Act. Further, there are inadequate safeguards to ensure that recognition evidence based on CCTV images is reliable, a matter which is troubling given the Act's focus on preventing wrongful convictions. Finally, the practice of permitting the fact-finder to compare images of an offender with the accused in order to determine the issue of identity is potentially fraught and in need of further academic and judicial scrutiny. Details: Sydney: University of Technology Sydney, 2017. 351p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 5, 2017 at: https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/102740/2/02whole.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: CCTV Shelf Number: 146515

Author: Phair, Nigel Title: The online environment: A precursor to illicit synthetic drug law enforcement Summary: Synthetic drugs are drugs that have been manufactured to pharmacologically resemble naturally occurring drugs. Illicit synthetic drugs are those substances which may not be used for moral, legal or ethical reasons. Drugs are chemical substances that affect the normal functioning of the body and/or brain. Illicit drugs may cause immediate physical effects, but can also hinder psychological and emotional development (UNODC). Criminals use the internet and related mobile technologies in all facets of the trade in illicit synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substance, including to purchase drugs and arrange their delivery, to pay for drug purchases and to launder the proceeds of crime. The best-known of all drug-related sites was Silk Road, which attracted significant media attention both while it was in operation and after it was shut down. The less well-known online drug marketplace, Black Market Reloaded, operated successfully for some time after Silk Road was shut down and, like Silk Road, was accessed via the dark web. Unlike sites on the visible web, information in the dark web is intentionally hidden from traditional search engines and the software crawlers that create search-engine indexes. To access the dark web, users download specialised software that makes their access largely anonymous and difficult for law enforcement to investigate. The internet not only facilitates the purchase and distribution of illicit synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances but also payments for such drugs, through a number of non-mainstream financial products. Virtual currencies, the most popular of which is Bitcoin, are gaining in popularity. The benefits of an anonymous global digital currency for criminals involved in illicit drug payments are obvious: no need to post cash overseas, visit currency dealers or pay exorbitant commissions. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2017. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: monograph Series No. 70: Accessed July 5, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-70.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 146516

Author: Ramsey, Stephanie Title: Recent Trends in Arrests for Drug Driving Summary: Aim: In 2015 the NSW government announced it would significantly increase the number of roadside drug tests conducted. This paper examines the impact of increased drug driving detections on the New South Wales Criminal Courts. Method: Descriptive analysis of drug driving matters finalised in court from January 2007 to June 2016. Results: Over the 24 months to June 2016, the number of drug driving charges finalised in court increased by 320% (up from 2,331 in 2014/15 to 9,808 in 2015/16). The overwhelming majority of persons found guilty of drug driving offences were males (79.3%) and persons aged between 18 and 39 years (72.4%). The rate of prosecution was twice as high in Regional NSW compared to the state average (180 per 100,000 compared to 93 per 100,000). Almost all drug driving charges brought to court are proven. The most common penalties imposed are fines and Section 10 bonds (i.e. no conviction recorded), however approximately 80 per cent of persons found guilty also received a period of mandatory licence disqualification in addition to their principal penalty. The number of offenders previously found guilty of drug driving and now being found guilty of driving while disqualified more than tripled (from 133 to 542) in the 12 months to June 2016 compared with the 12 months to June 2015. Conclusion: As a result of the NSW Police Force conducting more mobile roadside drug tests, the number of persons charged and consequently found guilty of drug driving has rapidly increased since 2015. This has had a significant impact on the workload of the Local Court. The drug driving increase also has the potential to increase the Corrections NSW workload due to a corresponding increase in convictions for driving while disqualified, which often attract sentences involving imprisonment or community supervision. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 125: Accessed July 5, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2017-Recent-Trends-in-Arrests-for-Drug-Driving-BB125.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence Shelf Number: 146517

Author: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Classification of child exploitation material for sentencing purposes: final report Summary: The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D'Ath asked the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council (the council) to review the classification of child exploitation material (CEM) for sentencing purposes and determine whether any improvements can be made. The review comprised significant consultation across Queensland's criminal justice system involved with detecting, prosecuting and sentencing CEM offences. In addition, the council consulted with key agencies from Queensland's legal community and victim advocates, as well as community members, content experts and relevant agencies in other Australian and international jurisdictions. This broad consultation revealed Queensland is well respected for its professionalism in CEM investigation at national and international levels. Consequently, the council was determined to ensure any system used for classification of CEM in Queensland supports and builds on this reputation. Administrative data collected by criminal justice agencies was analysed to gain an appreciation of the Queensland context of CEM offending and offenders. This report provides the outcomes of this analysis. The report is structured in six chapters, initially introducing the current approach to classifying CEM in Queensland, outlining what is known about CEM offending and CEM offenders, and comparing Queensland's approach to other jurisdictions. The review culminates by proposing a new approach for classifying CEM for sentencing purposes, referred to as the Q-CEM Package. Mechanisms designed to support and evaluate the Q-CEM Package, and Queensland's readiness to continue to meet the many challenges associated with this evolving crime type, are also proposed. Key findings CEM is not a victimless crime. These offences harm real children and the repeated circulation of CEM depicting this abuse continues their victimisation. Victims of CEM report lifelong impacts as a result of the abuse and re-victimisation via sharing of the material. It is difficult to permanently or fully remove images from circulation. Delays are associated with CEM cases. The council's research confirmed anecdotal evidence that delays were associated with the criminal justice response to CEM. The delays are most prevalent between charging an offender and proceeding to a committal hearing. During this period, police undertake typically complex forensic processes and classify detected CEM. CEM is an international crime with a local footprint. CEM is a technology-enabled crime and, as such, will continue to evolve and expand in line with the exponential growth and global interconnectivity of technology. Queensland child victims and Queensland offenders require a suitable response from state and Commonwealth criminal justice agencies. National and international cooperation is essential. All Australian state and territory jurisdictions are seeking a platform to support cooperation at national and international levels. A common platform promotes harmonised classification language to respond to the international dimension of these crimes. Common platforms are designed to address time and welfare burdens on criminal justice agencies by sharing data about CEM encountered in other jurisdictions. They enhance victim identification efforts by enabling a stronger focus on new material. Data analysis, research and a commitment to practice evaluation are important. Identifying how this crime type is shifting remains a critical issue for Queensland. Keeping pace will build on the state's reputation for innovation, and reflects the commitment this state has to protecting Queensland children and families. Queensland needs a system that balances the requirements of all criminal justice agencies. Classification for sentencing must balance the demands on law enforcement to identify victims and offenders with the mechanisms required to prosecute and sentence offenders. The QCEM Package is specifically designed to address these critical functions of a system responsible for removing children from harm and bringing offenders to account. Queensland needs to adopt an enhanced approach to sexting and promoting prevention of CEM offending. Establishing mechanisms to provide support to families, schools and other organisations that can raise awareness among young people about how to remain safe online is essential. There is also a role to encourage offenders and potential offenders into treatment for their sexual interest in children. Details: Brisbane: The Council, 2017. 150p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/531503/cem-final-report-july-2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 146623

Author: Myrtle, John Title: Addressing the Role of Police in the Protection of Human Rights: the UN Seminar, Canberra, 1963 Summary: Introduction On 12 May 1963, Australia's leading scholar of jurisprudence and international law, Professor Julius Stone of the University of Sydney's Law School, delivered a broadcast on ABC Radio, 'Australia looks to the world: the police and the people'. His comments were occasioned by his recent attendance at the United Nations Seminar on the Role of the Police in the Protection of Human Rights, held in Canberra. Stone had attended the Seminar as an observer representing the International League for the Rights of Man. Stone asked rhetorically why an international meeting dealing with issues such as police arrests, wiretapping, police interrogation of suspects and universal fingerprinting was related in any way to the United Nations and international affairs. He answered in two ways. At one level there was a need to address gross violations of human rights which had grave international repercussions. He cited egregious provisions of the South African Government's apartheid legislation; and the brutality of police in Alabama in dealing with black Americans demonstrating for recognition of their human rights. From another perspective, in the 20th century the importance of human rights of men and women had been the focus of international laws and treaties. These were the contexts for the 1963 UN Seminar. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was approved at the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The Declaration has become a symbol of that organisation's aspirations. Its enactment into binding institutional and governing norms has been a prolonged process, and continues. For one recent historian of human rights in the post-war world, the first two decades of the United Nation's life were a record of failure. It was not the United Nations, argues Samuel Moyn, but the social movements emerging from the disillusion of the Cold War years, that enlivened human rights as a contemporary political agenda. Yet these were also years in which the organisation institutionalised a commitment to advancing human rights when it established a Division dedicated to the issue. The 50th anniversary of the Canberra UN Seminar on the Role of the Police in the Protection of Human Rights offers a compelling opportunity to reconsider the emergence of human rights as a norm shaping criminal justice principles and practice since the Second World War. The event was unprecedented and its agenda potentially explosive. The institutional and political constraints on the advancement of the human rights agenda in such a forum nevertheless proved formidable. Looking back from 2013 we have the advantage of hindsight in appraising this unusual event. We also face the challenge of understanding its limitations. In the account that follows we consider the hopes that were held for the UN Seminar, the course of its deliberations, and observe the scope of debate around its outcomes at that time. Details: Brisbane : ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/node/35805 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Rights Shelf Number: 130024

Author: Victoria (Australia). Auditor General Title: Asset Confiscation Scheme Summary: Asset confiscation is a tool that Victoria's law enforcement and public prosecution agencies use in response to criminal activity. The Confiscation Act 1997 (the Act) and associated regulations enable the state to confiscate property in order to deprive people of the proceeds of certain offences, to disrupt further criminal activity by preventing the use of that property, and to deter others from engaging in criminal activity. The Act also enables the state to preserve assets for victims' compensation and restitution. Asset confiscation only applies to certain offences. These include indictable offences, as well as more serious, profit-motivated offences that contravene various Acts including the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981, Crimes Act 1958, and the Sex Work Act 1994. Assets that the state seeks to confiscate through a forfeiture order not only need to relate to specific offences and thresholds, but also need to be tainted or reasonably suspected to be tainted. Tainted assets are those that have been derived wholly or substantially from the proceeds of crime, or have been used, or are intended to be used, in connection with a crime. The Asset Confiscation Scheme The Asset Confiscation Scheme (the Scheme) was established in 1998, following the commencement of the Act. There are three key agencies that work together to achieve the objectives of the Scheme: - Victoria Police - primarily through the Criminal Proceeds Squad (CPS) - the Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) - through the Proceeds of Crime directorate (POC) - the Department of Justice (DOJ) - through the Asset Confiscation Operations unit (ACO). In addition, the Scheme includes two committees: the Asset Confiscation Scheme Executive Management Group (ACSEMG), which oversees the Scheme, and the Confiscation Operations Committee, which is concerned with the operational, practical and administrative aspects of the Scheme. Conclusions The Scheme is not operating as effectively or efficiently as it should. Its ability to deprive people of the proceeds of crime, and to deter and disrupt further criminal activity, is hampered by weaknesses in the way that assets are identified for confiscation, and by how the Scheme is governed. Details: Melbourne: Auditor General, 2013. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2017 at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/file_uploads/20130904-Asset-Confiscation-Scheme_jyTdNwgZ.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeiture Shelf Number: 130139

Author: Nimbalker, Gershon Title: The Truth Behind the Barcode: The Australian Fashion Report Summary: In the wake of the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, there has been an increasing desire for Australian consumers to know more about how our clothes are produced and how the workers that make them are treated. This report examines 41 companies (128 brands) operating in Australia, and assesses what efforts they are undertaking to protect the workers in their supply chain from exploitation, forced labour and child labour. This research builds upon work previously carried out in the US focused 'Apparel Industry Trends' report, compiled by Free2Work. Two decades ago it was standard practice for fashion brands to publicly deny any responsibility for workers in their supply chain. Years of worker and consumer activism, and most recently the tragic events in Bangladesh, have shifted the debate. A number of companies have moved to develop extensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs that, if properly enacted, should lead to improved working conditions and positive change for workers. The report grades companies across four categories of their CSR practices: Policies, Traceability & Transparency, Monitoring & Training, and Worker Rights. It is worth noting that though more than a third of companies received an A grade for their policies, without adequate enforcement mechanisms, the impact of these policies on workers' livelihoods can be negligible, with only 2 companies (5%) reporting efforts to ensure that workers at multiple stages of the supply chain receive a living wage. We hold that it is important for companies to ensure they have supply chains that are highly transparent, and where workers are respected and afforded a voice to negotiate working conditions and speak out against grievances. In compiling these grades, we have sought to engage brands with the research process. Where brands have not responded we have graded them based on publically available information on their CSR policies. It is possible that many of these brands are doing more than is represented by these grades and we look forward to working with them to understand their practices better. Along with the presented grades, the report highlights a few significant labour rights issues faced in the various stages of production, such as the use of forced child labour in Uzbekistan's cotton fields and ongoing worker exploitation in Bangladesh's garment factories. In addition to comprehensive CSR policies and monitoring, we encourage brands to support issue specific initiatives like the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety or the Responsible Sourcing Network's pledge to not use Uzbekistani cotton. These initiatives represent an essential step toward protecting workers. We also want to encourage companies to begin reporting the impact of their CSR policies, and in particular the wage gains of their workers - one of the most dependable measures of improved worker well-being. We know that the investment, job opportunities and skills that fashion retailers bring to countries, particularly developing countries, can be hugely beneficial for these countries and their citizens. However, we also know that without adequate safeguards, workers can be exploited or even enslaved, and as we have seen recently, lives can be lost. This report aims to empower consumers to purchase ethically while encouraging companies to ensure that the workers that produce the products they sell are protected and not harmed, that they are rewarded, not exploited and that they work free from the tyranny of modern slavery. Details: Baptist World Aid Australia; Nor for Sale Australia, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2017 at: http://www.celestefunds.com.au/Portals/0/FashionReport.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Labor Shelf Number: 130013

Author: Rodriguez, Alicia Title: Unwelcome Visitors: Challenges faced by people visiting immigration detention Summary: Every day, ordinary Australians visit people detained in Australia's onshore immigration detention facilities. This is an important and often under-appreciated role. These visitors provide emotional support to people in detention, advocate on their behalf and fill in the gaps that exist in provision of services and information in immigration detention facilities. It is not easy to visit people in immigration detention, to hear their stories and to speak up for those who are the victims of Australia's current punitive approach to people seeking asylum. Visiting immigration detention facilities takes time, energy and commitment, and often has a significant impact on the wellbeing of visitors. Yet, all too often, we hear some politicians and media outlets falsely blaming these visitors and advocates for encouraging people to harm themselves or to disobey rules. Over the past year, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has increasingly heard from these visitors that security conditions in immigration detention facilities are being intensified and it is now more difficult to visit people in immigration detention. Correspondingly, people in immigration detention are becoming increasingly isolated from the wider community, with negative impacts on their mental and physical wellbeing. These concerns led us to conduct a national study to explore these issues further. This report is the result of our extensive research and consultations with detention visitors and people previously held in detention. It explores the challenges faced by people when trying to access detention facilities, including: constantly changing rules and their inconsistent application difficulties in arranging a visit, including searches and drug tests lack of adequate space in visitor rooms in some facilities arbitrary rules and intensified security conditions that make visits less friendly, and specific challenges faced by religious visitors. This report identifies the impacts of those difficulties on both visitors and people detained and puts forward a number of recommendations to address those challenges. This report showcases the spirit of volunteerism in Australia, presenting the accounts of many volunteers who continue visiting detention facilities despite difficulties, so they can bring people hope and get their voices and concerns heard. People who visit immigration detention often provide the only public information about what is happening in our immigration detention facilities. This is because Australia does not have an official national body that publicly and regularly reports on visits to immigration detention facilities. The Refugee Council of Australia welcomes the Australian Government's commitment to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) by the end of 201 We hope that this will result in greater scrutiny of immigration detention and ultimately better treatment of those in detention. Details: Sydney: Refugee Council of Australia, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 2/17: Accessed August 4, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/100721/apo-nid100721-409001.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 146696

Author: Australian Law Reform Commission Title: Incarceration Rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: Discussion paper Summary: The Terms of Reference for this Inquiry ask the ALRC to consider laws and legal frameworks that contribute to the incarceration rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and inform decisions to hold or keep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody. The ALRC was asked to consider a number of factors that decision makers take into account when deciding on a criminal justice response, including community safety, the availability of alternatives to incarceration, the degree of discretion available, and incarceration as a deterrent and as a punishment. The Terms of Reference also direct the ALRC to consider laws that may contribute to the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples offending and the rate of incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2017. 236p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper 84: Accessed August 4, 2017 at: https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/discussion_paper_84_compressed_no_cover.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Peoples Shelf Number: 146705

Author: Australia. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Title: An inquiry into human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices Summary: On 2 December 2015, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement (the committee) initiated an inquiry into human trafficking, which lapsed at the end of the 44th Parliament. The committee had received a number of submissions to the inquiry at the time the inquiry lapsed. On 12 October 2016, during the 45th Parliament, the committee reinstated this inquiry. The committee resolved that all correspondence that it received in the 44th Parliament, including documents accepted as submissions, would be considered in respect of the current inquiry. The committee also resolved to accept additional submissions to the current inquiry. The terms of reference for the inquiry were as follows: Pursuant to the committee's functions set out in paragraph 7(1)(g) of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010, the committee will examine Commonwealth law enforcement responses to human trafficking, including slavery, slavery-like practices (such as servitude, forced marriage and forced labour) and people trafficking, to and from Australia. In particular, the committee examined: 1. the prevalence of human trafficking in Australia, including in culturally and linguistically diverse communities; 2. the role and effectiveness of Commonwealth law enforcement agencies in responding to human trafficking; 3. practical measures and policies that would address human trafficking; 4. the involvement of organised crime, including transnational organised crime, in human trafficking; 5. the extent to which human trafficking is facilitated by: a. migration visas (including marriage, partner, student and work visas), b. technology, and c. false identities; 6. the effectiveness of relevant Commonwealth legislation and policies; and 7. other related issues Details: Canberra: The Committee, 2017. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2017 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Law_Enforcement/Humantrafficking45/Report Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 146714

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Contravention of Community Correction Orders Summary: The community correction order (CCO) is a sentencing order that provides for an offender's punishment and rehabilitation in the community. An offender's failure to comply with a CCO without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of three months' imprisonment. CCOs became available as a sentencing option in Victoria on 16 January 2012, replacing a number of community orders, such as the community-based order and the intensive correction order, and coinciding with the progressive phasing out of suspended sentences of imprisonment. Previously, sentencing courts had a suite of community orders of increasing severity sitting below imprisonment. In contrast, the CCO is designed as a single order that a court can make more or less severe through the length of the order and the conditions attached to it. CCOs may also be combined with a sentence of imprisonment (a 'combined order'), making them an option for serious offences. Since the introduction of CCOs, there has been considerable research into their use, which has increased substantially, and into the effect of subsequent changes to sentencing law and practice, which have been extensive. However, there has been very little research into offenders' compliance with their CCOs. Quantifying the proportion of offenders who contravene their CCOs, including by further offending, is a first step to understanding whether CCOs are operating effectively. Similarly, identifying factors that might be associated with contravention and analysing the courts' responses to contraventions are important aspects of understanding how the orders are working in practice. This report assesses how many offenders contravene their CCO by committing a new imprisonable offence or by failing to comply with another term or condition of the CCO, such as failing to turn up for community work. The report also assesses factors associated with, and court responses to, contraventions. In this report, an offender is classified as having contravened their CCO if they have been sentenced for: - a charge of contravening a CCO (under section 83AD of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic)); and/or - a separate imprisonable offence committed while on their CCO. This report is confined to contraventions that are proven and sentenced in court and therefore excludes contraventions dealt with administratively by Corrections Victoria. This means that, in this report, the proportion of offenders found to have contravened their CCO may underestimate the true rate of non-compliance. The report focuses on all offenders in Victoria who received a CCO from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013: a total of 7,645 offenders. Using sentencing data, the Council tracked each offender's proven offending activity while their CCO was in operation to 30 June 2016. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2017. 116p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2017 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Contravention_of_Community_Correction_Orders.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 146718

Author: Telethon Kids Institute Title: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Children and Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Contexts Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse commissioned the Telethon Kids Institute to collaborate on a report examining the question of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children's past and contemporary vulnerability to child sexual abuse in institutional contexts. The research team was guided and supported by the advisory group and the Royal Commission's Aboriginal Knowledge Circle. The report addresses the following questions developed by the Royal Commission and advisory group: In the past, were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at risk of sexual abuse in institutions? What have been the impacts of past racist legislation, policies and practices on the well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and in turn the risk of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being placed in contemporary institutions? In the present day, are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at risk of sexual abuse in institutions? This research draws on multiple sources of evidence. The research team drew on the substantial expertise, knowledge and experience of the advisory group. The research team and advisory group worked together in an iterative process of reviewing material and filling gaps in existing evidence. While the research team could only draw on material that has been documented and evidenced, they acknowledge that there is much evidence that is oral and much work needed to be done to overcome the inherent bias in the kinds of accounts that make up the historical evidence base. Both the advisory group and the Aboriginal Knowledge Circle provided cultural governance over this project and were also critical in contributing their knowledge of oral histories so that the researchers could go back and look for documented evidence of events. The research team also reviewed national and state inquiries that addressed, in whole or part, the past and present vulnerability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Details: Sydney:Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2017 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/0da4f253-3442-40d5-b5db-7c31aae80fd9/Aboriginal-and-Torres-Strait-Islander-children-and Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Persons Shelf Number: 146721

Author: Herbert, James Title: Multiagency Investigation & Support Team (MIST) Pilot: Evaluation Report Summary: This report summarises the findings of the evaluation of the Multiagency Investigation and Support Team (MIST), a pilot response developed by WA Police (Child Abuse Squad); Department for Child Protection & Family Support (Child First, Armadale & Cannington Districts); WA Department of Health (Princess Margaret Hospital); Department of the Attorney General (Child Witness Service); and Parkerville Children and Youth Care Inc. This report comprises the following: - A review of key literature; - What is the Multiagency Investigation & Support Team? - Comparison of Western Australia to practices in other states/territories; - A Theory of Change for the MIST - Methodology; - Research Findings of the following sub-studies; - Qualitative Study of the Perceptions of the MIST pilot; - Descriptive Study of the Fidelity of the MIST Pilot to the Standard Operating Procedures; i. Was MIST implemented as intended (e.g. allocation and interview location); - Quasi-experimental Comparison; i. Do the MIST and Practice as Usual conditions differ in the criminal justice and child protection response? ii. Do the MIST and Practice as Usual conditions differ in the timeliness of the criminal justice and child protection response? iii. Do the MIST and Practice as Usual conditions differ in the referral and uptake of therapeutic and other supportive services? Conclusion. This report draws on a number of publications resulting from a project looking at effective cross-agency responses to severe abuse. This includes two published systematic searches of the literature (Herbert & Bromfield, 2016b, 2017a), a national survey of directors of Child Advocacy Centres in the United States (Ghan, 2017; Herbert, Walsh, & Bromfield, Under Review), a report comparing cross-agency practices in responding to severe child abuse nationally (Herbert & Bromfield, Under reviewa), a draft theory of change for multi-disciplinary teams (Herbert & Bromfield, Under review-b). These articles have also been translated into two reports for the New South Wales Ombudsman's Office and the Joint Investigation Response Team (JIRT) agencies (NSW Police, NSW Health, NSW Family and Community Services) for their review of the JIRT arrangement (Herbert & Bromfield, 2017b, 2017c). This report also references the interim report of the MIST evaluation (Herbert & Bromfield, 2016a). Details: Adelaide: Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia, 2017. 125p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/99916/apo-nid99916-404976.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 146731

Author: Mann, Monique Title: Capturing "Organised Crime" in Australian Law Summary: This briefing paper presents and foreshadows ongoing PhD research by the first author into how understandings of organised crime in Australia have been shaped, and the extent to which these perceptions have influenced legislative and policing responses. It begins with an historical survey of significant models of organised crime, then reviews current Australian legislative strategies, and goes on to raise questions about the conceptual model that underpins these strategies. The paper concludes with a discussion of the potential policy implications of this research. Details: Nathan, QLD: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security Briefing Paper, 2012(19), pp. 1-6.: Accessed August 18, 2017 at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/91926/1/Mann_Ayling_CEPS_Briefing_Paper.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Motorcycle Gangs Shelf Number: 127269

Author: Armytage, Penny Title: Youth Justice Review and Strategy: Meeting needs and reducing offending Summary: This youth justice review and strategy, commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), delivers on an Andrews Government election commitment and marks the first attempt at systematic reform of youth justice services since 2000, when A Balanced Approach was released. The Review provides an opportunity to redesign the system to create an evidence-based response to youth offending and youth crime that is reflective of the needs and attitudes of young people and the broader community. This report details the significant challenges and issues affecting the Victorian youth justice system at the community and custodial levels, as well as issues and shortcomings of the underpinning legislative framework, governance and administration. It provides a detailed account of the current cohort of young people in youth justice and offers a set of observations and recommendations necessary to recalibrate and refocus the system on what it must do: meet the needs of young people to address their offending behaviour and stop them from further offending. Although the task will be challenging, the Review team is encouraged by the unwavering and enduring commitment to the rehabilitation of young offenders by stakeholders. The observations and recommendations have been enriched by the valuable contributions of many. The Review met with a cross-section of youth justice workers. Although workforce challenges are significant, the Review was heartened by the commitment of many workers, some of whom had worked in youth justice for more than two decades. The Review also encountered employees new to the system who are looking to dedicate their careers to helping young people turn their lives around. Finally, special mention must be made of the young people involved in the Review through centre visits, focus groups, workshops and the survey, which received more than 1,000 responses. Young people have a strong desire to be directly involved in approaches to addressing youth crime. The Review team heard many distressing stories about the experiences of some young people but, more importantly, heard stories of hope and determination to improve their lives and the lives of their friends and families. Young people must be at the centre of everything the youth justice system does. The project was sponsored by the Honorable Jenny Mikakos, Minister for Families and Children and Minister for Youth Affairs. The Secretary to DHHS appointed the independent reviewers: Penny Armytage and James Ogloff AM. The Project Advisory Group, co-chaired by the Minister and Secretary (established in September 2016), was a valuable forum and facilitated expert advice and dialogue in relation to the emerging challenges, directions and opportunities for improvement. An internal advisory group of program and policy executives also provided advice and consultation to the Review and met on two occasions. The terms of reference of the Review included DHHS's youth justice programs and services (either provided directly or funded) relating to youth support, youth diversion and youth justice. The Review also considered key interfaces between in-scope services and programs and other programs and services within DHHS and across government, such as education, employment and policing. The objectives of the Review were to: - create an overarching policy framework for the development of a contemporary youth justice system and accompanying service delivery model - aim to understand the needs of cohorts of young people, and segments of young offenders, that are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and at high risk of involvement with the youth justice system - deliver a strategy to enhance and position the department's youth support, youth diversion and youth justice services to respond to the needs of vulnerable cohorts into the future. Several other significant pieces of work that focused on the youth justice system occurred at the same time as the Review: the Parliamentary Inquiry into Youth Justice Centres still underway; the report by the Commissioner for Children and Young People, released in March 2017, on the use of isolation, separation and lockdowns in the Victorian youth justice system; and reviews into various incidents at Parkville and Malmsbury. This Review has the widest scope, focusing on the entirety of Victoria's statutory youth justice system and picks up aspects of the other work completed. The Review used a blended project methodology to develop the foundations for a new strategic policy framework. This included three key aspects: a review and analysis of data and documentation; a formal literature review and review of service models; and extensive stakeholder consultation and engagement. To the extent possible, the Review addressed all aspects of the terms of reference, with two exceptions. Young people in custody were only consulted informally due to ethical considerations and constraints, so too the family members of young people involved with Youth Justice. Young people with knowledge of the youth justice system were included in workshops, and more than 1,000 young people provided their input via a youth justice survey. It was not possible to undertake a functional or efficiency review and cost-benefit analysis at the time the Review was conducted due to the rapidly changing environment, including announcements to increase staffing, new program funding and expansion, in-sourcing of functions and the announcement of a new facility. The report has been prepared in two parts. The first part includes the background information considered in the Review, including an introduction to the Review (Chapter 1); an overview of Victoria's youth justice system (Chapter 2); a snapshot of the delivery of youth justice services (Chapter 3); youth offending, needs and backgrounds (Chapter 4); and broader youth trends affecting youth justice (Chapter 5). Part 2 provides the analyses, observations and recommendations arising from the Review, including: system-level issues (Chapter 6); community supervision challenges (Chapter 7); custodial operating model and challenges (Chapter 8); and realigning the future system (Chapter 9). Details: Melbourne: State of Victoria, 2017. 2 vols; executive summary Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 21, 2017 at: http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/home/justice+system/youth+justice/youth+justice+review+and+strategy+meeting+needs+and+reducing+offending Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 146804

Author: Stathopoulos, Mary Title: Engaging men in sexual assault prevention Summary: This paper examines men's role in the prevention of sexual assault. Sexual assault prevention has seen shifts from risk-avoidance messages aimed at women to a more inclusive paradigm that proposes both women and men have an important role to play in the prevention of all forms of violence against women - including sexual assault and domestic and family violence. There is a lack of empirical evidence of the impact or outcomes related to men's involvement in sexual assault primary prevention. However, there is evidence that indicates that gender equality and respectful relationships are key to reducing sexual violence. Knowing why it is important to engage men in primary prevention efforts does not tells us how to achieve this goal. Examples of prevention programs that seek to engage men are presented in this paper. The concept of resistance to prevention messages is salient for men who may feel helpless, defensive, or a lack of legitimacy in a field that has traditionally been seen as a feminist space. In seeking to engage men in this space, it becomes necessary to balance a tension between the need to employ language that is based on male gender stereotypes (e.g., men as competitive, aggressive, dominant) with the goal of challenging those same gender stereotypes. A strong belief in gender stereotypes and a weak belief in gender equality are key determinants in the perpetration of sexual violence. Details: Melbourng: Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault, 2013. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: ACSSA Wrap No. 14: Accessed August 22, 2017 at: https://aifs.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/wrap14.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 131712

Author: Wintringham Title: "Silver Bullet": Or confused greying fox? Best Practice Support Model for Older Prisoners Summary: The number of older prisoners in Australian prisons increased by 84 percent over the past decade 2000 - 2010 (ABS 2010b, 2000). This rising number and proportion of older prisoners has implications for planning, policy and service delivery across the correctional systems, with the most immediate and apparent issues facing older prisoners being related to ageing and associated declines in mental and physical health. In Australia, the increasing levels of older and geriatric prisoners have been driven by factors which include the wider community's increasing longevity being reflected in the prison system, together with advances in forensic investigations leading to charges being laid many years after the actual offence. For whatever reason however, jails in Australia (and around the world) are now increasingly accommodating older people who have aged care needs that are currently beyond the capacity of a justice system to provide. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2011 data shows that older prisoners (over 60) have a much higher percentage of a "serious" offence charge than their younger cohorts. Sexual assault dominates the offences of older prisoners. Although a 'typical' older offender is not identified in the literature, the apparently increasing prevalence of sex offenders among older male prisoners is frequently noted throughout the literature (APCCA 2001; Bramhall 2006; Carlisle 2006; Crawley 2004; Crawley & Sparks 2006; Dobson 2004; Heckenberg 2006; Ove 2005; Papanikolas 2006; Prison Reform Trust 2003a, 2003b, 2006; Uzoaba 1998; Valios 2008). According to Heckenberg (2006), of all male sentenced prisoners over the age of 45 in Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria and New Zealand, 50 per cent were imprisoned for sexual assault and homicide. In the UK, USA, Canada and Australia, this rise in older sex offenders in prison could be due to more aggressive policing practices and government legislative responses to public disquiet about sex offenders and so-called lenient sentencing (BBC 2003; Gaseau 2004; Heckenberg 2006). Contrary to other older offenders, sex offenders are a highly visible group and are frequently categorised by their offence, rather than their age (Bramhall 2006; Dobson 2004; Heckenberg 2006). Some writers argue therefore, older sex offenders are subjected to the highest level of discrimination of any offender group, by virtue of the combination of their age and offence category and the public attitudes toward these offenders (Crawley 2004; Crawley & Sparks 2006; Heckenberg 2006; Prison Reform Trust 2003a). If Wintringham is to provide best practice support for aged prisoners, there is no doubt staff need to be supported to develop a deeper understanding of the issues faced by this cohort of prisoners. Australian Guidelines for Correctional Centres indicate correctional services should provide proper health care to prisoners; yet there is evidence older prisoners' aged care needs are not met and further, they are more vulnerable to victimisations than their younger, generally stronger counterparts. This predicament for aged prisoners is paralleled by the aged homeless and has been well described by Bryan Lipmann (Elderly Homeless Men and Women: Aged Care's Forgotten People). Victoria's Justice system is clearly in need of expert advice and expertise from an organisation such as Wintringham to help provide for these Wintringham's specialist aged care focus leads it to be naturally involved with clients who have had some relationship with correctional services. Given this reality, Wintringham have commenced a more formal relationship with Corrections Victoria. Through this relationship Wintringham's knowledge of the issues surrounding housing, care and support of older prisoners has further developed. Wintringham staff have become aware of the increasing number of elderly prisoners within Victorian jails. The growing numbers of elderly prisoners and the dilemma they pose to the Justice system regarding how best to provide appropriate care within a secure setting, resulted in an invitation from the then Secretary of the Justice Department, Ms Penny Armytage, for senior Executives from Wintringham to accompany her on visits to a number of metropolitan and country jails to discuss the problem (2010). Whilst evidence indicates that Victorian prisons have a growing ageing prison population, there was little evidence of a coordinated approach to managing the aged related issues of prisoners in a contemporary manner. Strategies such as reliance on the prison hospital for care of the elderly have been employed. This is equivalent to the general, "free-world" population being reliant on acute care hospitals for aged care services. Not only is this a costly approach to aged care, acute care hospitals do not have the specialist aged care knowledge that the aged care industry has developed over many years. Details: Kensington, VIC, AUS: Wintringham, 2013. 117p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2017 at: http://www.wintringham.org.au/file/434/I/Best_Practice_Support_Model_for_Older_Prisoners.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Aged Offenders Shelf Number: 131713

Author: Australia. Department of Employment Title: Prison to Work - Employment Service Offer, 2018-2021 Summary: This consultation paper outlines initiatives to assist Indigenous prisoners to access the support they need on their release. The Prison to Work - Employment Service Offer is a new program announced in the 2017‑18 Federal Budget, as part of the Closing the Gap - Employment Services package, to support progress on achieving parity in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The program will be implemented progressively from January 2018, subject to negotiations with the states and territories. Specialist organisations, which have experience with Indigenous Australians and the criminal justice system, will be engaged to provide services that are designed to assist Indigenous prisoners access the support they need on their release, better prepare them to find employment and reintegrate into the community. Details: Canberra: Department of Employment, 2017. 220., 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Consultation Paper: Accessed August 23, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/node/102166 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Ex-Offender Employment Shelf Number: 146872

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Investigation into Victorian government school expulsions Summary: 1. On 1 September 2016 the Ombudsman announced an investigation into expulsions at Victorian government schools. The investigation was prompted by four primary factors. 2. First, although the office does not receive high numbers of complaints about expulsions, those that were made contained similar grievances: families felt that expulsions were unfair or disproportionate; that there was a lack of opportunity to be heard; and a lack of support to find another school for their child following expulsion. 3. Second, the office was aware of work by the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria in early 2016 into expulsions and student engagement, from which it was apparent that the sector was concerned that expulsions were growing, vulnerable groups were over-represented and that informal expulsions were an ongoing and potentially larger issue. 4. Third, this office requested expulsion data from 2013 to 2016, which revealed expulsions had increased by 25 per cent from 2014 to 2015. This increase seemed to confirm that this was an escalating issue. 5. Finally, youth crime in Victoria was increasing with a small cohort of children reportedly responsible. The negative correlation between disengagement from education and difficulties for young people, including contact with the youth justice system, is well evidenced. 6. The investigation was an attempt to explore these issues and give the most complete picture of expulsions in government schools recently undertaken. The lack of data, described further in this report, means it is not the full picture and there is more to be done within the department and government. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2017. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2017 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/57d918ec-fee0-48e0-a55e-87d0262d3c27 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: School Discipline Shelf Number: 146874

Author: Bushnell, Andrew Title: Australia's Criminal Justice Costs: An International Comparison Summary: Incarceration in Australia is growing rapidly. The 2016 adult incarceration rate was 208 per 100,000 adults, up 28 percent from 2006. There are now more than 36,000 prisoners, up 39 percent from a decade ago. The Institute of Public Affairs Criminal Justice Project has investigated the causes of this increase and policy ideas for rationalising the use of prisons in its reports, The Use of Prisons in Australia: Reform directions and Criminal justice reform: Lessons from the United States. This paper provides an international comparison of the costs, scope, and effectiveness of criminal justice in Australia. It shows that Australia has: - the fourth most expensive prisons in the OECD, on a per prisoner basis; - the seventh fastest prison spending growth rate in the OECD; - a comparatively large and rapidly growing prison population; - a higher spend more per capita on police services than all but nine other developed countries; - more police per capita than all other common law countries except Ireland, with this measure growing at the fifth fastest rate in the OECD; - a population that feels less safe than the citizens of many comparable countries, and that may experience more crime than other peoples; - criminal justice systems that seem to be ineffective in correcting criminals' behaviour (although international comparisons of this effectiveness are almost impossible). Overall, there is reason to believe that Australians are receiving worse value for criminal justice spending than many other countries. Australians report their concern about crime, governments respond by hiring more police, and this feeds through the system to increased incarceration and higher costs. But the original problem - Australians' perception of crime - persists. Either the increased spending is not preventing the growth of crime, or it is failing to reassure the public of their safety, or both. This report underscores the need for criminal justice reform in Australia. Details: Melbourne: Institute of Public Affairs, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2017 at: https://ipa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/IPA-Report-Australian-Criminal-Justice-Costs-An-International-Comparison.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Corrections Shelf Number: 146876

Author: Bushnell, Andrew Title: The Use of Prisons in Australia: Reform Directions Summary: One of the most important roles for government is the protection of people's lives, liberty and possessions through a well-functioning criminal justice system. Keeping people safe from violence gives them confidence to live, work and raise a family. And a key part of protecting the community is incarceration. Dangerous and antisocial criminals simply must be kept in isolation so that they cannot continue to harm others. This is the unique and defining function of prisons. This is not to say, however, that public safety can only be secured through incarceration, or that it is better secured as incarceration rises. In some cases, where the offender is nonviolent and of little risk to the community, an alternative punishment may better serve the interests of justice. Approximately 46 percent of the prison population are incarcerated for nonviolent offences. This may have been manageable in 1975 when there were only 8,900 people in jail. But now that number is over 36,000-an increase of more than 300 percent. Over this same period the total population grew by just 70 percent, resulting in the incarceration rate increasing to 196 per 100,000 adult population. This is higher than most other common law countries and the democracies of continental Europe (though much lower than the exceptional case of the United States). For many of these nonviolent offenders, home detention, fines, restitution orders, and other such punishments might be preferable, either because they reduce the risk of recidivism or escalation of criminal behaviour or because they better realise the interests of victims. In these circumstances, changing the punishment mix can improve community safety. Alternatives to prison also have the advantage of being less burdensome for the taxpayer. The costs of criminal justice in Australia are rising sharply. In 2014-15 alone governments spent over $15 billion on criminal justice. The growth in prison numbers has seen an attendant explosion in prison costs. Australia spends nearly $4 billion each year on the construction and operation of prisons. This equates to $300 per prisoner per day, or $110,000 per year. This adds up to approximately $1.8 billion annually to incarcerate nonviolent offenders. It is vital that criminal justice spending is subject to the same scrutiny as all other major government programs. This means investigating and implementing more cost-effective approaches to criminal justice - and this implies a reconsideration of the role of prisons. Unnecessary incarceration can also have downstream effects that lessen public safety and increase waste. Prisons have a poor record for rehabilitating criminals. Nationwide, 59 percent of prisoners have been previously incarcerated. Incarceration is associated with unemployment and worse lifetime economic outcomes. Imprisoning nonviolent, low-risk offenders can inadvertently turn them into hardened criminals who may never return to productive society. Criminal acts need to be punished. But where appropriate we should look to alternatives to prison that might better incentivise criminals to choose the right path in the future. This paper presents the case for reform to Australia's incarceration policies by describing the operation of criminal justice in Australia; investigating who is in the system; examining why those people are in the system in growing numbers; and suggesting directions toward an improved system. Details: Melbourne: Institute of Public Affairs, 2016. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2017 at: https://ipa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/IPAReport-Criminal-Justice-1122016-1.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 146877

Author: Lacey, Wendy Title: Prevalence of Elder Abuse in South Australia. Final Report: Current Data Collection Practices of Key Agencies Summary: 1.1 Understanding and awareness of elder abuse as a significant problem is well understood among key government and non-government agencies within South Australia, including its causes, indicators and effects. Each of the agencies interviewed collects data on cases of elder abuse to some degree. However, with the exception of the Aged Rights Advocacy Service (ARAS), every agency interviewed expressed some level of dismay at the current practices around, and capacity for, the collation and analysis of data held by agencies. With the exception of ARAS, there currently are no systematic processes for collating de-identified data for analysis at the agency level, and privacy laws are seen to inhibit the sharing of data between agencies. Consequently, access to prevalence data is presently limited. 1.2 Only one agency at the State level - ARAS - currently collates comprehensive data on the prevalence of elder abuse reported to that organisation. However, as not every victim of elder abuse would be reported to ARAS, it is impossible to identify the exact prevalence rates of elder abuse currently experienced by older South Australians, including which cases are reported to multiple agencies. 1.3 All agencies currently collect data for the purpose of assisting them to provide a specialist service to their clients and, where relevant, to report back to funding bodies. Data collected in this way is frequently contained in individual client or case file notes, which do not readily lend themselves to a simple process of collating and analysing de-identified data. However, on certain occasions, some agencies have attempted to analyse a selection of elder abuse case files. Indeed, for agencies such as Domiciliary Care SA, recent changes to their funding and casework under the new Consumer Directed Care (CDC) framework have further precluded the collection of data on elder abuse as they move away from a comprehensive case management approach to a system of managing specific incidents and issues. 1.4 While most agencies have data contained in individual case file notes, that data is not easily or readily accessible, comparable and able to be monitored for trends over time. Consequently, most agencies expressed a need for a more systematic approach towards data collection in relation to elder abuse. 1.5 Interviews with agency representatives highlighted the lack of consistent definitions of elder abuse between some agencies and throughout Australia as an historical barrier to the collection of prevalence data, and this point is supported in the literature. However, the definitions contained in the Strategy to Safeguard the Rights of Older South Australians 2014-2021 are being used by agencies, which augurs well for future data collection and the use of consistent definitions in South Australia. 1.6 Because of the different approaches to collecting information in cases of elder abuse, not every agency has a set process for classifying what category of abuse has allegedly occurred, nor the specific demographic details of both the victim and offender details such as age, suburb, living arrangements, ethnic background etc. ARAS is an exception. However, all agencies interviewed had considerable experience in working with elder abuse victims and most agencies have the potential to provide access to a selection of de-identified case files as well as possible generic statistics. Such case files may be the only way of using qualitative data currently held by agencies to identify where an older person may have engaged with more than one agency. However, that assumes that clients have agreed to the sharing of their information and that files have not been de-identified. Without that information, it would be difficult to identify where an individual case of elder abuse is being reported to multiple agencies, thus skewing any prevalence data. 1.7 The literature is replete with calls for better prevalence data to support stronger initiatives to safeguard older persons from abuse. The first stage of the current project has highlighted significant areas where improvements could be made to current data collection and collation processes, for the purposes of ensuring a consistent approach across agencies to the provision of de-identified data. This data could then be collated and analysed by the Office for the Ageing (OFTA) on an annual basis, monitoring trends in cases of abuse and assisting to build a better understanding of the extent and depth of the problem. 1.8 The lack of quantitative data should not deter initiatives at the state, national or local levels, especially as the literature clearly indicates the degree to which elder abuse remains largely a hidden problem in society. Stage Two of this project, based on the interviews of six older persons, provides a qualitative dataset that speaks to the lived experiences of victims of elder abuse. These interviews provide a rich narrative for understanding how vulnerable older persons experience abuse and its significant consequences for their daily lives. Thus, the absence of comprehensive prevalence data that could provide a statistical indication of the prevalence of elder abuse among older South Australians should not hinder strategies to develop more streamlined processes among agencies which will facilitate the collection, collation and analysis of de-identified data. Details: Adelaide: University of South Australia, 2017. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/101301/apo-nid101301-410241.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 146879

Author: Weatherburn, Dan Title: Indigenous imprisonment in NSW: A closer look at the trend Summary: Aim: To explain the upward trend in Indigenous imprisonment in NSW between January 2012 and September 2016. Method: Separate analyses were conducted of trends in the factors influencing the number of remand and sentenced prisoners received into custody and the length of time spent in custody by remandees and sentenced prisoners. Trends were tested for significance using Kendall's rank order correlation test. Results: The growth in Indigenous imprisonment in NSW since 2012 is a result of three main factors: (1) an increase in the number of Indigenous defendants charged with criminal offences, especially those in the categories of Stalking/Intimidation, Breaching a s.9 Bond and Breaching a s.12 Bond; (2) an increase in the proportion of convicted Indigenous offenders receiving a prison sentence for the offence of Stalking/Intimidation; and (3) an increase in the length of time being spent on remand by Indigenous defendants refused bail, in large part because of a growth in court delay in the NSW District Criminal Court. The growth in imprisonment for Stalking/Intimidation offences has been particularly noteworthy. The number of Indigenous Australians imprisoned for Stalking/Intimidation offences was more than eight times higher in 2016 than it was in 2012. Conclusion: The number of Indigenous offenders receiving a prison sentence could be reduced by more than 500 a year if half of those currently given a short prison sentence for Assault Actual Bodily Harm, Common Assault, Stalking/Intimidation, Breaching an Apprehended Violence Order, Breaching a s.9 Bond or Breaching a s.12 Bond were instead placed on an Intensive Correction Order or Home Detention Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 126: Accessed August 24, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2017-Indigenous-Imprisonment-in-NSW-BB126.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Indigenous Offenders Shelf Number: 146890

Author: Nelson, Paul Title: Predictive validity of risk/needs assessment for young offenders under community supervision Summary: Aims: To assess whether Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory Australian Adaptation (YLS/CMI-AA) risk/ needs data improve recidivism prediction for young offenders under community supervision, compared to static risk data from the Bureau's Reoffending Database (ROD). Method: The analysis included all 1,050 young offenders who commenced a supervised community order (other than bail or parole) in 2014 with a valid YLS/CMI-AA and ROD record. Recidivism was defined as a new proven offence within 12 months of order commencement. Logistic regression assessed the individual and collective relationships of static risk factors and YLS/CMI-AA scores to recidivism. Area Under the Curve (AUC), model fit indices and multiple cross-validation methods were used to evaluate the models. Results: Interactions between variables in models built with the full sample necessitated that separate models be built for Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders. For non-Indigenous offenders, the AUC for the combined (ROD with YLS/ CMI-AA) model (.767, 95% CI (.728, .807)) was within the acceptable range (0.7-0.8) but did not significantly outperform the ROD-only model (.740, (95% CI .698, .781)). For Indigenous offenders, AUCs were significantly lower than for nonIndigenous offenders, below the acceptable range, and also showed no significant benefit from combining YLS/CMI-AA and ROD data. Compared with AUCs for the combined model, cross-validated AUCs were lower, and corresponding AUCs for the 2013 cohort were inconsistent. Conclusion: YLS/CMI-AA data did not significantly improve the predictive accuracy of static risk-based models of recidivism for Indigenous or non-Indigenous offenders. Validation methods suggested that the results may not generalise beyond the current cohort. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 205: Accessed August 24, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2017-Predictive-validity-of-risk-needs-assessment-for-young-offenders-under-community-supervision-CJB205.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Case Management Shelf Number: 146891

Author: Agnew-Pauley, Winifred Title: The Domestic Violence Safety Action Tool (DVSAT): Results from the first 12 months of implementation Summary: Aim: To report on the first 12 months of implementation of the DVSAT. Method: All referrals in the Central Referral Point (CRP) database were linked to NSW police data to obtain responses to individual items contained in the DVSAT. Descriptive analysis of the DVSAT data was collated including the proportion of 'yes', 'no', 'refused' or 'unknown' responses for each question, and the total number of 'yes' responses for both intimate and non-intimate violence. Results: In the first 12 months of the operation of the It Stops Here: Safer Pathway Program, the DVSAT was administered to a total of 102,605 victims of domestic violence. One in five reported victims of intimate partner violence and one in 10 reported victims of non-intimate partner violence were classified as 'at serious threat'. Threat level was strongly related to scores on the DVSAT but there was also evidence that referrer risk ratings were determined by other factors. Regardless of the DVSAT results, alleged victims were initially classified as 'at serious threat' if they had reportedly experienced three or more prior domestic violence incidents. This arrangement was found to create a high level of service demand and has since been dropped. Conclusion: Research should be undertaken to assess the extent to which the DVSAT tool can accurately predict risk of further victimisation. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 128: Accessed August 24, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2017-The-Domestic-Violence-Safety-Action-Tool-BB128.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 146892

Author: Dyson, Sue Title: "Whatever it takes": Access for women with disabilities to domestic and domestic violence services: Final report Summary: This research from ANROWS aims to inform the development of guidelines for good practice in tertiary domestic and family violence services for women with disabilities. Drawing upon the experiences of women with disabilities who had used domestic and family violence services, and a survey of service providers, the report recommends the following: the promotion of access and accessibility; building cross sector collaboration between services; incorporating the views of women with disabilities in the planning and program development of services; collecting data on the experiences of women with disabilities and reporting on this in addition to other demographic characteristics of women who use services. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2017. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Research: Accessed Aubust 25, 2017 at: https://anrows.org.au/node/1413 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Disabilities Shelf Number: 146897

Author: Victorian Law Reform Commission Title: Family Violence and the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996: Consultation Paper Summary: In December 2016 the Attorney-General asked the Commission to review the provision of state-funded financial assistance to victims of family violence under the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 1996. This consultation paper provides information about the current operation of the Act and asks a number of questions. The Commission would like to hear the views of the public on what changes should be made to the Act to better assist victims of family violence to rebuild their lives and recover. The Commission has been asked to review and report on: the eligibility test and whether it should be expanded; whether the amount of compensation awarded reflects the cumulative impact of family violence; the requirement to notify perpetrators; and the matters giving rise to refusal of application. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2017. 219p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2017 at: http://lawreform.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/VLRC_Family_Violence_and_VOCAA_consultation_paper_web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 146915

Author: Sutherland, Georgina Title: News Media and the primary prevention of violence against women and their children: Emerging Evidence, Insights and Lessons Summary: The news media (referred to as media throughout this report) have been identified in numerous Australian state and national policy documents as a priority area for action on preventing violence against women, including in the Council of Australian Government's National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022. The media features as a priority area in primary prevention because of its potential influence on public understanding of violence against women. News reports are a key factor in shaping community understanding because they report on current events and provide a framework for their interpretation. Who or what is selected to appear in the news and how those individuals and events are portrayed can have a profound influence on people's attitudes, beliefs and behaviours. Violence against women and its prevention are legitimate topics of public interest and research shows that media reporting on the issue in Australia is extensive. This research identified that while some aspects of reporting on violence against women in Australia are changing for the better, there remains much room for improvement. A key question is how to sustain positive shifts and foster further improvement. This emerging evidence paper aims to identify effective approaches or 'issues to consider' in engaging with, and building the capacity of the Australian media, to embed primary prevention as part of their work in reporting on violence against women. It is designed to inform and stimulate thinking about what future initiatives might look like if they are to be responsive to the current evidence-base, while being well suited to practical and policy considerations. Our synthesis of the key national and international scientific and grey literature, together with emerging evidence from research and evaluation projects, showed that approaches to engaging with media in primary prevention are more likely to be effective when they are evidenceinformed, developed collaboratively and involve multi-faceted, integrated and appropriately resourced strategies that consider the following key elements. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2017. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Paper: Accessed August 28, 2017 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/0c1126a1-4a75-4271-8fc4-81862ed20a86/Emerging-evidence-guide-media.pdf.aspx Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Gender-Based Violence Shelf Number: 146922

Author: New South Wales. Ministry of Justice Title: NSW Stock Theft and Trespass Review: Final Report Summary: This Review was announced by the Deputy Premier and Minister for Justice and Police on 25 February 2016 along with specific terms of reference. The scope of the Review - stock theft, rural trespass and illegal hunting - represents how intertwined these crime types are. Given this, a series of recommendations are proposed in this Report which address all three of these issues, as well as ensuring Police are appropriately structured, empowered and resourced for the particular challenges posed by rural crime. As Professor Elaine Barclay found in her 2014 Research into farm crime, while other types of crime are on a downward trend, rural crime is increasing and significantly underreported. It is also important to highlight that approximately 25% of NSW residents live outside Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Stock theft, rural trespass and illegal hunting are crimes of major concern to rural and isolated communities. These crimes can lead to significant economic loss for primary producers and rural communities, with one incident potentially leading to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in property theft and malicious damage, as well as the loss of future breeding potential. The impact of rural trespass and illegal hunting is also multiplied by opportunistic crimes which accompany these offences, such as firearm theft, diesel theft or animal cruelty. Recent reports, for example, suggest that more than 90% of stolen firearms in NSW being taken from rural areas. As many rural families live and work on the same property, such crimes can generate tremendous fear, as well as a sense of insecurity, and intimidation, due to being unable to control who is able to access their land. And police assistance, particularly in isolated communities, may be hours or even days away, especially if the nearest police station is not staffed 24 hours. The current Police response to crime in rural and remote communities was brought into question at every public consultation held over the course of the Review. It is apparent that the staffing of 24-hour stations is critical to the efficient policing of rural and remote areas right across NSW. Because of industrial agreements, police from smaller stations are routinely used to fill gaps in rosters at larger stations and officers in charge of stations are not appropriately empowered to determine the best policing response for their local communities. Such practices are starving rural communities of the police protection to which they are entitled. It is the opinion of this Review that addressing this issue should be the highest priority of the NSW Police Force. Hunting on private land using knives, dogs or bows continues to grow in popularity across NSW, perhaps fuelled in part by the lack of regulation of such activities, compared with the regulatory scheme in place for hunting with firearms. Often this hunting involves rural trespass. This lack of regulation does nothing to assist Police or the Department of Primary Industries to manage or control such behaviour. When rural crimes are prosecuted, the penalties issued are routinely far below both the maximum penalty and the quantum of the loss suffered by victims of such crime. Victims feel deep frustration that current penalties do not act as effective deterrents and suggest that magistrates and sometimes police officers do not appear to understand or appreciate the impact of such crimes. This Report will propose a number of recommendations aimed at addressing stock theft, rural trespass and illegal hunting. These include enhanced penalties for existing offences, an expansion of current regulatory requirements and significant changes to the way the NSW Police Force is currently structured to address rural crime. Key to addressing stock theft, rural trespass and illegal hunting is ensuring that police in rural and remote areas are engaged with their communities and are properly tasked and resourced to address these crimes. For a number of years, this does not appear to have been the case, most likely since police retreated to 'core business' and relinquished various extraneous duties undertaken on behalf of other government agencies which gave them regular contact with their communities. Current police transfer arrangements mean that police officers accept short-term postings to rural and remote areas, merely as a stepping stone to more desirable positions. Rural officers in non-24 hour stations are also often tasked outside their sectors and rural crime investigators are routinely tasked with jobs which have nothing to do with rural crime, such as child protection register visits. Police policies and structures also mean that if a call for assistance is received at night and/or to attend a remote location, police officers are supported by current policy in determining they should not attend alone, despite their possibly being the only police representative on duty in that sector. Whilst the intent behind this - to protect the safety of officers working in single units - is supported, consideration must also be given to the policing support made available to landowners dealing with trespassers and thieves, who may possibly be intoxicated and also armed. Although Police policies are intended to address both police and community safety, there is considerable confusion in relation to this area of policing, which was clearly expressed by stakeholders during the course of the Review. The content and findings of this Report reflect discussions with and submissions received from a range of different stakeholders, from government agencies, to industry bodies to residents of rural and remote communities. This Report is addressed to the Deputy Premier for his serious consideration. The recommendations made in the Report will, if implemented, greatly assist in empowering both police officers and victims of crime in addressing stock theft, rural trespass and illegal hunting. Details: Sydney: Ministry of Justice, 2016. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2017 at: http://www.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Media%20Releases/2017/final-report-NSW-stock-theft-and-trespass-review.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Cattle Stealing Shelf Number: 146923

Author: Segrave, Marie Title: Exploited and illegal: Unlawful migrant workers in Australia Summary: This is an interim report of the findings to date from a three-year ARC DECRA research project into the experience of unlawful migrant workers in Australia. The research has brought to the fore many complex issues that include, but are not limited to: - the limitations of the existing responses to human trafficking (and the importance of independent, impact-based research into the current response), - various practices that occur in industries such as agriculture in relation to the cash economy and international trade, - the complexity of local laws, state and federal responses to managing migrant labour and accommodation-related regulation, - the apparent mismatch between some big corporations' (including supermarkets) public commitments to the transparency of ethical supply chains and the pressure they place on suppliers when items are priced at below production costs, and - the challenges in creating achievable transparency and protection mechanisms for all workers. This interim report seeks to draw attention primarily to the issue of unlawful migrant work in Australia; to debunk some key myths around this population; and to raise a challenge to policy makers and legislators to look towards a future that will enable impact labour reform to be achieved - reform that will reduce the levels of exploitation and modern slavery occurring within Australia. The report also raises the question: can Australia commit to countering modern slavery and migrant labour exploitation if it continues to sideline unlawful migrant labour experiences based on workers' migration status? It is important to note that the broader program of research includes extensive interviews with stakeholders, including employers, policy makers, contractors, NGOs and other community support providers. The final report will speak more broadly to the management of labour, the challenges of labour supply, and the concerns surrounding the privileging of migration status as a way to determine the limits of protection for workers. Details: Melbourne: The Border Crossing Observatory and the School of Social Sciences, Monash University, 2017. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2017 at: http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/thebordercrossingobservatory/files/2017/07/Exploited-and-Illegal_unlawful-migrant-workers-in-Australia.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Illegal Immigrants Shelf Number: 146939

Author: Victoria State Government Title: Support and Safety Hubs: Statewide Concept Summary: The Support and Safety Hub Statewide Concept outlines the role the hubs will have in our long-term plan to end family violence in Victoria. The establishment of the Support and Safety Hubs was a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence. As well as giving families the help they need to stay safe, they will also serve as a centralised point for coordination with police, courts, health practitioners and other services. The Hubs will offer women, children and young people a new way to access coordinated support from justice, health and social services. This Statewide Concept is the next step in our co-design process. It describes the intent, scope, key functions and roles of the Hubs and how the Hubs will contribute to the vision and aspirations of the Plan. It outlines what the Hubs will deliver across the state as part of the future service system and provides a catalyst for change. The Concept is divided into sections outlining: 1. Who the Hubs are for 2. How people will access the Hubs 3. What the Hubs will do 4. Features of the Hub Team to deliver on core functions 5. Coordination with key statutory agencies and institutions Child Protection, Victoria Police, the courts, and the Victims Support Agency 6. Next steps in establishing the Hubs - including the role of Family Safety Victoria, the new coordination agency, and local Hub establishment groups. The Statewide Concept does not attempt to set out the detailed practice framework, operational specifications and planning, protocols between the Hubs and the broader service sector, and local design and implementation work. The Concept sets out government's vision for the functionality that the Hubs will achieve to inform and guide this more detailed work. The conceptual design of the Hubs outlined here will also be developed and delivered over time. The full functionality of the Hubs described in this Concept will not be available in all Hubs on day one of operations. The operation and delivery across the state will be scaled up incrementally, with a subset of core functions being rolled out in the five launch areas in 2017. The intention is that all of the functionality of the Hubs described in the Concept will be operational across the state in the future. Details: Melbourne: Victoria State Government, 2017. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2017 at: http://www.vic.gov.au/system/user_files/Documents/fv/Hubs%20concept%20paper.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 146945

Author: Victoria. Crime Statistics Agency Title: CSA Incident-based Collection: Public Consultation Paper Summary: 1.1 About the Crime Statistics Agency The Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) is the agency responsible for processing, analysing and publishing quarterly crime statistics using data collected by Victoria Police. Established in 2014, with public operations commencing on 1 January 2015, the CSA's role is to improve the quality of and accessibility to crime data, research current and emerging crime and criminal justice trends and strengthen the integrity and public confidence of Victoria's crime statistics. The legislative basis of the CSA is the Crime Statistics Act 2014, which provides for the public release of crime statistics, research into crime trends and the employment of the Chief Statistician for that purpose. The CSA aims to provide an efficient and transparent information service to inform policy makers, researchers, the media and the Victorian public. 1.2 Current Victorian Recorded Crime Statistics At present, the CSA produces crime statistics quarterly based on an extract of data from the Victoria Police Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP). Each quarter the CSA provides information about crimes occurring across the state from a range of views, including counts and rates of: - recorded offences; - alleged offender incidents; - victim reports; and - family incidents. Information about the number of unique victims and offenders recorded by police is produced annually as part of the CSA's financial year statistical report, and provides more detailed information about repeat offending and victimisation. The current headline measure used for quarterly reporting is the number of recorded offences within a 12 month period, and the overall changes between each reporting period. As the headline indicator, offences have traditionally been used as the basis for calculating the crime rate in Victoria. 1.3 A New Measure of Crime in Victoria While the current headline measure is useful in showing the number of detected and reported offences recorded by Victoria Police, it is not necessarily an accurate representation of how people experience crime in the community. This is because a single criminal incident can involve one or many offence types, and potentially multiple counts of an offence. Therefore, whilst the number of recorded offences is important to quantify police workload and process offenders through the criminal justice system, it can be less representative of crime as it is experienced by people. Therefore, the CSA has identified a gap in the current statistical outputs that offers a central view of a criminal incident and connects it to the offenders and victims involved, as well as the associated offences. To address this information gap, the CSA has commenced work developing an incident-based view of crime to better reflect the volume and public experience of crime in Victoria. On 28 September 2017, the CSA will release a suite of information that presents an incident-based view of crime as the headline indicator for the first time. 1.4 About this Consultation Paper The purpose of this consultation paper is to provide a summary of the incident-based data, and how this new measure impacts on the presentation of the CSA's quarterly crime statistics. It outlines the challenges associated with developing incident-based data, details the key improvements and provides a comparison between incidents and offences to help guide the transition to the incident-based view as the headline measure for recorded crime statistics. .2.1 Developing the Incident-based Collection There are a number of challenges with using operational police data to create meaningful crime statistics. The primary function of the LEAP database is for Victoria Police to manage case workloads, process offenders, and finalise outcomes of incidents that come to the attention of police. The CSA uses this operational data entered on LEAP and transforms it into statistics for public release. This means that the creation of statistics is restricted to the use of information contained within the LEAP database, and relies heavily on the quality of the input of information by police officers and data entry staff. Therefore, any statistical information produced by the CSA will only offer a view of crime as it comes to the attention of police, and cannot account for incidents that are not reported. Another challenge of using operational data concerns the overall quality of the information recorded within the system. At times there can be inconsistencies in the way certain information is recorded, and often the data contains incorrect or missing values that affect the CSA's ability to provide high quality statistics. The CSA endeavours to produce a broad range of content, and will continue to work with police in the future to improve the overall quality of the data recorded. 2.2 Objectives of incident-based statistics The creation of the incident-based collection will result in a number of benefits that will enhance the published crime statistics and improve public understanding of crime in Victoria. The key advantages are: - presenting statistics that reflect how the community experiences crime; - producing more accurate information about crime trends; - increasing comparability across states; - no loss of service to the Victorian public; and - providing access to more information. Details: Melbourne: CSA, 2017. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/104461/apo-nid104461-422371.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 146948

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: 2016 Inspection of Casuarina Prison Summary: This is the report of an inspection of Casuarina Prison conducted in late 2016. It concludes that the prison is meeting reasonable expectations in relation to security, and the safety of staff and prisoners. It is, however, over-stretched at almost every point. As a result, despite the best efforts of staff, it is not meeting expectations in relation to prisoner health and support, purposeful activity, rehabilitation or resettlement. Staff are doing what they can with what they have, but Casuarina is too stretched to meet demand or need. Pressure points include: - a population increase of 100 per cent in the last ten years, and 22 per cent in the last two years - serious overcrowding, with almost all prisoners now forced to share single cells - insufficient investment in supporting infrastructure. There are critical deficiencies in the kitchen and health centre and shortfalls in many other areas. - a far more transient and less settled population. Over 40% are on remand, and many of the sentenced prisoners are just 'in transit' to another prison. - a growing number of prisoners with serious health and mental health problems - a growing number of young prisoners for whom there are few opportunities for rehabilitation - sentenced and remand prisoners routinely sharing cells, in contravention of national and international standards Details: Perth: Office of The Inspector, 2017. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/104806/apo-nid104806-423736.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Institutions Shelf Number: 146996

Author: Australia. The Treasury Title: Black Economy Taskforce. Interim report Summary: The black economy is a significant, complex and growing economic and social problem. Black economy activities: undermine the community's trust in the tax system; create an unfair commercial environment which penalises businesses and individuals doing the right thing; enable and entrench the exploitation of vulnerable workers; undermine tax revenue; and enable abuse of the welfare system. If unchecked, increasing black economy participation can lead to a dangerous dynamic. It can foster a culture which legitimises and supports this participation, spurring its further growth. As revenues fall, those remaining in the formal economy may ultimately be faced with higher tax burdens, giving them a greater incentive to move into the shadows. All other OECD countries are grappling with the black economy issue. Australia is not alone. While the black economy is a long-standing problem, new vulnerabilities and threats are emerging as a result of fundamental economic, social and technological changes. The high cost of tax and non-tax regulatory burdens, pressure on business margins, the proliferation of new business models (including the sharing economy) and forms of work, complex interactions with illegal activities, exploitation of workers (including migrants), and changing social norms are influencing this landscape. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimated in 2012 that the black economy had grown to 1.5 per cent of GDP ($25 billion per year in today's dollars) in Australia. In the absence of a concerted and sustained whole-of-government effort, this figure can be expected to continue to grow. Given the linkages between different manifestations of the black economy, long-term multi-agency strategies and operations are needed. We must move beyond the business as usual mindset, recognising the limitations of traditional tax enforcement approaches. There is a clear need to act now. Community views on tax avoidance and evasion (particularly by large firms and multinationals) have noticeably hardened in recent years. At the same time, businesses, both large and small, are operating in a more competitive commercial environment, tempting some to push the boundaries (in their supply chain management, use of contractors and payment of wages). But this challenge is also an opportunity. With the intelligent application of emerging technologies, better use of data and a genuine whole-of-government focus, the tools we need are available. It is not too late, but we need to act now rather than wait. Business as usual is not an option. We can't audit our way out of this problem through traditional means. We have seen considerable innovation from other OECD countries in this area. A 21st century black economy strategy is needed in this country. The Black Economy Taskforce is a partnership between Australian Government agencies and the private sector. It is led by an independent chair and supported by a Secretariat in the Commonwealth Treasury. The Government has asked the Taskforce to develop a forward-looking, innovative and whole-of-government black economy strategy. This is our Interim Report, which sets out our initial findings and identifies a number of early actions. Our Final Report will be delivered to the Government in October 2017. Details: Canberra: The Taskforce, 2017. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2017 at: https://consult.treasury.gov.au/tax-framework-division/black-economy-taskforce/supporting_documents/BE_IR.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Black Economy Shelf Number: 146999

Author: Australia. Parliament. Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Title: Modern slavery and global supply chains. Interim report Summary: With reference to the United Kingdom's Modern Slavery Act 2015 and to relevant findings from the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade's report, Trading Lives: Modern Day Human Trafficking, the Committee shall examine whether Australia should adopt a comparable Modern Slavery Act. The Committee shall have particular regard to: 1 The nature and extent of modern slavery (including slavery, forced labour and wage exploitation, involuntary servitude, debt bondage, human trafficking, forced marriage and other slavery-like exploitation) both in Australia and globally; 2 The prevalence of modern slavery in the domestic and global supply chains of companies, businesses and organisations operating in Australia; 3 Identifying international best practice employed by governments, companies, businesses and organisations to prevent modern slavery in domestic and global supply chains, with a view to strengthening Australian legislation; 4 The implications for Australia's visa regime, and conformity with the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children regarding federal compensation for victims of modern slavery; 5 Provisions in the United Kingdom's legislation which have proven effective in addressing modern slavery, and whether similar or improved measures should be introduced in Australia; 6 Whether a Modern Slavery Act should be introduced in Australia; and 7 Any other related matters. Details: Canberra: The Committee, 2017. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 1, 2017 at: http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportjnt/024092/toc_pdf/Modernslaveryandglobalsupplychains.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Debt Bondage Shelf Number: 147004

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: Change the course: national report on sexual assault and sexual harassment at Australian Universities Summary: At the request of Australia's 39 universities, the Australian Human Rights Commission has conducted a national, independent survey of university students to gain greater insight into the nature, prevalence and reporting of sexual assault and sexual harassment at Australian universities. The National university student survey on sexual assault and sexual harassment (the National Survey) also examined the effectiveness of university services and policies that address sexual assault and sexual harassment on campus. The request to conduct this survey follows decades of advocacy on the topic of sexual assault and sexual harassment at universities both within Australia and overseas. The National Survey is the first of its kind and the first attempt to examine in detail the scale and the nature of the problem in Australia. This work builds on the Commission's extensive experience leading projects of this nature, including the Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force and conducting national workplace sexual harassment surveys for the past 12 years. The National Survey measured the experiences of over 30,000 students across all 39 universities and collected information about: - prevalence of sexual assault and sexual harassment among Australian university students in 2015 and 2016 - characteristics of people who experienced sexual assault and sexual harassment - characteristics of perpetrators of sexual assault and sexual harassment - settings where students experienced sexual assault and sexual harassment at university � reporting of sexual assault and sexual harassment, and - students' recommendations for change. In addition to the quantitative data gathered via the National Survey, a vast amount of qualitative data was gathered through written submissions. The Commission accepted written submissions from 23 August 2016 to 2 December 2016 and received 1849 submissions in total. This report outlines the findings of the National Survey, provides an analysis of the qualitative information received through the submissions, and makes recommendations for areas of action and reform. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2017. 264p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2017 at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_2017_ChangeTheCourse_UniversityReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Campus Crime Shelf Number: 147006

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Western Australia's Prison Capacity Summary: Western Australia's prison population has risen very rapidly over recent years. Two new prisons have opened in the last four years (West Kimberley and Eastern Goldfields Regional Prisons) but the system has largely absorbed the extra numbers by adding bunk beds to single cells and by adding new accommodation units to existing prisons. This has led the Opposition and the WA Prison Officers Union (WAPOU) to claim our prisons are overcrowded to the point of crisis, posing risks to staff and prisoners. However, the government and the Department of Corrective Services (the Department) say the system is not overcrowded, the risks are overstated, and there is actually still spare capacity. Based on a snapshot date of 30 June 2016, this report evaluates: - different tests of prison capacity - prison occupancy rates - whether prisoners' living conditions meet Australian and international standards - risks arising from current population levels. Our conclusions This review is supported by the evidence contained in our inspection reports on individual prisons. It concludes that: - most of our prisons are very crowded (too many prisoners for the available space and facilities) - the Department's method of reporting has hidden the extent of the problem - too many prisoners are held in cells that do not comply with Australasian standards and even International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) standards - occupying cells above intended capacity is: -compromising prisoners' rights to privacy and decent treatment - generating risks to safety and rehabilitation - services to prisoners are increasingly stretched - staff, management and prisoners deserve the community's appreciation for the way they have coped with these pressures. Some of the pressures at some sites will be temporarily relieved when the new Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison is filled and when the 'new' women's prison at the Hakea site ('Melaleuca') opens in December. However, most prisons will continue to operate above intended capacity and the new facilities will not meet future demand. A new prison is needed. It should be designed with the flexibility to cater for different groups but the most obvious need is for a large metropolitan remand prison for men. Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2016. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2017 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/WebCMS/WebCMS.nsf/resources/file-tp---oics-wa-prison-capacity/$file/OICS%20WA%20Prison%20Capacity.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Prison Overcrowding Shelf Number: 147012

Author: Coddington, Kate Shipley Title: Geographies of Containment: Logics of Enclosure in Aboriginal and Asylum Seeker Policies in Australia 's Northern Territory Summary: In this dissertation, I explore how logics of enclosure underscore policies about national identity, citizenship, and belonging in Australia. Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory, has become a central place for policy struggles over migration and Aboriginal communities over the past ten years. The city offers a lens through which to read geopolitical processes of migration and detention, sovereignty and citizenship, and settler colonialism and consider their consequences for people's everyday lives. Asylum seekers in Australia face policies of mandatory detention while they wait and hope for refugee status, and Darwin's many immigration detention centers have earned it the name 'Detention Capital of Australia.' Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory have also experienced restrictive policies since the 2007 Northern Territory Emergency Response legislation targeted their communities, and Darwin has become the capital of this 'Intervention' into Aboriginal communities as well. I argue that these sets of policies reveal a common logic towards policy-making in Australia that relies on containment to engage with populations perceived as threatening to perceptions of Australian nationality. A logic of containment-an approach towards policy-making relying on strategies of enclosure - underscores policies towards asylum seekers and Aboriginal populations. I conclude that similar logics of enclosure, or containment, trap Aboriginal Australians, asylum seekers, and advocates seeking justice, confining their minds and bodies, limiting possibilities for their futures, and revealing the precariousness of their human security in the search for a secure national identity. Details: Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University, 2014. 215p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 2, 2017 at: http://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1079&context=etd Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 147020

Author: Ketelaar-Jones, Taya Title: A Comparative Review of National Legislation for the Indefinite Detention of 'Dangerous Criminals' Summary: Courts in Tasmania have long had the power to detain prisoners indefinitely. The Tasmanian dangerous prisoner regime, contained in the Sentencing Act 1997 (Tas), has never been reviewed. This is despite it receiving criticism from various quarters, including the Supreme Court bench. There are several differences between the Tasmanian indefinite detention provisions and those of other Australian jurisdictions. The implications of these legislative anomalies have not been explored. This paper examines the operation of the Tasmanian scheme by undertaking a cross-jurisdictional analysis of dangerous prisoner legislation in Australia. Problematic aspects of the current provisions are examined, and potential areas for reform are identified. This is done so with a view to the modernisation of the law and a shift towards uniformity with other Australian jurisdictions. This paper first provides a brief history of indefinite detention regimes and outlines the nature of the exercise of the discretion to impose an indefinite sentence. The paper proceeds with an assessment of the various problematic aspects of the Tasmanian indefinite detention regime contained in the Sentencing Act 1997 (Tas). The first section considers the issues associated with the making of a dangerous criminal declaration, including the test and standard of proof for imposition of a declaration and whether separate indefinite detention provisions applying specifically to sex offenders should be introduced. The paper recommends that the test for the imposition of a declaration in the Sentencing Act 1997 (Tas) be amended to reflect the common law test. In addition, it recommends that the Act should explicitly provide for the standard of proof and provide a comprehensive and mandatory list of factors to be considered when determining whether to make a dangerous criminal declaration. Further, the Act should be amended to clarify that it is intended to operate as a post-sentence preventative detention regime, as well as an indefinite (at the time of sentencing) regime. Finally, the introduction of separate indefinite detention provisions for sex offenders is not recommended. The second section considers the issues associated with the discharge of a dangerous criminal declaration. Key issues discussed in this section are the test for the discharge of a dangerous criminal declaration, the inability of the court to impose conditions upon discharge, and the absence of provisions for periodic review of a declaration. The key recommendations are that the Sentencing Act 1997 (Tas) be amended to mandate a system of periodic review of a dangerous criminal declaration. On a review of a declaration, or on an application for discharge of a declaration, the prosecution (rather than the offender) should retain the onus of proof. The assessment should be guided by the same principles applicable to the exercise of the discretion to impose the declaration at first instance. Finally, the court should be empowered to impose conditions upon the discharge of a dangerous criminal declaration. Details: Hobart: Tasmania Law Reform Institute, 2017. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 4: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/97951/apo-nid97951-353691.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Dangerous Persons Shelf Number: 147144

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Assaults on staff in Western Australian prisons Summary: On any given day, there are over 5000 prisoners in Western Australia and the majority are there because of violent or high risk behaviour in the community, often associated with health and social issues. This means that prison staff face significant challenges on a daily basis. Positively, despite the potential risks, this review found that assaults on prison staff are relatively infrequent and that serious violence is rare. These findings indicate that staff who work in prisons are often skilled in dealing with volatile situations, including where prisoners are agitated or distressed, or during high risk activities such as escorts or restraints. This is a tribute both to the staff and to the Department of Corrective Services as a whole. However, the nature and circumstances of the assaults hold some learning opportunities and challenges. This report identifies a number of factors that contribute to assaults on staff and makes a series of recommendations designed to improve safety. Rates of assault Across the state, there were 414 recorded incidents of staff assault during the five years covered by this review, an average of 7 to 8 assaults per month. Obviously, staff safety is a high priority, and every assault is of concern, but the figures need to be placed in the context of the total imprisonment rate: each month our prisons hold prisoners for more than 150,000 'prisoner days'. The figures also need to be placed in the context of what is being recorded, a point well illustrated by data from September 2013. That month, there was a distinct spike in assaults, with 24 recorded cases, three times more than the average. However, almost a third of these assaults were committed by the same woman, in three incidents, over two days at Bandyup Women's Prison. Two mornings in a row, she threw her breakfast at a staff member, each incident constituting an assault. The third incident occurred later on the second day. She was under escort after a visit to a mental health nurse and lashed out at staff, punching, scratching and kicking them. Five staff members sustained scratches and bruises and because there were five victims, five assaults were recorded. This illustrates how quickly the assault rate can rise based on the behaviour of certain individuals or the presence of multiple staff in a single incident. It also shows that generalised counts and records do not reflect the particular circumstances in which assaults occur or the type of behaviour involved. Serious, targeted violence towards staff is rare. 'Serious assaults' are defined by the Department of Corrective Services as assaults where physical injuries are sustained requiring ongoing medical treatment or overnight hospitalisation. There were 22 serious assaults over the five year period covered by this review, an average of one per quarter. Details: Perth, Western Australia : Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3912001a7310a896b06645fa48257d550029f34b/$file/2001.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Corrections Officers Shelf Number: 147157

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Fine defaulters in the Western Australian prison system Summary: The imprisonment of fine defaulters in Western Australian prisons has been a contentious issue for some time. Debates have centred around the number of defaulters in prison, their impact on an already-crowded prison system, the cost of short terms of imprisonment for fine default, and whether the state is too quick to imprison fine defaulters rather than using alternatives. Very different views have been put as to the extent of the problem and the potential solutions, and the matter has generated political division. Some of the issues involved in fine default are beyond our jurisdiction as they involve the powers and practices of the courts, the police, and the fine enforcement sections of the Department of the Attorney General. At times during this review, some people in some government departments complained that we were going beyond our jurisdiction in undertaking this work. That is clearly not so: I am legislatively mandated to provide independent oversight of matters that impact on prisons. These necessarily extend to matters such as the number of fine defaulters; their profile (including their offending, and demographics); their impact on the prison population and the operation of prisons; the costs of their incarceration; and their welfare and treatment in prison. I have a legislative responsibility to report independently to Parliament on such issues if I believe this to be necessary or appropriate. The report focuses primarily on the period from July 2006 to June 2015. The most important single finding is that while the number of people received into prison each year for fine default has increased markedly, there are few people in prison for fine default at any given time. This is because fine defaulters tend to serve very short periods in custody: their 'turnover' is high but their stay is short. The policy implications of this are clear. First, reducing the number of fine defaulters in prison will not lead to a significant reduction in either total prisoner numbers or the extent of overcrowding in the prisons. As we and the Auditor General reported in 2015, the main 'target' for anyone seeking to reduce the prison population should be the alarming rise in the number of people held on pre-trial remand (Office of the Auditor General [OAG] 2015; Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services [OICS] 2015a). At the time of writing, the remand population comprises over 29 per cent of the total prison population, up from 16 per cent a decade ago On the other hand, however, having people 'churning' in and out of custody for short periods for fine default is financially costly (several million dollars each year), socially undesirable, and risky and disruptive for prisons. It is therefore incumbent on all agencies to ensure that everything possible is done to reduce this churn. Significantly, this report has also revealed demographic differences, with Aboriginal women being by far the most likely cohort to be in prison for fine default. The death of Ms Dhu in police custody lies outside our jurisdiction. However, the current coronial inquest into her death has added poignancy and urgency to our findings. Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3914182a267c7268541194a448257fd20032c2e4/$file/4182.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Fees Shelf Number: 147159

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Transitional Services in Western Australian Prisons Summary: It is well known that the number of prisoners in Western Australia is rising, and that our prisons are housing many more people than they were designed for. On any given day, over 6,100 people are now in our prisons, a 20 per cent (1,000) increase since May 2014, compared with only 4,100 in 2009. What is not generally known is that even more prisoners - over 7,000 - are released every year (600 per month or 150 per week). Half of them have served time after being convicted of a crime ('sentenced prisoners'). The other half have not yet been convicted, and are awaiting court hearings ('remandees'). This report focuses on services to help sentenced prisoners transition back to society. Remandees receive limited transition support (see paras 3.9 and 6.21-6.29, and OICS 2012, 2014c). This is understandable in that most spend less than four weeks in prison. However, remand numbers have risen rapidly in the past three years and remandees, like sentenced prisoners, face significant social and personal issues (OICS 2015). Short remand periods add further disruption and distress in relation to matters such as child care, accommodation and employment. It is therefore important for the Department to expand services to remandees. In conducting this review we found that: - supporting prisoners to return to society is an intelligent investment - the transition services that are offered perform a valuable function and are highly valued by prisoners - only limited resources are allocated to transition management - the Department of Corrective Services (the Department) does not allocate these limited resources according to risk, need and demand - contract redevelopment and procurement has been too slow and poorly handled Worryingly, while the Department supported all our recommendations it provided no timelines and few concrete commitments. Details: Perth: Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services, 2016. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2017 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3914341a36a5826afacf967248258011002aed69/$file/4341.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Pretrial Detention Shelf Number: 147160

Author: Tasmania Law Reform Institute Title: Review of the Law Related to Self-defence Summary: 1.1.1 In November 2012, the Attorney-General requested the Tasmania Law Reform Institute to conduct a wide-ranging examination of the law in Tasmania relating to self-defence. The reference arose from concern expressed by the then Tasmanian Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Tim Ellis SC, that this defence may operate too leniently, potentially resulting in unmerited acquittals. 1.1.2 This Report considers the circumstances in which a person can lawfully use force (including lethal force) to defend himself or herself or someone else. It focuses on areas of uncertainty and controversy in relation to the operation of the defence. In cases where the accused's perception of the need to use defensive force corresponds with the actual need to do so, the law of self-defence is unproblematic. However, difficulties arise when there is a difference between the actual circumstances and the circumstances as the accused mistakenly believed them to be. There is scope for considerable debate about the extent to which a person can rely on a mistaken belief for the purposes of self-defence, and whether the reason for the mistake has a role to play in determining the availability of the defence. A mistaken belief in the need for self-defence is particularly problematic in four situations: - when it results from a delusion caused by a mental illness; - when it is the product of psychological factors personal to the accused that made him or her more sensitive to threats of danger than the normal person; - when it arises from self-induced intoxication; or - when it proceeds from a delusion caused by drug-induced psychosis. There is concern that the current formulation of self-defence in s 46 of the Criminal Code (Tas) does not preclude reliance on the defence in these circumstances, even if the accused's perception of the situation is entirely irrational. This is said to be inappropriate as it affords an unduly favourable defence to those who may resort to violence in the absence of any objective evidence of the need to do so. 1 For these reasons, the former Tasmanian Director of Public Prosecutions suggested that the defence operates too leniently and in a manner that is out of step with modern standards and community expectations. 1.1.3 These concerns are addressed in this Report. Their resolution is complex because it involves delineating the relationship of different defences, which have different theoretical and policy backgrounds. It also involves determining whether s 46 should be reconceptualised to introduce requirements of reasonableness into all components of self-defence. Additionally, it prompts consideration of whether new and partial defences should be created for situations where an accused acts upon a mistaken belief in the need for self-defence or uses excessive force in defending him or herself. 1.1.4 Another area of concern that is addressed in this Report is the operation of the law of self-defence in the context of family violence. For many years, the operation of the law of self-defence in the context of those who kill (particularly women who kill) in response to family violence has been a key area of critique. The argument has been that the law is not sufficiently receptive to their self-defence claims and that it is out of step with contemporary understandings of the nature and dynamics of family violence. While the law of self-defence in Tasmania is theoretically capable of accommodating the claims of those who use violence in response to family violence, its operation in this context remains largely untested. This Report includes recommendations for reform that would clarify the law and facilitate reliance on self-defence in cases arising in the context of family violence. 1.1.5 In summary, this Report makes recommendations in relation to whether the current law of self-defence in Tasmania should be retained or whether it should be amended. Based on the questions considered in the Issues Paper, recommendations are made in relation to: - whether or not additional or different requirements of reasonableness should be introduced into the Criminal Code (Tas) s 46 (Questions 1 � 3 of the Issues Paper); - the interaction of mental illness and self-defence (Questions 4 - 26 of the Issues Paper); - the interaction of intoxication and self-defence (Questions 8 - 11 of the Issues Paper); - the operation of the law of self-defence in the context of family violence (Questions 12 - 14 of the Issues Paper); - whether or not partial defences of mistaken self-defence, excessive self-defence, killing for self-preservation in a domestic relationship and diminished responsibility should be introduced into the Criminal Code (Tas) (Questions 15 - 18 of the Issues Paper). 1.1.6 In the Issues Paper, the circumstances in which a person can use force in defence of property, in particular in defence of a person�s home, was also considered. Defence of property is dealt with in Part 6 of this Report. Details: Hobart: The Institute, 2015. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Final Report No. 20: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/756570/TLRI_Self-defence_FR_A4_06_Print.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Law Shelf Number: 147167

Author: Western Australia, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services Title: Escapes and attempted escapes from corrections in Western Australia Summary: Few events excite public curiosity as much as a prison escape. Natural curiosity is further fuelled by iconic movies in which Hollywood heroes triumph against impossible odds, intolerable conditions, cruel staff, and vicious fellow-prisoners. Movies such as The Great Escape (Steve McQueen), Escape from Alcatraz (Clint Eastwood), Papillon (Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman), and The Shawshank Redemption (Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) involve cunning plans, elaborate preparation and daredevil risk taking. Reality is far more mundane. There is certainly no room for complacency, but escapes are rare and escapes from maximum and medium security prisons are very rare. When escapes do occur, they are generally nothing like the movies: they tend to be opportunistic, individualistic and short-lived. Good luck plays a greater role than good planning. Most commonly, escapes involve low risk offenders who have been placed for rehabilitative reasons in work camps and minimum security settings. Escapes are also more likely when people grasp spur of the moment opportunities during escorted movements outside a secure facility. There is always room to reduce opportunity and risk by improving physical, procedural and relational security. A process of reflection and learning is also required. However, the most significant finding of this report is that most prisoners do the right thing: they never escape or try to escape, even when they have opportunities to do so. For example, on any given day, over 1,000 prisoners are located in minimum security prisons or work camps, and a significant number of these prisoners are undertaking work in the community. It is important not to allow a handful of escapes to lead to the system becoming so risk averse that it compromises its own ability to achieve the critical outcome of reducing recidivism by preparing people for release. The media is unlikely to be interested in the story that so few prisoners abuse the trust that is placed in them, but it is a story that should be told. It is a sign that, overall, the Department and its contractors are identifying and managing escape risks. They have also responded promptly and proactively to the escapes that have occurred. Details: Perth: : Office of the Inspector of Custodial Service, 2015. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/publications/tabledpapers.nsf/displaypaper/3912781a35a468c9c38dca7048257e230010359f/$file/2781.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Institutions Shelf Number: 147178

Author: Australia. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Title: Inquiry into crystal methamphetamine (ice): First report Summary: This report's focus is on law enforcement, or supply reduction measures to address crystal methamphetamine. This report is cognisant of the work done by the NIT and the NIAS. For this reason, this report's primary aim is to build upon, and provide recommendations that complement the work of the NIT and NIAS to address the issue of crystal methamphetamine use in Australia. The terms of reference for the inquiry were as follows: Pursuant to the committee's functions set out in paragraph 7(1)(g) of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010, the committee will examine the criminal activities, practices and methods involved in the importation, manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine and its chemical precursors, including crystal methamphetamine (ice) and its impact on Australian society. In particular, the committee will examine: 1. the role of Commonwealth law enforcement agencies in responding to the importation, manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine and its chemical precursors; 2. the adequacy of Commonwealth law enforcement resources for the detection, investigation and prosecution of criminal activities involving the importation, manufacture, distribution and use of methamphetamine and its chemical precursors; 3. the effectiveness of collaborative arrangements for Commonwealth law enforcement agencies with their regional and international counterparts to minimise the impact of methamphetamine on Australian society; 4. the involvement of organised crime including international organised crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs in methamphetamine related criminal activities; 5. the nature, prevalence and culture of methamphetamine use in Australia, including in indigenous, regional and non-English speaking communities; 6. strategies to reduce the high demand for methamphetamines in Australia; and 7. other related issues. Details: Canberra: Australian Parliament, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2017 at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Law_Enforcement/Crystalmethamphetamine45/First_report Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Crystal Methamphetamine Shelf Number: 147233

Author: Parkinson, Samantha Title: Child Neglect: Key Concepts and Risk Factors Summary: The NSW Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) Office of the Senior Practitioner commissioned the Australian Centre for Child Protection to work in partnership with FACS to provide evidence from the research literature to inform the development of an updated FACS policy on neglect and other practice resources. Specifically, the Australian Centre for Child Protection were contracted to provide a brief report comprising two components: 1. An overview of the key concepts in defining neglect; and 2. A systematic review of reviews investigating the common risk factors for neglect Simultaneously, the NSW FACS Office of the Senior Practitioner will undertake a review of the literature on the impacts of neglect. As the purpose of this report is to inform NSW FACS, the focus (particularly within Section 1: Key definitional concepts) is on identifying issues of particular relevance to statutory child protection and their implications for practice. Details: Adelaide: UniSA College, Australian Centre for Child Protection, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2017 at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/Global/EASS/Research/ACCP/Child%20Neglect,Key%20concept%20and%20risk%20factors%20report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 147401

Author: Australian Institute of Family Studies Title: Challenging misconceptions about sexual offending: creating an evidence‑based resource for police and legal practitioners Summary: Reports of sexual offences crimes have increased over the last six years (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2016). Despite the prevalence of sexual offending in our communities, there is a lack of understanding about these crimes. Myths and misconceptions about sexual offending are common (Cossins, 2013). This is understandable, because sexual offending is a profoundly hidden crime. Much of what we know about sexual crime is imagined or gained through mainstream media (O'Hara, 2012). Most people would not be fully aware of the vast body of scientific literature regarding sexual offending. This is despite the fact that specialist knowledge is the key to effectively responding to sexual crime in the criminal justice system (Cossins, 2006). The purpose of this resource is to synthesise over 40 years of research evidence to present an accurate and updated picture of sexual offending. With specialist knowledge, we can work towards improving criminal justice responses and outcomes in cases of sexual crime. This reference booklet addresses some of the most significant myths and misconceptions about adult rape and sexual offences, as well as child sexual abuse. The evidence has been collated from an analysis of the psychological and criminological literature. It provides a clear picture of what should be considered a misconception, alongside the current evidence of what is considered "typical" and "common" behaviour in both offenders and victims. There are multiple ways that this resource could be used. It may be useful as a guide to assist fact finders at different stages of the criminal justice process. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 19, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/107216/apo-nid107216-432851.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 147402

Author: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Title: Illicit Drug Data Report 2015-16 Summary: ur Illicit Drug Data Report (IDDR) informs Australia's understanding of the illicit drug threat. It focuses collective efforts by bringing together data from a wide range of sources into the one unique report. In 2015-16, police agencies made a record 115,421 national illicit drug seizures, weighing a total of 21 tonnes, with a record 154,538 national illicit drug arrests. This year, the Illicit Drug Data Report 2015-16 shows the international mail stream continues to account for the greatest proportion of the number of illicit drug detections at the Australian border. However, the importation stream accounting for the greatest proportion of the weight continues to vary across drug types and reporting periods. For the first time, the IDDR includes data from the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program, gathered through the chemical analysis of sewerage water. The findings from this Program will provide law enforcement, policy, regulatory and health agencies with additional and more objective data in relation to the usage of methylamphetamine and other drugs. Details: Canberra: ACIC, 2017. 224p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 20, 2017 at: https://acic.govcms.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1491/f/2017/06/illicit_drug_data_report_2015-16_full_report.pdf?v=1498019727 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Enforcement Shelf Number: 147418

Author: Queensland Corrective Services Title: Violence against prison staff: A literature review Summary: Research has generally categorized factors related to inmate violence against staff into two categories: "importational" and "deprivation." "Importational" factors pertain to the high risk for violence that an inmate brings into the prison. These factors include a history of violence, youthfulness (age 25 or younger), and drug use. "Deprivation" factors relate to stressful, aggravating, and opportunity factors of prison life that foster inmate violent behavior. According to Jiang and Fisher-Giorlando (2002), prisoner-on-prisoner violence is more likely to be explained by situational and importational approaches; and prisoner-on-staff violence is more likely to be explained by deprivation and situational approaches. In prisoner-on-staff violence, one of the most obvious factors is what Bowler (1983) describes as the "vast power difference between the "keepers" and the "kept." There is some evidence that academic and vocational education programs reduce violence against staff. Lahm's (2009) study of both individual and contextual predictors of violence against staff found a link between staff-to-prisoner ratio and violence against staff. A lower ratio of staff-to-prisoner apparently invites attacks on lone officers supervising inmates. According to Kratcoski (1988), inexperienced staff is at a higher risk for violence from inmates. Staff with 1 year or less work experience was found to be significantly more likely to be targeted for violence. Some prevention strategies for prisoner-to-staff violence include having a mix of inmate age groups in any one prison, so as to dilute the youth factor in violence; reducing crowding; increasing staff training and experience; supporting staff authority; security crackdowns; and increasing prisoner access to programs and industries. Details: Melbourne: Queensland Corrective Services, 2012. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief No. 18: Available at Rutgers Criminal Justice Library Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration Shelf Number: 130229

Author: Murphy, Kristina Title: Avoiding community backlash in the fight against terrorism: Research report Summary: While terrorism in different forms has always presented a threat to state security, scholars and policy-makers have argued that since 9/11, states face new forms of terrorism that are mainly motivated by religious extremism, with 'Islamic fanaticism' seen as a major threat (Howard & Sawyer 2004; Jackson 2007). One of the unfortunate consequences of the global "war on terror" is that Muslims in Western countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, have become a stigmatised minority and defined as a potential threat to state security due their religious affiliation with Islamic radicalisation or terrorist groups (Peek 2011; Pickering, McCulloch & Wright-Neville 2008; Kundani 2014; Sentas 2014). Scholars and Muslim community groups argue that Muslims have been labelled a suspect community (Sentas 2014; Breen-Smyth 2014; Weine 2015). This has generated not only a sense of being under siege, but also Muslim hostility towards counterterrorism policing and laws (Peek 2011; Pickering, McCulloch & Wright-Neville 2008; Kundani 2014). The consequence is that this can engender a general unwillingness to cooperate with authorities in efforts to address terrorism and radicalisation (Cherney & Murphy 2013; Lambert 2011; Spalek 2013; Weine 2015). Given the potential of counter-terrorism policies to generate hostility and resistance among groups who feel unfairly targeted by these strategies, this project aimed to: 1. Gauge the perceptions among Muslims in Australia about the fairness of counterterrorism policing and laws. 2. Identify how community cooperation in counter-terrorism and the prevention of violent extremism can be enhanced. 3. Identify how community backlash against counter-terrorism can be avoided. This project involved two phases of data collection: 1. 14 focus groups: 104 Muslim participants, comprising three groups; youth, middle aged, new arrivals to Australia, living in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne; Focus groups were conducted in 2013 and 2014. 2. Face-to-face survey of Muslims: sample of 800 in total, living in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Survey was conducted in 2014. Details: Report to the Australian Research Council, 2015. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2017 at: http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/1537_cherney.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 147448

Author: Shirley, Kimberley Title: The Cautious Approach: Police cautions and the impact on youth reoffending Summary: Previous research into youth diversionary practices has shown that diverting young people away from the formal court system leads to a positive impact on youth reoffending behaviour. A number of studies have examined the impact of police cautions or youth conferences compared to formal court proceedings. However, there is a paucity of studies which focus purely on the impact of police dispositions at the precourt stage. The current study examines the characteristics that impact on a young person receiving a caution as opposed to a charge from police and the impact this has on reoffending within a twelve month follow up period. A cohort of 5,981 young people who were recorded as allegedly committing an offence between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016 were included in this study. Fifty-six percent of the cohort received a caution and the remaining 44% were charged by police. A logistic regression model was constructed to examine the differences between the cautioned and charged young people for demographic, offending history and incident characteristics. This model was used to develop a propensity score for each young person which was then used to match a group of cautioned young people to a group of charged young people. Consistent with findings of previous studies, young people who were cautioned were less likely to reoffend than those charged. The current study also found a longer duration between the index incident and their first reoffending incident for cautioned young people as opposed to those charged. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2017. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief No. 9: Accessed September 26, 2017 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2017/09/7f/e1e924c80/20170925_in%20brief9%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 147457

Author: United Voice Victoria Title: A Dirty Business: The exploitation of international students in Melbourne's office cleaning industry Summary: Office cleaners working in Melbourne's CBD are routinely subjected to wage rip-offs, exploitation and verbal abuse, a covert investigation by United Voice, the cleaners' union has revealed. International students are the major victims of scams in which cleaners could lose up to $15,000 a year in wages and benefits. Overseas students, who are part of a $15 billion national education export industry, are regularly subjected to bullying, intimidation and racism, and threatened with the sack if they discuss their plight, the investigation found. Details: Melbourne: United Voice Victoria, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 28, 2017 at: http://www.unitedvoice.org.au/press-releases/melbourne%E2%80%99s-dirty-secret-rorts-and-rip-offs-cbd-cleaning Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Cleaning Industry Shelf Number: 131601

Author: Victoria. Auditor General Title: Prevention and Management of Drug Use in Prisons Summary: The link between alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and crime is well established, with a high correlation between excessive alcohol and illicit drug use and criminal activity and reoffending. A 2012 study found 54 per cent of discharged prisoners reported drinking alcohol at unsafe levels prior to their recent imprisonment, 70 per cent of prison entrants used illicit drugs during the preceding 12 months and 44 per cent had injected drugs. Excessive AOD use is one of the primary contributors to poor health. Prisoners have poorer levels of physical and mental health than the general population, with a higher prevalence of disease and major mental illness. Preventing access to AODs while in prison and effectively treating and addressing AOD problems is therefore likely to assist in the rehabilitation of prisoners, reduce future offending and improve prisoners' health outcomes. The Department of Justice (DOJ), through Corrections Victoria (CV) and Justice Health (JH), is responsible for the administration of Victoria's prisons, including preventing drugs from entering the prison system and managing and treating prisoners with drug problems. The audit examined the strategies and programs implemented by CV and JH to reduce the supply of, demand for, and harm caused by drugs in prisons. It also considered CV and JH's monitoring and evaluation of the strategies and programs, and their effectiveness. Conclusions Despite the high numbers of offenders entering the prison system with drug problems, less than 5 per cent of prisoners have tested positive to drug use while in prison over the past 10 years. This suggests that the drug controls in Victoria's prisons have been effective in preventing drugs from entering prisons and detecting drugs that get past its barrier controls. The processes for identifying prisoners who use drugs are generally effective and provide confidence that prisoners with ongoing drug problems are identified and their drug-using behaviour is managed. However, weaknesses in performance reporting and evaluation means that DOJ cannot determine the overall effectiveness and efficiency of its initiatives to manage drug use in prisons, or determine whether prevention and detection controls are as effective and efficient as they could be. Details: Melbourne: Auditor General, 2013. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/20131016-Drugs-in-Prisons.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Crime Shelf Number: 131607

Author: Grigg, Jodie Title: Social supply of cannabis in Australia Summary: Australian retail markets for most illicit drugs, including cannabis, are based significantly upon friendships and occur in closed settings. This has been described as 'lounge room', as opposed to 'street', dealing (Nicholas 2008). Similar observations have been made in other countries, and in the UK the term 'social supply' was coined to describe this aspect of the drug market where a supplier who is not considered to be a 'drug dealer proper' brokers, facilitates or sells drugs, for little or no financial gain, to friends and acquaintances (Hough et al. 2003). In this qualitative and quantitative study, a convenience sample of 200 cannabis users aged between 18 and 30 years were interviewed in Perth (n=80), Melbourne (n=80) and Armidale (NSW; n=40). They were recruited online and through the mainstream street press, flyers, and snowballing. Participants mostly described a closed market characterised by high levels of trust between consumers and suppliers already known to each other at the level of adjacent pairs or small group networks, typically selling in private. Their qualitative accounts of what happened last time they scored or obtained cannabis provided rich descriptions of the process of obtaining cannabis for these young users. Although participants often described their main cannabis supplier as 'a friend', roughly three-fifths reported this relationship was a friendship first and two-fifths reported it was a supply relationship first. Overall, 94 percent of the sample had ever supplied cannabis and 78 percent had done so in the past six months. Although most people who engaged in supply understood that their activities would be regarded as such in law, most did not consider themselves to be a dealer. The findings have implications for the policing of social supply drug markets, the public education of participants in the social supply market and how social supply offences are dealt with in law. Details: Canberrra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2015. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph no. 59: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-59.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 147490

Author: Fuller, Georgina Title: Managing intoxicated offenders Best practice in responding to individuals affected by drugs and alcohol Summary: A considerable proportion of a police officer's time involves interactions with persons who are intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. The risks associated with intoxication are not limited to the affected individual as their behaviour may also present risks to the police and other frontline service personnel or to the public in general. This research explored the range of strategies that have been adopted by the police in four jurisdictions across Australia to manage those risks. The primary aim was to develop a best practice framework to help guide the development of police policies and practices in identifying, responding to and managing intoxication and withdrawal. The C.A.L.M framework comprises four, non-sequential phases (Control, Assess, Liaise and Manage). It is designed to assist the police in identifying risks and considerations related to intoxication and withdrawal during each stage of offender management. The C.A.L.M framework is not intended to replace existing police procedures, but rather to provide a consistent framework from which policies and practices can be built, reviewed and collaborated on across jurisdictions. Regular engagement across police jurisdictions was identified as important in the development and maintenance of best practice. The C.A.L.M framework provides an evidence-based foundation that promotes consistency and knowledge sharing across Australian police jurisdictions to aid the police in the management of intoxicated offenders. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2016. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 65: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-65.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 147491

Author: Shanahan, Marian Title: Australian police diversion for cannabis offences: Assessing program outcomes and cost-effectiveness Summary: Police diversion is one of Australia's most utilised interventions for minor cannabis offenses. This study assessed the effectiveness and cost effectives of three different approaches to cannabis diversion (cautions, expiations and warnings) compared to the traditional criminal justice system response. A purpose built on-line survey was completed by a self-selected sample of 998 people across Australia who reported having a recent encounter with police for cannabis use or possession. In addition to details on their encounter with police, data was collected on outcome measures such as cannabis use, recidivism, employment, perceived legitimacy of police, health status and costs. The sample was comprised of 195 people who were charged, 614 who received a caution, 69 who received an expiation and 120 who received a warning. 50 percent of each group consumed cannabis at least daily pre-intervention. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of cannabis dependence, with the majority (72.6%) of respondents classified as having nil or negligible dependence. Overall, 16.9 percent were categorised as mildly dependent and 10.8 percent as moderately to severely dependent. Post-intervention, the number of days in which cannabis was used decreased in three of the four groups; there was no change in the expiation group. However, there was no statistically significant difference across groups. The economic costs of the charge group were six to 15 times higher than the diversion groups. Police diversion appears to be associated with a range of positive social outcomes across multiple domains including less disruptive relationships, fewer employment problems and more positive perceptions of police legitimacy. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2017. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 66: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-66.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 147492

Author: Scott, Nick Title: Understanding and describing Australian illicit drug markets: Drug price variations and associated changes in a cohort of people who inject drugs Summary: This study has provided a detailed description of the drug purchase and drug use patterns of a cohort of people who inject drugs, and an understanding of changes that occurred between 2009 and 2014. During this period, heroin, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines and other opioids were typically purchased between 10am and 2pm with very little search time, were used almost immediately following their acquisition, and sharing a purchase or pooling money with a partner or friend was common, as were larger (>$100) purchases. Reported drug purchases and drug use both occurred more frequently in private homes than public settings, and this became increasingly so over time. Although the primary drug of the cohort remained heroin, two trends in drug use were observed: a transition from heroin to cannabis use, consistent with some of the cohort 'maturing out'; and among existing methamphetamine users, a transition from powder to crystal methamphetamine use and increased methamphetamine consumption, corresponding with increased availability of the crystal form and a dramatic decrease in purity-adjusted price. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund (NDLERF), 2015. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 58: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-58.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 147493

Author: McSherry, Bernadette Title: Preventive Detention for 'Dangerous' Offenders in Australia: A Critical Analysis and Proposals for Policy Development: report to the Criminology Research Council Summary: The management of 'dangerous' offenders is of crucial community concern. This report focuses on the key debates concerning the policy and legal issues raised by post-sentence preventive detention. It analyses focus group discussions carried out in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne concerning three different management regimes for high-risk sex offenders: post-sentence continued detention in prison, indefinite detention, and extended supervision orders in the community. It recommends that consideration be given to the new Scottish model of life-long restriction orders, arguing that post-sentence preventive detention should be seen as a last resort in the management of high-risk offenders. Details: Melbourne: Monash University, 2008. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2017 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/200405-03.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: High-Risk Offenders Shelf Number: 147506

Author: Bromfield, Leah Title: Child sexual abuse in Australian institutional contexts 2008-2013: Findings from administrative data Summary: The purpose of this project was to: - identify the data holdings that currently exist on contemporary (within the past five years) incidents of child sexual abuse in institutional contexts in Australia - determine the accessibility of any such data for research purposes - identify what, if anything, the data reveals about the extent of child sexual abuse in institutional contexts in Australia. Methods The project comprised four stages: 1. a literature review of the relevant Australian and international research and 'grey' literature (including previous commissions of inquiry into institutional abuse), focusing on the methodologies for using administrative data to estimate the extent of child sexual abuse in institutional contexts 2. conceptual scoping and desktop analysis of promising data sources - including information provided to the Royal Commission by jurisdictions and institutions regarding data holdings 3. phone-based consultations with data custodians regarding the relevance of their data holdings, specific fields of interest and challenges for data extraction 4. issuing formal notices for data extraction, and data analysis to guide conclusions - to the extent the data allows - about the nature and extent of child sexual abuse in institutional contexts in Australia. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2017. 309p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 2, 2017 at: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/getattachment/892e5719-435a-4e0a-8b01-9fcf9afb7fce/Child-sexual-abuse-in-Australian-institutional-con Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 147521

Author: New South Wales Sentencing Council Title: Victims' involvement in sentencing Summary: Attorney General Mark Speakman has requested the Sentencing Council to review victims' input into the sentencing of offenders to examine whether they can have a stronger voice or be given more support. "Without the testimony of victims, it would be difficult to bring many offenders to justice and it�s important we recognise their courage, take account of their suffering and help prevent further trauma," Mr Speakman said. Chaired by the Hon James Wood AO QC, the 16-member Sentencing Council includes senior figures from the judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Public Defenders, NSW Police, Corrective Services, victims' advocates, academics and community members. The Sentencing Council will conduct the review and will consider: - the principles courts apply when receiving and addressing a Victim Impact Statement; - who can make a Victim Impact Statement; - procedural issues with the making of and reception in court of a Victim Impact Statement; and - the level of support available to victims. The Sentencing Council will also examine how the current sentencing process affects victims and will research positive developments in other Australian and overseas jurisdictions. Mr Speakman said, "The NSW Government will never stop looking for ways to protect victims and improve their journey through the justice system." This year, the government has announced new 'revenge porn' laws to deliver jail terms of up to three years for intimate-image abuse, and launched a trial of therapy dogs to calm victims attending court. The Child Sexual Offence Evidence Pilot enables a victim's evidence to be pre-recorded, so they are not re-traumatised by having to repeat their testimony at a trial. The pilot is also trialling the use of 50 witness intermediaries to help child sexual assault victims interact with police and the courts. Details: Sydney: NSW Government, 2017. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Consultation Paper: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Current-projects/Victims/CP_Victims.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Sentencing Shelf Number: 147528

Author: Wendt, Sarah Title: Seeking help for domestic and family violence: Exploring regional, rural, and remote women's coping experiences: Final report Summary: This report presents the results of a qualitative study examining the experiences of women seeking help for domestic and family violence who live in regional, rural, and remote areas in Australia. The study contributes to the limited evidence on how geographical and social isolation shapes women's coping with and decisions to seek assistance for domestic and family violence, and their efforts to live safely. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Research report: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/106901/apo-nid106901-430811.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 147532

Author: ORIMA Research Title: Cashless Debit Card Trial Evaluation: Final Evaluation Report Summary: This report presents the final findings of the evaluation of the cashless debit card trial in two remote communities. This report was commissioned by the Department of Social Services and undertaken by ORIMA Research. It is the final evaluation report in a series of reports which evaluated the introduction of a cashless debit card for income support payments in two remote communities. The report assessed the impact of the cashless debit card on program participants, their families and the broader community in relation to: consumption of alcohol; illegal drug use and gambling; crime, violence and harm; perceptions of safety Details: Canberra: Australian Government Department of Social Services, 2017. 303p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: https://www.dss.gov.au/families-and-children/programs-services/welfare-quarantining/cashless-debit-card-trial-evaluation-reports Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 147533

Author: Neill, Christine Title: Weak Tests and Strong Conclusions: A Re-Analysis of Gun Deaths and the Australian Firearms Buyback Summary: Using time series analysis on data from 1979-2004, Baker and McPhedran (2006) argue that the stricter gun laws introduced in the National Firearms Agreement (NFA) post-1996 did not affect firearm homicide rates, and may not have had an impact on the rate of gun suicide or accidental death by shooting. We revisit their analysis, and find that their results are not robust to: (a) using a longer time series; or (b) using the log of the rate rather than the level (to take account of the fact that the rate cannot fall below zero). We also show that claims that the authors had allowed both for method substitution and for underlying trends in suicide or homicide rates are misleading. The high variability in the data and the fragility of the results with respect to different specifications suggest that time series analysis cannot conclusively answer the question of whether the NFA led to lower gun deaths. Drawing strong conclusions from simple time series analysis is not warranted, but to the extent that this evidence points anywhere, it is towards the firearms buyback reducing gun deaths. Details: Canberra: Australian National University Centre for Economic Policy Research, 2007. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper No. 555: Accessed October 4, 2017 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1011519&rec=1&srcabs=1599705&alg=7&pos=3 Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Gun-Related Violence Shelf Number: 147552

Author: Victoria State Government Title: Expert Panel on Terrorism and Violent Extremism Prevention and Response Powers. Report 1 Summary: The Victorian Government will introduce a suite of far reaching new laws to protect Victorians from terror attacks as part of the biggest overhaul of counter-terror laws since they were first introduced. Earlier this year, the Government commissioned a root and branch review - led by former Chief Commissioner of Police Ken Lay and former Supreme Court of Appeal Justice, the Honourable David Harper - of the laws currently available to prevent, monitor and respond to acts of terror. The first report from the Panel contains 16 recommendations covering the use of force, investigative and preventative detention, presumptions against bail and parole, special police powers during declared events and the protection of criminal intelligence. The Government has accepted in-principle all recommendations, with the Panel due to deliver its second report in the coming weeks. As part of the sweeping reforms, Victoria Police's powers to use lethal force when responding to life threatening situations will be clarified. The recommended new measures also include: Changes to the preventative detention order framework to give Victoria Police new powers to question a person in relation to a terrorist act, double the period of interim detention from 2 days to 4 days, and remove the need for police to seek a court order before the period of interim detention starts Ensuring Protective Services Officers are equipped to work alongside police officers to keep the community safe in the event of a terrorist incident Amending parole laws to include a presumption against parole for offenders with links to terrorism Amending Victoria's bail laws to include a presumption against bail for accused persons with links to terrorism The Panel also made recommendations relating to information sharing between Victoria and the Commonwealth, including between members of the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team and security cleared Corrections Victoria staff. Details: Melbourne: Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2017. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2017 at: http://www.vic.gov.au/system/user_files/Documents/Expert%20Panel%20on%20Terrorism%20report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Reform Shelf Number: 147592

Author: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Title: Organised Crime in Australia 2017 Summary: Now in its sixth edition, Organised Crime in Australia 2017 offers the most contemporary picture of serious and organised crime. The 2017 report has identified six key enablers of organised crime in Australia as follows: Money laundering Technology and digital infrastructure Professional facilitators Identity crime Corruption within the public sector Violence and intimidation. The report explores existing and emerging organised crime threats affecting the Australian community and our national interests. Details: Canberra: ACIC, 2017. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2017 at: https://www.acic.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1491/f/2017/08/oca_2017_230817_1830.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Identity Theft Shelf Number: 147597

Author: Alpers, Philip Title: Firearm Legislation in Australia 21 Years After the National Firearms Agreement Summary: Four consecutive formal reports have now found that no Australian State or Territory has at any stage fully complied with the 1996 or 2002 firearm resolutions which collectively formed the National Firearms Agreement. In important areas, State and Territory legislation has been blocked or revised to dilute the effect of the NFA. This report, commissioned and funded by Gun Control Australia, finds that on balance, both non-compliance from day one and two decades of political pressure have steadily reduced restrictions and undermined the NFA's original intent. Details: s.l.: Gun.Policy.Org, 2017. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2017 at: http://www.gunpolicy.org/documents/6936-firearm-legislation-in-australia-21-years-after-the-national-firearms-agreement/file Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Shelf Number: 147615

Author: Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission Title: Operation Belcarra: A blueprint for integrity and addressing corruption risk in local government Summary: Following the Queensland local government elections on 19 March 2016, the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) received numerous complaints about the conduct of candidates for several councils, including Gold Coast, Ipswich, Moreton Bay and Logan. The CCC commenced Operation Belcarra to determine whether candidates committed offences under the Local Government Electoral Act 2011 that could constitute corrupt conduct, and to identify practices that may give rise to actual or perceived corruption, and reforms to help prevent or decrease corruption risks and increase public confidence. The CCC has found widespread non-compliance with legislative obligations relating to local government elections and political donations. This non-compliance is largely caused by a deficient legislative and regulatory framework. The CCC's 31 recommendations will strengthen equity, transparency, integrity and accountability in local governments throughout Queensland. Taken together, they will create new obligations for candidates, councillors, donors and the ECQ and form the basis of a more stringent regulatory framework. Details: Melbourne: Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission, 2017. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/112816/apo-nid112816-444111.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Political Corruption Shelf Number: 147620

Author: Queensland. Department of Premier and Cabinet Title: Ways to combat ice addiction in Queensland: Discussion Paper Summary: The upsurge in the use of crystal methamphetamine (ice) in Australia has had a chaotic effect on many individuals, families and communities. Queensland has not been exempt from this growing national and international problem. The growing prevalence of the drug's use, coupled with the disproportionate harm that this form of methamphetamine presents, means that Queensland must act now to tackle the problem and its causes. On 23 July 2015, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) considered an interim report from the National Ice Taskforce which identified six areas for action. COAG agreed that all jurisdictions would work together to develop the National Ice Action Strategy (based on the agreed six areas) for finalisation in late 2015. In the meantime, it is important that Queensland takes immediate action to meet the challenges and pressing needs for Queensland. This will also place Queensland in a stronger position to respond to the National Ice Action Strategy when it is finalised. This discussion paper has been developed to engage with key stakeholders and the broader community on options and solutions to address the emerging problem of ice in Queensland. The paper discusses the use and prevalence of crystal methamphetamine in Queensland (and more broadly across Australia) as a way to provide accurate information about the problems that ice presents for Queensland. The paper also sets out what is currently being done to address the problem, by a range of agencies including Queensland Health, the Queensland Police Service, and the Ice Awareness Campaign recently launched by the Queensland Government. Details: Brisbane, QLD: Department of the Premier and Cabinet, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2017 at: https://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/documents/2015/Sep/IceUse/Attachments/Paper.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 147625

Author: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Title: The Costs of Serious and Organised Crime in Australia 2013-14 Summary: The relentless pursuit of illicit profit and power by serious and organised crime affects the Australian community in many ways. The impact is negative, the costs are high, and we all pay the price. There are extreme and personal costs we cannot measure - lives ruined, families torn apart and communities devastated. However, we can measure some of the financial costs of harms, preventative measures, and law enforcement responses to serious and organised crime. By measuring these costs, we gain a better understanding of the scale and reach of serious and organised crime across our community and the associated financial impact. Details: Canberra: The Commission, 2015. 3 documents Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2017 at: https://www.acic.gov.au/publications/intelligence-products/costs-serious-and-organised-crime-australia Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 147636

Author: KPMG Title: The costs of family violence in Victoria. Summary Report Summary: By using data that did exist from government agencies, and through consultations with stakeholders, KPMG estimated family violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders cost $330m across 2015-16. Between 2008-09 and 2013-14, the number of police-recorded family violence incidents relating to that group increased by 100.6%, compared to 53.6% for the rest of the population. Details: KPMG, 2017. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2017 at: http://www.vic.gov.au/system/user_files/Documents/fv/Cost%20of%20family%20violence%20in%20Victoria.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Criminal Justice Shelf Number: 147657

Author: Holmes, Jessie Title: Trends in NSW Police clear up rates Summary: Aim: To analyse the trends in crime clear up rates and methods of proceeding against offenders over the decade from 2007 to 2016 in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Data on criminal incidents cleared by police within 90 days of being recorded and data on persons of interest proceeded against by police were extracted from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS). Kendall's trend tests were run on the annual clear up rates and number of offenders proceeded against for murder, domestic and non-domestic assault, sexual assault, indecent assault, acts of indecency and other sexual offences, robbery, break and enter dwelling and non-dwelling, motor vehicle theft, steal from motor vehicle and malicious damage to property. Results: Clear up rates have increased substantially across many key offence categories over the last decade. Of the offences investigated, the largest change in clear up rates was for robbery (up 16.4 percentage points) followed by malicious damage to property (up 8.1 percentage points). There were also increases in clear up rates for stealing and property crimes as well as slight increases for domestic and non-domestic assault. There was no discernible change in clear up rates for murder or sexual offences. With the exception of domestic assault and sexual offences, the prevalence of all of the offences examined declined from 2007 to 2016 and there was a corresponding but smaller decline in the absolute number of offenders proceeded against for these offences. Conclusion: Clear up rates have increased and crime rates have fallen across many key offence categories over the last decade. The combined effect of these patterns is that the drop in court workload expected from associated falling crime rates appears to have been significantly reduced by the rise in the proportion of offenders being brought before the criminal courts. The increased clear up rate is likely to improve public confidence in policing and may help deter future offending due to the increased risk of apprehension. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper No. 129: Accessed October 11, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2017-Trends-in-NSW-Police-clear-up-rates-BB129.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Clearance Rates Shelf Number: 147659

Author: Andrew, Jane Title: Prison Privatisation in Australia: The State of the Nation Summary: Australia now imprisons more people than at any point in its history. As of June 2015, 36,134 people were incarcerated across eight states, and the national imprisonment rate stood at 196 prisoners per 100,000 people. The total annual net cost of Australia's prison system stands at $3.4 billion. As a result of the growth in prisoner numbers and a variety of pressures on the sector, state governments continue to look for new ways to deliver prison services that are thought to be both socially and fiscally responsible, including various forms of privatisation. Prison privatisations have been justified on a number of grounds. The first examination of prison privatisation in Australia, made through the Kennedy report of 1988, asserted that 'In some particular areas the private sector can do it cheaper and better' (Kennedy, 1988: 88). Subsequently, in 2009 the New South Wales General Purpose Standing Committee 'Inquiry into the Privatization of Prisons and Prison Related Services' concluded that' the private management of prisons will also likely produce greater cost savings and efficiencies than if they were to remain in the public system' (GPSC-NSW, 2009: 51). Similarly, in 2013 the Queensland Commission of Audit (QCA) claimed that ' greater efficiencies can be achieved by private operation of correctional facilities'. Equally, the Economic Regulation Authority (ERA), in a 2015 report on Western Australian prisons, remarked that ' private prisons are held to higher standards of accountability and transparency than public prisons'. Accordingly, privatisation has been mooted as a way of providing prison services with greater performance, lower cost, better efficiency and stronger accountability but in reality, little is known about the consequences of privatisation and whether or not they deliver these benefits to the community. Private prisons now incarcerate 18.5% of the prison population of Australia (Productivity Commission, 2014: Table 8A.1), and clearly play a large part in the functioning of the custodial system in Australia. In fact, Australia has the highest rate of private incarceration per capita of any country in the world (Mason, 2013: 2). Out of a total of 101 prisons in Australia, private contractors operate nine facilities in five different states: two prisons in Queensland, two in New South Wales, one in South Australia, two in Victoria and two in Western Australia. Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory do not have private prisons and are therefore outside the scope of this report. Parklea (NSW), Arthur Gorrie (QLD) and Mount Gambier (SA) prisons all deal with remand prisoners. Port Phillip (VIC) and Parklea (NSW) both take maximum security prisoners. The remaining facilities house medium- and low-security prisoners, and do not take part in remand activity. As of 2015, there are only three private contractors responsible for managing custodial services in Australia. These are GEO Group (GEO), G4S and Serco. Private prisons are now responsible for over 6,000 Australian prisoners (Productivity Commission, 2014: Table 8A.1), and absorb a considerable amount of taxpayer money nationally. Despite this, research into private prisons in Australia is extremely limited. Indeed, there has been no single publication or study in the last ten years that has covered all of Australia's private prisons in detail. The present report aims to deliver such a review and in doing so demonstrates that not only do privately managed prisons across Australia vary greatly in terms of their accountability, costs, performance and efficiency, but also that it is very difficult to assess these criteria because of a general lack of transparency. This comprehensive report of the sector seeks to address this information gap and, as a result, intends to better inform future public debate on prison privatisation. The purpose of this report is to provide a description of Australian private prisons as they have evolved across the country. Our overview of private prisons in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia will give an understanding of the 'State of the Nation' with regard to prison privatisation and its impact. As stated, our study considers private prisons in Australia against four key categories: accountability, costs, performance and efficiency. Details: Sydney: University of Sydney Business School, 2016. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2017 at: https://sydney.edu.au/business/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/269972/Prison_Privatisation_in_Australia-_The_State_of_the_Nation_June_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration Shelf Number: 147660

Author: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) Title: The Health Costs of Violence: Measuring the burden of disease caused by intimate partner violence. A summary of findings Summary: This publication is a summary of a study conducted to assess the health impact of intimate partner violence on women. The study was supported by VicHealth in partnership with the Department of Human Services and was conducted with contributions from a range of experts from across Victoria and elsewhere. While focussing on health, it complements a vast body of evidence demonstrating the serious social and economic consequences of intimate partner violence for individuals, families and communities. Details: Carlton South, VIC: The Foundation, 2004. (Reprinted 2010). 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 16, 2017 at: file:///C:/Users/pschultze/Downloads/IPV%20BOD%20web%20version%20(2).pdf Year: 2004 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Violence Shelf Number: 147693

Author: KPMG Title: The cost of violence against women and their children in Australia. Final Detailed Report Summary: Understanding the total cost of violence against women and their children is critical to support the implementation of The National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan) Violence against women and their children is a crime and a fundamental breach of human rights. It has significant and far-reaching implications for its victims, their children, their families and friends, and the broader Australian economy. It is estimated that in this year alone, over one million women have or will experience violence, emotional abuse and stalking. The implications of experiencing violence can include long term social, health, and psychosocial impacts, death, and broader financial and the economic impacts on individuals and the broader community and economy. Addressing the issue of violence against women and their children is complex, and will necessitate generational change and ongoing and targeted investment into long term solutions. The collective commitment by Commonwealth, state and territory governments made by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) towards the development of the National Plan represented an important step towards developing a national approach to reducing the prevalence of violence. The National Plan identified the importance of establishing a more comprehensive and consistent evidence base to better inform policy decisions on a jurisdictional and national level. Significant momentum for change has also been created by Rosie Batty's extensive public awareness raising, the 227 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence (Victoria), and the release of the Queensland Government report and recommendations Not Now, Not Ever - Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland. - Recent studies have found that there are a number of key challenges to understanding the cost of violence, due to limitations in the data in understanding the prevalence and impacts of violence for specific cohorts, geographies, and forms of violence. - Our understanding of violence is also evolving - as new research, data and information is made available, the definition of violence is being refined and expanded. The purpose of this Technical Report is to progress the development of the evidence base informing The National Plan and the Third Action Plan 2016-2019 - Promising Results. For the purpose of comparability of results, the approach is consistent with previous work undertaken, however, has been expanded and updated to reflect the most recent prevalence information, data and research. The Report updates and extends KPMG's 2009 calculations and analysis for Estimating the Cost of Violence Against Women and their Children. Details: Canberra ACT: Australian Department of Social Services, 2016. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 16, 2017 at: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/08_2016/the_cost_of_violence_against_women_and_their_children_in_australia_-_final_report_may_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Violence Shelf Number: 147694

Author: Segrave, Marie Title: Temporary Migration and Family Violence: An analysis of victimisation, vulnerability and support Summary: Across Australia, governments at every level (federal, state and territory, and local) have moved to put family violence on the public agenda. Campaigns, policies and funding are being directed towards supporting victim-survivors and preventing future generations from experiencing the high levels of entrenched family violence that exist today. Family violence does not discriminate. However, it is known that for various subsets of the population, both the experience of family violence and the support and response options do vary, in some cases significantly. The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence (VRCFV) acknowledged the importance of recognising these points of differentiation among key groups, which include, but are not limited to, immigrant and refugee groups, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer (LGBTIQ) community, and those who have physical or intellectual disabilities or impairments. In the Second Action Plan 2013-2016, as part of the Commonwealth National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022, it was recognised that 'learning more about violence against these groups of women [including CALD women, as well as Indigenous women and women with a disability] is critical if we are to make violence against all women stop' (Commonwealth of Australia 2013: 23). This report presents the results of the first comprehensive study of a subset of the immigrant and refugee community: temporary migrants. This group is comprised of those who are in Australia on temporary visas, which include partner-related visas, as well as working, student, visitor and other temporary visas. The visa and migration system in Australia is complex. This complexity is not canvassed in detail here but, where relevant, is referred to in the report for greater clarification. The main focus in this report is on temporary migrant women, whose status can be divided based on whether or not they are on a partner visa that offers a pathway to permanent residency. For women who are on such a partner visa, there are provisions in the Migration Act that enable women to access permanent residency if a relationship breaks down due to family violence, via the family violence provisions, as summarised (and simplified). For women who are not on this pathway - most often women not on temporary partner visas - there is no such safety net. Details: Melbourne: School of Social Sciences, Monash University, 2017. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 17, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/114311/apo-nid114311-451086.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 147699

Author: Wang, Joanna JJ Title: Intensive corrections orders versus short prison sentence: A comparison of re-offending Summary: Aim: To compare reoffending rates between those who received an intensive correction order (ICO) and those who received short prison sentence (less than two years). Method: Offenders' demographic characteristics, index offence characteristics, prior convictions and penalties, LSI-R score and re-offences were extracted from the Re-offending Database maintained by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Using logistic regression model with inverse probability of treatment weighting, the effect of penalty choice on re-offending was estimated. Doubly robust estimation and bivariate probit model with an instrumental variable were also used to address potential model misspecification and endogeneity of penalty assignment. As a sensitivity analysis, separate modelling was performed for offenders who were in medium to high risk categories and the prison group was restricted to those with 6 months or less fixed term. Results: There was a 11%-31% reduction in the odds of re-offending for an offender who received an ICO compared with an offender who received a prison sentence of up to 24 months. The bivariate probit model with an instrumental variable did not reveal a significant effect or evidence of endogeneity. Conclusion: These results further strengthen the evidence base suggesting that supervision combined with rehabilitation programs can have a significant impact on reoffending rates Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 207: Accessed October 19, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/113866/apo-nid113866-449821.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alternatives to Incarceration Shelf Number: 147729

Author: Miller, Peter Title: Dealing with alcohol-related harm and the night-time economy (DANTE): final report Summary: The 'Dealing with alcohol-related harm and the night-time economy (DANTE)' study compared the effectiveness of alcohol-related crime prevention measures put in place between 2005 and 2010 through licensing regulation in Newcastle (NSW) and the voluntary programs run in Geelong (Victoria). The study reviewed hospital, police and ambulance records to evaluate the rates of alcohol-related harm. 4000 patron interviews and 129 unannounced venue observations were undertaken and community attitudes towards alcohol-related harm and the available policy options were also canvassed. Across this very large range of data, the key findings were that a substantial amount of harm was associated with pre-drinking and that measures that dealt directly with alcohol consumption employed in Newcastle, such as restricted trading hours, were the most effective in reducing alcohol-related crime. The study found such measures need to be implemented across all venues, rather than just a specific venues to ensure a level-playing field for business and act as a vehicle for culture change amongst patrons. A range of interventions analysed in the study were found ineffective, including: the introduction of ID scanners, improved communication between venues and police and education campaigns (which were voluntary in Geelong). Strong, consistent policing using substantial personal fines was also found effective, but requires policing levels which are seldom sustained. Illicit drug use is fairly low, but does predict greater experience of violence and harm. The community surveys revealed that most people believed alcohol was a problem in their entertainment precincts and that nine out of ten people believed licenced venues should shut by 3am. There was similar support for more police on the street. The study concluded that while night-time economies, such as nightclubs and bars, are an important part of our urban and regional centres they are also places where violence and injury occur at great cost to the community. Using policies based on the evidence of this and other independent research can help create safe and vibrant night-time entertainment districts. Details: Sydney: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2012. 214p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph: Series No. 43: Accessed October 20, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph43.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 137616

Author: Nugent, Stephen Title: Armed Robbery from an Offender's Perspective: Implications for Prevention Summary: PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The broad purpose of the study was to examine the offender's perspective of armed robbery to assist the development of operational strategies to reduce the incidence of armed robbery. SURVEY DATA One hundred and ten convicted robbers, both male and female, were interviewed in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland; additional perspectives were sought from robbery victims, police officers and bank security staff. Information collected from the robbers focussed on one particular robbery, and covered the following topics: - their modus operandi; - their assessment of security arrangements, including police activity; - the likelihood of crime being shifted to other areas if the banks become too tough a target; - their progression in crime; - their attitudes to staff, customers and hostages; and - their reaction to punishment and penalties. BACKGROUND The rate of reported robbery in Australia more than doubled in the ten years from 1975/76 to 1984/85 (Mukherjee et al, 1987). Bank hold-ups have mirrored this general upsurge, though with uneven trends peaking in 1983 and again in 1987. Bank robberies entail great financial loss and severe psychological strains for both staff and customers. ROBBERY PREVENTION STRATEGIES This report addresses prevention strategies which may be described as 'situational', such as increasing the physical security of potential crime targets (eg installing security cameras, alarm systems and bullet-resistant barriers), changing environmental characteristics of banks and other targets (eg size and location), and introducing surveillance strategies (eg increased police patrols, security guards). Situational crime prevention aims to increase the risks and decrease the profits of a specific form of crime, in order to discourage potential offenders. Examples of successful situational crime prevention include reduction in airline hijackings due to defensive measures taken by airlines, reduction of cheque frauds in Sweden ollowing the introduction of cheque guarantee cards, and a drop in public telephone theft in England after aluminium coin boxes were replaced by steel ones (Geason and Wilson, 1988). THE FINDINGS The Robbers - Background A 'typical' picture of robbers in general is that they are Australian-born, usually (though not always) male, under 30 years of age, come from a relatively large family, have limited formal education, are unemployed and have little or no formal training in the use of firearms. Bank Robbers - The only difference in background characteristics found between bank robbers and those who robbed other targets was their age, with markedly fewer of those who robbed banks in the very young (15-19 years) category. Progression in Crime - Eighty per cent of respondents had been involved in criminal activity, other than robbery, at some stage during their lives, with shoplifting the most frequently cited activity. More then 40 per cent indicated that they had spent time in a juvenile institution, while more than 60 per cent said they had served time in prison before. Thus, involvement in criminal activity has been a way of life for many of these offenders, and many appear to have 'graduated' to robbery after having tried other forms of criminal activity. The most frequently cited advantages of robbery over other types of crime were 'dealing in cash' and being 'quick and easy'. Other Robberies - Interviewees were reluctant to discuss other robberies with which they had been involved, especially robberies for which they had not been convicted. However, over half admitted to being involved in one or more other robberies. Stated Reasons for Involvement in Robbery - The need for money to support a drug habit was the most common reason given for involvement in criminal activity in general (33.7 per cent) and robbery in particular (44.6 per cent). These figures suggest the possibility that some people may get into criminal activity (other than robbery) for reasons other than drugs, but may then 'move up' to robbery in order to support a drug habit that develops. Generalised poverty appeared to be a further reason for involvement in crime, related to the need to pay off debts, unemployment and the need for income to provide for the family. Drug usage appears to be a serious problem with both legal and illegal drugs used. Not only did a number of offenders rob in order to get money to buy drugs, but a number also carried out the robbery while under the influence of a drug. Further, it appears that robbers followed through with their stated intention and used some or all of the proceeds of the robbery to buy drugs. Many interviewees indicated that they would like to join a drug rehabilitation program. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 1989. 150p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2017 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/archive/publications-1980s/armed-robbery-from-an-offenders-perspective.pdf Year: 1989 Country: Australia Keywords: Armed Robbery Shelf Number: 124287

Author: Curtin University. National Drug Research Institute Title: The Social Costs of Methamphetamine in Australia 2013/14 Summary: Australia has one of the highest documented rates of methamphetamine use in the world, with about 2.1% of the population aged 14 years and over reporting they have used methamphetamine in the past year. Recent changes in the purity and form of methamphetamine have resulted in a significant rise in public concern and media interest in the harms associated with the consumption of methamphetamine. As documented in this report, methamphetamine consumption is associated with a diverse range of harms and costs to individual drug users, their families and wider society. The objective of this project was to estimate the cost of methamphetamine use to Australia for a specific year (2013/14) rather than the future costs arising from use in that year, due to limitations in the available data and the level of uncertainly concerning future outcomes. Thus, other than years of life lost due to premature mortality, the costs do not include costs for treating chronic health conditions or lower levels of productivity over the lifespan. The harms and costs of drug use are substantially increased for dependent drug users compared with other users(Moore, 2007). We based our analyses on an estimated 160,000 dependent methamphetamine users and 108,000 regular nondependent users (Degenhardt et al., 2016a). There are also estimated to be 240,995 people in Australia who use methamphetamine occasionally (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014a). Finally, we excluded the private costs incurred by non-dependent methamphetamine users. However, the private costs or the "internalities" of dependent drug use were quantified but not added to the overall total. The report identified a range of prevention, supply reduction, harm reduction and treatment initiatives targeting the use of methamphetamine. In 2013/14 school based programs were the major prevention approach, with no substantial general population programs being identified in that year. Supply reduction programs were evident at the local level, through jurisdiction level policing or initiatives such as ProjectStop, which aims to limit access to precursor chemicals through the purchase of some over-the-counter medicines. Nationally, there were initiatives to regulate the commercial supply of chemicals and products that could be used in clandestine laboratories. The major harm reduction initiatives were existing programs that aim to reduce harms from injecting drug use (e.g. needle and syringe programs) that also involve some users of methamphetamine. However, treatment programs, such as withdrawal management, counselling services and residential rehabilitation, were the largest cost items in this area. Chapter 4 provides costing for these items. Details: Perth, Western Australia: The Research Institute, 2016. 200p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 27, 2017 at: https://ndri.curtin.edu.au/local/docs/pdf/publications/T246.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Drug Abuse Shelf Number: 147843

Author: Wilson, Hollie Title: Reducing recidivism by first time drink driving offenders Summary: This research provides a detailed description of first time drink driving offenders at the time of their court appearance and at follow-up to examine the factors leading to subsequent drink driving. To develop models for behavioural change a novel theoretical application of the Health Action Process Approach was used to determine what enables some offenders to avoid future drink driving. Utilising self-report and official offence records in the follow-up of offenders enabled an in depth exploration of first offender characteristics and drink driving behaviour. The research demonstrates that first offenders are not a homogenous group in terms of their characteristics or the circumstances of the offence and will be used to develop tailored countermeasures for first offenders including online intervention programs. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety � Queensland (CARRS-Q), 2015. 462p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/82215/1/Hollie_Wilson_Thesis.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Driving Under the Influence Shelf Number: 147959

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Swift, Certain and Fair Approaches to Sentencing Family Violence Offenders: Discussion Paper Summary: In this discussion paper, the Council examines the effectiveness of 'swift, certain and fair' approaches to sentencing. The paper describes the current framework in Victoria for managing family violence offenders and discusses possible options for introducing a 'swift, certain and fair' approach to sentencing family violence offenders in Victoria. Details: Melbourne: The Sentencing Advisory Council, 2017. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/SwiftCertainAndFairApproachesToSentencing.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 147964

Author: Higginson, Angela Title: Investigating serious violent crime: what works, what doesn't and for what crime types? Summary: Serious violent crime is a persistent and significant criminal justice issue (see Eisner, 2003; Fuller, 2013; Truman, Langton, & Planty, 2013; Wallace et al., 2009). In 2003 and 2008, the Australian Institute of Criminology delivered a clear message: despite the relatively low number of incidents compared to non-violent crime, serious violent crime offences account for a substantial portion of the costs of crime in Australia (Mayhew, 2003; Rollings, 2008). Moreover, a number of scholars have demonstrated a decline in police clearance of serious violent crime over recent decades (Horvath et al., 2001; Litwin & Xu, 2007; Riedel, 2008). Although investigation and responding to serious violent crime are core components of police work, the evidence-base for police investigative techniques for serious violent crime lacks the level of evaluation and synthesis seen for other policing interventions which have been predominantly assessed according to their impact on general crime and disorder. This systematic review aims to redress this imbalance by conducting the first ever systematic review focusing on the effectiveness of techniques that police use to investigate serious violent crime. Our review examines the evidence on police investigative techniques for serious violent crime to determine what works, what doesn't, and for what crime types. Specifically, we systematically evaluate the impact of police investigative techniques on key police outcomes in the context of serious violent crime: offender identification, arrests, elicitation of confessions, convictions and case closure. Details: Sydney: Criminal Research Advisory Council, 2017. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/43-1314-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Investigations Shelf Number: 147966

Author: Shepherd, Stephane M. Title: Aboriginal prisoners with cognitive impairment - Is this the highest risk group? Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its associations with mental health, cultural needs and offending for a representative cohort (N = 122) of adult Indigenous offenders in custody. Results revealed an over-representation of cognitively impaired prisoners in the sample (22%). The prevalence of mental illness was exceptionally high, and so there was a large minority with concomitant illness/disability. Given the widely publicised custodial overrepresentation and social disadvantages endured by Indigenous Australians, there was an expectation that Indigenous status and its associated risk factors would potentially preclude differentiation by level of cognitive impairment. This was true for several social and emotional wellbeing and custodial needs. However, possessing a cognitive disability was connected to poorer outcomes for participants in a number of areas. Indigenous offenders with cognitive impairment were more susceptible to harmful coping mechanisms in the face of stressors such as drug and alcohol abuse. They were also more likely to perceive discrimination, have family members in custody and have trouble managing acute emotions compared to non cognitively impaired offenders. The cognitively impaired subgroup were more likely to re-offend, were younger at first offence, and had greater numbers of prior offences. Findings signal the need for culturally themed disability assistance and diversionary options at all levels of the criminal justice system. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2017. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/09-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Cognitive Impairment Shelf Number: 147967

Author: Dwyer, Angela Title: Reporting Victimisation to LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex) Police Liaison Services: A mixed methods study across two Australian states Summary: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) police liaison programs were established around Australia from the late 1980s onwards to ameliorate the historically discriminatory relationships between LGBTI people and police. Police liaison officers are trained to know about LGBTI issues and are typically available for LGBTI people to seek support from in circumstances where they have been a victim, an offender, or even a witness to a crime. Interestingly, very few LGBTI people seek support from these officers when they need it (Berman and Robinson 2010), even though amongst LGBTI people there is a considerable awareness of these services being available. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2017. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/31-1112-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes Shelf Number: 147968

Author: Gannoni, Alexandra Title: Surveillance technologies and crime control; understanding offenders' perspectives on police body-worn video (BWV) cameras and CCTV Summary: The use of surveillance technologies, in the form of closed-circuit television (CCTV) and police body-worn video cameras (BWCs), has become a feature of crime prevention and detection and plays an important role in police operations. While CCTV is in widespread use throughout Australia, evidence on the effectiveness of the technology for deterrence and detection and possible displacement remains mixed. There is also little evidence on the effectiveness of BWCs and their impact on interactions between police and members of the public. For both CCTV and BWCs there is a lack of evidence about how people who are acted against by the police perceive surveillance technology and whether it influences their crime-related decisions and behaviour at the time of arrest. This study aimed to increase understanding of the perceptions and impacts of CCTV and BWCs through interviews with 899 adult police detainees, using an addendum to the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Detainees were interviewed during the second half of 2015 at police watchhouses in four Australian state capital cities - Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. Police detainees tended to regard CCTV as effective in reducing crime, particularly violent crime, but a significant number felt it would not prevent any crime. CCTV deterred some from committing crime, but had no deterrent effect for a substantial proportion. Detainees identified a range of simple strategies for avoiding surveillance cameras, such as covering their face or turning away from cameras. Findings suggest that police detainees are largely supportive of the use of police BWCs, but this was predicated on a number of operational and procedural requirements. The responses of detainees highlighted the need for evidence-based policy on the deployment of BWCs, in particular the need for clear guidelines and protocols about how and when they are operated. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2017. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/31-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Shelf Number: 147969

Author: Shepherd, Stephane M. Title: Aboriginal prisoners with cognitive impairment: Is this the highest risk group? Summary: Early estimates point to higher rates of cognitive impairment among Indigenous Australians in custody compared to non-Indigenous Australians. This study sought to examine the prevalence of cognitive impairment in a representative sample of Indigenous offenders from Victorian prisons. Differences in mental illness prevalence, offending history and post-release recidivism were explored by presence of cognitive impairment. Results revealed an over-representation of cognitively impaired prisoners in the sample and a large minority with concomitant mental illness or disability. Cognitively impaired prisoners were more likely to re-offend, were younger at first offence, and had greater numbers of prior offences. Findings signal the need for culturally themed disability assistance and diversionary options at all levels of the criminal justice system. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 536: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi536.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Cognitive Impairment Shelf Number: 147970

Author: Taylor, Emmeline Title: Police detainee perspectives on police body-worn cameras Summary: Recent years have seen the introduction of police body-worn cameras (BWCs) in many countries. Despite the costs involved in purchasing equipment and storing the large amounts of data generated, there is a dearth of evidence to support their mainstream use as part of law enforcement activities. There remains little understanding about the impact and effectiveness of BWCs, and less still on how the police, members of the public and, importantly, arrestees perceive and experience the cameras. In this study, 899 adult police detainees were interviewed about their perceptions and experiences of police BWCs through the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Findings suggest that police detainees in Australia are largely supportive of the use of police BWCs, but this was predicated on a number of operational and procedural requirements. The findings have implications for the use of BWCs as an everyday part of policing apparatus. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 537: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi537.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras Shelf Number: 147971

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Police detainee perspectives on CCTV Summary: Surveillance technologies have been playing an increasingly important role in crime prevention and detection, particularly with costeffective improvements in resolution and mobility. There remains mixed evidence on the effectiveness of this technology for deterrence and detection and whether use results in displacement. In this study, 899 adult police detainees were interviewed about their views and experiences of CCTV through an addendum to the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Police detainees tended to regard CCTV as effective in reducing crime, particularly violent crime, but a significant number felt it would not prevent any crime. Nonetheless, for some the presence of CCTV deterred them from committing crime, although detainees were more likely to carry out their intended behaviours regardless of CCTV. Detainees identified a range of simple strategies for avoiding surveillance cameras, such as covering their face or turning away from the cameras. The findings have implications for the continued use of CCTV as a crime prevention and reduction tool. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 538: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi538.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) Shelf Number: 147972

Author: Higginson, Angela Title: Police techniques for investigating serious violent crime: A systematic review Summary: Police use a variety of techniques in their investigation of serious violent crimes, such as homicide, robbery, assault and sexual assault. This paper systematically reviews experimental and quasiexperimental research on the effectiveness of these investigative techniques. Meta-analysis was used to combine effect sizes across multiple studies examining the same technique, crime and outcome. Eighteen studies on 10 broad categories of investigative techniques were identified, with the largest number of studies examining specialised investigative techniques for sexual assault and the collection or testing of DNA and other physical evidence. While there were some promising findings, findings were mixed and, in some areas, there is limited evidence on which to draw strong conclusions. Given the significant investment of police resources in the investigation of serious violent crime, the results highlight the need for more methodologically rigorous empirical research on both new and established investigative techniques available to law enforcement. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 539: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi539.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Investigations Shelf Number: 147973

Author: Prenzler, Tim Title: The Role of Private Security in Supporting Police Responses to Domestic Violence Summary: Domestic violence is a socially complex crime that is a major cause of stress, disruption, financial hardship, injury, illness and death for Australian women. Children and men also suffer from this type of abuse. Recently in Australia there has been a renewed and high profile campaign from governments, non-government organisations and social commentators for solutions to this devastating and costly crime. This report reviews key dimensions of the problem internationally and in Australia, including the prevalence of domestic violence, impacts on victims and associated costs. The literature on prevention is also reviewed. The report then provides a set of case studies of prevention-oriented partnership-based initiatives involving the private security industry. These comprise shelter security, home security, GPS tracking of offenders, and mobile personal duress alarms linked to police. Details: Crows Nest, NSW: Australian Security Industry Association Limited, 2016. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: https://www.asial.com.au/documents/item/579 Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 147979

Author: Centre for Innovative Justice Title: Compulsion, convergence or crime? Criminal justice system contact as a form of gambling harm Summary: Rarely mentioned as a legal policy consideration, this report suggests that gambling may be a feature of offenders' lives in more ways than the community might expect - a 'sleeper' issue, as project participants described it. Yet the overwhelming presence of mental illness, Acquired Brain Injury, family violence; childhood trauma; drug and alcohol abuse; homelessness and other forms of vulnerability in offender populations mean that the existence of less visible problems like gambling is not always clear. Given that it is only in the last few decades that gambling has shifted from a predominantly unlawful pursuit to one encouraged as a mainstream leisure activity, it is not surprising that it has failed to register in any meaningful way on the legal system's radar. Similarly, clinical understanding of the severity with which gambling problems can manifest - reflected in the relatively recent inclusion of gambling within clinical tools which diagnose other forms of addiction - has been slow to reach legal discourse. In fact, despite previous recommendations that relevant data collection occur, the legal system does not ask any questions about the presence of gambling within offender populations, outside specific and quite limited contexts. What's more, the small amount of information that we do have from the 'front end' of the system, being presentation for legal advice or at court, conflicts with available studies of problem gambling prevalence in prison populations. This means that we simply do not know, overall, the exact extent to which gambling harm intersects with the criminal justice system and, if it does, in what way. When funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation to explore the intersection of gambling harm and the criminal justice system, therefore, the CIJ's task was to start to draw together the information which does exist, but also to open a door for it to be collected in the future. Through comprehensive literature review; analysis of raw data provided by various agencies; an audit of submissions to the Royal Commission on Family Violence; analysis of sentencing remarks in over 100 cases in Victorian superior courts; and through focus group discussions and targeted consultations, the CIJ gained access to views not previously explored in existing Australian research. This was not only to capture the understanding which currently exists, but to create opportunities for this understanding to grow. In order to create these opportunities, this project started to map the pathways which propel problem gamblers into contact with offending, offenders into gambling, and any context in between. The most obvious example of this occurs along a linear pathway in which a person develops a gambling problem and then commits an offence - such as theft or drug trafficking - to resource it. Details: Melbourne: Centre for Innovative Justice, RMIT University, 2017. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: https://www.rmit.edu.au/content/dam/rmit/documents/college-of-business/graduate-school-of-business-and-law/Gambling-Harm-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Gambling and Crime Shelf Number: 147980

Author: Sentas, Vicki Title: Policing Young People in NSW: A study of the Suspect Targeting Management Plan Summary: The New South Wales Police Force (NSW Police) Suspect Targeting Management Plan (STMP) seeks to prevent future offending by targeting repeat offenders and people police believe are likely to commit future crime. The STMP is both a police intelligence tool that uses risk assessment to identify suspects and a policing program that guides police interaction with individuals who are subject to the program. This report focuses on how the STMP is applied to children and young people. The report documents how the STMP is used in relation to young people, young people's experiences with the STMP and the impact that the STMP is having on young people's interactions with police and criminal justice. This report also documents the impact of the STMP on policing practice and police application of the law. Findings in this report are based on i) available quantitative data on program participants, ii) de-identified case studies drawn from interviews with lawyers, iii) publicly available guidance given to police on STMP operational procedures, and iv) analysis of case law and legislation. The research has been limited by the lack of publicly available information on the STMP and the absence, to date, of scrutiny and oversight of the program. By adopting a mixed methods approach, the report is able to make robust preliminary findings and identify areas for further investigation. The preliminary findings based on this research are: - Disproportionate use against young people and Aboriginal people: Data shows the STMP disproportionately targets young people, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and has been used against children as young as ten. - Patterns of 'oppressive policing' that may be damaging relationships between police and young people: Young people targeted on the STMP experience a pattern of repeated contact with police in confrontational circumstances such as through stop and search, move on directions and regular home visits. The STMP risks damaging relationships between young people and the police. Young people, their families or legal representatives are rarely aware of criteria used to add or remove people from the STMP. As the case studies show, young people experience the STMP as a pattern of oppressive, unjust policing. - Increasing young people's costly contact with the criminal justice system and no observable impact on crime prevention: The STMP has the effect of increasing vulnerable young people's contact with the criminal justice system. Application of the STMP can be seen to undermine key objectives of the NSW youth criminal justice system, including diversion, rehabilitation and therapeutic justice. The research has identified several instances where Aboriginal young people on Youth Koori Court therapeutic programs have had their rehabilitation compromised by remaining on the STMP. There is no publicly available evidence that the STMP reduces youth crime. - Encouraging poor police practice: In some instances, the exercise of police search powers in relation to a young person on the STMP have been found unlawful by the courts. The STMP may be inadvertently diminishing police understanding of the lawful use of powers (set out in the Law Enforcement Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2002 (NSW) (LEPRA)) and thereby exposing police to reduced efficacy and civil action. - No transparency and an absence of oversight, scrutiny or evaluation: The operation of the STMP is not transparent or accountable. Criteria for placement on the STMP are not publicly available, individuals cannot access their STMP plan and it is unclear what criteria are used by police to remove a person from the STMP. The report proposes a number of recommendations based on these findings and the research represented in this report. These recommendations provide clear and specific guidance to the NSW Police Force and the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Details: Sydney: Youth Justice Coalition, 2017. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: https://www.piac.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/17.10.25-YJC-STMP-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 147981

Author: Herbert, James Title: Components of Effective Cross-Agency Responses to Abuse - A Report for the NSW Ombudsman's Office (Report 2 of 2) Summary: This report aims to provide a synthesis of research information to suggest the most important components of Multi-Disciplinary Team responses in order to inform the ongoing review of the Joint Investigation Response Team (JIRT) model by the NSW Ombudsman’s Office. Drawing on recently completed studies of multi-disciplinary teams and new research, this report presents findings on: (a) What is the evidence for the effectiveness of Multi-Disciplinary Teams, and what characteristics are consistent across effective Multi-Disciplinary Teams; (b) What Multi-Disciplinary Team responses to abuse are in use in Australia and comparable international jurisdictions; and (c) The rationale for Multi-Disciplinary Team models. The report ends with a summary of the implications of this information for the current review of the JIRT model. Details: Adelaide: Australian Centre for Child Protection, University of South Australia, 2017. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 7, 2017 at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/Global/EASS/Research/ACCP/Components%20of%20Effective%20Cross-Agency%20Responses%20to%20Abuse.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 148056

Author: New South Wales. Audit Office Title: Therapeutic Programs in Prisons Summary: Corrective Services NSW should ensure eligible prisoners receive timely programs to reduce the risk they will reoffend on release, according to a report released today by the NSW Acting Auditor-General, Ian Goodwin. The report found that in 2015-16, 75 per cent of prisoners who needed a prison-based therapeutic program did not receive one before the earliest date they could be released. Timely access to prison-based therapeutic programs can be a factor in parole refusal and can potentially exacerbate overcrowding in the prison system. The audit looked at a selection of moderate and high intensity programs that aim to reduce reoffending by addressing addiction, violence, domestic abuse, sex offending and general offending. Corrective Services NSW could do more to better target and evaluate its programs. Corrective Services NSW does not collect detailed enough information on the reasons for program non-completion to identify and address barriers to participation. Corrective Services NSW could also better address some gaps in available programs to respond to higher intensity therapeutic needs. In August 2016, Corrective Services NSW was allocated an additional $237 million for initiatives to reduce reoffending. Additional funding is proposed to be used to hire additional staff including 157 case management officers to ensure that offenders participate and complete rehabilitative programs. This may alleviate some of the stresses on current resources. In support of the effective rollout of new initiatives, Corrective Services NSW could do more to systematically evaluate its programs to ensure existing and new programs are achieving desired outcomes. While the programs are based on a large volume of international evidence, little conclusive evidence for their effectiveness in the context of the NSW prisons system is available. 'Going forward, Corrective Services should implement more systematic and thorough evaluations, that identify and solve data gaps, to ensure that its programs are achieving their goal of reducing reoffending,' the Acting Auditor-General said. Details: Sydney: Audit Office, 2017. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Performance Audit: Accesssed November 7, 2017 at: http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/latest-reports/therapeutic-programs-in-prisons Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Programs Shelf Number: 148059

Author: Cunneen, Chris Title: Arguments for Raising the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility Summary: The age of criminal responsibility is the primary legal barrier to criminalisation and thus entry into the criminal justice system. This paper1 provides arguments for raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR). Nationally the minimum age is 10 years old. Some Australian states set the MACR at 10 years in the mid-to late 1970s (Queensland (1976), NSW (1977) and South Australia (1979)). However, only since the early 2000s has there been a uniform approach to the MACR in all Australian jurisdictions (Cunneen et al 2015: 250). The paper provides a number of reasons for raising the age: international comparisons; the protection of children's rights; the limited ability of the common law doctrine of doli incapax to protect young children; child developmental arguments and issues of mental illness and cognitive impairment; criminological arguments relating to the failure of a criminalisation approach; and the views of juvenile justice practitioners. In addition, this paper argues that a low MACR adversely affects Indigenous children who comprise the majority of children under the age of 14 years who come before youth courts in Australia and are sentenced to either youth detention or a community-based sanction. I acknowledge that there is perhaps little political appetite among Australian states and territories to raise the age, despite calls by academics (eg Crofts 2015, O'Brien and Fitz-Gibbon 2017), various non-government organisations including members of the Child Rights Taskforce (2011: 31-32), Jesuit Social Services (2015), Amnesty International (2015), and criminal lawyers' associations and some Children's Commissioners (Zillman 2017). However, the release of the Royal Commission into Child Protection and Youth Detention Systems of the Northern Territory report may provide a space to further this discussion. This paper does not specify what the minimum age of criminal responsibility should be. However, as will be become apparent anything less than 14 years old is unlikely to achieve the desired result of minimizing the adverse consequences of criminalisation. Further, this paper does not specifically address what should replace criminalisation as the most appropriate response for children aged 10 to 14 years who would have otherwise been dealt with through the criminal law. Developing the most appropriate forms of social policy and practice in this area should be the subject of wide consultation - to avoid the mistakes of previous 'welfare' based interventions and the widely acknowledged limitations of current child protection approaches. Often lost among the discussions around the MACR is an acknowledgement of the children who become caught up in the criminal justice system. Our research for the Comparative Youth Penality Project shows that the needs of young people in juvenile justice are multiple and complex: they have come from communities of entrenched socio-economic disadvantage; and have fragmented experiences of education which are marked by periods of exclusion and expulsion, and result in poor educational outcomes. They have precarious living arrangements including homelessness and/or placements in Out of Home Care (OOHC). They have experienced drug and alcohol related addiction; struggle with unresolved trauma; and have one or more disabilities. Details: Sydney: Comparative Youth Penality Project, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2017. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Comparative Youth Penality Project, University of New South Wales, Sydney: Accessed November 10, 2017 at: http://cypp.unsw.edu.au/sites/ypp.unsw.edu.au/files/Cunneen%20%282017%29%20Arguments%20for%20raising%20the%20minimum%20age%20of%20criminal%20responsibility.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Age of Responsibility Shelf Number: 148130

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Operation Tone: Special report concerning drug use and associated corrupt conduct involving Ambulance Victoria paramedics Summary: The Victorian community places great trust in paramedics. Paramedics are often among the first to arrive at the scene of an emergency and are responsible for treating and stabilising patients. They have access to an array of powerful, prescription medications that they can administer (in accordance with clinical guidelines) depending on a patient's needs and circumstances. Victorians rightfully expect that paramedics will demonstrate professionalism and expertise in carrying out their duty of care to patients. This report concerns an investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) into allegations that Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics engaged in serious corrupt conduct, namely the theft, trafficking and use of drugs of dependence, and misappropriation of AV equipment. Many paramedics are exemplars of their profession. However, Operation Tone has identified a culture of illicit drug use and misappropriation of AV equipment by individuals and among certain groups, particularly in the Barwon South West region. Based on evidence obtained during the investigation, IBAC believes it is probable that this conduct occurs beyond that identified in this investigation. Illicit drug use by paramedics is concerning on several fronts: - Illicit drug use, possession and trafficking are criminal offences and contravene the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees and the AV Workplace Conduct Policy. A paramedic who procures and uses illicit drugs is, by definition, engaging in criminal conduct. - The use of drugs of dependence undermines the safety of the Victorian community. It is imperative that a paramedic's judgement and performance not be impaired by illicit drugs, particularly when they are dealing with patients. The use of drugs of dependence also poses a safety risk for individual users and their AV colleagues. Since 2012, fentanyl or morphine have been involved in three paramedic deaths in Victoria. - The use of drugs of dependence erodes public confidence in AV. AV has proactively responded to the vulnerabilities identified in Operation Tone. When IBAC commenced its investigation in November 2015, AV's capacity to identify and expose at-risk paramedics was initially limited. During IBAC's investigation, AV introduced new policies and practices to minimise opportunities for the possession, use and misappropriation of drugs of dependence. New AV policies and practices also limit the opportunity for misappropriation of AV equipment. AV has advised it accepts the content of this report and the recommendations made. AV also advised it has continued to implement initiatives to address illicit drug use and misuse of drugs of dependence since the completion of IBAC's investigation. During Operation Tone, one paramedic was terminated and eight paramedics resigned while under investigation. Six paramedics retained their employment with a formal warning; of these, five were relocated to different regions for varying periods, were enrolled in an ethics counselling course, and precluded from development opportunities for 12 months. Following the IBAC investigation, one witness pleaded guilty in the Geelong Magistrates. Court to breaching a confidentiality nottice and misleading IBAC, and was fined $5000. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2017. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/special-reports/operation-tone-special-report-september-2017.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Corruption Shelf Number: 148138

Author: Read, Paul Title: Community attitudes towards reporting bushfire arson to to Crime Stoppers in Victoria, 2012 - 2015: Have patterns changed? Fifth report to Crime Stoppers Summary: This report is the fifth in a longitudinal study of reporting the crime of arson to Crime Stoppers, Victoria. While investigating the triggers for reporting firelighting, this report presents comparative data, especially that collected in 2012, in an attempt to understand reporting trends and the community responses to the raising of awareness of the importance of reporting crime to Crime Stoppers. The data is compared for the complete respondents for that year, and between the specific regions where surveying was undertaken. Finally, the report presents an exploration of how the reporting of arson may differ according to both the socio-economic characteristics of regions and the personal experience of crime in general and reporting habits around this. Overall, approximately 2000 Victorians have been surveyed over about eight years. The survey questions have become progressively better targeted and comprehensive, modified from the learnings gained by the researchers from each survey. The 2015 survey covered seven regions in Victoria. The survey tested reporting strength or the circumstances where a report would be made. This was examined through manipulating the seriousness of the fire, the relationship to the perpetrator and the role of fear. In 2015, 92% of respondents would take some action if they knew something to help solve an arson event, even if the perpetrator was friend, family or their own child, in the case of a small fire lit on a Total Fire Ban day, a small bushfire that burns out a few acres with no damage to people or property, or a fatal wildfire that destroyed property and killed people. This was an increase of 13% from the 2012 survey. However, when all opportunities to report are considered, 58% of respondents would report to the Triple Zero number, 17% to Crime Stoppers, 17% would handle the situation themselves. Eight per cent would do nothing. When specific factors are looked at in regard to reporting strength, women are more likely to report to CS than men, but were more fearful than men of wasting CS's time. When comparing reporters (either to CS or Tripe Zero) with non-reporters (those that preferred to handle the situation themselves or do nothing), reporters felt part of their community, they felt safer and wealthier, happier in relationships, extraverted, individualistic and authoritarian, they believe police will act fast if they report, and they feel moral congruence with both police and the judicial system. The scale of the fire and relationship to the offender interacts, along with witnessed versus suspected arson, to influence reporting. Thus, to report or not is influenced by a range of judgements. For example, when there is a change in context from accidental to deliberate fire-lighting, reporting increases by 17% and perceived greater vulnerability of the offender decreases reporting by 27%. The belief about anonymity of CS increases reporting from Triple Zero to CS and strengthens reporting by at least 9%. It is important that the public understand the difference between witnessing an arson event, when Triple Zero should be contacted, and being suspicious about a fire-lighting event, when CS should be contacted. The results for 2015 demonstrate far less public confusion about the role of CS in cases of arson when compared with 2012. It also shows an improvement in Surf Coast, previously the weakest across all regions for these metrics. Comparing 2012 and 2015, there is an average rise of 27 percentage points in correct reporting choices made across regions. Details: Melbourne: Crime Stoppers and Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne 2017. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/114951/apo-nid114951-455371.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Arson Shelf Number: 148139

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Corruption risks associated with the public health sector Summary: The Victorian public health sector has the largest budget and employs the most people of any sector operated by the Victorian government. More than $15�billion of the state budget is spent on public health each year and the public health sector employs more than 106,000 people, almost one-third of the entire Victorian public sector. The health sector faces unique corruption risks. Access to controlled drugs, complex employment agreements and billing structures, and multiple complaints systems present challenges specific to the health sector. The strong hierarchical culture within the medical profession may enable behaviours that drive or obscure corrupt conduct. But many integrity issues facing the health sector are not unique; for example, procurement and conflicts of interest have been identified by IBAC as corruption risks affecting agencies across Victoria's public sector. This report presents a snapshot of health sector complaints and cases that have arisen during IBAC's first four years of operation. It explores the corruption vulnerabilities associated with the health sector - both those specific to the health sector and those it shares with the broader public sector. Highlighting such issues helps the health sector to identify corruption risks, and take appropriate prevention and detection actions to address them. 2.1 Key findings 1. The size, diversity and nature of the public health system creates corruption risks and vulnerabilities that are specific to the health sector. These include the theft of controlled drugs, covering up of clinical malpractice, fraudulent billing practices and bullying within the medical profession, which can enable or obscure corrupt conduct. 2. The public health sector shares other significant corruption risks with the broader public sector. These include risks associated with procurement and contract management, funding vulnerabilities, employment practices, and thefts of cash and smaller physical assets. 3. Non-government organisations such as community health centres, which are government funded to deliver public health services, potentially represent a significant gap in IBAC's jurisdiction. 4. The size and complexity of the health sector, and the comparatively low number of notifications IBAC has received from health sector agencies, means IBAC's awareness of potential risks and vulnerabilities associated with the health sector is still developing. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2017. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/corruption-risks-associated-with-the-public-health-sector.pdf?sfvrsn=0 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Corruption Shelf Number: 148142

Author: McCausland, Ruth Title: Indigenous People, Mental Health, Cognitive Disability and the Criminal Justice System Summary: This research brief provides an analysis of available data on the prevalence rates of Indigenous people with mental health disorders and cognitive disability in Australia and outlines the challenges in obtaining accurate data. The brief considers issues facing these groups of Indigenous people in their contact with police, in courts, in custody and post-release, highlighting the lack of appropriate diversionary programs at all ages of this contact. Drawn from available research and evaluations, this brief concludes with key principles and strategies for policy and programming reform in this area. Details: New South Wales: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2017. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Brief 22: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: https://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/mp/files/publications/files/research-brief-24-final-31-8-17.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 148143

Author: Sheppard, Jill Title: Attitudes to National Security: Balancing Safety and Privacy Summary: The most recent ANUpoll explores Australians' willingness to trade off their personal rights and freedoms for national security. Government responses to the threat of terrorism often incur a cost to citizens, by way of reductions in privacy, freedom of movement, and other individual rights and civil liberties. Such a 'trade-off' approach, where the respect for fundamental liberal rights and values is reconciled with the need for communal security, according to the threat level, is meant to strike an appropriate balance between these two cornerstones of liberalism. Sacrificing some freedoms to protect the Australian community is therefore presented by governments as a necessary cost, but one that is proportionate to the need for safety. Yet this trade-off between increased security and the reduction in some civil liberties also presents a dilemma to democratic societies: namely, the extent to which the risk of terrorist attacks can actually be contained without compromising the defining principles of Australia's liberal order. While in theory the idea of finding an appropriate balance seems straightforward, in practice it can be difficult to determine how much weight should be attached to the respective values of security versus privacy. When examining attitudes towards safety and privacy, it is consequently important to understand national security in terms of not only preventing terrorist violence, but also considering the political consequences any such measures have for our democratic societies. This is why this survey took particular interest in how the public views this increased need for surveillance with regard to the Muslim population, who are commonly perceived as being at a higher risk of radicalization and of being susceptible to violent extremist ideologies. The survey of 1200 Australians finds widespread support for current counter-terrorism measures, such as retention of telecommunications metadata, strict border control policies, revocation of citizenship of 'foreign fighters' with more than one nationality, and bans on travel to sites of certain international conflicts. Even when posed as a trade-off between an individual's rights and the protection of national security, the Australians surveyed express support for freedom-limiting policies in the fight against terrorism. The findings also illustrate substantial public awareness of Muslims identified as being at a higher risk of radicalization and affiliation with terrorist groups than the rest of the population. More importantly, this ANUpoll supports the notion that many Australians conflate terrorism and Islamic extremism, with 22 per cent of Australians 'not much' or 'not at all' bothered by the possibility of Muslims being singled out for additional surveillance and monitoring. This indicates a disconnect from the Australian Government's emphasis on cooperation with the Muslim community over enhanced law enforcement. This is significant insofar as it highlights an ongoing public perception of Muslims in Western societies as a potential danger to national security. This can result in stigmatisation, social divisions, and public backlash against the government counter-terrorism measures from those who feel unfairly targeted. Details: Canberra: Australian National University, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, College of Arts and Social Sciences, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 22: Accessed November 13, 2017 at: http://politicsir.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/politicsir.anu.edu.au/files/ANUpoll-22-Security.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremist Violence Shelf Number: 148149

Author: Papalia, Paul Title: Locking in Poverty How Western Australia drives the poor, women and Aboriginal people to prison Summary: The current policy for managing Western Australians who cannot pay fines has cost taxpayers millions of dollars, strained the prison system and has disproportionately affected the poor, especially women and Aboriginal people. In Western Australia, fine defaulters may enter prison to clear a fine, if they have been unsuccessful in paying off the fine via a payment plan or completing a Community Service Order. The management of Community Service Orders was changed in early 2009, resulting in high rates of imprisonment of fine defaulters. The State Government assumes that the prospect of going to prison will deter people from breaking the law and incurring fines in the first place. If so, the number of fine defaulters entering the prison system should have diminished. Instead, this policy is driving an extra 1100 people to prison a year, with significant economic and social costs. This policy is not working. It is economically unsound, ineffective in enforcing fines payments and profoundly unfair. - Every year since 2010, more than 1,100 fine defaulters have entered prison in Western Australia solely for the purpose of clearing fines. - Fine defaulters in prison 'cut out' $250 of fines a day, yet it costs $345 per day to keep them in prison. - The costs of imprisoning fine defaulters have blown out by 220 per cent since 2008. - Last year, one in every three women who entered the prison system did so solely for the purposes of clearing fines. - The number of Aboriginal women jailed for fine default has soared by 576 per cent since 2008. - Between 2008 and 2013, the number of Aboriginal people incarcerated solely for fine default has increased from 101 to 590, a growth of more than 480 per cent. - Between 2008-9 and 2012-13, the Department of Corrective Services budget has blown out by an average of 8.6 per cent a year. If this trend continues, this year's budget of $870.25 million could blow out to $945.1 million. Details: Secret Harbor, WA: WA Labor, 2014. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: WA Labor Discussion Paper: Accessed November 14, 2017 at: https://www.markmcgowan.com.au/files/Locking_in_Poverty.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Persons Shelf Number: 148163

Author: Kelly, Hannah Title: Where There's Smoke There's Fire: An Opportunity Theory Perspective on Vehicle Arson Summary: Opportunity theories of crime suggest that crime occurs in specific spatio-temporal patterns due to an increase in opportunity and a decrease in risk. Financially-motivated crimes have been demonstrated to be influenced by the economy. From an opportunity perspective this is likely to be due to changes in an individual's financial circumstances leading them to view the benefits of crime to outweigh the risks. To extend this idea, this research is examining whether financial hardship influences the perceived costs/benefits associated with crimes such as vehicle arson committed with the intention of escaping debt. From 1997-2003, vehicle fires in Surrey were occurring at a rate more than double the national average and many of these were transpiring under suspicious circumstances. Using an opportunity theory framework, this study aims to examine the spatio-temporal patterns of vehicle arson and discover how it was effected by changes in economic conditions. The data for this study were obtained from Surrey Fire Services and contain information on all fires that involved a vehicle in Surrey from 2000-2015. The vehicle fire data were separated into arson and non-arson groups depending on their recorded act/omission and various economic variables were considered to represent the market. Vehicle arson trends were examined over the study period along with motor vehicle theft data, economic variables and the non-arson fire data. Relative to the unsuspicious vehicle fires, vehicle arson was significantly more likely to occur at night in areas with little surveillance. Results indicate that vehicle arson increases during times of economic downturn. Vehicle arson significantly increased following a rise in unemployment and interest rates whilst non-arson vehicle fires remained stable throughout the study period thus supporting an opportunity theory of crime. Results are discussed with relation to situational crime prevention policy and practice. Details: Perth, Western Australia: Murdoch University, School of Law, 2016. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed November 15, 2017 at: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/35574/1/Kelly2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Arson Shelf Number: 148188

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: A Sentencing Guidelines Council for Victoria; Issues Paper Summary: A Sentencing Guidelines Council for Victoria: Issues Paper is designed to assist with community consultation on the creation of a Victorian sentencing guidelines council. It considers the purposes, composition and functions of such a council. It also examines what sentencing guidelines might look like in the Victorian context and the potential effect of the guidelines. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2017. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2017 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/A_Sentencing_Guidelines_Council_for_Victoria_Issues_Paper.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Punishment Shelf Number: 148192

Author: Edgar, William J. Title: The Convict Era in Western Australia: Its economic, social and political consequences Summary: This thesis assesses the economic, social and political consequences of the transportation of convicts to Western Australia from 1850 onward. The work examines firstly the initial trouble-free 'bedding in' process during the first five years. Matters then changed with the passing of the 'Penal Servitude Act' at Westminster in 1853. From mid 1854 onward a more serious criminal 'type' was loaded aboard the transports to Western Australia. With the potential for social disaster, and to tighten the fiscal management of the colony, the authoritarian Dr John Hampton was appointed Governor in 1862. Despite popular perceptions, Hampton proved to be a capable administrator. Although he was blamed for many of the perceived ills of the convict system he transformed the fortunes of the colony, economically and politically. While much has been handed down about the severity and iniquities of the convict system, much has been falsely mythologized. The Western Australian period of convict transportation from Great Britain was the end phase in a penal methodology that had started with the first transportation act in 1597. It metamorphosed from one of extreme cruelty in its earliest phases in the 17th century to one with rehabilitation rather than retribution as its central tenet during its Western Australian phase. This thesis argues that the new environment played a considerable role in modification of attitudes and behaviour among the convicts, even among the formerly most intransigent. Though a penal colony, Western Australia remained, overall, a law-abiding society during the period. The relatively small free population against the relatively large residue of former convicts, however, was perceived as a limiting imbalance by conservative, 'responsible' citizenry and served to delay the granting of self-governing status until 1889. Yet overall the convict experience in Western Australia proved to be, economically and socially, a positive and progressive phase for both the free and bond elements within that struggling embryo society. Details: Perth, Western Australia: Murdoch University, 2014. 349p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 16, 2017 at: http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/21436/ Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Convicts Shelf Number: 148202

Author: Liston, Ruth Title: A team effort: Preventing violence against women through sport Summary: Sport is an integral part of Australian culture. It is woven into the fabric of the everyday lives of many Australian individuals, families and communities. To prevent violence against women, we need to engage and educate people where they "live, work, learn, socialise and play". Change the story: A shared national framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia (Change the story) identifies sport settings as a priority sector for the primary prevention of violence against women in Australia. Evidence also suggests that communities expect sport settings to be safe, and for sporting organisations to work towards gender equality and the prevention of violence against women. With appropriate support, sporting organisations - whether at the national, state or local level - can be pivotal in tackling this significant issue and creating lasting change. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2017. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/01967038-a7f9-4267-ba3e-912c0fa0398e/A-team-effort-evidence-guide-AA.pdf.aspx Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Masculinity Shelf Number: 148257

Author: KPMG Title: The Cost of Family Violence in Victoria Summary: The Royal Commission into Family Violence called for a rigorous and consistent measurement of the cost of family violence to government, the community and individuals. The Victorian Government commissioned KPMG to produce The cost of family violence in Victoria report to fulfil Recommendation 219 of the Royal Commission. In 2015-16 the report estimates: the total cost of family violence in Victoria was $5.3 billion the cost to individuals and their families was $2.6 billion the cost to the Victorian community and broader economy was $918 million. Details: Australia: KPMG, 2017. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: https://www.vic.gov.au/system/user_files/Documents/fv/Cost%20of%20family%20violence%20in%20Victoria.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Cost of Family Violence Shelf Number: 148265

Author: Joosten, Melanie Title: Understanding Elder Abuse: A Scoping Study Summary: Elder abuse is a highly complex social problem. The abuse takes many forms, including: financial, physical, psychological, social and sexual as well as the more passive form of neglect. It can be deliberate or inadvertent. It is difficult to measure as the type of abuse and setting in which it occurs differ markedly. It is also difficult to know when an intervention to prevent or manage abuse has been successful as this will depend on the type of abuse and the definition of success. A service provider may define success as cessation of abuse but an older person may not regard cessation as successful if it has meant that they have had to move house or lost contact with the family member perpetrating the abuse. It is also difficult to design interventions that focus on the perpetrator, unless they are also the carer of the older person. For these reasons, there is a lack of high quality research evidence to support the effectiveness of most elder abuse interventions. This review begins with a broad discussion of elder abuse by considering the definition of the term and the prevalence of the behaviour, the impact elder abuse has on older people and the wider population, and the family context within which elder abuse most often occurs. It then considers the different ways elder abuse is conceptualised, and how it intersects with a range of other issues including ageism, family violence and conflict, caregiving, gender and sexuality, and culture and suggests that an applied ecological approach (which considers the individual and their place within their community and society) is the most comprehensive way of conceptualising elder abuse. Finally, interventions that show some evidence or promise, and which should be further and more rigorously researched and evaluated are described. 'Elder abuse' is best used as a descriptive umbrella term that encompasses a broad range of behaviours. Elder abuse should be considered in the context of ageism, family violence and conflict, caregiving, gender and sexuality, and culture, and any policies or interventions aimed at addressing the mistreatment of older people need to take these factors into consideration. Blanket approaches to prevention and intervention are unlikely to address the complex nature of elder abuse. Different types of abuse (financial, psychological, physical, sexual and social abuse and neglect) are related to different risk factors, each of which need to be considered to ensure a longterm solution for any individual. When abuse occurs within the family it is often intergenerational (adult children perpetrating abuse toward their parents). The complex and constantly changing nature of parent�child relationships over the life course can result in feelings of ambivalence that can affect the older person's likelihood of taking action to stop the abuse. Consequently, a need has been identified for evidence-based interventions that address the older person, the abuser and their relationship. Details: Melbourne: University of Melbourne and the National Ageing Research Institute, 2017. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: http://www.nari.net.au/files/elder_abuse_design-screen.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 148266

Author: AUSTRAC Title: Stored Value Cards: Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment Summary: AUSTRAC assessed the overall ML/TF risk associated with the use of stored value cards (SVCs) to be medium, and their vulnerability to criminal misuse to be high. The report found that the risk level of individual SVCs varies significantly depending on the features of the specific product. Travel cards that can be reloaded and redeemed offshore in cash carry significantly higher levels of risk than low value retail gift cards. The most common crime-types in which SVCs are implicated are money laundering and cyber-enabled fraud. Of particular concern is the use of SVCs for terrorism financing purposes. The risk assessment contains detailed information to assist industry understand the risks associated with SVCs and how they can mitigate these risks. Details: Canberra: AUSTRAC, 2017. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2017 at: http://www.austrac.gov.au/sites/default/files/stored-value-cards-risk-assessment-WEB.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Credit Card Fraud Shelf Number: 148274

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Missing Persons: Who is at risk? Summary: In 2008 the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) released a comprehensive study on missing persons in Australia, which presented national data on at-risk groups and identified best practice related to prevention, early intervention, referral processes and support services (James, Anderson & Putt 2008). This report followed an earlier AIC study that examined the incidence and impact of missing person events (Henderson & Henderson 1998). The current study, commissioned by the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) of the Australian Federal Police, updates missing person statistics (first published in Bricknell and Renshaw 2016) and describes the extent to which known risk factors correlate with categories of missing persons. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2017. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Research report 08: Accessed November 20, 2017 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rr/rr8 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Missing Persons Shelf Number: 148281

Author: Mann, Rosemary Title: Norma's Project: A Research Study into the Sexual Assault of Older Women in Australia Summary: Norma's Project was conceived in response to the experience of Norma, the mother of one of the four researchers involved in the project. Norma was a confused and vulnerable 83 year old woman who was sexually assaulted by a male staff member during a respite stay in a residential aged care facility in 2011. Norma was able to tell her story coherently and consistently, and she was able to identify her attacker. She was fortunate that her daughter and others, including police and sexual assault workers, listened and believed her account, tried to bring the perpetrator to justice, and worked hard to make her feel safe again. Nonetheless, given the lack of forensic evidence, the case against the perpetrator was not strong enough for a successful court action to be prosecuted. The idea of older women as victims of sexual assault is relatively recent and little understood. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that, despite the silence that surrounds the topic, such assaults occur in many settings and circumstances. The lack of community awareness can be partly attributed to commonly held assumptions that older women are asexual. How, then, can they be the target of sexual assault? What is unimaginable and unacceptable becomes unsayable or invisible. The significant gaps in knowledge about the sexual assault of older women present a major obstacle to the development of frameworks and strategies for prevention and intervention. Consequently the Norma's Project research team sought funding from the Australian Department of Social Services to address the gaps and increase our understandings of the settings, social contexts and vulnerabilities associated with the sexual assault of older women. The project aims to increase awareness of this important issue both within the community and amongst service providers, and to strengthen the community's ability to prevent, respond to and speak out about the sexual assault of older women. Details: Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), LaTrobe University, 2014. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2017 at: http://elder-mediation.com.au/resources/Sexual_Assault_Older_Women_Australia.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 148283

Author: Victoria State Government Title: Expert Panel on Terrorism and Violent Extremism Prevention and Response Powers. Report 2 Summary: In June 2017, the Victorian government established the independent Expert Panel on Terrorism and Violent Extremism Prevention and Response Powers ('Expert Panel'), led by former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner, Ken Lay AO, and former Victorian Court of Appeal Justice, the Hon David Harper AM. The panel was tasked with examining and evaluating the operation and effectiveness of Victoria's key legislation and related powers and procedures of relevant agencies to prevent, monitor, investigate and respond to terrorism. This second report from the panel extends the focus of the first report to include the full spectrum of policies and programs to prevent and intervene early in relation to emerging risks of violent extremism, or to respond rapidly to risks after they have eventuated. It contains 26 recommendations relating to: countering violent extremism; enhancing disengagement programs; changing the definition of a terrorist act; creating a support and engagement order; creating an offence for the possession of terrorism related material; extending the preventative detention scheme to minors; and creating a post-sentence supervision scheme for high-risk terrorist offenders. Details: Melbourne: Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2017. 121p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/120241/apo-nid120241-482731.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Counter-Terrorism Shelf Number: 148285

Author: Wilson, Dean Title: The Station Study Report. Victoria Police and Victims of Crime: police perspectives and experiences from across Victoria Summary: This report presents the findings gathered from interviews with over 200 operational Victoria Police members. For the first time this research details police attitudes and practices in relation to seeking to provide support to victims of crime while also meeting the other demands and obligations required by their role as serving Victoria Police officers. The findings and recommendations presented in this report are focused upon recognising much of the work and practice that occurs across Victoria on a daily basis that goes largely unrecognised by Victoria Police and the Victorian community more generally, as much of the good work done by police is rarely seen or acknowledged. The release of these findings is particularly timely, only a few years after the implementation of the Victims' Charter, at a point at which Victoria Police and the Victorian community can reflect upon the extent to which service delivery standards have translated into best practice. There is significant innovation and work being undertaken in community-specific ways across Victoria in relation to victim support. There are also a range of areas in which practices and processes that have recently been implemented require rethinking in light of the lived experience of police officers working on the ground to implement these practices and protocols. The recommendations proposed in this report reflect the findings of our research and are intended to contribute towards enhancing and enriching police-victim interaction and victim experiences of the criminal justice system more generally. Details: Clayton, Vic. Faculty of Arts, Monash University, 2011. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2017 at: http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/gender-and-family-violence/files/2016/04/The-Station-Study-Final-Report-2.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police-Citizen Interactions Shelf Number: 148502

Author: Yeong, Steve Title: Evaluation of the 2015 Domestic Violence Evidence-in-Chief (DVEC) Reforms Summary: Aim: To investigate the impact of the 2015 Domestic Violence Evidence-in-Chief (DVEC) reforms on court outcomes for Domestic Violence (DV) assaults in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Court outcome data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research's Reoffending Database (ROD) and DVEC data from the NSW Police Force's Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) were extracted for the period January 2014 to June 2016. These data were used to assess the impact of DVEC using two different identification strategies. First, an Instrumental Variables approach was employed in order to estimate the causal effect of a DVEC statement on the probabilities that an individual defendant: i) has at least one proven offence (a conviction) or ii) pleads guilty to at least one offence at their court appearance. We also use this approach in order to estimate the impact of a DVEC statement on the time taken to finalise a DV assault matter conditional on a guilty plea being entered. Second, a dynamic panel data model with fixed effects was employed in order to investigate the relationship between each Local Area Command's (LAC's) monthly conviction and guilty plea rate for DV assaults and its uptake of DVEC. Results: We find no evidence to indicate that DVEC has had a significant impact on the probability of a guilty plea or the time to finalisation for matters resulting in a guilty plea. We do, however, find limited evidence to indicate that the presence of a DVEC statement may increase the probability of a conviction by about two percentage points. With respect to the monthly LAC level analysis, we find no evidence to indicate that a LAC's DVEC uptake rate has any significant effect on its rate of convictions or guilty pleas. Both of these results are extremely robust to a variety of specifications. Conclusions: Once factors like seasonality and systematic differences between LACs are taken into account, there is limited evidence of a significant impact of the NSW DVEC reforms on court outcomes for DV assaults. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 206: Accessed November 28, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2017-Report-Evaluation-of-the-2015-Domestic-Violence-Evidence-in-Chief-DVEC-reforms-CJB206.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 148513

Author: Humphreys, Cathy Title: Fathers who use violence: Options for safe practice where there is ongoing contact with children Summary: Domestic and family violence (DFV) remains a chronic and destructive aspect of family life in Australia (Cox, 2015). Its pervasive reach into the lives of women and children creates fear, undermines health and wellbeing, is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children, and costs the community an estimated $21.6 billion (Our Watch, 2016; Price Waterhouse & Cooper, 2015). This paper responds to a challenge that has continued to frustrate workers attempting to intervene to support women and children living with DFV. The challenge that arises when women and children may not be in a position to separate from their abusive and violent partners, and when women and children's well-being and safety may not be enhanced by separation. In particular, this paper is focused on fathers who use violence and whether there are strategies that engage and address the issues for children, women and men who are continuing to live with DFV. Details: Melbourne, VIC Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: CFCA Paper No. 43: Accessed November 29, 2017 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/fatherswho_useviolence-final-v2_0.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 148581

Author: AUSTRAC Title: Australia's Securities and Derivatives Sector: Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment Summary: The overall ML/TF risk for the securities and derivatives sector is assessed as medium. Australia's securities and derivatives sector attracts a wide range of criminal threats that often involve sophisticated tactics and methods. Serious and organised crime groups have exploited the sector to launder money and engage in market manipulation. The most common crime type reported in the sector is fraud; with money laundering, insider trading and market manipulation also posing a risk. This risk assessment provides sector-specific information on ML/TF risks at the national level for entities operating in securities and derivatives. Its primary aim is to assist the sector to identify, understand and disrupt ML/TF and other criminal offences targeting Australia's financial system. Details: West Chatswood NSW: AUSTRAC, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2017 at: http://www.austrac.gov.au/sites/default/files/securities-and-derivitives-ra-FINAL-2.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Financial Crimes Shelf Number: 148582

Author: Vlais, Rodney Title: Family and domestic violence perpetrator programs: Issues paper of current and emerging trends, developments and expectations Summary: Responding to men's use of violence and coercive control against their female partners has a relatively short history nationally and internationally dating from the late 1970s and early 1980s. There is still much to be learned about how to stop the use of such violence, and continuing debate about explanations of family and domestic violence (FDV) and therefore the best way forward for interventions. Men's behaviour change programs (MBCPs) have been the mainstay of perpetrator intervention, alongside civil law protection orders and some criminal justice responses. MBCPs have not been a panacea and nor should we expect them to be, however, growing evidence does indicate that the programs can make a positive difference for some men if there are wider FDV service systems in place that support men's accountability and are responsive to changes in risk. MBCPs are one specialist and intensive response which can serve only a proportion of men using violence, hence there is a need for earlier responses by agencies with which perpetrators come into contact. A related concern is that FDV response systems often hold limited and differing information about the perpetrators of violence, such as the level of risk, his range of behaviours and his location. There is now a growing national urgency to ensure we have an earlier and more extensive system of perpetrator responses, so that the delivery of MBCPs becomes a further downstream response once other parts of the intervention system have engaged the man. This requires that practitioners from a diverse range of agencies can more effectively identify FDV perpetrators, necessitating organisational shifts which see the response to perpetrators as within their remit, and greater awareness and 'know how' amongst those running and working in these agencies as well as augmenting the system of responses currently available. We are not suggesting that earlier responses replace MBCPs, rather that other agencies play a role in ensuring the perpetrator is both visible and has options to engage. This is important because men presenting at substance abuse or mental health services have often also been perpetrating violence against a partner which can be overlooked or ignored when the focus of intervention is narrow. Therefore, advances in the system such as family violence informed coordinated case management, behavioural insights interventions, and fathering programs are not alternatives to MBCP work. Rather, they augment the opportunities for perpetrator engagement and can provide a valuable source of information that is not always known to others working with the man or the partner and children. They offer a strategic spectrum of responses that can potentially lead into, follow on from or run in parallel with a perpetrator's participation in a MBCP. Advancing a system of perpetrator intervention is easier said than done. The ripple-like dynamics of FDV demand a well-developed and linked system of responses which holds the safety and protection of women and children as its primary goal by keeping 'eyes on' the perpetrator, and a system that encompasses the option to engage, assess risk and conduct a level of surveillance. This challenge is complex but not insurmountable. Critical to building this system is commitment by FDV specialist agencies, mainstream agencies with a key role in FDV (such as police and child protection), and by agencies which often have men using violence attending the service but which do not address this issue directly or intensively, to ask questions about FDV, assess risk, share information and offer consistent pathways to addressing men�s use of violence. This report offers a national view of trends and developments ranging from the systemic level to daily practice, to stimulate discussion and action about the next steps needed to build perpetrator intervention systems which will strengthen existing FDV efforts and MBCPs within that system. Now is the time to put these developments in place in the wake of recommendations from a second generation of formal inquiries and commissions into FDV in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, and through momentum for change related to the National Plan of Action to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children. Details: Stopping Family Violence, Inc., 2017. 134p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 30, 2017 at: http://sfv.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FDV-perpetrator-programs-issues-paper.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 148593

Author: Poynton, Suzanne Title: The NSW Rolling List Court Evaluation: Preliminary Report Summary: Aim: To determine whether greater efficiency can be achieved through application of the Rolling List Court (RLC) model to NSW District Criminal Court matters. Method: A non-blinded randomised trial was initiated in which eligible District Criminal Court matters were randomly assigned, after committal, either to the RLC or to the general court list. Each matter had an equal chance of being assigned to the RLC. Between March 2015 and April 2016, 110 matters were entered into the ballot; 51 of these were assigned to the RLC and 59 were assigned to the general court list. Results: By the end of July 2016 a significantly higher proportion of matters balloted to the RLC had been finalised compared with matters dealt with in the general court list (65% vs. 37%). Further, a higher proportion of matters dealt with by the RLC resulted in a guilty plea than matters dealt with by the control courts (63% vs. 41%). A guilty plea was entered within 3 months of ballot for nearly one in five (18%) of all the RLC matters. This compares with just 5% of matters dealt with in the control courts. Conclusion: From these early results the success of the RLC to date is promising. Further analyses should be undertaken once all balloted matters have been finalised to confirm the interim findings presented here. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Paper no. 120: Accessed November 30, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-NSW-Rolling-List-Court-Evaluation-BB120.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Delays Shelf Number: 148594

Author: Western Australia. Office of the Auditor General Title: Diverting Young People Away From Court Summary: This performance audit revisits a topic we covered in our 2008 report, The Juvenile Justice System: Dealing with Young People Under the Young Offenders Act 1994. This audit was not a direct follow-up of our previous audit or the related cost benefit analysis. Instead, in this audit we assessed whether agencies effectively divert young people in contact with police away from court by providing the right services, in the right places, at the right times. We looked at how effectively agencies directed young people away from court and into services or programs that could help them with the issues that led to their offending. We focused on diversion before court (early diversion), in the years 2012 to 2016 inclusive. Details: Perth: Western Australia Auditor General, 2017. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Report 18: Accessed December 1, 2017 at: https://audit.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/report2017_18-JuvenileJustice.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis Shelf Number: 148676

Author: Walters, Adrianne Title: Over-represented and overlooked: the crisis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's growing over-imprisonment Summary: The crisis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's over-imprisonment, both in prisons and police cells, is causing immeasurable harm. The tragic and preventable death of Ms Dhu, a 22 year old Yamatji woman, while in the custody of Western Australian police because of unpaid fines is a devastating example of how the justice system fails Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Despite repeatedly asking for help, Ms Dhu died of an infection flowing from a fractured rib - an injury sustained as a result of family violence. Being unable to pay fines saw her locked up and treated inhumanely by police officers before dying in their care. At a time when she needed help, the justice system punished her. Ms Dhu's case is not an isolated one - the deaths of eleven women in prisons and police cells for minor offending were examined by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Only nine months ago, another young Aboriginal woman and the mother of four children, died while in police custody in NSW. Women's imprisonment rates generally have soared much faster than men's in recent decades. Today, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women's over-imprisonment rates are nearly 2.5 times what they were at the time of the landmark 1991 report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Today, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women comprise 34 per cent of women behind bars but only 2 per cent of the adult female Australian population. Even more women are cycling in and out of courts and police cells. This is a crisis, carrying with it profound effects for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, their children and their communities. Details: Melbourne: Human Rights Law Centre; Strawberry Hillw, NSW: Change the Record Coalition, 2017. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2017 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/580025f66b8f5b2dabbe4291/t/59378aa91e5b6cbaaa281d22/1496812234196/OverRepresented_online.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 148677

Author: Doran, Christopher M. Title: Effectiveness of alcohol and other drug interventions in at-risk Aboriginal youth Summary: This review was conducted to identify the most effective interventions to reduce the risk of alcohol and other drug (AOD) related harm among at-risk Aboriginal youth. Fifty-two studies from across four countries were included in the synthesis of literature, which covered both peer-reviewed and grey literature. Only a small number of studies provided guidance on effective AOD interventions for Aboriginal youth, but a common theme underpinning each intervention was that success requires strong community interest, engagement, leadership and sustainable funding. Several key factors were identified as pertinent to successful implementation and sustainability of interventions. The report recommends that three key principles are followed to align future AOD interventions for this target group with best evidence practice and to optimise investment. Details: Ultimo NSW: Sex Institute, 2017. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Check: Accessed December 1, 2017 at: https://www.saxinstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Effectiveness-of-AOD-interventions-in-at-risk-Aboriginal-youth.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 148678

Author: Parkinson, Debra Title: Women's Experience of violence in the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires Summary: This thesis documents the first Australian research to interview women about their experiences of domestic violence after catastrophic disaster. As such research is rare in developed countries, it addresses a gap in the disaster literature. Interviews with 30 women in two shires in Victoria confirmed that domestic violence increased following the Black Saturday bushfires on 7th February, 2009. The scant research that exists internationally indicates that not only is the notion of 'women and children first' a myth, but that women are disproportionally affected by disasters primarily as a result of their poverty relative to men and prescribed gender roles. This research found that women experiencing increased male violence were silenced in preference of supporting suffering men - men who had been heroes in the fires or were traumatised or unemployed as a result of the disaster. The silencing was evident in the lack of statistics on domestic violence in the aftermath of Black Saturday, the neglect of this issue in recovery and reconstruction operations, and the responses to women's reports of violence against them by legal, community and health professionals. Three broad explanations for increased domestic violence after Black Saturday are identified - drawn from empirical findings from the field and the research literature. Theoretical concepts from two disparate fields - sacrifice and male privilege - help to explain a key finding that women's right to live free from violence is conditional. Indeed, the aftermath of Black Saturday presents Australians with the opportunity to see how deeply embedded misogyny is and how fragile our attempts to criminalise domestic violence and hold violent men accountable for their actions. The post-disaster period - characterised as it is by men in uniforms on the ground working, saving, rescuing and restoring; powerful imagery about the role of wives and mothers; increased violence by men; mandatory care-loads for women; and the suffering of good men - presents fertile ground for the fortification of male hegemony. Yet, post-disaster change does not have to be regressive, reinstating and reinforcing the traditional inequitable structure - a structure that has high costs for men and women. An emergency management response to disaster that has embedded gender equity at all levels, together with education of communities on the contribution of strict gender roles to suffering in disaster's aftermath, could exemplify and hasten a more equal society where men's violence against women is rare. Details: Clayton VIC: Monash University, 2014. 257p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 4, 2017 at: https://figshare.com/articles/Women_s_experience_of_violence_in_the_aftermath_of_the_Black_Saturday_bushfires/4705114 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 148686

Author: Queensland. Law Reform Commission Title: Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme Summary: UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE [1] Domestic and family violence can involve a broad range of physical, sexual and non-physical behaviours. It is a complex social problem with no single or simple solution. It tends to be under-reported. [2] Many persons who are at risk of domestic and family violence do not want the relationship to end, but just want the violence to stop. Barriers to leaving an abusive relationship include fear, shame, isolation or lack of support, emotional or financial dependence, and pressures from family or community. LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER RESPONSES TO DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE [3] In recent years, there have been significant legislative and non-legislative reforms at national and State levels to address and reduce domestic and family violence, including looking at new ways to better protect persons at risk of domestic and family violence. [4] One new approach adopted in a number of jurisdictions4 which aims to better protect persons at risk is the introduction of a 'domestic violence disclosure scheme' ('DVDS'). Such a scheme provides a formal mechanism for disclosing to a person at risk information about the relevant criminal or domestic violence history of their current (or, in some cases, former) partner. The aim of the disclosure is to enable the person at risk to make informed decisions about the relationship and their personal safety. TERMS OF REFERENCE [5] The Attorney-General asked the Commission to review and investigate whether or not to introduce a DVDS in Queensland and, if so, to consider a number of specific matters relevant to any proposed scheme. Details: Melbourne: Law Reform Commission, 2017. 185p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 75: Accessed December 4, 2017 at: http://www.qlrc.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/541189/qlrc-report-no-75.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Records Shelf Number: 148688

Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: Outcome evaluation of NSW's Safer Pathway Program: Victims' Experiences Summary: Aims: The primary aim was to see whether the Safer Pathway program is more effective in reducing domestic violence related offences (e.g. physical assault, threats of physical assault, intimidation) than the conventional response to such offences. The secondary aim was to describe key features of the program's operation and the response of domestic violence victims to the services provided. Methods: Structured telephone interviews were conducted with two groups of female victims of domestic or family violence who NSW police officers had assessed (via the Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool, DVSAT) as being 'at serious threat' of future harm or violence - an intervention group of 69 women from the nine Police Local Area Commands (LACs) where all the elements of the Safer Pathway program have been implemented and a comparison group of 61 women from nine LACs where only some of the elements of the Safer Pathway program are operating. The LACs were matched on a number of relevant criteria. The impact of the program was assessed in a repeated measures design. Each woman was interviewed on two occasions regarding her experiences of various proscribed behaviours in two four-week reference periods - prior to the index incident at which the DVSAT was administered and after the program's case co-ordination processes/a comparable period for the comparison group. To assess their response to the program's operation and service provision, victims were asked how well informed they were about the program, how they were treated by service providers and how they felt about various aspects of the program. Results: Most of the women interviewed in both the intervention and the comparison groups experienced a reduction in the proscribed behaviours over time. However, the reduction was no greater for the intervention group than for the comparison group. Victims in both the intervention and the comparison groups were treated equally well by the various authorities. About nine in ten victims in each group reported being treated 'respectfully' or 'very respectfully' by the police officer when asked the DVSAT questions. After the case co-ordination processes/a comparable period for the comparison group, services had initiated contact with 59.4 per cent of victims in the intervention group and 49.2 per cent of victims in the comparison group. Most victims reported that there was nothing they disliked about the support they received from the various services. The vast majority of victims in the intervention group reported that they would suggest that others in a similar situation agree to being referred to a Safety Action Meeting. Conclusions: Providing case co-ordination processes via the Safer Pathway program to female victims 'at serious threat' of future harm in the intervention group does not result in a significantly greater reduction in proscribed behaviours compared to the conventional response to these offences. Some procedures of the program may require refinement. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 202: Accessed December 5, 2017 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/Report-2017-Outcome-evaluation-of-NSWs-Safer-Pathway-Program-Victims-Experiences-CJB202.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 148722

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Corruption risks associated with the corrections sector Summary: This report analyses the major corruption issues associated with the corrections sector, drawing on research and case studies in Victoria, and from across Australia and internationally. It explores the factors driving corruption risks in the corrections sector. It identifies areas of particular vulnerability, and suggests strategies for strengthening detection, reporting and prevention. The Victorian correctional sector is undergoing a period of growth and change. Over the past five years there have been significant increases in the state's prisoner population and changes to how bail, parole and community corrections orders operate. These changes, and corresponding increases in the numbers of prisons, custodial officers and community corrections officers, raise integrity challenges. The corrections sector faces corruption and integrity issues not encountered in other areas of the public sector. The provision of contraband, inappropriate relationships, excessive use of force and inappropriate access to information are risks that are created or increased by the specific nature of the correctional environment. IBAC investigations have highlighted the need for continued vigilance to prevent corrupt conduct, even where policies and systems may be in place to address misconduct and corruption risks. Details: Melbourne: IBAC, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2017 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/intelligence-reports/corruption-risks-associated-with-the-corrections-sector.pdf?sfvrsn=0 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration Shelf Number: 148731

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Perceptions of corruption - Survey of Victoria Police employees Summary: This report outlines the responses of Victoria Police employees following research into their understanding of corruption, perceptions of corruption and misconduct, attitudes to reporting corruption and misconduct, and attitudes towards preventing corruption. In 2016, IBAC engaged research company Urbis to conduct research on perceptions of corruption. Victoria Police employees were surveyed, as were employees from state and local government, and members of the Victorian community. Reports on research findings for each of these groups are available under the Publications section of IBAC's website. This research was conducted at a time when Victoria Police was responding to a review conducted by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and working to streamline its complaint handling and discipline system, as well as reviewing policies in a number of relevant areas (including conflict of interest). Details: Melbourne: IBAC, 2017. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2017 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/research-documents/perceptions-of-corruption-victoria-police.pdf?sfvrsn=7 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Corruption Shelf Number: 148732

Author: AUSTRAC Title: Australia's Non-Profit Organisation Sector. Money Laundering/Terrorism Financing Summary: In 2017, AUSTRAC and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) released a joint report which assesses money laundering and terrorism financing risks affecting Australian non-profit organisations (NPOs). This report identifies the main criminal, money laundering and terrorism financing threats currently facing NPOs. It highlights key vulnerabilities that are exploited for criminal misuse, or to support or promote terrorism and its financing. It also addresses an international requirement to identify the subset of NPOs at high-risk of terrorism financing misuse. Details: West Chatswood, NSW: AUSTRAC, 2017. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2017 at: http://www.austrac.gov.au/sites/default/files/npo-risk-assessment-FINAL-web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Money Laundering Shelf Number: 148733

Author: Woodlock, Delanie Title: Technology-facilitated stalking: findings and recommendations from the SmartSafe project Summary: Our SmartSafe project, funded by Victoria Legal Aid, aimed to examine the emerging issue of technology-facilitated stalking in the context of domestic violence. We wanted to know if mobile technologies are presenting further opportunities for the perpetration of stalking and domestic violence against women. To explore this issue, we conducted a multiple methods research project consisting of interviews, focus groups and surveys. This findings booklet will focus on the main aspect of our research: our surveys. We conducted two surveys, one with 152 workers in the domestic violence sector and one with 46 victim/survivors. Our findings show that: SmartSafe Summary of research findings: - Mobile technologies allow perpetrators access to victim/survivors 24 hours a day - Perpetrators are using mobile technologies to abuse and harass women easily, instantaneously and at a distance - Perpetrators are using technology to create a sense of omnipresence in women's lives through, for example, the use of GPS tracking on smartphones, and monitoring women's social media accounts - Mobile technologies are being used as an easy way for perpetrators to punish and humiliate women - A wide variety of technology is being used in partner stalking, including text messaging, social media, GPS, and photo and video technologies - Women report that perpetrators are using mobile technologies to control and monitor them from a distance - Technology is often used in stalking both during the relationship and after separation - Technology is used by perpetrators to humiliate and publically shame women, often in sexualised ways. Details: Collingwood, VIC: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria, 2013 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 6, 2017 at: http://www.smartsafe.org.au/sites/default/files/SmartSafe-Findings-Booklet.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 148741

Author: Hughes, Caitlin Title: A Summary of Diversion Programs for Drug and Drug-Related Offenders in Australia Summary: Aims: The diversion of illicit drug users and drug-related offenders comprises an important component of Australia's policy response to illicit drugs. Identifying the programs and their key characteristics poses a formidable task for policy makers and researchers, particularly following the recent expansion of diversionary responses. This project aimed to summarise the current state of diversion in Australia: its nature and design. The analysis was guided by the following questions: What programs are currently utilised for the diversion of illicit drug users and drug-related offenders? What are the key characteristics of the diversion programs? What are their similarities and differences? Results: This project identified 51 programs operating for the diversion of drug and drug-related offenders throughout Australia. By examining their key features we noted that diversion expanded considerably since 2000, and that there was an expansion not only in the number, but also the type of programs. Diversion is now provided across the full spectrum of the diversion system, via police, courts and specialist courts. Accordingly 31% programs were for police diversion, 22% for court diversion and 18% drug courts (29% were multi-targeted). Some programs targeted drug offences. But the majority either targeted drug related offenders or were accessible for any offender. This was just one indication of the diversity of program features. In spite of the diversity an increasingly similar set of diversionary responses was provided in Australia. The five major types ranged from police cautioning to drug court mandated treatment programs. In most jurisdictions three forms of police drug diversion were offered: Police diversion for cannabis (29% programs); Police diversion for other illicit drugs (25% programs); Police diversion for drug or drug-related offenders (46% programs); Police diversion programs were complemented by two main types of court diversion programs, which targeted primarily minor drug users/drug-related offenders: Court diversion for minor drug/drug-related offenders (63%); Court diversion for serious drug/drug-related offenders (37%); Each program type had a unique design, not only in diversionary mechanism, but also in terms of who could access the program and their typical program requirements. In theory this facilitated the provision of diversion across a spectrum of people. It became increasingly clear through this project that while there was a movement towards having five main types of diversion in each jurisdiction, there remained considerable differences in jurisdictional systems. Jurisdictions differed in their priorities towards for example the provision of court or police diversion and in the level of emphasis upon drug courts. Moreover, we identified gaps in some systems for particular types of users. Both factors have potential impacts upon who accesses diversion, the types of outcomes and the overall cost-effectiveness of diversion systems. Details: Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2008. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Drug policy Modelling Program Monograph 16: Accessed December 7, 2017 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/16%20A%20summary%20of%20diversion%20programs.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Diversion Programs Shelf Number: 110583

Author: Klein, E. Title: The Cashless Debit Card Trial in the East Kimberley Summary: This paper focuses on the Cashless Debit Card trial in the East Kimberley, Western Australia. The card aims to restrict cash and purchases to curb alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and gambling. The card targets Indigenous people disproportionately - 82.0% of the people in the East Kimberley trial are Indigenous. The current study is based on 13 months of research into the Australian Government's trial of the card in the East Kimberley. We review the card in the context of current policies to manage Indigenous consumption. We then look at aspects of the trial in the East Kimberley, including its implementation, lack of community engagement, community resistance and effects on money management. We find not only that the trial was chaotic, but that its logic is deeply flawed, and disconnected from the relational poverty experienced by people receiving state benefits. We also find that the card has become a symbol of government control and regulation in the study site. Details: Sydney: Australian National University, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 8, 2017 at: http://caepr.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/docs/Working_Paper_121_2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 148767

Author: Miller, Peter Title: Patron Offending and Intoxication in Night-Time Entertainment Districts (POINTED): final report Summary: Patron Offending and Intoxication in Night-Time Entertainment Districts (POINTED) is a massive project which interviewed almost 7000 patrons between November 2011 to June 2012, and conduct almost 900 hours of hours of observation of patrons in pubs and clubs. Entertainment precincts surveyed included King Street and Prahran in Melbourne, Northbridge in Perth, Kings Cross and Darling Harbour in Sydney and the Wollongong and Geelong night-time entertainment districts. The project showed that across Australia, after 1am, almost 30 percent of 6500 patrons tested had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of above 0.1 with the highest averages in Geelong and Perth. An average of 65% reported pre-drinking (or pre-loading) before to going out and the main reason to pre-load was to save money. Consuming five or six drinks before going to the pub indicated a higher risk of heavy alcohol consumption and risky behaviour, such as drink driving. The study also showed a high propensity for the use of high energy drinks (HED) - either in an alcohol mix or separate, and HED users generally had a higher BAC reading and experienced more aggression and injury. Most HED users had, on average, exceeded the daily recommended dose by 11pm. Finally, around one in four people are believed to have used drugs. This study was the first of its kind to use drug swabs to validate people own reports. It found between 1 and 2 people in every five had used drugs, but that one in four was the most likely average across the country. The main drugs admitted to were cannabis, amphetamines and ecstasy. Suggested policy directions from the study include: alcohol companies pay for health warning TV advertisements directly after the screening of pro-alcohol ads; ceasing the sales of high energy drinks from 10pm; the imposition of tighter trading hour restrictions; ceasing the sale of alcohol in venues an hour before closing; increasing the price of alcohol through taxation (preferably based on volume and increasing according to beverage strength) to include pre-packaged alcohol used for preloading, to allow for specific expenditure on measures that ameliorate harm, and; the banning of two for one, and bulk discount alcohol deals. Details: Canberra: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2013. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series No. 46: Accessed December 8, 2017 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph-46.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 128068

Author: Ball, Rachel Title: Total Control: Ending the routine strip searching of women in Victoria's prisons Summary: - The HRLC calls on the Victorian Government to immediately end the harmful and out-dated practice of routinely strip searching women in prison. The Victorian Government should enact laws to prohibit strip searches except in circumstances of absolute necessity, based on intelligence of contraband, and as a measure of last resort. Where searches are needed, strip searches should be replaced with modern, effective and non-degrading search practices, like using scanners and metal detectors. Harm caused by strip searches - Strip searches are degrading, humiliating and traumatising for women. Routine strip searching is particularly harmful given a majority of women in prison are survivors of family and/or sexual violence. These searches can undermine women's dignity, recovery and rehabilitation efforts. - In the vast majority of cases, strip searches are conducted on women who are awaiting trial or sentence, or are serving short sentences for non-violent crimes. There are currently just over 500 women in prison in Victoria and more than 40 per cent are on remand, awaiting trial or sentence. Most women prisoners are detained for less than 12 months. The Victorian Government last year described women prisoners as largely 'low risk'. Flawed rationale for strip searches - The HRLC examined six months of strip search records from Victorian women's prisons. In over 6,200 strip searches, only seven items of contraband were discovered: four related to tobacco products, one to chewing gum and one unidentified object (one further search was 'inconclusive'). No weapons or illicit drugs were found. This means for every one thousand strip searches conducted, one item of low level contraband was found. - There is a critical need to stop drugs and weapons entering prisons. However, routine strip do not achieve this objective. On the contrary, because strip searches undermine respectful relationships between prisoners and guards, there is suggestion that strip searches contribute to a tenser, less stable prison environment. Human rights implications - Routine strip searches violate rights to privacy, humane treatment in detention and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, all of which are protected by the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Charter). - In a report released last week, the Victorian Ombudsman found that routine strip searching of women is not a reasonable and demonstrably justified limitation of women's rights under the Charter and recommended the practice be stopped. Alternative approaches and best practice - There are effective, modern and non-invasive alternatives to strip searches - for example by making greater use of safe scanning technologies (such as those used in the ACT, UK and USA). - Because of the harm that strip searching causes, both the ACT and the UK reformed their laws to ensure strip searching only occurs were there are reasonable grounds to suspect contraband and other search options have been tried. The ACT is considered to be leading Australia in terms of strip search policy and practice. Details: Melbourne: Human Rights Law Centre, 2017. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 18, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/580025f66b8f5b2dabbe4291/t/5a287bb50d9297f066fd588d/1512602586016/TC+Report_Online.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Contraband Shelf Number: 148853

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Operation Lansdowne: An investigation into allegations of serious corruption involving Victorian vocational education and training, and public transport sectors. Summary: This special report details the findings and recommendations of a major IBAC investigation, Operation Lansdowne, into allegations of serious corrupt conduct relating to South West Institute of TAFE and Bendigo Kangan Institute of TAFE, and third-party agreements those TAFEs had entered into with TayTell Pty Ltd. IBAC found that TayTell owner and director, Ms Rebecca Taylor, operated a scam through which she received more than $2 million of government funding under subcontracting arrangements with the two TAFEs, for training that did not take place. IBAC identified weaknesses in the systems and controls of South West Institute of TAFE and Bendigo Kangan Institute of TAFE which allowed the scam to flourish. The key weakness was a failure by both TAFEs to conduct any meaningful oversight of the training which was meant to be delivered on their behalf. IBAC also found a former Executive Manager at South West Institute of TAFE misused his position to award, or interfere in the awarding of, a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and a Certificate IV in Engineering to Ms Taylor when she was not qualified. IBAC's investigation expanded to include the circumstances surrounding the recruitment of particular employees and the engagement of certain contractors (including Ms Taylor) by V/Line. The investigation identified that between 2013 and 2016 there was a clique of senior V/Line officers who placed undue emphasis on who people knew and personal friendships, wilfully disregarding the required public sector merit-based procurement and recruitment standards. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2017. 151p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 18, 2018 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/special-reports/operation-lansdowne-special-report-december-2017.pdf?sfvrsn=0 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Corruption Shelf Number: 148854

Author: Victorian Ombudsman Title: Implementing OPCAT in Victoria: report and inspection of the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre Summary: 1. This report considers the practical implications of implementing the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) in Victoria. It sets out: - practical changes needed to implement the OPCAT protocol - the results of a pilot OPCAT-style inspection at Victoria's main women's prison, the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre (DPFC). 2. OPCAT is an international human rights treaty that aims to prevent abuse of people in detention by opening places where people are deprived of liberty - prisons, police cells, psychiatric hospitals and so on - to regular independent inspections by: - a United Nations (UN) committee of international experts - local inspection bodies called National Preventative Mechanisms (NPMs). 3. In February 2017, the Commonwealth Government announced that Australia will ratify OPCAT by the end of 2017. 4. In Victoria, this means the Victorian Government will need to open places of detention to the UN committee from 2018. The Victorian Government will have three years to 'designate' or appoint one or more local NPMs to conduct regular inspections. 5. Implementing OPCAT will require changes. While Victoria already has human rights laws and monitoring bodies, OPCAT will introduce more rigorous standards for inspecting places of detention. 6. On 31 March 2017, the Ombudsman notified the Attorney-General, the Minister for Corrections and the Secretary of the Department of Justice and Regulation of her intention to conduct an 'own motion' investigation into the conditions in a custodial facility, with a view to contributing to the debate about OPCAT's implementation in Victoria. 7. The investigation mapped places of detention in Victoria, how they are monitored, and what needs to change to implement OPCAT. 8. The investigation also tested how OPCAT inspections work in practice by conducting a pilot inspection at DPFC using OPCAT standards where possible. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Ombudsman, 2017. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 18, 2018 at: https://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/getattachment/432871e4-5653-4830-99be-8bb96c09b348 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Inmates Shelf Number: 148864

Author: Ferrante, Anna Title: Police responses to child sexual abuse 2010-14: An analysis of administrative data for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Summary: This quantitative study was commissioned by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) and undertaken by researchers at the Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University. The purpose of the research was two-fold. Firstly, researchers undertook a systematic statistical review of police reports relating to child sexual abuse across Australia to gain a better understanding of how police in all jurisdictions respond to and process reports of child sexual abuse. The study examined finalisation rates and methods of finalisation, using police administrative data from each of the eight Australian jurisdictions. For each jurisdiction, the study: - identified how many reported cases were finalised by police - determined how these cases were finalised (how many proceeded to court) - estimated the time taken to report, record and finalise reports of child sexual abuse (median days). Secondly, researchers undertook a more detailed statistical analysis of the extent and nature of child-to-child sexual abuse reported to police. This part of the study determined: - the prevalence in each Australian state and territory - the nature, including the demographic breakdown of alleged victims and offenders (gender, age and Indigenous status where available), location of incidents (institutional settings and other locations) and severity of alleged offences - police finalisation status (within 180 days of reporting) and finalisation methods - trends in the reporting of child-to-child cases over time (from 2010 to 2014). Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 19, 2018 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/file-list/research_report_-_police_responses_to_child_sexual_abuse_2010-14_-_government_responses.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 148876

Author: Our Watch Title: Counting on Change. A guide to prevention monitoring Summary: This Guide was developed to complement Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. Change the story brings together international research, and nationwide experience, on what drives violence against women and what works to prevent it. It establishes a shared understanding of the evidence and principles of effective prevention, and presents a way forward for a coordinated national approach. Counting on change provides guidance on how to comprehensively measure progress towards the prevention of violence against women at the population-level. The Guide is a world-first in identifying indicators of change for the drivers and reinforcing factors of violence against women, and advising on available data sets and processes for gathering this information into a 'picture of progress'. Recent decades have seen significant work in terms of policies, initiatives, and campaigns to prevent violence against women and their children. These efforts are bearing fruit - there is growing and strong evidence around what works to prevent violence against women, drawn from local and international research. Evaluation of prevention work continues to build on this evidence base, and we've seen positive change among those reached by prevention programs. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2017. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2018 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/0f7bc92f-a055-42df-8739-05d4d871ee17/OurWatch_GuideToMonitoring_AA.pdf.aspx Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 148918

Author: Blagg, Harry Title: Innovative models in addressing violence against Indigenous women: final report Summary: Innovative models in addressing violence against Indigenous women is an ANROWS research report led by Professor Harry Blagg of the University of Western Australia. Foregrounding the perspective of Aboriginal people who work within the family violence space or have had experience of family violence, this report is based on qualitative research in three sites in Australia: Fitzroy Crossing (Western Australia), Darwin (Northern Territory), and Cherbourg (Queensland). It supports the creation of a network of place-based Indigenous family violence strategies owned and managed by Indigenous people and linked to initiatives around alcohol reduction, inter-generational trauma, social and emotional wellbeing, and alternatives to custody. These initiatives may be constructed differently depending on context, but would ensure that responses to family violence reflect the needs of local women. Key findings: Violence against Indigenous women takes place at the intersection of a range of different forms of oppression, of which gender remains one. Emerging themes include: Mainstream agencies and Indigenous women hold different notions of what consists an "integrated response". Non-Indigenous practice focuses on an integrated criminal justice response that is designed to make the system more efficient and bring perpetrators to account. Indigenous organisations look at "integration" in terms of a holistic response that focuses on prevention and integration with cultural health and healing families. Policy and practice implications: Intervention and prevention in the family violence arena should be underpinned by a focus on social and emotional wellbeing philosophy. The Western Australia Police Order model should be the subject of deeper scrutiny and considered for use in other jurisdictions, particularly to identify how Indigenous organisations could play a greater role in following up interventions and working with families. Innovations in court practices, such as those designed to simplify proceedings and ensure victim safety, have relevance to family violence. The Integrated Domestic Violence Court's "one family/one judge" response (Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Collingwood) is an example. Consider the use of Gladue reports, which require judges to consider systemic factors and alternatives to imprisonment for Aboriginal offenders and are mandatory in some Canadian territories when courts are sentencing or considering bail for Indigenous offenders. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2018. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Horizons, Issue 01, 2018: Accessed January 31, 2018 at: https://anrows.org.au/publications/horizons/innovative-models-in-addressing-violence-against-indigenous-women-final-report Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 148951

Author: Quadara, Antonia Title: Framework for historical influences on institutional child sexual abuse: 1950-2014 Summary: The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse engaged the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to develop a framework to analyse and present information about historical influences on institutional child sexual abuse for the period 1950- 2014. The purpose of the mapping exercise was to create: - a framework for describing how different mechanisms influenced responses to institutional child sexual abuse - summaries of the information contained in the reports1 - 'at a glance' maps of the social norms, policies, laws and practices that shaped responses to institutional child sexual abuse in different eras. It was initially envisaged that all institutions within the Royal Commission's Terms of Reference would be within scope2 , including educational settings, sporting clubs and organisations, and other child-focused institutions. However, it became apparent that over time the nature of institutional settings in which children spent their time became more diffuse: since the 1970s onwards, not only has out-of-home care (OOHC) been deinstitutionalised but children now spend more time than they previously did so in an array of extra-familial care settings such as licensed childcare centres, before- and after-school care, and sporting clubs and organisations, and sports and recreation (Pratt, 2005). Information - scholarly or otherwise - about the historical developments in institutional practices, protocols and workforce capabilities in these organisations' responses to child sexual abuse is also lacking. Where it is accessible, it is often state- or territory-specific. Therefore, I was able to make only limited observations about the institutional cultures and practices in these different settings for the more recent decades. It was ultimately decided in consultation with the Royal Commission that these other institutions were beyond the scope and constraints of the project. Given that the five reports primarily focused on OOHC, it was agreed that the project should similarly limit its focus to OOHC. It is important to note that this project was not intended to be an exhaustive, historically complete reflection of each time period, but, in the first instance, a diagrammatic conceptual representation of different factors that shape responses to disclosures of institutional child sexual abuse and which could then be used to describe relevant influences for each of the decades from 1950 to the current period. It was also not intended to be a review of the extant research literature. The primary sources of information were intended to be the reviews cited above. Where necessary, this has been supplemented with the available Australian literature and relevant international literature. It was anticipated that the framework could be used in the longer term to better understand the historical context of institutional child sexual abuse. As such, it is hoped that the framework is increasingly refined and developed as more information comes to light and is potentially applied to contexts other than OOHC. Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 44p./ Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2018 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/file-list/research_report_-_frameworks_for_historical_influences_on_institutional_child_sexual_abuse_-_causes.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 148963

Author: Beatton, Tony Title: Gender Crime Convergence over Twenty Years Summary: In her American Economic Association Presidential address, Goldin (2014) highlights the convergence in female/male economic and social outcomes as one of the most significant advances of the twentieth century. She points to gender convergence in human capital skills; women are overtaking men in terms of the proportion with a college degree, and there are declining gender differences in labour force participation and accumulated labour market experience. This study looks at an interesting and almost entirely neglected research question: "Do women look more like men in terms of crime participation?" This research explicitly focussed on trends in the gender gap in crime and on whether or not there is evidence of convergence. Our analysis uses very rich administrative data on the population of young people in Queensland, Australia. The evidence illustrates a significant narrowing of the gender-offending gap over a twenty-year period from 1995 onwards. This crime convergence occurs for property and violent crime, and for almost all sub-categories. We also employ a spatial panel data set by gender and police force district across four census years (2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016) to further explore crime trends by gender. This enables us to look at several factors that may be connected to gender crime convergence, and to present an illustrative decomposition of the gender gap in crime by these factors. Finally, we consider an education policy reform enacted in Queensland, the Earning or Learning reform that appears to have altered the speed of gender crime convergence in the mid to late 2000s. The study revealed a strong convergence in offending rates by gender amongst young people in Queensland, Australia. Dependent on crime type, and on the age of individuals, we show there has been a significant narrowing of the gender-offending gap over the last two decades. The reduction in the gender gap is larger for juveniles and, in particular, for property crime. Amongst violent crimes, there is evidence of substantial narrowing of the gender gap in assaults for juveniles. Education, in particular, Queensland�s Earning or Learning reform seems to be an important factor in explaining cross-time and cross-gender changes. Details: Indooroopilly QLD: Institute for Social Science Research Institution, University of Queensland, 2017. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Life Course Centre Working Paper Series, No. 2017-26: Accessed February 2, 2018 at: http://www.lifecoursecentre.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/LCC-Working-Paper-2017-20-Beatton-et-al.-.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Trends Shelf Number: 148970

Author: Antrobus, Emma Title: The Risk and Time Preferences of Young Truants and Their Parents Summary: We use an incentivized experiment to measure the risk and time preferences of truant adolescents and their parents. We find that adolescent preferences do not predict school attendance and that a unique police-school partnership program targeting school absences was most effective in reducing the truancy of adolescents with relatively risk-averse parents. Details: Bonn: Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), 2017. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper Series No. 11236: Accessed February 2, 2018 at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp11236.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 148986

Author: Rahman, Sara Title: The NSW Rolling List Court Evaluation: Final Report Summary: Aim: To assess whether the application of an alternative court model with fixed teams of lawyers operating on a rolling basis in the NSW District Criminal Court resulted in greater efficiency in the resolution of indictable criminal matters relative to the regular operation of the NSW District Court, and to identify the successful elements and mechanisms of the Rolling List Court (RLC) model. Method: A randomised controlled trial was conducted in the NSW District Criminal Court (NSW DCC), where eligible matters were balloted with 50:50 odds to the RLC or the general list of the NSW DCC. The proportion of early guilty pleas relative to late guilty pleas, trials reaching a verdict and no-bills were compared between the courts, and survival analysis was used to analyse the time taken to reach a guilty plea and to finalise matters in both courts. Stakeholder interviews were conducted to identify the key mechanisms behind the RLC, as well as any other benefits or drawbacks of the model. Results: More than half (58.0 %) of the matters balloted to the RLC resolved in a guilty plea before the trial date, compared to 22.0 per cent of the matters randomised to the general list of the NSW DCC. There were marked improvements in the average time taken to reach a guilty plea (t=-3.43; p-value<.001), to list matters for trial (t=-5.14; p-value<.001) and to finalise matters (t=-3.93; p-value<.001) in the RLC. Further evidence of faster resolution in the RLC was found through survival analyses of the time taken to reach a guilty plea (HR=1.73; 95% CI (1.08, 2.78); p-value=.023) and to finalise matters (HR=1.90; 95% CI (1.29, 2.79); p-value=.001). Stakeholders interviewed indicated that early briefing and negotiation was crucial to obtaining earlier guilty pleas, and further benefits to efficiency arose from the fixed-team composition of the court. Conclusion: The RLC proved effective at obtaining early guilty pleas and reducing delay in the processing of indictable criminal matters. The findings suggest that efforts to introduce some elements of the RLC, such as early briefing of practitioners and pre-trial negotiations, could have benefits for the NSW DCC's efficiency. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in crime and Justice, no. 208: Accessed February 5, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-The-NSW-Rolling-List-Court-Evaluation-Fianl-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Court Delays Shelf Number: 148989

Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "I Needed Help, Instead I Was Punished": Abuse and Neglect of Prisoners with Disabilities in Australia Summary: Prisoners with disabilities are overrepresented in prisons across Australia; it is estimated that over half the prison population has a physical, sensory, psychosocial (mental health), or cognitive disability. Within this group, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disabilities are even more likely to end up behind bars. "I Needed Help, Instead I Was Punished" is based on visits to 14 prisons across Western Australia and Queensland and 275 interviews with prisoners with disabilities, as well as prison staff, health and mental health professionals, activists, lawyers, and government officials. The report examines how prisoners with disabilities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, routinely experience physical, verbal, and sexual abuse from fellow prisoners or staff, and endure difficult conditions of confinement. Inadequate staff sensitivity and training contributes to frequent punishment of prisoners with disabilities for behaviour that is linked to a lack of support and accommodation of their disability not disobedience. Prisoners with disabilities are disproportionately represented in detention units and solitary confinement, where lack of social contact and meaningful mental health services can be particularly damaging for them. Human Rights Watch calls on the federal government to end the use of solitary confinement for prisoners with disabilities. State and Territory governments should ensure regular and independent monitoring of all prisons and ensure that all prison staff receive effective, regular, gender and culturally sensitive training on how to interact with people with disabilities. It should further guarantee that prisons accommodate the needs of prisoners with disabilities and provide access to adequate support services. Details: New York: HRW, 2018. 107p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 7, 2018 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/australia0218_web.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration Shelf Number: 149018

Author: Horn, Michael Title: A Question Of Begging: A study of the extent and nature of begging in the City of Melbourne Summary: Anyone who has visited US cities, such as Washington or Los Angeles, would be shocked at the level of begging evident in the city streets. At the start of the 21st century, it is a striking paradox to see such high levels of poverty within a country often considered an exemplar of the success of post-industrial capitalist economies. Over recent years, the contrast between affluence and poverty on the streets of Melbourne's CBD has become a matter of public concern and comment. Hanover has operated an Outreach Service within Melbourne's inner suburbs for over 15 years. Throughout this period Hanover's experience has been that the extent of begging in the CBD has been low, and the majority of those who beg do so on an intermittent and spontaneous basis to pay for their immediate needs. However this is not the understanding that has generally been portrayed in the media over recent years, with reports focusing on begging in the CBD as a cause of concern to both traders and the public. The reports in the media have relied upon anecdotal evidence. The following report details the action research project that investigated the issue of begging within Melbourne's central business district (CBD). The research study was carried out over the period of September 2000 to February 2001. Data was collected by way of a collaboration between the Melbourne City Council (MCC), the Victoria Police Force (VPF), and Outreach staff from Hanover Welfare Services. In addition to detailing the research background, project methodology, and findings, this report presents the relevant state legislation and regulatory control relating to begging. Also contained within the report is a description of the past and current initiatives undertaken by the MCC and the VPF to address the issue of begging in the CBD. Details: Melbourne: Hanover Welfare Services,, 2001. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2018 at: http://www.hanover.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/A-Question-of-Begging-June-2001.pdf Year: 2001 Country: Australia Keywords: Begging Shelf Number: 149084

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth detention population in Australia: 2017 Summary: This bulletin presents information on the youth detention population in Australia, focusing on quarterly trends from June 2013 to June 2017. Among the 964 young people in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2017, high proportions were male (91%), aged 10-17 (84%), unsentenced (64% excluding Victoria) and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (53%). Over the 4-year period to the June quarter 2017, the numbers and rates of young people in detention remained stable, with minor fluctuations across quarters Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Bulletin 143: Accessed February 14, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/0a735742-42c0-49af-a910-4a56a8211007/aihw-aus-220.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 149136

Author: Amnesty International Title: "Heads held high": Keeping Queensland kids out of detention, strong in culture and community Summary: This report is based on research carried out between 2014 and 2016 by Amnesty International. Amnesty International interviewed over 150 people in the course of this research. Several participants have requested that certain details not be made public. In order to respect these wishes, and in some instances to protect the identity of children, some names and locations have been withheld. The report is informed by conversations and interviews with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, leaders, Elders and community members throughout Queensland. This includes court officers and lawyers of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service of Queensland (ATSILS) and staff of other Indigenous-controlled organisations. In particular, the research has focused on Mount Isa, Townsville, Palm Island and Logan. Amnesty International interviewed non-Indigenous lawyers, as well as non-Indigenous service providers and organisations working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Amnesty International interviewed staff within the QPS, the Youth Justice Services section of DJAG and local government. Amnesty International also reviewed existing data, case law, legislation, parliamentary debates, documents obtained through freedom of information requests, United Nations materials, government and academic reports and inquiries into the Queensland youth justice system. Data from the 2014-2015 financial year is used where available. Amnesty International made a number of data requests to the Queensland authorities, including to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and submitted questionnaires to various government departments and organisations. When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are strong in their identity and culture, and have the support of their communities, they can face even the toughest challenges. But many Indigenous children have been disconnected from their culture and too frequently end up in detention, away from their community. Despite comprising only 6% of the population of 10 to 17- year-olds, Indigenous children make up over half of the youth detention population in Australia. Nationally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 24 times more likely to be incarcerated than non-Indigenous children. Recent media coverage of the abuse of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory's youth detention centre has brought international attention to the broader injustices facing Indigenous children in the Australian justice system. In this report, the third in a series of reports for the Community is Everything campaign, Amnesty International documents similar concerns about the conditions and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in detention in Queensland. The report also considers the wider human rights implications presented by the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Queensland's youth justice system. Indigenous children in Queensland are 22 times more likely to be detained than non-Indigenous children. 5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children make up about 8% of all 10 to 17-year-olds in Queensland but 65% of the youth detention population on an average day. Indigenous girls in Queensland are 33 times as likely to be in detention as non-Indigenous girls. While there have been recent positive developments from the Queensland Government in youth justice, many entrenched issues continue to require action. For example, this report documents new findings about self-harm, the use of dogs, invasive search procedures and mechanical restraints in youth detention centres, from documents recently obtained from a freedom of information request. This report finds that a number of factors are contributing towards high rates of remand: barriers to accessing culturallyappropriate legal advice, refusal of bail for a number of reasons including the home environment, as well as procedural delays. The report also finds that Queensland has the highest number of 10 and 11-year-old children in detention in Australia, as well as being the only state to treat 17-year-olds as adults. There is also a lack of culturally appropriate diversionary options for Queensland children. Finally, the report identifies the need to support, and partner with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations to develop solutions to prevent the next generation being lost behind bars. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are more likely to end up behind bars because they are more likely to be disadvantaged, removed from their families, absent from school, experiencing violence, racism and trauma, abusing substances, and to have a disability or mental illness, among other contributing factors. 8 Twenty-five years ago, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) found that these social and health issues can be determinants of contact with the justice system, and need to be addressed in order to end the over-representation of Indigenous people in custody. In the course of Amnesty International's research, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and community organisations consistently highlighted that more needs to be done to address the underlying factors that contribute to the over-representation of Indigenous children in detention, through early intervention, prevention and diversion programs. Details: London: AI, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 21, 2018 at: https://www.amnesty.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Heads_Held_High_-_Queensland_report_by_Amnesty_International.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 149205

Author: End Rape on Campus Australia Title: Connecting the dots: Understanding sexual assault in university communities Summary: The following report is the result of End Rape on Campus Australia's extensive experience working with and advocating for student survivors of sexual assault. We believe that everyone has a right to an education free from sexual violence and that educational institutions have the responsibility of addressing sexual assault within their communities, both at the level of primary prevention, as well as through providing quality, trauma-informed services and pathways for reporting incidents of sexual assault. In this submission, we provide an overview of the problem of sexual assault at tertiary educational institutions in Australia, including the nature and extent of the issue, the obstacles a survivor may face when reporting and accessing support, and the historical context of universities' failure to respond to this issue. We have made a number of recommendations for change both at individual universities, and at the level of State and Federal Governments, to address the ongoing problem of sexual assault in university communities. The nature and extent of sexual assault within university communities At present, there is little reliable data on sexual assault prevalence rates at Australian universities, however national statistics show that young women in general are at a significantly greater risk of experiencing sexual assault than any other group of people. Recent media cases and data obtained through FOI investigations indicate that sexual assault and harassment is occurring at concerning rates at Australian universities and colleges. Attitudes which minimise sexual assault, shift blame onto victims or normalise non-consensual activity create a climate in which sexual assault is both more likely to occur, and less likely to be recognised and reported. We note that the perpetrators of sexual assault are overwhelmingly male, reflecting the gendered nature of sexual assault as a crime of power and control. In many instances, rape occurs off campus, in domestic settings such as share-houses, apartments, house parties, and so on. Although many universities restrict their attention to incidents which have occurred on campus, EROC Australia believes that this distinction is artificial. All instances of sexual assault experienced by a student have the potential to affect their ability to study and to participate in the university community regardless of where the assault took place. In this section, we also outline the role of witnesses and responders to acts of sexual assault, including friends of the victim, tutors, Residential Advisors and student representatives. There is an overarching lack of training and support for these supporters, creating a real risk of vicarious trauma. We provide several de-identified case studies from our work, illustrating common responses to sexual assault in university communities. The aftermath of rape: survivor needs in the wake of sexual assault Survivors often have a range of complex needs after experiencing sexual assault. In many cases, these needs are not met by the systems in place at universities for responding to requests for support. Part of the problem is the lack of a holistic approach to supporting survivors. Sexual assault can cause not only psychological and medical issues, but also financial stress, difficulty with academic tasks, the need for legal support, and housing issues, amongst others. In many cases, universities fail to make the connection between these needs and a student's experience of sexual assault. Even whereuniversities do endeavour to provide for some of these needs - for example, by referring students to oncampus counselling services - these services are often inaccessible and not specialised for responding to trauma. In particular, survivors have faced difficulties accessing the support they need with academic tasks, such as extensions or special considerations for assignments, time off from lectures or class, and changes to timetabling arrangements. Strict requirements for particular documentation, or automated systems that frequently reject applications, can cause significant anxiety for survivors. On-campus counselling services pose another problem. These services are often understaffed or underfunded, and many lack counselling staff with trauma specialist training, leading to some survivors receiving improper, and at times dangerous, treatment. Understanding the history and context of responses to sexual assault at Australian universities Sexual assault is not a new issue at Australian universities - student activists have been urging universities to address sexual violence for many decades. However, little progress has been made in improving policies, services and structures for reporting sexual violence. The overarching problem with universities' collective failure to address sexual violence is the conceptualisation of the problem as primarily a private concern or a woman's responsibility. Incidents of sexual assault are treated as rare, disconnected and random, rather than the inevitable product of a social context with deep-rooted and persistent gender inequality. This attitude leads to university campaigns that perpetuate various rape myths - for example, the misleading 'stranger danger' narrative leads to suggestions that better lighting on campus would reduce sexual assault. In many cases, universities seem to believe an adequate response to the prevalence of sexual assault is to publish 'safety tips' that urge women to modify their behaviour to avoid being sexually assaulted and perpetuate the idea that women hold responsibility for their own safety. Notably, such strategies fail to make perpetrators accountable for sexual assault. Universities also tend to conceptualise sexual assault as always, and only, a police matter. Many university websites urge survivors to report their experiences to police. Commonly, survivors are told that the university cannot take action unless the incident has been reported to police, or until a criminal conviction is secured. However, universities do in fact have disciplinary and misconduct procedures, which give university officials the power to investigate student misconduct, make findings, and deliver penalties. These procedures can provide important pathways of restitution for survivors, and can ideally deliver practical outcomes to support a survivor's welfare, such as removing the perpetrator from a class or from campus. Contrary to much university rhetoric, most university decision-making procedures are also supported by longstanding principles of administrative law, which acknowledge and regulate decision-making by nonjudicial bodies and provide protections for both survivors and alleged perpetrators. Barriers and challenges to reporting sexual assault within university communities There are many reasons that survivors may not choose to disclose their assault, whether informally, to friends and family, or formally, to professional support services, to the police or to their university. Barriers to informal reporting include emotional barriers, such as the fear of not being believed, as well as social, cultural, linguistic and structural barriers. There are also many obstacles to formally reporting instances of sexual assault - for example, inaccessible or poorly publicised reporting systems or a lack of trust in institutional procedures. Details: s.l.: End Rape on Campus Australia, 2017. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5762fc04f5e231826f09afae/t/58b3d08ddb29d6e7a2b8271d/1488179368580/Connecting+the+dots.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Campus Crime Shelf Number: 149314

Author: Gerstein, Daniel M. Title: Assessment of the consolidation of the Australian Customs and Protection Service (ACBPS) with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) Summary: In 2014, the Australian government announced the integration of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) into a single government department, including the formation of the Australian Border Force (ABF). A year after the integration began, the DIBP leadership sought an independent analysis of the effectiveness and efficiency of the integrated department. This analysis required the RAND Corporation to take a deeper and longer view of the two organisations as they existed, understand how the combined organisation has been able to incorporate into a single entity, and assess the degree to which the new organisation has been able to mitigate weaknesses and reinforce strengths. The integration of the DIBP reflects an important inflection point in the history of customs, immigration, and border-management activities within the government of Australia. The degree to which this reform achieves its goals largely rests on the ability of the leadership to keep up the momentum, bring the workforce along, and ensure that the necessary capacities that have been built are able to survive. Key Findings The analysis suggests key findings in four areas: (1) the case for change, (2) building a single border-management organisation, (3) assessing progress and performance, and (4) looking towards the future. Systemic shortfalls in both the customs and immigration organisations, punctuated by several high-profile failings, were noted in the decade prior to the integration. Despite long and proud histories, neither organisation had adequately developed the capabilities or professionalisation in the workforce expected of a modern border-management organisation. Despite the turbulence of the integration and the reform effort, reduced resources, and increased operational tempo, the DIBP saw overall positive trends in performance during the period from 2014 to 2016. Shortly after the integration formally began, during the early phase of execution, difficulties with a loss of momentum regarding the reorganisation were observed. Corrective measures were implemented, including developing new metrics for assessing operational effectiveness and efficiency. The announced one-year timeline for integration was unrealistic; in many areas, the newly formed DIBP remains in the early stages of reform � an example is building a single DIBP culture, which will take much longer to achieve. More effort on capacity-building is required across the department; leadership visibility will be required to ensure continued momentum. Building a single DIBP culture (including workforce morale and professionalisation) remains the single biggest challenge for the DIBP. Achieving the full reform is at least three to five years away. Some officials commented that it could take a generation until the comprehensive change envisioned by the DIBP leadership is realised. Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2016. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2018 at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1713.html Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Control Shelf Number: 149315

Author: End Rape on Campus Australia Title: The Red Zone: An investigation into sexual violence and hazing in Australian university residential colleges Summary: The Red Zone Report details an extensive history of hazing, sexual assault and harassment at residential colleges around the country. In the foreword, Professor Catherine Lumby calls the report "sickening reading". In a series of powerful photos, presidents and Women's Officers from student organisations have written messages for their universities, such as '68 college students are raped per week in Aus. USyd WoCo has had enough', 'We stand with the silenced', 'Universities are covering up rape - but we will not be silent', and '12% of all campus rape happens in a single week: O Week'. Details: s.l.: End Rape on Campus Australia, 2018. 211p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 5, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5762fc04f5e231826f09afae/t/5a95cf99e4966ba2c2a64ca5/1519767581881/The+Red+Zone+Report+2018 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Campus Crime Shelf Number: 149316

Author: O'Shea, Brianna Title: Intimate Partner Stalking from the Perspectives of Family Support Services, Forensic Mental Health, law Enforcement and Welfare Services Summary: One in ten adults from Western countries are affected by stalking at some time in their lives. There is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes stalking between current and former intimate partners. There are currently no national uniform stalking laws in Australia. In Tasmania, stalking is a type of family violence which involves repetitive following or harassment. This project describes intimate partner stalking as a complex issue that has detrimental effects on the psychological, social and occupational functioning of the victim/s and their families. The Tasmanian Department of Justice has created social policy called "Safe at Home" which is the Tasmanian Government's response to family violence. Safe at Home provides a range of services for victims and perpetrators of intimate partner stalking, such as family violence counselling and support, police prosecutions and offender intervention. This is consistent with family violence research which argues that "simple interventions based upon either therapy or criminal justice interventions are not suitable on their own". Safe at Home aims to "protect and support victims of family violence, including young people and children, while making offenders responsible for their behaviour". The most common victim profile for stalking is a "woman who has previously shared an intimate relationship with her (usually male) stalker". In Australia, a higher proportion of females (195,400) than males (110,700) reported experiencing stalking within the last 12 months. Intimate partner stalking victims experience the widest range of harassment methods. Past research has shown that intimate partner stalkers "generally pose a greater threat than stranger or acquaintance stalkers". However, a study revealed that the majority of men and women in Australia perceive that the threat is greatest when the stalker is not known to the victim. Therefore, the perceptions of Australian men and women do not reflect the actual threat associated with intimate partner stalking. Although there are theories for understanding family violence, there is currently no broad theoretical framework to understand intimate partner stalking. The Duluth Model is the most commonly used intervention for family violence in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Sweden and Australia. It was designed for male perpetrators of family violence towards their current female partners. However, stalking may be perpetrated by men or women who are current or former partners. The Power and Control Wheel is a visual representation of the 8 central themes outlined in the Model. This project aimed to determine whether the Duluth Model and the power and control aspect of their intervention programs is applicable post separation and to the experiences of victims and perpetrators of stalking regardless of gender Details: Sandy Bay, Australia : Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, University of Tasmania, 2014. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2018 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/574086/OShea_Intimate_Partner_Stalking_Final_Report_August_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 149403

Author: Lack, M. Title: Illegal, unreported and unregulated shark catch: A review of current knowledge and action Summary: In recent years there has been growing international concern for the conservation status of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras (hereafter collectively referred to as sharks). This concern stems from the inherent vulnerability of sharks to overfishing, because they grow slowly, are late to mature and produce relatively few young, combined with strong demand and high prices prevailing for some shark products. The lucrative market, particularly for shark fin, has resulted in increased targeting of sharks and, in some cases this is illegal, unreported or unregulated (IUU) fishing. Successive updates of the World Conservation Union�s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species continue to paint an ever grimmer picture of the status of shark stocks. Currently, of the 591 shark species assessed globally, more than 20% are considered to be Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable (IUCN, 2007). A number of additional species have been assessed and will be listed in the 2008 Red List. The international response to the growing concern for shark species has included: Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) concerning the conservation and management of all sharks, commencing with Resolution Conf. 9.17 in 1994, and the convening of a Shark Working Group reporting to the Animals Committee of Sharks (IPOA-Sharks) (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), management organisations (RFMO). However, most shark species remain unmanaged, and implementation of the IPOA-Sharks has been patchy. As a result, the status of shark stocks continues to deteriorate. Given the role of the market, particularly the market for shark fins in driving exploitation of sharks, members of CITES have a keen interest in assessing the role that the Convention might play in shark conservation. In addition, IUU fishing for sharks is occurring in the waters of many CITES parties. For example, the issue of IUU fishing for sharks is of particular interest to Australia, which has experienced significant problems with illegal fishing in northern waters of the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ). A number of shark species (see Appendix 3) in that area are listed as protected species under Australia The fourteenth Conference of the Parties (CoP14) to CITES, June 2007, decided that: �The Animals Committee, in consultation with FAO, shall examine and report on linkages between the international trade in shark fins and meat and IUU shark fishing activities, including where possible the main species of sharks taken by IUU fishing, and the relative importance of fins compared to meat in international trade arising from IUU fishing� (Decision 14.117, CITES, 2007a). The information presented in this paper is intended to inform the CITES Animals Committee�s consideration of the linkages between the trade in shark fins and meat and IUU shark fishing activities. This paper is structured as follows: IUU fishing and its application to shark catch; about the nature and extent, of IUU fishing for sharks based on the available literature and a case study of the issue in Australian waters; IUU shark fishing; and of how the information provided in the report might inform the Animals Committees consideration of the issue. Details: Canberra: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and TRAFFIC, 2008. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2018 at: http://www.trafficj.org/publication/08_IUU_shark_catch.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Australia Keywords: Fishing Industry Shelf Number: 149418

Author: Elliott, Karla Title: Investigating Adolescent Family Violence: Background, Research and Directions Summary: Adolescent Family Violence (AFV) is increasingly being recognised as an area of concern in Australia and the Global North. AFV refers to the use of physical, emotional, psychological, verbal, financial and/or sexual abuse by a child or adolescent against their parent, carer, sibling or other family member in the home (McKenna, O'Connor & Verco 2010; Royal Commission into Family Violence 2016, vol. IV, chapter 23, 149). AFV has been recognised as a problem by those working in family violence intervention, and the problem is increasingly being recognised in research. Yet AFV remains to be comprehensively studied and researched. There is a need for knowledge to be expanded and methodological tools for studying AFV to be enhanced and aligned. Furthermore, there are limited guidelines or information surrounding AFV in policy, youth services, family services, the justice sectors and family violence services in Australia and abroad (Royal Commission into Family Violence 2016 (hereafter RCFV); Condry & Miles 2014). This context report surveys the field of AFV, providing definitions of AFV and related concepts, then giving overviews of research, the state of knowledge, policies and practice regarding AFV, what we know about AFV, and methodologies used to research it. The report includes recommendations and suggestions for moving forward and ends with a consideration of "parricide", that is, the murder of a parent by a child. This report furthermore highlights key researchers and work conducted in the space of AFV. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Monash University, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 15, 2018 at: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2017/12/Investigating-Adolescent-Family-Violence-Background-Research-and-Directions.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Adolescents Shelf Number: 149477

Author: El-Murr, Alissar Title: Problem sexual behaviours and sexually abusive behaviours in Australian children and young people: A review of available literature Summary: This paper presents a review of available literature on problem sexual behaviours (PSBs) and sexually abusive behaviours (SABs) exhibited in Australian children and young people. It provides an overview of those behaviours and the conceptual frameworks that inform legal and therapeutic interventions. The paper draws attention to the complexities regarding definitional categories and gaps in research regarding the prevalence and nature of PSBs and SABs, and the lack of evaluations of therapeutic treatment programs, in the Australian context. Key messages Sensitive definitions of PSBs and SABs that externalise the behaviour from the individual are important to guiding policy and practice. It can be harmful to categorise children and young people based on rigid or pathologising definitions regarding age-appropriate sexual behaviour. Australian studies find that 30-60% of all experiences of childhood sexual abuse are carried out by children and young people who exhibit PSBs and SABs; however, accurate statistics are difficult to obtain due to the hidden nature of abusive sexual experiences in childhood and adolescence. Other reasons for the lack of data may include ineffective reporting or referral pathways. Children and young people who demonstrate such behaviours are themselves in need of therapeutic support. Early therapeutic intervention strategies for children and young people who exhibit PSBs and SABs can maximise chances of rehabilitation. Treatment modalities must be flexible enough to meet the needs of diverse groups of children and young people. A combination of individual and family therapy, informed by an ecological approach, is found to effectively treat children and young people who display PSBs and SABs. There is inconclusive evidence about the extent to which causal or correlative risk factors for PSBs and SABs can be clearly identified. Clinicians in specialised services find while children with PSBs and SABs often present with complex and intersecting challenges in their lives, it is also the case that only a small number of children and young people with adverse childhood experiences will exhibit PSBs and SABs. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: CFCA Paper No. 46: Accessed March 16, 2018 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/46_problem_sexual_behaviours.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: At-risk Youth Shelf Number: 149491

Author: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing Spotlight on trafficking in dangerous drugs Summary: This Sentencing Spotlight examines sentencing outcomes for trafficking in dangerous drugs offences finalised in Queensland courts between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2016. The Drugs Misuse Act 1986 (Qld) (DMA) refers to 'a person who carries on the business of unlawfully trafficking' as being guilty of a crime. The term 'trafficking' is not defined in legislation under the DMA, but rather by case law. If dealing with dangerous drugs does not meet the case law definition of trafficking, it will usually constitute the separate offence of supplying dangerous drugs. While trafficking typically involves selling, it has a wider meaning of 'knowingly engaging in the movement of drugs from source to ultimate user'. A single sale made as part of carrying on a business could be trafficking, if it was the first sale of expected continuing activity. Occasional sales across limited isolated transactions are not sufficient. The prosecution is required to demonstrate several transactions were conducted for gain over more than a brief interval. However, the trade does not have to last indefinitely, generate profit, service more than one customer, or include payment in money (for instance, someone addicted to drugs could traffic to obtain drugs for personal consumption). Carrying on the business of unlawfully trafficking goes beyond sales and usually involves other activities including product advertising or promotion, negotiating prices and terms, taking orders and arranging delivery. Different drug traffickers receive different sentences because factors vary across individual cases. These include the application of general sentencing principles in section of the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992 (Qld) and other considerations such as the type, quantity and value of drugs supplied, the nature of the trafficking, and whether the offender's motivation was financial profit or to feed their drug habit. Analysis or comments about the type and quantity of dangerous drugs associated with these offenders' cases are excluded as these are not reported in the administrative data. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2018. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2018 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/555320/sentencing-spotllight-on-trafficking-in-dangerous-drugs-february-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Offenders Shelf Number: 149532

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Fraud against the Commonwealth: Report to Government 2014-2015 Summary: The Fraud Against the Commonwealth Report for 2014-15 presents research findings on the level of fraud risk affecting Commonwealth entities and the government's approach to preventing and responding to acts of dishonesty perpetrated within and against the Commonwealth. For the three years 2012-13 to 2014-15, 417,480 incidents of suspected fraud were detected worth over $1.208b with more than one third of Commonwealth entities experiencing fraud. During the three years, 3,699 defendants were prosecuted for fraud by the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. In 2014-15, almost one third of sentences imposed involved actual imprisonment. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Report; Statistical Report 03: Accessed March 29, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr3 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 149609

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Fraud within the Commonwealth: A census of the most costly fraud incidents 2014-15 Summary: During financial years 2012-13 to 2014-15, Commonwealth entities detected or were informed of 4,828 incidents of internal fraud alleged against public servants or contractors, with losses totalling $11.3m. Each entity that experienced internal fraud was asked to select the one most costly incident each year and to provide information on the nature of the incident, the type of person who was alleged to have perpetrated it and how the matter was dealt with. The majority of the 126 incidents examined related to abuse of employee entitlements or financial benefits, with most committed through the misuse of information or documents, or other technology-enabled means. The findings show where risks of serious fraud against the Commonwealth lie and provide insight into how fraud prevention resources could most effectively be targeted. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Statistical Bulletin 04: Accessed March 29, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb4 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 149610

Author: Victoria Police Title: Policing Harm, Upholding the Right: Victoria Police strategy for Family Violence, Sexual Offences and Child Abuse 2018-2023 Summary: Policing Harm, Upholding the Right: Victoria Police strategy for Family Violence, Sexual Offences and Child Abuse 2018-2023 marks the next stage of Victoria Police's reform agenda, building on previous work to combat violence against women and children, who are the predominant victims of these crimes. The strategy takes an integrated approach to responding to family violence, sexual offences and child abuse, in recognition of the links between these crime themes and the cumulative harm their co-occurrence causes. Our vision is that 'Victoria Police plays an integral role in reducing, and ultimately preventing the harm caused by perpetrators of family violence, sexual offences and child abuse, by holding perpetrators to account and improving the safety and wellbeing of all victims'. Policing Harm, Upholding the Right sets out four strategic priorities for reform to achieve this: Victim Safety - Service delivery improves the safety and wellbeing of victims Offence and Offender Management - Perpetrators are actively managed and held accountable Child Safety is front of mind Our People - A capable and safe workforce Each strategic priority has specific objectives to focus police efforts, key actions forming a two-year rolling action plan to further reform and organisational performance measures to identify trends that will help assess progress. Details: Docklands, VIC: Victoria Police, 2018. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 30, 2018 at: http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=internetBridgingPage&Media_ID=134877 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 149621

Author: Coyne, John Title: 'Santa Muerte', are the Mexican cartels really coming? Summary: Whether in Mexico, the US or Australia, the image of the transnational serious and organised crime (OC) threat from 'Mexican cartels' used to construct policy doesn't appear to engage with the reality that there's no homogeneous Mexican cartel, cartels or OC group. In popular culture, the labels 'Mexican cartel' and 'street gang' conjure an image of a highly organised, hierarchically commanded and ultraviolent crime group. Even Mexico's infamous Sinaloa cartel, rumoured to have an increasingly ominous presence in Australia, is more an alliance of criminal figures than a hierarchical organisation. There should be little doubt that these groups, as a collective phenomenon, have consistently demonstrated a propensity to regularly use breathtakingly barbaric violence for revenge and intimidation. Unfortunately, popular characterisations of the structure and organisation of these groups does little justice to the complexity of the threat that they pose. These generalisations lack the necessary granularity to be useful in the development of disruption- and mitigation-focused strategies. For policymakers, it's convenient to conflate well-known US-based Mexican street gangs, transnational street gangs such as the 'Mexican Mafia' and transnational OC groups such as the 'Mexican cartels' into a singular homogeneous threat grouping or strategy: 'the cartels'. It's equally convenient to link all Mexican OC activity together with the cartel thread. With this kind of conflation, the seriousness of the threat at hand can clearly and concisely be communicated to government decision-makers in terms that will ensure funding and strategy responses. Frustration with the inability of law enforcement arrest and seizure strategies to undermine the drug trade and its associated OC has further complicated the policy decision-making in this space. In the US and Mexican governments' cases, it's likely that this frustration has underpinned government policy, thereby expanding the role of the military and intelligence agencies in the 'war on drugs'. Unfortunately, conflating these groups doesn't produce the kinds of policies and strategies that will result in operational activity that has long-term disruption impacts on the groups involved. Moreover, the current understanding arguably does not allow for the involvement and integration of enforcement operations with other whole-of-government social, economic and development strategies. This report argues that, for Australia and Asia, the menace of Mexican OC is no longer looming on the horizon; it has already arrived. However, the nature of the Mexican OC problem in Australia and Asia is not likely to be the same as that found in either the US or Mexico. To fully understand the implications of this development for Australia and the region, this threat needs to be viewed in context. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 2, 2018 at: http://www.css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/resources/docs/ASPI-SR107_Mexican-cartels.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Cartels Shelf Number: 149648

Author: Ooi, Evarn J. Title: Recent Trends in the NSW Female Prison Population Summary: Aim: To explore a variety of explanations that can potentially account for the 50 per cent increase in the adult female prison population in NSW since 2011. Method: In general, a rise in the prison population could be the result of an increase in the time spent in custody, or an increase in the number of offenders received into custody. Using multiple sources of NSW criminal justice data, we provide descriptive evidence outlining recent trends in the length of stay (LoS) in custody, as well as changes in the number and offending history of female offenders. Results: Adult female remand and sentenced receptions have increased 55 and 85 per cent, respectively. In addition, females proceeded against to court by NSW Police have risen 18 per cent. We also observe large increases among Indigenous and non-Indigenous females. The most striking results are the substantial increases in repeat female offenders appearing before a court; for instance, the proportion of females with at least one prior court appearance has increased approximately 162 per cent. In contrast, LoS in custody remained relatively stable, and we do not find evidence that women are committing more serious offences. Conclusion: Prior offending history is a key determinant in accounting for the increase in the adult female prison population in recent years. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief; Issue paper no. 130: Accessed April 3, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/2018-Report-Recent-Trends-in-the-NSW-Female-Prison-Population-BB130.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Inmates Shelf Number: 149655

Author: Foundation for Alcohol Research Education Title: Policy options paper: Preventing alcohol-related family and domestic violence Summary: Family and domestic violence (FDV) often occurs in the home, where one should feel safest, perpetrated by a loved one, with whom one should feel safest. It is sometimes a one off event but is often a pattern of behaviour characterised by one person exerting power and control over another in the context of an intimate partnership or within a family situation. FDV may persist for years and sometimes involves multiple forms of abuse. In Australia at least one woman dies each week at the hands of her partner or ex-partner2 and a significant number of children die as a result of abuse and neglect, although exact figures are not known.3 FDV can happen to anyone regardless of gender, sexuality, class, culture or family type. Some communities are more likely to experience FDV and may find it difficult to access mainstream support that meets their needs. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women; culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people and families; women with a disability; and older and young women, all face significant barriers to identifying FDV, seeking help and accessing culturally appropriate support. The impacts of FDV include complex trauma, physical injuries, poor mental health and the development of behaviours that are harmful to health such as alcohol misuse.4 These impacts are cumulative, with the frequency and severity of abuse being associated with greater physical and mental health impacts on the victim.5 The impacts of trauma may also persist long after the abuse has stopped.6 The effects of violence and abuse also go beyond those directly involved. Witnesses are often traumatised. In many cases it is children who witness these events. This sometimes results in children themselves growing up to use violence. They are also more likely to experience domestic violence themselves. These children can also grow up to experience alcohol and other drug issues in their lives.7 FDV impacts on children whether or not they witness it. It is more difficult to estimate the impacts of FDV on other family members and communities, but again there is significant evidence to suggest that FDV has widespread immediate and intergenerational consequences. FDV, and particularly violence between intimate partners, is not a gender neutral issue. Domestic violence is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men against women.8 This is due to the unequal power dynamics between women and men, the gendered distribution of resources, and an "adherence to rigidly defined gender roles expressed institutionally, culturally, organisationally and individually."9 Child maltreatment is also more likely to be perpetrated by males than females.10 The interplay between alcohol and FDV is complex. Alcohol is a contributing factor to FDV, increasing both the likelihood of violence occurring and the severity of harms.11 Alcohol misuse can cause or exacerbate relationship stressors thereby increasing the probability of violence. Alcohol use can be both a consequence to and precursor of relationship stress and violence. Alcohol use also affects cognitive functioning and physical functioning, 12 affecting the likelihood of perpetration, and making those who are impacted by FDV more vulnerable. Some perpetrators of violence may try to blame the misuse of alcohol and/or drugs or use intoxication as an excuse. This is not the case. Alcohol use and intoxication are never an excuse for violence. Victims may use alcohol as a coping mechanism for dealing with trauma and pain. There are also intergenerational impacts, with children who witness domestic violence being more likely to have problems with alcohol later in life.13 Alcohol is involved in a significant proportion of reported domestic violence and child protection incidents. In 2010-11 there were 29,684 reported incidents of alcohol-related domestic violence to police across four Australian states; Victoria, New South Wales (NSW), Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT).14 Due to challenges with data collection across all jurisdictions, as well as under-reporting of these crimes, these figures are likely to be significant underestimates. This equates to approximately half of domestic assaults reported to police involving alcohol. In addition, a carer's alcohol use is a factor for 10,166 children in the child protection system.15 Australia is committed to addressing FDV by being a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Declaration to End Violence Against Women and the Beijing Declaration. 16 The association between alcohol and FDV has been recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has identified action on alcohol misuse as one of several strategies to reduce violence against women and children. 17 , 18 There is also recognition of the association between alcohol and FDV by Australian Governments. National, as well as some state and territory, strategies and frameworks have acknowledged the role of alcohol in FDV and have recognised the need to address alcohol as part of an overall strategy to reduce FDV. However, to date, there has been a lack of coordinated action to bring these strategies together to produce effective policies and programs. This Policy Options Paper draws on the following principles based on the literature of what is known about alcohol-related FDV in Australia and internationally. These principles are: x The consumption of alcohol is never an excuse for violence. x Policies that address gender inequalities and alcohol misuse are critical to reducing FDV. x The WHO socio-ecological model acknowledges that no single factor explains why people engage in violence, instead there are multiple factors, at the individual, relationship, community and societal levels. Responses to FDV need to be targeted at all levels. x No single response is likely to reduce alcohol-related FDV. Australia needs a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address alcohol-related FDV, as part of an overall strategy to reduce violence against women and children. x A public health approach is needed to reduce alcohol-related FDV, with a focus on prevention across the spectrum, including primordial prevention, primary prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary prevention. Details: Deakin, ACT: FARE, 2015. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2018 at: http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/research/FARE-Policy-Options-Paper-Preventing-alcohol-related-FDV.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 149661

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Audit of Victoria Police's oversight of serious incidents Summary: o determine how effectively Victoria Police oversights serious incidents involving its officers, IBAC audited more than 140 oversight files closed by Victoria Police during the 2015/16 financial year. The audit examined Victoria Police's oversight of serious incidents resulting in death and serious injury following police contact. The audit identified that there are aspects of Victoria Police's oversight process that are concerning and which could be improved. When a person dies or is seriously injured following an interaction with police, Victoria Police conducts an oversight of the incident and any subsequent investigation. Victoria Police's oversight process seeks to identify whether the serious incident was preventable or whether improvements could be made to police policies or practices to prevent similar incidents from occurring. Victoria Police also examines whether the investigation of the death or serious injury met the standards expected for handling serious incidents. Victoria Police conducts an oversight in response to the following serious incidents: a death or serious injury resulting from contact between police and the public a death or serious injury to a person in police custody an attempted suicide by a person in police custody an incident involving the discharge of a firearm by police an escape from custody any serious vehicle collision involving police. This report presents the findings of IBAC's audit of Victoria Police oversight files (known as C1-8 files). The audit assessed whether Victoria Police's oversights were thorough and impartial and met the standards required of such reviews. IBAC also examined relevant Victoria Police policies, conducted data analysis, and reviewed case studies. IBAC has made recommendations for Victoria Police to improve its oversight of serious incidents which Victoria Police has accepted. IBAC will monitor how Victoria Police implements these recommendations. The audit is part of an ongoing program of audits that IBAC conducts on how Victoria Police handles complaints. These audits help Victoria Police build capacity to prevent corrupt conduct and police misconduct by identifying areas of improvement around complaint handling. IBAC's audits also identify good practice that could be considered more broadly by Victoria Police. In doing so, audits help build public confidence in the integrity of Victoria Police's processes and in IBAC's independent police oversight role. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2018.62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2018 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/research-documents/audit-of-victoria-police-oversight-of-serious-incidents.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Accountability Shelf Number: 149710

Author: Goh, Derek Title: An update of long-term trends in violent and property crime in New South Wales: 1990-2017 Summary: Aim: The aim of this paper is to analyse the trends in the rates of annual recorded incidents of 10 categories of property and violent crime for the period 1990 to 2017 in New South Wales (NSW). Method: Offence rates were calculated using criminal incident data from the NSW Police Force Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) for the period 1995 to 2017, and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research's recorded crime statistics report series for the period 1990 to 1994. Kendall's trend test was run on the 24 annual rates for each of the 10 offence categories. Results: Some categories of crime in NSW are now at the lowest recorded levels they have been for over 25 years. Comparing per capita rates of crime in 2017 with per capita rates in 1990, lower rates were found for: robbery with a firearm (90% lower); motor vehicle theft (82% lower); break and enter non-dwelling (78% lower); murder (69% lower); robbery without a weapon (64% lower); break and enter dwelling (64% lower) and robbery with a weapon not a firearm (59% lower). Three of the ten offence types analysed in this report were found to have recorded rates higher in 2017 than in 1990: sexual assault (172% higher); other sexual offences (118% higher) and assault (59% higher). Conclusion: In the period since 1990, assault and sexual assault rates recorded significant long term upward trends whilst the other eight offences analysed in this report were trending down or stable. The 2017 sexual assault rate was the highest recorded since 1990. Apart from sexual assault and other sexual offences, the remaining eight offence types recorded significant downtrends in recorded rates since 2000. The three robbery and three property crime series all recorded falls of above 74 per cent since 2000. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief; Issue Paper no. 131: Accessed April 6, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/2018-Report-Long-term-trends-in-violent-and-property-crime-in-NSW-1990-2017-BB131.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Rates Shelf Number: 149716

Author: Orr, Elizabeth Title: Evidence to Action & Local Action as Evidence: Findings from the Building Safe Communities for Women and their Children Action Research Support Initiative. Summary: Domestic and family violence and sexual assault perpetrated against women and their children is prevalent, serious, and preventable. In Australia, approximately one in four (2.2 million) women has experienced some form of violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15, compared to one in 13 men. Approximately one in six women in Australia has been subjected to physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016). The social, health, and economic costs of violence against women and their children are huge. For women in Australia aged 18-44, intimate partner violence contributes more to their health burden than any other risk factor, including alcohol use, tobacco use, or high cholesterol (Webster, 2016). Preventing and stopping violence against women and their children is a national priority that requires whole-of-community action. The Australian government's Department of Social Services (DSS) provided one-off grants of up to $150,000 to community-based projects led by a range of organisations across Australia, as part of the Building Safe Communities for Women and their Children (BSCW) initiative. The BSCW grants program aimed to reduce violence against women and their children by supporting community-led projects that are responsive to the specific needs of the women, children, and families in those communities. The ANROWS Action Research Support Initiative supported the BSCW projects to reflect and document their learning and share them with ANROW to collate and synthesise the successes, challenges, gaps, and opportunities in working to build safe communities across Australia. This report provides an overview of the key findings from both the individual BSCW projects and the synthesised findings of the ANROWS Action Research Support Initiative. The intention of the report is to share findings in an accessible way that will encourage community-based practitioners and organisations to implement further local initiatives to address violence against women and their children. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2018. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2018 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/ANROWS%20Action%20Research%20Support%20Initiative%20Report.2.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 149725

Author: Robinson, Sally Title: Preventing abuse and promoting personal safety in young people with disability. Final report Summary: This research aimed to develop an in-depth understanding of what 'being safe' means to young people with disability, what helps and hinders them to feel and be safe, and how their concerns about safety are perceived and responded to by other people. To do this, the project addressed four research questions: 1. What does 'being safe' mean to young people with disability (aged 16 - 30)? 2. What helps and hinders young people with disability in feeling and being safe? 3. How do people who provide support to young people with dis ability perceive and respond to young people's concerns about their own safety? 4. What are the implications of this knowledge for policy and practice, particularly in newly emerging models of support? Details: Lismore, NSW, AUS: Southern Cross University, Centre for Children and Young People, 2017. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2018 at: https://rcypd.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/FINAL-Preventing-Abuse-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 149719

Author: Victorian Auditor-General Title: Safety and Cost Effectiveness of Private Prisons Summary: Private prisons accommodate around one third of the state's male prison population. The safe, secure and cost effective operation of these prisons is essential for the effective functioning of Victoria's corrections system and for community safety. Like the broader prison system, private prisons face significant challenges. The male prison population has increased by approximately 50 per cent over the last seven years, primarily driven by an increase in remand prisoners. This audit examines whether two of Victoria's private prisons-Port Phillip Prison and Fulham Correctional Centre-are safe and cost effective. We looked at: private prisons' management of critical safety and security risks private prisons' performance against key service delivery measures, costs and risk transfer expectations under the original contracts the process for the recent contract extensions and whether they delivered value for money. This is the first audit in which we used our 'follow-the-dollar' powers, directly engaging the private prison operators and requesting information from them. We made six recommendations for DJR, and two for the Department of Treasury and Finance related to its role in the private prison contract extension process Details: Melbourne: Victorian Auditor-General's Office, 2018. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2018 at: https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-03/20180328-Private-Prisons.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Administration Shelf Number: 149742

Author: Australian Law Reform Commission Title: Pathways to Justice - An Inquiry into the Incarceration Rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Summary: Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults make up around 2% of the national population, they constitute 27% of the national prison population. In 2016, around 20 in every 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were incarcerated. Over-representation is both a persistent and growing problem� Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration rates increased 41% between 2006 and 2016, and the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and nonIndigenous imprisonment rates over that decade widened. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women constitute 34% of the female prison population. In 2016, the rate of imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (464.8 per 100,000) was not only higher than that of non-Indigenous women (21.9 per 100,000), but was also higher than the rate of imprisonment of nonIndigenous men (291.1 per 100,000). In 1991, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) found that the Aboriginal population was grossly over-represented in custody. It noted that �Aboriginal people are in gross disproportionate numbers, compared with nonAboriginal people, in both police and prison custody and it is this fact that provides the immediate explanation for the disturbing number of Aboriginal deaths in custody�. The RCIADIC looked at indicators of disadvantage that contributed to this disproportionate representation, including that �Aboriginal people were dispossessed of their land without benefit of treaty, agreement or compensation�. Other indicators identified by the RCIADIC were the economic position of Aboriginal people, the health situation, their housing requirements, their access or non-access to an economic base including land and employment, their situation in relation to education; the part played by alcohol and other drugs�and its effects. Over the 26 years since the RCIADIC, multiple resources have been dedicated to remedying the factors identified by the RCIADIC and to reducing the disproportionate incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. However, in 2016, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were 12. times more likely to be in prison than non-Indigenous people, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women were 21.2 times more likely to be in prison than non-Indigenous women. The submission to this Inquiry from Jesuit Social Services summed up a common assessment: �The over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the criminal justice system is a national disgrace�. While the statistics concerning the disproportionate incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are alarming, it is important to bear in mind that the majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people never commit a criminal offence. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2017. 528p. Source: Internet Resource: ALRC Report 133: Accessed April 10, 2018 at: https://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/final_report_133_amended1.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 149750

Author: Coyne, John Title: Border security lessons for Australia from Europe's Schengen experience Summary: Brexit, and the 2016 US presidential election result, provided tangible evidence that migration and border security policies are becoming increasingly politicised in Western liberal democracies. Public policy dialogue on migration and border security has become ever more polarised into a zero sum game in which debates on both issues descend into a binary 'secure' or 'insecure' ultimatum. Far too often, pragmatism is giving way to simplistic 'balancing' metaphors that achieve neither security nor border facilitation goals. It's this binary border security policy thinking that's tearing at the Schengen Area's collaborative strategy. Adding further complexity to this policy space is a phenomenon in which citizens of Western liberal democracies are experiencing an inexplicable and illogical fear of migrants. In a practical sense, the public policy dialogue, along with its media coverage, is widening the gap between the fear of migrants and migration-related risks and the actual or estimated probable threat. From a security perspective, people are more scared of migration and migrants than they ought to be. US President Trump's successful 2016 election platform engaged with this emotively charged public fear by further demonising migration. Details: Barton, ACT, AUS: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2017. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Strategic Insights, 117: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ad-aspi/import/SI117_-Schengen-lessons-for-Australia.pdf?fr4QW2WQxT2ozsmvLeaOyunDB7o83kWb Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Border Patrol Shelf Number: 149753

Author: Parkinson, Samantha Title: Child Abuse in Institutional Contexts: The reliability of police data, nature of allegations reported to police, and factors driving reporting rates, Summary: In 2014, the Australian Centre for Child Protection (University of South Australia), Social Policy Research Centre (University of NSW) and the Australian Institute of Criminology completed the research project Child sexual abuse in Australian institutional contexts: Findings from administrative data 2008-13 (hereby referred to as the 'administrative data report'; Bromfield, Hirte, Octoman & Katz, 2017). The report used administrative data to estimate the incidence of child sexual abuse (CSA) in institutional and other contexts, focusing on 'recent allegations' reported to police between 2008 and 2013 and that occurred within five years of reporting. Rates of CSA differed considerably, with NSW having a much higher rate than other jurisdictions. The administrative data report raised questions about data reliability and quality that required further exploration. For example, there was a considerable difference between the nature of contemporary institutional CSA and historical trends (Katz, Jones, Newton & Reimer, 2017). The nature of, and circumstances surrounding, allegations were not discernible from the administrative data. Therefore, other fields (proxy indicators) had to be used to differentiate between CSA in institutional contexts and CSA in other contexts. These fields included 'location of abuse' and 'relationship of victim to person of interest (POI)'. Accordingly, the administrative data report concluded: A follow-up study subjecting a small sample of allegations to a case file review, to determine additional details; address some of the questions pertaining to data quality; and provide greater certainty to the Royal Commission regarding the estimates provided in the [administrative data report] study. (Bromfield et al., 2017, p 215) The purpose of the current report was to determine: - the accuracy and reliability of the data and proxy indicators used to categorise reports as institutional child sexual abuse (ICSA) or non-institutional child sexual abuse (NICSA) in the administrative data report - the nature of, and circumstances surrounding, reports to police concerning ICSA compared to NICSA - the factors that drive different reporting rates for CSA in Australian jurisdictions. The project comprised three phases: 1. a literature review to ascertain what is already known about why the number of reported allegations of CSA may vary across Australian police jurisdictions 2. consultations (qualitative interviews) with data custodians and operational police across the eight Australian jurisdictions to determine if there are any differences in police recording practices and whether these could account for the variation across jurisdictions in rates of CSA reported to police; identify the information held by police that was most relevant for analysis in the project's final phase; and determine the feasibility of extracting this data from the jurisdictions 3. a case file review of a random sample of ICSA and NICSA reports to police in two large jurisdictions to establish: a. the accuracy and reliability of the dataset used in the administrative data report b. the nature of, and circumstances surrounding, reports to police concerning CSA in an institutional context compared with other contexts c. the factors that drive different reporting rates for CSA in Australian jurisdictions Details: Sydney: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017. 97p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2018 at: http://search.ror.unisa.edu.au/record/UNISA_ALMA11151668220001831/media/digital/open/9916170511501831/12151668210001831/13151658470001831/pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Institutional Abuse Shelf Number: 149625

Author: Chung, Donna Title: Preventing sexual violence against young women from African backgrounds Summary: Young women report the highest rates of sexual coercion and violence; however, little is known about the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse young women in Australia. This exploratory study investigated the understanding and experiences of sexual coercion and violence by young women from African refugee and migrant backgrounds. It is a response to reports by service providers of increasing numbers of young African women accessing unplanned pregnancy and relationship services, and concerns about domestic violence and relationship breakdown. For some of these young women pregnancy has led to family and community conflict, resulting in cultural and social isolation. In order to gain an understanding of the extent of concern about sexual coercion and assault and to document emerging agency responses to the issues, the study involved gathering data from young women from African backgrounds and a wide range of agencies in two Australian states. The research identified factors that allowed young women to disclose sexual violence and access support, or those factors preventing them from doing so. The paper's recommendations centre on improving policy, practice, professional development and training to better respond to sexual violence experienced by young adult women from African refugee or migrant backgrounds. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 540: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi540 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: African Women Shelf Number: 149806

Author: Krone, Tony Title: Criminal misuse of the Domain Name System Summary: The DNS is a naming system for resources, such as personal computers or other devices, that connect to the internet via the World Wide Web. It coordinates internet addresses and domain names-the two kinds of unique identifiers that make internet connection possible. The study was funded by the auDA Foundation, which was established by the .au Domain Administration (auDA), the policy authority and industry self-regulatory body for the .au domain space in Australia. The aim was to support the objective of the Foundation by 'promoting and encouraging educational and research activities that will enhance the utility of the Internet for the benefit of the Australian community' (auDA Foundation 2015). Methodology Public source, non-technical literature was comprehensively reviewed to identify instances of DNS misuse, the risks that led to the commission of these instances, and the crime prevention and regulatory measures available to address the problem. The study was particularly focused on exploring existing legal and criminological frameworks that could be used to conceptualise the problem of DNS misuse and provide a framework for developing effective control strategies. The literature review was international and examined English-language resources including academic sources, legal databases and relevant policy documents. The review primarily focused on the risks of misuse of the DNS from an Australian perspective although, due to the global nature of the internet, all legitimate users would benefit in many ways from a more secure and trusted domain name system, both as domain name owners and consumers. Scope The results address current identified risks, but they could also inform further and more detailed cross-disciplinary research into the nature of the problem and appropriate solutions. The research was not intended to be an overly technical examination of the problem and does not address the architectural or programming features of particular examples of misuse. Rather, it explores the issue from a policy perspective that will be beneficial in devising appropriate legal and policy responses. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 03: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rr/rr03 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 149807

Author: Goldsmid, Susan Title: Predictions on future Victorian illicit drug market influences Summary: Fifty-nine police detainees and 84 Victoria Police members predicted what the state of the Victorian illicit drug market would be at the start of 2018. Methamphetamine was predicted to be the most popular illicit drug and the one causing the most harm in 2018. Increases in clandestine laboratories, youth and organised crime involvement, government and law enforcement attention and education were predicted to impact on the methamphetamine market. The ecstasy market was predicted to grow by 2018, driven by demand for it as a party drug. Cocaine was predicted to increase in price and purity by 2018. These changes were predicted to be driven by increased seizures and organised crime involvement, which may increase the number of attempted importations. Fluctuations in cannabis availability, price and purity were predicted, driven by increased cultivation and organised crime involvement in the market. The heroin market was predicted to be stable. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin 10: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb10 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drugs and Crime Shelf Number: 149808

Author: Patterson, Eileen Title: The heroin market: police detainee perspectives Summary: The data in this report were collected as part of the Australian Institute of Criminology's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, which is a quarterly collection of criminal justice and drug use information from police detainees at multiple sites across Australia. From January 2015 to December 2016, 4,400 adult police detainees were interviewed in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney (Bankstown and Surry Hills), most of them male (83%; n=3,647). Recent users of heroin reported using on average 12 days out of the last 30 days before detention and rated the availability at eight out of 10, while quality was given an average rating of six out of 10. Detainees reported that heroin was approximately $50 per point, with recent users reporting that the price had remained the same compared with the three months prior to interview. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin 09: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb09 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 149809

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Perceptions of corruption: Survey of the Victorian community Summary: The Victorian community expects the public sector to operate fairly and honestly, free from misconduct and corruption. The community also expects public sector employees to conduct themselves with integrity and professionalism when using public funds and resources to deliver goods and services to Victorians. This report provides the responses of the Victorian community about their understanding of corruption, their perceptions of corruption and misconduct, attitudes to reporting corruption and misconduct, and attitudes towards preventing corruption. Two-thirds of the Victorian community respondents agreed they knew what behaviour constitutes corruption (65 per cent). Almost two-thirds of community respondents also agreed that corruption happens in Victoria (62 per cent), which was comparable to the other groups surveyed (state and local government employees and Victoria Police). Behaviours associated with obtaining personal financial rewards and bribery were consistently identified as corruption by the majority of community respondents. However, compared with other respondent groups, community respondents were less confident identifying what corruption is. While less than half of the community respondents (44 per cent) identified a government employee using a work credit card to pay for a personal taxi fare of $50 as corrupt conduct, the majority of Victoria Police, state government and local government respondents were clear that this definitely involved corrupt conduct. The majority of community respondents said they would report corruption if they personally observed it (75 per cent), however only a quarter of respondents said they knew how to report corruption (23 per cent) or where to report it (24 per cent). Community respondents stated that concern for fairness and democracy (78 per cent) and the best interests of the community (77 per cent) would prompt them to report corruption. And they were most likely to report serious corruption to IBAC (39 per cent), the Victorian Ombudsman (21 per cent) and Victoria Police (15 per cent). Details: Melbourne: IBAC, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/perceptions-of-corruption_survey-of-the-victorian-community_april-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=0 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Bribery Shelf Number: 149812

Author: Sullivan, Tom Title: The ecstasy market: police detainee perspectives Summary: The data in this report were collected as part of the Australian Institute of Criminology's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, which is a quarterly collection of criminal justice and drug use information from police detainees at multiple sites across Australia. From January 2015 to December 2016, 4,400 adult police detainees were interviewed in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney (Bankstown and Surry Hills), most of them male (83%; n=3,647). Recent users reported consuming ecstasy on average three out of the last 30 days before detention and rated availability at an average seven out of 10, while quality was rated at an average six out of 10. Detainees reported the price of ecstasy per pill was approximately $15 to $25, with a majority of recent users reporting that the price had stayed the same compared to the three months prior to interview. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletins no. 8: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb08 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 149816

Author: Fowler, Greg Title: Containing ecstasy: analytical tools for profiling an illegal drug market Summary: Analytical tools for illegal market profi ling � There is no one analytical tool to profi le illegal drug markets; rather, a combination of methods are appropriate for different drug markets and different market participants. � For the ecstasy market, data indicative of organisational activity, such as arrests, and health outcomes such as deaths, hospitalizations and occasions of specialist treatment, provide only limited market intelligence, as the majority of ecstasy consumers and suppliers do not come into contact with police or health agencies. � A market cannot be understood by focusing solely on supply-side activities; the attitudes and behaviours of consumers and regulators also determine market mechanisms and outcomes. � In Australia, changing consumer patterns of ecstasy use are one of the most accessible sources of intelligence about the state of the market. � Population surveys set the baseline for the prevalence of ecstasy use and the characteristics of ecstasy consumers. � Surveys of special populations provide richer detail of consumer attitudes, knowledge and market behaviors. Such open source intelligence also provides early warning systems for change in the market. � Profi ling the supply chain for ecstasy and the behavior of suppliers are inherently diffi cult because of the hidden, illegal nature of their market activities. � Sustained research engagement with regular ecstasy consumers and suppliers, using innovative qualitative methodologies, can provide greater insights into market processes. � The annual number and weight of ecstasy seizures can provide only limited intelligence for a market profi le. The supply chain context of individual seizures is important in building a national market profi le. Strategic intelligence using this data is not systematically collated or readily accessible. � The Ecstasy Market Indicator (EMI) study has used the best available evidence from surveys of general and special populations, indicator data from law enforcement and health agencies, and interviews with consumers, suppliers and drug market regulators. This triangulated approach provides a fi ne grained picture of the ecstasy market in Queensland and these methods can be replicated in other jurisdictions. The demand for ecstasy � The United Nations Offi ce of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports that Australia has some of the highest levels of ecstasy use in the world. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimates that approximately 1.2 million Australians aged 14 years or over had tried ecstasy and over 550,000 people had used ecstasy within the last 12 months in 2004. � Both the lifetime and annual prevalence of ecstasy use has increased in the last 10 years. The National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) shows that the proportion of Australians reporting lifetime use of ecstasy grew from 3.1% in 1993 to 7.5% in 2004. Recent ecstasy use is less prevalent in Queensland compared to some other Australian states; however, recent use in Queensland doubled from 1.7% in 2001 to equal the national average of 3.4% of Australians in 2004. � Patterns of ecstasy use are associated with various demographic factors including age and gender. Ecstasy use is concentrated in the younger age demographic and males are more likely to use ecstasy than females. The average age of initiation to ecstasy use is generally older than the average age of onset to a range of other illegal drugs (including cannabis, amphetamines and heroin). A recent study of drug use among emergency department attendees found that the average age of onset for females (19.9 years) is younger than the average age of initiation for males (21.9 years). � The EMI study showed that regular ecstasy consumers are likely to consume ecstasy on a weekly basis and that a median of two tablets is consumed in a session of use. This study also found that experimentation, fun and opportunity are among the most frequently endorsed reasons for why ecstasy is fi rst consumed. The most common location for fi rst obtaining ecstasy is a friend�s home, while the most common place of fi rst use is a nightclub or pub. � The EMI study found that regular ecstasy consumers generally expect to be using ecstasy in one years time, but only one in fi ve expect to be using in ten years time. Ecstasy consumers tend to be young, white, well educated and middle class. Furthermore, ecstasy consumers are less likely to be involved in criminal activity (other than illegal drug possession) or contact the drug treatment system than are other types of illicit drug users, although they are more likely to be involved with crime than the general population. � Ecstasy is consumed in a range of locations including nightclubs/raves, private parties, friends� homes and consumers� homes. The practice of consuming ecstasy in a private location and then moving on to a public location to experience its effects is also common. � Key benefi ts of ecstasy use identifi ed by EMI participants included enhanced closeness/ bonding/empathy, enhanced communication/talkativeness/sociability and enhanced mood. The main perceived risks associated with ecstasy use, as reported by EMI respondents, were depression, dependence and damage to brain functioning. � There is increasing evidence to suggest the normalisation of ecstasy. EMI participants suggested that the seemingly innocuous mode of consumption (ecstasy is generally swallowed) has contributed signifi cantly to the normalisation of this drug. � Ecstasy use is generally planned and managed by most consumers. Consumers often plan their consumption to coincide with particular events so that its effects are experienced at particular times. Various strategies are also implemented to deal with the negative effects of ecstasy including eating healthily before consuming, consuming in a supportive context and researching its effects before using. � The consumption of ecstasy generally occurs in a context of poly-drug use. Regular ecstasy consumers surveyed in the EMI study reported the use of a range of illicit substances and often combined various substances in order to enhance or manage the ecstasy experience. The most common substances used in conjunction with ecstasy are alcohol, tobacco and cannabis. Supply in international and national ecstasy markets � Tablets sold as ecstasy, usually but not always contain MDMA, a phenethylamine of the amphetamine group of drugs, manufactured with precursor chemicals derived from safrole. There is a signifi cant illicit international trade in these chemicals. Global ecstasy production is still concentrated in the Netherlands and Belgium, although this concentration has declined over the last decade, with some level of manufacture now reported in many countries where ecstasy is consumed. � UNODC collects international data on seizures of the drug ecstasy, as well as precursor chemicals and laboratories used in its manufacture. The UNODC estimates that 7,098 kilograms of ecstasy were seized world-wide in 2002 of which 722 kilograms (10%) was seized in Australia. Based on these data, Australia is believed to be one of the highest per capita ecstasy consuming countries in the world. These data need to be treated with caution as there are considerable differences in reporting requirements and implementation of methods between countries. � The number and weight of ecstasy seizures have progressively increased in Australia during the past decade. Given that demand has also increased while prices have remained stable, this clearly indicates a growing market. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) estimates that a total of 2,400 kilograms were seized in Australia in 2003 and 2004, however, this excludes seizures by state police services. � Australian Customs Service data show that routes of entry for ecstasy include air passengers and cargo, sea cargo and through the post. While postal and air passenger seizures are more frequent, sea cargo accounts for the majority of seizures by weight. Ports of origin of seizures are predominantly European but with some notable transit points in South East Asia. � Evidence from ecstasy precursor and clandestine laboratory detections clearly indicate that ecstasy manufacture has been undertaken in Australia. The extent of this production has been limited until recently. Major seizures in 2005 indicate serious attempts at large scale production using piperonyl methyl ketone (PMK) and utilising skills gained from European manufacturers. � Mid- to high-level supply, importation and manufacturing sectors of illegal drug markets are more diffi cult to analyse than is the retail sector. Research subjects are diffi cult and potentially dangerous to access. The intelligence from the context of supply-chain seizures is not readily accessible, or organised in a meaningful manner, for research purposes. Overall, seizure data in Australia presents a number of problems in terms of accuracy, comparability and consistency. The mechanisms of the supply-side of illegal drug markets can be deduced to some extent by listening to consumers, suppliers and market regulators from law enforcement and health agencies. This limited evidence base can be supported by data from seizures of drugs, precursor chemicals and laboratory equipment. � Intelligence from seizure events is the best available source of evidence to support the opinions of market participants and regulators. When presented as a simple aggregated number and weight of seizures, these data refl ect police activity as much as they do the state of the market. More sophisticated analysis of attributes and the supply-chain contexts of seizure events, e.g. tablet contents and their supply-chain context, would greatly enhance both operational and strategic intelligence for market regulation. Details: Hobart: National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2007. 270p. Source: Internet Resource: Monograph Series no. 27: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: http://www.ndlerf.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/monographs/monograph27.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 108599

Author: Patterson, Eileen Title: The cannabis market: police detainee perspectives Summary: The data in this report were collected as part of the Australian Institute of Criminology's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, which is a quarterly collection of criminal justice and drug use information from police detainees at multiple sites across Australia. From January 2015 to December 2016, 4,400 adult police detainees were interviewed in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney (Bankstown and Surry Hills), most of them male (83%; n=3,647). Recent users reported consuming cannabis on average 15 out of the last 30 days before detention and rated the availability of cannabis at an average eight out of 10, while quality was given an average rating of seven out of 10. The price of cannabis was reported to be approximately $25 per bag. Recent users reported that the price of cannabis had remained the same compared to the three months prior to interview. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin no. 07: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb07 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 149817

Author: Ticehurst, Andrew Title: The methamphetamine market: police detainee perspectives Summary: The data in this report were collected as part of the Australian Institute of Criminology's Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program, which is a quarterly collection of criminal justice and drug use information from police detainees at multiple sites across Australia. From January 2015 to December 2016, 4,400 adult police detainees were interviewed in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney (Bankstown and Surry Hills), most of them male (83%; n=3,647). On average, recent users reported methamphetamine consumption 14 days out of the last 30 days before detention and rated the availability of methamphetamine on average at nine out of 10, while quality was given a rating of seven out of 10. A majority of recent users reported that the price of methamphetamine had not changed compared to the three months prior to interview, with a current price of approximately $50 per point. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin No. 06: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/06 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 149818

Author: Fuller, Georgina Title: Police detainee predictions on future Australian illicit drug market influences Summary: Forecasting the nature and form that the Australian illicit drug market will take by the start of 2018 based on the opinions of police detainees - who engage with illicit drug markets as users and suppliers - provides a unique perspective on likely market fluctuations and influences. Police detainees predicted that by the start of 2018 the most likely changes and greatest impacts will occur within the cannabis and methamphetamine markets, with the heroin market remaining relatively stable. Improvements in cultivation technology and the emergence of new cannabis strains were predicted to impact the cannabis market. An increase in the number of injecting methamphetamine users was predicted to have high impact on the methamphetamine market in terms of health and crime costs to the user and community. Predicting market influences supports government, law enforcement and health sectors to proactively develop strategies to address future challenges in the Australian illicit drug market. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin No. 05: Accessed April 16, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb05 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 149819

Author: Patterson, Eileen Title: Drug use monitoring in Australia: 2015 and 2016 report on drug use among police detainees Summary: Established in 1999, the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program is funded by the Australian Government and is the nation's largest and longest-running ongoing survey of police detainees across the country. DUMA currently operates at five data collection sites and comprises two core components: a self-report survey including a range of criminal justice, demographic, drug use and drug market participation information; and voluntary urinalysis, which provides an objective measure for corroborating reported recent drug use (within 48 hours of arrest). This biennial report is part of the Australian Institute of Criminology's (AIC) Statistical Report series and aims to describe the DUMA data collected between January 2015 and December 2016 (herein referred to as 2015-16) at five sites: Adelaide (South Australia), Brisbane (Queensland), Perth (Western Australia) and Sydney (Bankstown and Surry Hills, New South Wales). Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Report 04: Accessed April 24, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr4 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 149873

Author: Jahnsen, Synnove Okland Title: Scandinavian approaches to outlaw motorcycle gangs Summary: The Australian 'war on bikies' is known internationally for the significant policy, legislative and law enforcement effort that has been devoted to dealing with outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs). Given the ongoing concern expressed by the media and the general public, it is perhaps useful to look beyond the Australian context and consider experiences from Scandinavian states that share a history of violent conflict between competing OMCGs. This paper offers insight into Scandinavian experiences and efforts to prevent recruitment to OMCGs and encourage dissociation and desistance, with examples of cross-departmental approaches that seek to unite both disruptive and rehabilitative responses. Both local and national responses are described. The aim is to demonstrate the coexistence of various Scandinavian approaches targeting OMCGs which rest on penal, administrative and civil powers. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 543. : Accessed April 24, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi543 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Gang Violence Shelf Number: 149874

Author: Douglas, Kaylene Title: Disengagement from involvement in organised crime: processes and risks Summary: This paper provides insight into the processes and risks associated with disengaging from involvement in organised crime. It seeks to offer an understanding of what membership of an organised crime group entails, the motivations for leaving, processes of disengagement and potential repercussions that may be encountered as a result. Suggestions for promoting disengagement are also canvassed. Given the expansive nature of organised crime that takes place in Australia and globally, the different contexts of membership and personal involvement, and the cultural and social factors involved, disengagement is clearly complex and difficult to manage. Improved understanding of the processes and risks will enable policymakers to assist in the disruption of organised crime groups through the implementation of strategies designed to facilitate easy and effective disengagement from serious criminal activity. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 542: Accessed April 24, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi542 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Careers Shelf Number: 149876

Author: Maher, Janemaree Title: Women, disability and violence: Barriers to accessing justice: Final Report Summary: This project, Women, disability and violence: Creating access to justice, draws on the insights of 36 women living in New South Wales and Victoria who outlined their experiences of seeking justice and security in the context of violence that they had experienced. As part of their commitment to policy relevant empirically grounded research, Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) commissioned this research. The project was led by researchers from Monash University and People with Disability Australia, hereafter PWDA (representing Disabled People's Organisations Australia, hereafter DPOA). This research examines how these women worked to seek redress or support and the pathways and obstacles they encountered. This data has been augmented by interviews with 18 service providers from NSW and Victoria working in disability support services and advocacy organisations, domestic and family violence support services, and legal services. This is a qualitative project which limits generalisability: the aim here is to analyse the experiences these specific women have shared and work to identify patterns that emerge. Violence in the context of this project was understood to include physical and sexual violence as well as other forms of abuse such as coercive control, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and physical and social isolation. The majority of the cases captured in this report were instances of domestic and family violence defined broadly as violence occurring within a familial or caring context. It included sexual and physical assaults in a range of social and living environments. In addition, violence was understood to take particular forms such as withholding required medications or aids, limiting access to disability services and/or mainstream service providers and threats related to women's mothering and care-giving roles. Violence that violated women's sexual and reproductive autonomy, including forced or coerced sterilisation was also commonly reported. Avenues to seek desired justice, which may include prevention of future violence, everyday security and safety, and consequences for the perpetrators of violence are complex, as justice services and pathways may not effectively support the access of women with disability. This report reiterates findings that already exist in the public domain. As the context review makes clear, these issues of Executive summary violence and access to justice have been the focus of multiple reviews and interventions within Australia in the last five years. The question of legal capacity for women with disability is still unaddressed. As the Australian Human Rights Commission outlines (AHRC) (2014), all jurisdictions should have a disability strategy underpinned by a national Disability Justice Strategy. Implementation of this strategy should be guided by the following principles: 1. Safety of people with disability and freedom from violence. 2. Effective access to justice for people with disabilities. 3. Non-discrimination. 4. Respect for inherent dignity and individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own decisions. 5. Full and effective participation and inclusion in the community. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2018. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 27, 2018 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Maher%20et%20al%20Horizons%20Research%20Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Disabled Persons Shelf Number: 149921

Author: Schloenhardt, Andreas Title: Organised Crime and Migrant Smuggling: Australia and the Asia-Pacific Summary: Over the past two decades, smuggling in migrants has become a significant source of income for criminal organisations. Every year, thousands of migrants are being smuggled to Australia, throughout the Asia-Pacific region and around the world, by increasingly sophisticated criminal enterprises that earn billions of dollars by exploiting those fleeing poverty and persecution. The aim of this study is to explain the organised crime aspect of migrant smuggling in the Asia-Pacific region. In order to develop appropriate and effective countermeasures, the study seeks to identify and investigate the structural patterns of migrant smuggling. The report includes a brief discussion of what organised crime is, what it is not, and how it can best be approached. It examines why, when and where organised crime and migrant smuggling emerge. This provides the theoretical background for a detailed analysis of the organisational and operational aspects of migrant smuggling in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2002. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Research and public policy series no. 44: Accessed April 27, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rpp/rpp44 Year: 2002 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Smuggling Shelf Number: 149926

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia, 2018 Summary: Family, domestic and sexual violence is a major health and welfare issue. It occurs across all ages, and all socioeconomic and demographic groups, but predominantly affects women and children. This report explores the latest data available to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia. It brings together information from multiple sources on victims and perpetrators and on the causes, impacts and outcomes of violence. Gathering this information highlights notable data gaps which, if filled, could strengthen the evidence base and support the prevention and reduction of family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia. As many data collections focus only on violence perpetrated by an intimate partner, particularly male violence against women, much of this report focuses on domestic violence. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 28, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/d1a8d479-a39a-48c1-bbe2-4b27c7a321e0/aihw-fdv-02.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 149953

Author: Flynn, Asher Title: Plea negotiations: An empirical analysis Summary: Negotiating guilty pleas ('plea bargaining') is a central element of criminal justice processes in Australia, yet little is known outside the legal community about the frequency and outcomes of plea negotiations. This study addresses this important knowledge gap through qualitative and quantitative analysis of cases that were resolved through negotiated guilty pleas in Victorian courts. The study found that negotiations are used in almost all cases of guilty pleas across all court levels and often involve an extensive negotiation process. The study highlighted differences in the way negotiations play out in summary and indictable courts and identified 14 different forms of plea negotiation. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 544: Accessed April 30, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi544 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Guilty Pleas Shelf Number: 149959

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: How much does prison really cost? Comparing the costs of imprisonment with community corrections Summary: The costs associated with managing offenders in prison and in the community can be significant. Estimated costs are usually derived from the Report on government services, which reports both the operating expenditure and capital costs for prisons and community corrections. However, research has shown that sentencing a person to a period of incarceration can have much wider implications for the individual, their family, government and the broader community. These implications may be positive or negative, and may therefore generate both costs and savings. Understanding the wider costs associated with different sentence options can be helpful in informing effective correctional policy and practice. Yet relatively few studies have attempted to estimate the wider costs or savings associated with pathways through imprisonment or community corrections. The purpose of this research was to calculate the total net cost of pathways through imprisonment and community corrections in Victoria, taking into account a range of direct and indirect costs and savings associated with a matched cohort of prisoners and offenders. This study was undertaken in two stages. The first stage estimated the costs and savings accrued during sentences that began in 2009-10 (the reference episode). The second stage estimated the wider costs and savings for both this reference episode and subsequent pathways through imprisonment and community corrections over a five year period. The methodology used to develop these estimates and the results are presented in this report. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Research Report 05: Accessed April 30, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/142801/apo-nid142801-725506.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Corrections Shelf Number: 149964

Author: Lee, Murray Title: Sexting and Young People Summary: Aim This project aimed to investigate the phenomenon of sexting by young people. This under-researched but emergent contemporary legal and social issue was examined through an inter-disciplinary and multi-method framework by asking the question: are the current legal and policy responses to sexting reflective of young peoples' perceptions and practices of sexting? As such, the research had three specific aims: 1. to document young people's perceptions and practices of sexting; 2. to analyse public and media discourse around sexting, and; 3. to examine existing legal frameworks and sanctions around sexting and develop recommendations for an appropriate and effective legislative policy response to the practice by young people. Method The project consisted of a three-stage research plan: 1. quantitative surveys and focus groups with young people regarding their views and experiences of sexting; 2. a media discourse analysis to capture the tenure of public discussion around sexting in Australia, and; 3. an analysis of existing laws and sanctions that apply to sexting in all states and territories in Australia. Results Our results indicate that a significant number of young people have engaged in the sending and receiving of sexually suggestive pictures (sexting). Indeed, 47% of young people surveyed reported engaging in such behaviour. However, both the types of activity and the frequency of the engagement varied dramatically amongst respondents. Furthermore, the vast majority of those who reported sending or receiving sexually suggestive images did so with only a small number of people and most commonly only with those they already had a romantic attachment. Focus group respondents indicated that they did not use the term sexting and saw it as an adult or media construct. Their knowledge about sexting relied heavily on media reports and high school curriculum. A range of motivations for sexting practices (both their own and their peers) were also identified, ranging from experimentation to peer pressure. Respondents tended to perceive that young people - particularly young women - feel pressure to exchange sexual images. On the other hand participants in sexting exchanges were much more likely to judge their behaviour positively, stressing the fun and flirtatious nature of sexting. Focus groups participants' also suggested the importance of an intersectional analysis (age, class and gender) in understanding and engaging with sexting practices, as well as the need to rethink criminal justice responses to sexting. The discourses that young people reported around sexting mirrored the findings of the media analysis, which showed that young peoples' sexting behaviours were an issue of growing concern in the Australian media. Sexting was framed in the media as a risky activity, with potentially far-reaching consequences for young people and their romantic and career prospects, not to mention the potential legal ramifications. Such media reporting has thus promoted a particular image of sexting as an activity that should be avoided by young people, and dealt with seriously by parents, educators, governments and the law. An analysis of the legal framework around sexting suggests that sexting has generally been framed as child pornography and that such offenses significantly outweigh young people's perceptions of the seriousness of most behaviours that might be defined as sexting. In Australian jurisdictions child pornography has a relatively broad definition, extended in recent decades in response to concerns that new technologies are fueling child pornography. In most jurisdictions there is little to legally hinder prosecution (aside from the general requirement of establishing sufficient understanding of wrongfulness on the part of 10 to 14 year olds (presumption of doli incapax), defenses to child pornography offenses for minors in certain situations in Tasmania and Victoria and the Attorney-General's permission being needed before prosecution of an under 18 year old can be commenced under the Commonwealth Criminal Code). It is therefore legally possible for young people to be prosecuted for child pornography offenses. Despite this it seems that prosecutions for child pornography offenses for sexting are rare in Australia and that discretion is widely used to divert young people from formal proceedings unless there are aggravating factors. Conclusion This project has found that the sending and receiving of sexually suggestive pictures by young people can have serious consequences. As well as the potential legal consequences for young people who take and/or circulate such images, there are a number of personal costs that young people engaging in this behaviour may face. These include the embarrassment or humiliation resulting from the dissemination of images, coercion through the threat of making an image public, the continuation of physical or psychologically abusive behaviours into the digital realm (cyberbullying), and the potential for such images to fall into the hands of pedophiles. More generally sexting can contribute to the reproduction of gendered power relations and double standards. Such negative consequences are reinforced by much of the media discourse on sexting. Nevertheless, the findings from this project suggest that such outcomes, as reported by young people themselves, are relatively rare. Indeed, the majority of young people, although certainly not all, who engage in sexting do so with a romantic partner in a climate of perceived mutual trust. Even though this trust might be thought of as fragile, the research shows it is not regularly broken. It should be noted that when such trust is broken and a third party is shown the image, it is more likely to occur in-person rather than through digital onsending - although of course this also happens. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2015. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 30, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1516/53-1112-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 149968

Author: Chung, Donna Title: Young Women from African Backgrounds and Sexual Violence Summary: Service providers have recently reported increasing numbers of young African women accessing unplanned pregnancy and relationship services, with related concerns about domestic violence. This research explores how young women, aged 18 to 25 years, from African refugee and migrant backgrounds understand and experience sexual coercion and violence, and how service providers respond to their needs. The study drew on an online survey of service providers, individual and group interviews with young women from African backgrounds, and focus groups with service providers. The researchers faced challenges due to the sensitive nature of the topic of sexual violence and the silence that surrounds it, but achieved interviews and focus groups involved 21 young women. They found no agreement among the young women about what constitutes sexual violence, which was mostly defined in terms of stranger rape. Concerns about community judgement and exclusion, arising from stigma associated with sexual violence and the myths, beliefs and attitudes surrounding it created barriers for young women from African backgrounds speaking about men's sexualised behaviour. These barriers were compounded by other barriers such as language, transport, caring responsibilities, work/study commitments and other settlement issues. Service providers' input to the study highlighted the need for future service efforts being directed towards education and awareness raising, using culturally appropriate methods and sites. There is a need for increased cultural sensitivity and responsiveness of organisational and worker practices to improve their capability of working with young people from African backgrounds, together with specialist sexual violence responses for younger women in their early teens. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council. 2018. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 30, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/07-1213-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: African Women Shelf Number: 149969

Author: Flynn, Asher Title: Plea negotiations Summary: Research Aims This report provides an empirical account of current plea negotiation practices in the state of Victoria, including documenting the frequency of plea negotiations, identifying the different forms of plea negotiation and common resolution outcomes, and discussing the processes involved in reaching an agreement. The study involved the development of a dataset of negotiated guilty pleas through a comprehensive mixed qualitative and quantitative analysis of Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) deidentified case files that had resolved by guilty pleas; conducting qualitative, in-depth interviews with police prosecutors, Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) solicitors, Crown prosecutors, defence practitioners (VLA employees and those in private practice) and judicial officers; as well as carrying out consultations with key legal stakeholders. Results This study found that between 87 and 100 per cent of guilty pleas entered at all levels of the Victorian courts are the result of a negotiated agreement between the prosecutor and the defence. It identified 14 forms of plea negotiation across the interview and de-identified case file datasets, and found that it was not uncommon for several forms to be used in the one case. The most common forms of plea negotiation in Victoria include: (1) withdrawing and substituting charges, (2) rolled-up charges and representative counts, (3) negotiating an agreed summary of facts, and (4) agreements on the prosecution's sentencing submission. The mean number of charges withdrawn in each case within the dataset was 3.24. Prior to a resolution there were 6.42 charges per case and post a resolution, the mean number of charges an accused pleaded guilty to was 3.18. The most common offenses negotiated were those where there are multiple alternative charges available (such as intentionally or recklessly causing serious injury and intentionally or recklessly causing injury), gross violence offenses, aggravated burglary and assaults. This was partly due to police charging offenders with multiple offenses covering the same course of conduct (sometimes referred to as overcharging), which provided a basis for negotiating the withdrawal of these charges. Armed robbery and drug offenses were also common subjects of negotiation. Offenses least likely to be negotiated were sexual offenses, homicides and family violence matters. This study found that the negotiation process is often quite extensive, with multiple interactions taking place between the parties before an agreement is reached. The negotiations occurred by phone, email/letter and face to face, with the most common communication method for negotiations being email (74 per cent of de-identified case files). Across the de-identified case file dataset, all guilty pleas were entered prior to trial, with the majority entered prior to the committal hearing (81 per cent). Four key considerations framed the plea negotiation process: (1) the strength of the evidence, (2) the public interest (for prosecutors), (3) the personalities of the opposing party, and (4) the client's interests (for defense practitioners). Defense practitioners initiated almost all the discussions (91 per cent), although it is becoming more common for prosecutors in both the summary and indictable streams to commence discussions - a practice encouraged by the main guidelines governing prosecutorial conduct in plea negotiations in Victoria. 1 There are various levels of internal authorizing and accountability mechanism operating within the OPP and Victoria Police in relation to accepting a guilty plea to lesser charges, suggesting that, while plea negotiations are not officially recognised in legislation, they constitute a widely accepted criminal justice procedure that forms part of a litigious process. This study found that a strong early resolution culture permeates the courts, VLA, Victoria Police and the OPP, which may, in part, contribute to the high rate of guilty pleas entered in Victoria each year. Indeed, there has been a noticeable shift in all facets of the legal process in Victoria (as evident elsewhere in Australia) towards a commitment to early resolution, where appropriate. There are significant differences in the way in which plea negotiations are conducted in the summary jurisdiction, compared to the manner in which indictable cases are handled. This is partly due to the nature of the offenses heard in the summary stream, the fast pace of the Magistrates' Court compared to the higher courts, and the different approaches defense practitioners adopt when dealing with police prosecutors as opposed to when they are negotiating with OPP solicitors and Crown prosecutors. This study found that the early resolution-focused pre-contest hearings that operate in the Magistrates' Court (the summary case conference and the contest mention) strongly facilitate plea negotiations at an early stage of the process. However, the success of the contest mention is highly dependent on the magistrate involved, which can lead to inconsistencies in the effectiveness of this hearing. The research also identified some limitations in the out-of-court summary case conference process which arise from the lack of resourcing, the high workloads of police prosecutors, and the absence of specific funding for VLA practitioners to prepare and engage in summary case conference work. These limitations hinder the effectiveness of what could be a highly successful early resolution-focused process. The study revealed a number of adverse effects of the reductions in funding and tightening of eligibility criteria for VLA service provision. In relation to plea negotiations, in particular, it was found that changes to funding structures have resulted in an increase in self-represented accused persons. This has negatively affected the outcome and timeliness of negotiations, and the role of the magistrate and the police prosecutor (who are inappropriately being forced to become quasi-defense practitioners), and created more delays in the system overall. The research also found that unrepresented accused persons were at a disadvantage in attempting to negotiate with police prosecutors, and at greater risk of succumbing to pressures to make agreements without fully understanding the implications of their guilty plea. This was of particular concern in relation to offenders with a mental impairment. The findings indicated that the proportion of accused persons with a mental illness appearing before the courts was very high. Evidence of mental illness was presented in 60 per cent of the de-identified case files, and the interview data suggested that the rates are even higher. In addition to shedding light on the plea negotiation process, the study found that the sentence indication process is operating very effectively in the Magistrates' Court. However, its usefulness is minimal in the higher courts because it is limited to an indication of whether a custodial or non-custodial sanction might be imposed, but not its possible length. There is also a perception among defense practitioners that it is constrained by the requirement of prosecutorial approval. It was identified that, in general, the requirement on the court to specify the sentence it would have imposed, but for a guilty plea being entered under Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) s 6AAA, ostensibly functions as a means of demonstrating the discount the accused has received for their guilty plea - but this requirement has not been well received by the legal community. While most participants found the statement to be artificial and unrealistic, there may be some significant benefits for the accused in having the sentence discount articulated that may justify its retention. This study revealed that the High Court's decision in Barbaro v The Queen; Zirilli v The Queen , which prohibited prosecutors from providing a sentencing range to the court as part of their sentencing submission, has changed, but not removed sentence negotiations from the process. While the High Court's decision has appeared to halt negotiations on the numerical range of the prison sentence that the prosecutor may submit to the court, negotiations still occur in relation to the prosecutor's sentencing submission about the amount of time already served in custody that should be taken into account by the sentencing judge, the appropriateness of a Community Correction Order (CCO) or its combination with a sentence of imprisonment. Finally, this study identified that the introduction of presumptive and mandatory sentencing regimes (such as the mandatory four-year minimum for gross violence offenses) affects plea negotiations by putting pressure on accused persons to accept an agreement to plead guilty to a lesser offense that does not carry a mandatory penalty, even where there may be a strong case that the accused is not guilty of that lesser offense. These regimes also sometimes place pressure on prosecutors to negotiate a plea of guilty to an offense that does not carry a mandatory sentence, in order to avoid going to trial. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2018. 186p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 30, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/51-1314-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Guilty Pleas Shelf Number: 149970

Author: Coventry, Garry Title: 'Sudanese refugees' Experiences with the Queensland Criminal Justice System: report to the Criminology Research Advisory Council Summary: This report represents the outcomes of an 18 month study of Sudanese Australians� interactions with the criminal justice system in Queensland. The study was conducted across three sites; Townsville, Brisbane, and Toowoomba. The research was structured to address six major aims which focused on the experiences of Sudanese Australians particularly in relation to their interactions with the Queensland Police Service (QPS). This study used a multimethodological approach and focused on four key approaches to obtain data in order to address the aims: 1) A critical analysis of Australian print media was conducted to ascertain how Sudanese Australians are constructed and how these representations influence community attitudes and government policies; 2) Queensland police were interviewed to gain their perceptions about interactions with Sudanese Australians; 3) Attempts were made to examine quantitative data from police databases to ascertain the extent to which Sudanese are represented in the criminal justice system in terms of whether they were perpetrators or the victims of crime; 4) Finally the voices of Sudanese Australians were harnessed through focus group interviews and surveys from a representative sample of young people, elders and women across the three research sites. The media analysis produced a number of key findings. First, media reportage about Sudanese people has changed its focus over the time period covered in this analysis. There was a dramatic increase in media reportage in 2007. This is attributable to a large number of stories about the Sudanese problem around issues relating to crime, problems associated with refugee integration, youth gangs, and cultures of violence. Second, the trends in reportage changed since 2007 with an equivalence of stories reporting Sudanese as perpetrators as well as victims of crime. However despite a higher number of positive stories about the successes of Sudanese people is still reportage which portray Sudanese youth in particular as threats to law and order. The data from the focus groups conducted with the QPS differ to the outcomes of the media analysis. Police perceived Australian-Sudanese people pose no greater problem with relation to criminal activity than any other ethnic group. However police argued that they did encounter some problems during the early stages of integration in Queensland with a few individuals. One paradox arising from the police interviews was that while police stated that there were some problems they did point to a range of organisational responses to the �nonproblem� with particular emphasis on lack of knowledge of the legal system, particularly road laws. Certainly evidence from elsewhere, such as Victoria (Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission [VEOHRC], 2009), indicates tensions between police and Sudanese Australians that was not evident in Queensland police perspectives. One positive perspective from some police was that they were willing to be proactive by engaging with emerging communities rather than waiting for problems to arise. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2015. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1415/38-0809-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Immigrant Communities Shelf Number: 150033

Author: Heerde, Jessica A. Title: Prevent crime and save money: Return-on-investment models in Australia Summary: Finding effective ways to prevent crime is important. This project was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining data from a 12-year Australian longitudinal study (N=2,885) with prevention strategy investment data to estimate potential returns, including a reduction in intimate partner violence and prison entry. The project investigated the return on investment achievable in Victoria with a $150 million investment in a mix of six evidence based prevention strategies. The study estimated that the 10-year lag effect of investing an extra $150 million was a five percent reduction in incarceration and a four percent reduction in cases of intimate partner violence involving physical force. The net return from the $150 million investment in prevention was conservatively estimated at $191 million. It appears feasible and cost-effective to prevent intimate partner violence, while also reducing incarceration rates. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 545: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi545 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Adolescents Shelf Number: 150068

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Supported housing for prisoners returning to the community: A review of the literature Summary: Commissioned by Corrections Victoria to inform its future strategies for delivering housing support strategies to people leaving the prison system, this report presents literature that builds on two earlier reviews conducted in 2010 and 2013. Those earlier reviews identified a range of models and approaches to delivering housing support that embodied the key elements of good and promising practice. Since 2013, new literature has become available that builds on this evidence base-reasserting some of the earlier findings, adding clarity to others, and introducing new considerations. Several recent studies have reinforced the need for housing support for people leaving prison. Interviews with police detainees show nearly a quarter were homeless or experienced housing stress in the month before arrest. A study by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute emphasized the role of demographic factors in contributing to homelessness, with 42 percent of homeless people found in just 10 percent of Australian regions. The demographic factors that contribute to homelessness tend to be the same as those that contribute to engagement with the criminal justice system, and there are substantial crossovers between homeless and correctional populations. Other recent studies have highlighted the value of meeting the need for housing support. Studies conducted in the United Kingdom (UK) have shown that the costs of even resourceintensive housing support are substantially less than the costs of imprisonment and the harms that result from reoffending. Other studies have reinforced earlier findings on the association between housing stability and reduced recidivism, with former prisoners in stable housing much less likely to reoffend than those who are homeless or in unstable accommodation. While research has shown that all of the elements used in aftercare programs for ex-prisoners have the potential to be effective, including housing components-together with other aftercare support-enhanced an ex-prisoner's chances of successfully reintegrating into the community. Consistent with the risk principle of correctional programming, housing services produced the most effective outcomes for medium- and high-risk offenders in terms of reduced offending and order revocations. Despite the demonstrated need for, and value of, providing housing support to released prisoners, recent evidence suggests the community is resistant to establishing transitional or other supported housing. A United States (US) survey of attitudes towards re-entry initiatives found a moderate degree of public support for the provision of housing support to offenders. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 07: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rr/rr7 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Homeless Persons Shelf Number: 150069

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Reducing crime in public housing areas through community development: An evaluation of the High Density Housing Program in the ACT Summary: The High Density Housing Program (HDHP) is a collaborative program involving Reclink Australia, the Australian Capital Territory Justice and Community Safety Directorate (JACS), ACT Housing, ACT Health and ACT Policing. It involves the application of community development approaches to prevent crime and antisocial behaviour at Ainslie Avenue, a large public housing area in the ACT comprising six (previously seven) blocks. An on-the-ground manager (OTGM), employed by Reclink Australia, maintains a continuing presence across the site, coordinating existing services to residents and introducing new events, activities and programs that provide opportunities for resident interaction and relationship building and that address the needs of residents. The HDHP draws on Australian research evidence that showed social approaches to crime prevention, including community development, can improve neighbourhood cohesion and are associated with reduced crime (Samuels et al. 2004). The HDHP has four primary objectives. I t aims to promote community safety and security, prevent and reduce opportunities for crime in public housing sites and surrounding areas, develop pro-social and law abiding community engagement among residents and facilitate and support residents' access to health, mental health, education and employment services. The evaluation of the HDHP employed a rigorous quasi-experimental design which enabled changes in recorded assaults and property crime, disturbance incidents and ambulance attendances at Ainslie Avenue to be compared with those of another public housing area that shared similar characteristics. This component of the evaluation also examined whether there had been any displacement or diffusion of benefit to surrounding areas. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) compared the cost of the program with monetised benefits associated with changes in recorded crime rates. This was supported by analysis of data collected by the OTGM on program delivery and in-depth interviews with 15 residents about their experiences of the program and living at Ainslie Avenue. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. Source: Internet Resoruce: Research Report 06: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rr/rr6 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Communities and Crime Shelf Number: 150070

Author: Smit, Jack H. Title: The political origins and development of Australia's people smuggling legislation: Evil smugglers or extreme rhetoric? Summary: This thesis explores the Australian State response to the voyage facilitators of maritime asylum seekers, commonly known as �people smugglers�. It does so by examining a number of Parliamentary debates and previously confidential Cabinet papers. Negative depictions of asylum seekers and their voyage facilitators as well as the prevailing political discourse is critically explored while Parliamentary debates are analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis. The research questions the ways Australian legislators justified the criminalisation of these voyage facilitators and investigates whether political elites were sufficiently informed about the circumstances of maritime asylum seeker journeys and the unique nature of their travel arrangements. The analysis is conducted within the container of established asylum seeker rights as formulated by the United Nations is its 1951 Refugee Convention. Within the Australian context these are framed as the �rights of unauthorised arrivals�. By examining de-classified Fraser government documents, the thesis presents evidence of the State�s intent to criminalise �people smugglers� as part of a two-fold strategy, aiming to also punish maritime asylum seekers for arriving uninvited. This strategy was first proposed under the Fraser government soon after the first asylum seeker vessels arrived in Australia during the late 1970s. The research findings indicate that the increasingly harsh measures imposed by successive Australian governments targeting smugglers and passengers represents an increasingly punitive and continuous series of policy proposals and parliamentary discourse, where the voyage facilitators became the recipients of criminal labels such as �traffickers� and �smugglers� while 1980 legislative measures determined them to be serious criminals. The research also analyses legislative measures aiming to impose criminal sanctions implemented by the Howard government in 1999, and legislation that established a wide range of extended powers to Australian border officials in dealing with �unauthorised� vessels entering Australian waters. Both legislative measures were responses to a number of undetected entries by vessels with Chinese migrants in the lead-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. This section of the research explores the dominant �national security� narrative constructed by Australia�s conservative political elites in order to justify the legislation criminalising �people smugglers�. The research presents documented evidence that the Howard government withheld details of the Chinese arrivals from Parliament for �operational reasons� and that the Immigration Department attempted to influence political debates by means of distributing a manipulative briefing document in the Parliament. Post-research participant interviews present evidence that Prime Minister John Howard�s Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock held the view that nobody has the right, neither by air nor by boat, to enter Australia to seek asylum. The research concludes that the legislative measures criminalising �people smugglers� were not presented in order to fight transnational people trafficking but that they were instead presented and passed by the Parliament to �stop the boats� and to further deter assisted asylum voyages into Australia by regarding such ventures as illegal without due regard for the UN Refugee Convention. Details: Joondalup, Australia: Edith Cowan University, 2011. 233p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1419&context=theses Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 150094

Author: McGuffog, Ingrid Title: Drug Use and Drug Control Policy: Evaluating the Impact of Precursor Regulation on Drug Use Behaviour Summary: Controlling the availability of illicit drugs and their use is an exemplar of a wicked problem. Reducing the scale of the illicit drugs market through suppressing supply has proven extremely difficult. A recent systematic review of studies by Cunningham and colleagues who have produced a series of research papers examining the impact of precursor regulations on various methamphetamine outcomes in North America, argue this research represents the most compelling evidence to date that 'precursor regulations, or indeed any supply control strategy, can have significant impacts on the retail market for illicit drugs'. The review of this work concludes that the question for future research is 'not so much whether precursor regulations work, but which regulations work best and in what context'; this is the starting point for my research. The market for methamphetamine is entrenched, broad and dynamic and represents an important criminological and public health problem in Australia. Within Australia the production of methamphetamine has been concentrated in Queensland and that state government has responded by developing a coercive regulatory framework which co-opts pharmacies into a partnership with drug law enforcement that is aimed at preventing the diversion of licit precursor chemicals to the illicit market for manufacture into methamphetamine. In 2005, the Queensland Pharmacy Guild in partnership with the Queensland Police Service developed an electronic medication recording system Project STOP, - which is a real-time web based database used by police to track and apprehend 'pseudo runners' - to facilitate adherence to the compulsory requirements of recording and reporting sales of pseudoephedrine placed upon them by both health regulations and the criminal law. In my thesis, I refer to the family of innovations (legislative, policy and technological interventions) underpinning the police-pharmacy partnership as Third Party Policing (TPP). Details: Brisbane: Griffith University, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2012. 270p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 7, 2018 at: https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/366750/McGuffog_2013_02Thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 150096

Author: Stone, Una B. Title: I'm still your mum: mothering inside and outside prison Summary: In Victoria over the last decade, the rate of female incarceration has continued to rise. This is despite some attempts by government to address recidivism through gender responsive policies and programs. Of specific concern is that the majority of women prisoners are primary carers for their children. Hence, their incarceration splinters the family unit and can perpetuate the intergenerational cycle of offending. This thesis studies the impact of maternal incarceration and the issues associated with reunification of the mother and her children. In particular it examines the issues which mothers face in mothering, both inside and outside prison. The information was gathered from the perspective of those professionals who support mothers with lived prison experience. It examines the daily challenges they face in supporting these mothers. Using purposive sampling, six professionals were selected for interview. Standpoint feminism underpins the research because it is concerned with facilitating change to address political and social structural disadvantage. Labelling theory was also incorporated as it is an important theoretical consideration when examining discrimination of women with lived prison experience. This research demonstrates the multiple marginalisations of mothers in the criminal justice system. It also highlights the limited services available to them inside and outside prison, inadequate funding for services and inexperienced case managers both inside and outside prison. The research shows that little has changed in almost fifty years; the typical profile of the mothers' show they still come from backgrounds characterised by disadvantage (such as poverty, homelessness, and physical abuse) and their offences are mostly non-violent. Furthermore, core problems that mothers face in regaining custody of their children remain the same, which invariably results in a failure for many of them to regain custody. Recommendations from this research include abolishing short custodial sentences, housing prioritisation for mothers exiting prison, and policy reform to prioritise funding for drug rehabilitation services both inside prison and in the community to ensure continuity of support post-release. Details: Melbourne: RMIT University, 2013. 171p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 9, 2018 at: https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:160547 Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Children of Prisoners Shelf Number: 150115

Author: Ticehurst, Andrew Title: National Deaths in Custody Program: Deaths in custody in Australia 2013-14 and 2014-15 Summary: The National Deaths in Custody Program (NDICP) collects information on deaths that occurred in prison, in police custody and in custody-related operations throughout Australia. This report presents data on the number of deaths in custody that occurred during 2013-14 and 2014-15 and trend data on deaths in prison custody (from 1979-80) and police custody and custody-related operations (from 1989-90). As no deaths occurred in youth detention during the reporting period, these data are not presented. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Report 05: Accessed May 10, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/special/special5 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 150143

Author: Moffatt, Steve Title: The relationship between petrol theft and gasoline prices Summary: NSW there has been a sharp increase in the incidence of fraud at service stations in recent years. More than four out of five of these incidents are related to petrol theft. Typically, a person fills a car's tank with petrol and then drives off without paying. Over the same period, the price of petrol has also increased considerably. This paper shows that there is a strong correlation between higher petrol prices and the increase in petrol theft. Also associated with the increased theft of petrol is an increase in the incidence of number plate theft Details: Sydney: Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research New South Wales, 2006. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, no. 101. (Available from the Rutgers Criminal Justice Library) Year: 2006 Country: Australia Keywords: Gasoline Theft Shelf Number: 104176

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee Title: Inquiry into fuel drive-offs Summary: Inquiry into fuel drive‑offs That under s. 33 the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, the Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee is required to inquire into, consider and report no later than 7 December 2015 on fuel 'drive‑offs', (that is, cases in which a person fills a vehicle with fuel at a petrol station and drives off without paying for the fuel) and, in particular, the inquiry will include, but not be limited to: (a) a review of fuel drive‑offs in Victoria and other Australian and overseas jurisdictions to understand the extent and nature of the problem, and its cost to industry and the community; (b) consideration of best practice approaches to preventing fuel drive‑offs in Australia and overseas, including educational and technological measures; (c) examination of 'loss prevention' measures in other industry sections in Victoria, and other jurisdictions, that may be relevant and capable of being adopted in relation to fuel drive offs; (d) current civil and criminal remedies available to address fuel drive offs and theft, and the efficacy of those remedies; (e) possible linkages between fuel drive offs and crime, such as number plate theft and vehicle theft; (f) analysis of regulatory, technological or other interventions that could be adopted by industry (including peak bodies), in concert with Victorian government agencies, to support the availability and application of civil remedies to respond to fuel drive offs; (g) examine the feasibility of introducing co‑regulatory approaches to enforcement, including use of technology such as CCTV, or practices such as pre‑payment and pre‑registration and implications such approaches for privacy. Inquiry process The Committee received the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry on 5 May 2015. The Terms of Reference were advertised with a call for submissions in various Victorian‑based metropolitan and regional newspapers in June 2015. A total of 30 submissions were received from government agencies, non‑profit organizations, industry representative groups, private individuals and companies. A list of written submissions received is provided in Appendix 1. Public hearings were held in Melbourne during September and October 2015. a list of persons giving evidence at public hearings is provided in Appendix 2. The Committee expresses its appreciation to those persons and organizations making submissions and giving evidence. The Committee is grateful to these people and organizations for generously sharing their time, expertise and ideas. Their contribution has provided useful guidance to the Committee in arriving at its recommendations. 1.2 What are fuel drive‑offs? Fuel drive‑offs occur when an individual fills their vehicle with fuel at a retail site and drives off without paying for it. Incidents occur when drivers intend to steal and when drivers inadvertently leave the retail site without paying. Anecdotal evidence from fuel retailers, as reported in news articles, suggests that fuel drive‑offs occur up to six times a week at some service stations in Victoria.1 Other fuel retailers report never experiencing a fuel drive‑off.2 Fuel drive‑offs are clearly not unique to Victoria and are experienced in other Australian and overseas jurisdictions. The Committee received evidence suggesting a correlation between fuel theft and other forms of criminality such as vehicle and numberplate theft. The Committee also heard that there is a correlation between fuel price and failure to pay for fuel, either deliberately or inadvertently The Committee noted evidence that a proportion of fuel drive‑offs were opportunistic, and committed by people who believe that detection and prosecution of the offense is sufficiently remote to make it worth 'taking the chance'. The Committee also received submissions and evidence that some people, through sheer oversight, leave the station forgetting to pay for the fuel. In some cases people return some hours or days later to pay for the fuel after realizing their oversight. Throughout the Inquiry process the Committee has been mindful of the varied reasons for fuel drive‑offs. It also became apparent to the Committee that there are diverse industry practices, police responses and legislative regimes in place to address the issue among jurisdictions reviewed by the Committee. Chapters four and five explore these issues in some detail. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Parliament, 2016. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: LRRCSC Report No. 1, 58th Parliament: Accessed May 10, 2018 at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/LRRCSC_Inquiry_into_Fuel_Drive-Offs.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Fuel Theft Shelf Number: 150146

Author: Designing Out Crime Research Centre Title: Service Station Design Review Summary: WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM? As part of the Preventing Stealing from Vehicles in NSW Action Plan, DOC was approached by the NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice to develop a design assessment and recommendation for a service station that would effectively reduce petrol drive-off offences. Police intelligence has shown links between petrol drive-offs (theft of petrol by filling up and failing to pay) and numberplate theft, which has links to other crime types. HOW DID WE REFRAME IT? An initial literature review and survey of best practice and police data showed us that a) this problem was not isolated to NSW, and b) that things could be done to help solve the problem, such as improved reporting to police. However, our research indicated that the main factor confounding problem-solving attempts was an unacknowledged conflict of priorities between the core stakeholders. Service stations are more than a petrol pump and a checkout: the business model of service stations depends heavily on revenue from retail sales, while the sale of petrol accounts for a relatively minor component of overall revenue. As we saw in the department store project, retail businesses typically allocate more resources to increasing sales than they do loss prevention. This is naturally not the case for Police or government agencies dealing with crime. Furthermore, our research uncovered additional, competing priorities in the service station industry, such as issues of staff safety, that service station businesses are tackling alongside problems with drive-off offences. As such, Police and government's concern with drive-offs were of lesser concern to service station owners, in spite of the fact that service stations would appear to be the primary victims of this crime. Unravelling this misalignment helped us come up with designs that would satisfy competing stakeholder priorities. THE PROCESS As part of our research, we sought to clarify uncertainty about the circumstances of drive off offences; data indicates that some drive-offs are inadvertent while others are part of a more elaborate crime spree. We then visited service stations identified by Police data as regular targets of petrol theft and observed the site layout and customer demographic to build hypotheses of the level of risk for opportunistic crime at each site. Co-design is a core component of DOC's design methodology; both the research and design phases of our projects rely equally on the expertise of stakeholders and our own staff. The first workshop we held was a Design Assessment Workshop where representatives of NSW Police Policy & Programs unit, Department of Attorney General & Justice and UTS academic staff worked together to identify areas of crime risk and opportunity at the service stations. In the next workshop, concepts generated by our designers were shown to participants from the workshop and participants were invited and encouraged to contribute to or modify concepts. A suite of hypothetical solutions were incorporated into a report which was given to stakeholders at the end of the process. THE CONCEPTS Some of the design concepts included putting the 'service' back into service stations, with a 'concierge' or valet to help direct traffic; electronic signage and changes to physical layout and amenity that would improve safety, reduce waiting times, inform customers about waiting times and reduce customer frustration; pre-pay or pay-at-the-pump options to eliminate inadvertent drive-offs or 'crimes of frustration'; a loyalty card system that would speed up filling times and reduce anonymity, and others. Details: Broadway NSW: The Centre, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2018 at: http://designingoutcrime.com/project/petrol-theft/ Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Design Against Crime Shelf Number: 150147

Author: Schindeler, Emily Title: Prosecuting workplace violence: The utility and policy implications of criminalisation Summary: Workplace violence or bullying causing psycho-social injury is an emerging and serious problem in Australia and internationally. Annual costs of such injuries have been estimated to exceed 6 billion dollars. Responses to workplace violence causing psychological harm increasingly centre on criminalisation and threats of escalated enforcement action against employers who fail to provide safe working environments. However this trend takes place amongst a complex inter-meshing of workplace health and safety regulatory systems, criminal law, and other systems such as anti-discrimination and industrial laws. It also occurs in an environment where enforcement is entrusted to regulatory agencies affected by the trend to responsive or risk-based regulation, one effect of which has been a movement in some areas away from enforcement to self-regulation or even deregulation. This project seeks to understand how regulatory agencies respond to workplace violence or bullying that causes psychological rather than physical harms. In particular it aims to establish the prevalence and outcomes of prosecutions involving workplace behaviours causing psychological injury. Where such prosecutions are not occurring, the study seeks to understand the philosophical, institutional and procedural barriers to such prosecutions. Finally the project examines policy issues including whether criminalisation is appropriate for these types of workplace harms, and whether corporate employers can be made more liable for their failures to provide safe work environments. To achieve these aims four stages of research were undertaken. First, the legislation, regulation and agencies involved in addressing workplace psychological harm were mapped, to establish their roles and responsibilities. Second, a review of all relevant Australian cases was undertaken. Third, these cases were analysed to identify themes and common issues. Fourth consultations were held with representatives from most relevant workplace health regulators to help understand practices and problems in the area. The research has shown that despite the availability of stronger legislative measures, regulatory processes continue to rely upon supportive responses to incidents of psychological injury arising in the workplace with priority placed on redressing system or management deficiencies. Financial penalties or other punitive options have rarely been pursued. The combination of the barriers to prosecution, even in cases determined on the basis of reasonable probabilities, has meant that the explicit powers for enforcement (as compared to encouraging compliance) have rarely been exercised. As a consequence, there has been little translation of regulatory action to explicit liability for harm done. Further, the separation of workplace health and safety regulatory responses to employing organisations from responses for victims has effectively left many complainants with the limited options of seeking workers' compensation or the challenge of taking individual action against the employer through various courts, commissions and tribunals. Details: Canberra : Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2016. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2018 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/300035306_Prosecuting_workplace_violence_The_utility_and_policy_implications_of_criminalisation Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Workplace Bullying Shelf Number: 150166

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Justice reinvestment in Australia: A review of the literature Summary: Justice reinvestment (JR) is an emerging field in the Australian criminal justice landscape. It is a data-driven approach to reducing criminal justice system expenditure and improving criminal justice system outcomes through reductions in imprisonment and offending. JR is a comprehensive strategy that employs targeted, evidence-based interventions to achieve cost savings which can be reinvested into delivering further improvements in social and criminal justice outcomes. However, there is no single definition of JR, and the effective development and implementation of JR strategies involve an evidence-based understanding of the local contexts, circumstances and needs that impact on involvement in the criminal justice system. JR has gained a great deal of support in Australia, with a number of JR strategies in operation or under development. As it has emerged in Australia, JR has taken on a wider meaning than has been applied in the US. While the focus of JR in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) has been about reducing the costs of incarceration, in Australia a broader application of JR is being developed, with states and territories also examining how to reduce crime and strengthen communities. In Australia, JR is being described as a way of addressing key justice problems including the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the justice system. As well as there being no single definition of JR, there have been a range of different approaches to its development and implementation. The criminal justice outcomes sought through JR can be achieved through approaches that include: - changes to policy and legislation that would otherwise tend to increase the likelihood of people being imprisoned; - improved treatment programs and models of supervision for individuals at the most risk of offending; - investing in neighbourhoods that house a disproportionately high number of offenders; - development of interventions based on locally identified needs and sound evidence; - improving drug addiction and mental health outcomes; and - engagement of interested and motivated supporters, including those providing financial and in-kind contributions for developing and implementing JR approaches. range of different financial approaches can be taken to facilitate JR strategies. Some models involve realizing savings from criminal justice interventions which are then reinvested to build and maintain those outcomes. Other approaches involve upfront investment from other sources, so that savings can be realized that are then used to finance a return on the initial investment. Under these approaches initial investment is procured through non-government sources like private companies or charitable institutions. Repayment of this initial investment by the government is linked to further investment, encouraging the use of strategies to achieve tangible benefits, such as demonstrated reductions in reoffending and prison population growth. JR has also contributed to the development of innovative approaches to financing; for example, social impact investment through mechanisms such as social impact bonds or Payment by Results arrangements. As a data-driven and evidence-based approach, JR relies on rigorous evaluation and monitoring of interventions and their outcomes. JR strategies must be underpinned by a framework of robust evaluation so that the impacts of interventions and resulting cost savings can be demonstrated and the results used to generate further savings and positive outcomes. In the US, JR has grown at a rapid rate since it was first conceived in the early 2000s, driven by the need to address the high incarceration and remand costs of the US criminal justice system. This has now grown into a large-scale body of funding, supported by the US Government as well as by large not-for-profit organisations. More than half of all US states now have JR programs in place, with many of these implemented in accordance with the frameworks established by the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, backed by the Bureau of Justice Administration. Reviews by key stakeholder organizations in the US give strong indications of JR having been successful in achieving actual or projected cost savings in several states (see Bureau of Justice Administration nd a; Council of State Governments Justice Center 2011b). Independent analysis has highlighted some issues with attribution of these savings to JR initiatives, but indicators of success remain and appear likely to continue to build over time. JR strategies adopted in the US have focused largely on reforms to criminal justice system practices and processes, backed by legislative change. Key areas for reform have included: - increased use of risk and needs assessment to more effectively match offenders with programs and services-particularly cognitive-behavioural and substance use treatment programs; - increasing the range of sentencing options available to courts; - improving the quality, extent and nature of supervision for offenders on probation and parole; and - changing responses to breached probation and parole conditions-for example, providing more non-custodial options and reducing the length of prison terms that can be imposed for breaches. The US adoption of JR has led to the creation of models, including financial models, to guide the stages of development and implementation. Development and implementation models have emphasised a number of crucial steps, including: - establishment of governance structures; - analysis and mapping; - development of options for cost savings through improved criminal justice and social outcomes; - quantification and reinvestment of savings; and - outcome and impact evaluations. JR has been positively received in Australia. The Commonwealth, as well as most if not all of the states and territories, have taken steps to explore the potential of JR strategies. In many cases these strategies have focused on the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the justice system, as well as changes to the youth justice system. In those jurisdictions that have generated greater progress in JR implementation, this has been achieved through the collaborative efforts of government, service providers, community representatives and academics. At the time of writing, separate community-led JR projects were well underway in the western New South Wales towns of Bourke and Cowra. The ACT had also taken substantial steps towards developing a JR strategy, including financial commitment through the Territory budget. JR is an emerging concept in Australia, and there remains considerable scope for the establishment of JR models and approaches that are adapted to Australian circumstances. In contrast to US models that have focused strongly on reforms within the criminal justice system, Australian approaches appear likely to include system reforms as well as a strong focus on localised social changes. As Australian iterations of JR emerge, they may well differ in some substantial ways from US models. While they are likely to retain the key principles of being data-driven, focused on cost savings and improved criminal justice outcomes, it also appears that the Australian application of JR aims for improved social outcomes. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Reports no. 9: Accessed May 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rr/rr09 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis Shelf Number: 150171

Author: Allard, Troy Title: Who is responsible for child maltreatment? Summary: Knowledge about who is responsible for child maltreatment in Australia is limited. Australian data about persons responsible for maltreatment are rarely available, with most research focusing instead on the victim (Child Family Community Australia 2011; McDonald et al. 2011). Victim-focused research indicates that as many as 10 percent of Australian children experience maltreatment during childhood or adolescence (Child Family Community Australia 2013; Stewart, Dennison & Waterson 2002). Other national data indicate that Indigenous children and young people are seven times more likely to receive child protection services than non-Indigenous young people (AIHW 2016). In Queensland, though Indigenous people account for less than three percent of the population, one-third of children receiving child protection services are Indigenous (AIHW 2016). The National Framework for Protecting Australia�s Children 2009�2020 adopts a public health model and recognises the need for a tiered approach�using a range of universal supports, as well as more intensive interventions aimed at secondary or tertiary prevention (Department of Social Services 2009). It also emphasises the need to address risk factors and provide timely supports and interventions. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 547: Accessed May 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi547 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 150173

Author: Quilter, Julia Title: The significance of 'intoxication' in Australian criminal law Summary: Recent years have seen intense media scrutiny, concerted policy discussion and significant law reform on the relationship between the consumption of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) and the commission of criminal offences. These debates invite consideration of two related questions with which this paper is concerned. First, in what sorts of contexts and for what purposes. does the criminal law (including laws governing police powers) attach significance to a person's intoxication? Second, in the context of the criminal justice system, what does it mean to say that a person is 'intoxicated', and how is that term defined? These two questions became the foundation of a Criminology Research Grant-funded study. This paper summarises the main findings of the study. It: (i) maps and assesses the multiple purposes for which Australian criminal laws attach significance to 'intoxication'; (ii) analyses how 'intoxication' is defined for criminal law purposes; and (iii) investigates the relationship between the purpose for which significance is attached to intoxication and how intoxication is defined. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 546: Accessed May 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi546 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 150174

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Impact of ballistic evidence on criminal investigations Summary: The challenges associated with investigating serious crime, particularly organised crime, are well known. Increasingly, police are turning to new information technologies to support traditional investigative techniques. Automated ballistic information technology allows police to link cases that would otherwise not be known to be related. By linking investigations, police can identify new leads and suspects. The current study used interviews with investigators in two states to understand what impact ballistic evidence has on criminal investigations into firearm crime. The results revealed a significant number of cases benefited from linked investigations- including cold cases and cases involving organized crime groups. This research helps to demonstrate the potential value of technology to law enforcement, and the circumstances in which it is most effective. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 548: Accessed May 23, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi548 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Investigations Shelf Number: 150330

Author: Dussuyer, Inez Title: Understanding and responding to victimisation of whistleblowers Summary: The importance of whistleblowing in uncovering misconduct cannot be emphasised too much. Without the initiative of whistleblowers, much serious misconduct would remain undetected and would continue. As Kennedy (2004) observed: It has been said that...secrecy is no longer acceptable; too many lives and livelihoods have been lost or destroyed because a whistle could not be blown. But too often the voice of the honest worker or citizen has been drowned out by the abusive, unaccountable bosses. Invariably, staying silent was the only option. Creating a safe alternative to silence represents a difficult challenge, legally and culturally; separating the message from the messenger is still obstructed by vested interests; deeply ingrained sociological habits and attitudes, and by the limitations of the law (Kennedy 2004: 1). It is of critical importance for whistleblowers to come forward and to speak out, but there should also be ways to report misconduct that do not leave individuals feeling concerned and fearful of the consequences of doing so. This study sought to understand the nature of the victimisation experiences of whistleblowers who have reported, or attempted to report, wrongdoing in their workplace. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 549: Accessed May 23, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi549 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Employee Misconduct Shelf Number: 150331

Author: Dussuyer, Inez Title: Preventing Victimisation of Whistle-blowers Summary: Aims of the Study The central focus of the study was on understanding the experiences of whistle-blowers after they had reported wrongdoing. In particular, the aims were to investigate the nature of victimisation, retaliation or other negative treatment against whistle-blowers and what the impact of such actions was on the whistle-blowers. A further aim was to identify what factors might prevent such actions and protect whistle-blowers when they speak out against misconduct. As part of this approach, information was also obtained about the type of misconduct involved, about the organisations where the whistleblowers were working; and about what processes they had in place for reporting misconduct and for protecting the whistle-blowers. Study Participants Qualitative semi-structured interviews (a majority of these were by telephone) were conducted with 36 whistle-blowers who were self-selected after being invited to participate through an independent hotline2 (n=12 out of 19 who had originally contacted the researchers) and through a volunteer support line Whistle-blowers Australia3 (n=24 out of 36 who had made initial contact) corresponding to a rate for interview of 65 percent (63 percent for the hotline and 66 percent for the support line). Of those interviewed 44 percent were female and 56 percent were male (there were more males from the support line, while more females came via the hotline). The age categories ranged from 30's to 70's at the time of interview. Participants resided principally in Victoria, NSW and Queensland with a few from the other states. A further set of interviews were conducted with persons who, in a professional capacity, had dealt with whistle-blowers, to enable alternative perspectives on the whistle blowing experience to be obtained. After being invited to participate principally through the hotline, which sent an email to client organisations, 19 qualitative semi structured interviews were conducted (of whom 6 were female and 13 male). Interviewees came from independent hotlines, integrity bodies with roles in whistle blowing processes including investigations, public sector disclosure coordinators as well as persons from the private sector with a role for handling whistle-blowers reports. Types of Misconduct Reported Responses from both the whistle-blowers and persons who deal with whistle-blowers indicated that while misconduct could involve dishonesty, fraud and deception, a greater proportion related to what can be broadly termed as 'workplace grievances', covering bullying, harassment and intimidation. For some whistle-blowers, in particular from the support line, the misconduct had occurred many years ago; for the hotline it had been in the last six years. In many instances the misconduct had gone on for some time before the whistle-blowers made the reports. Whistleblowing Reporting Processes Whistle-blowers would in the first instance, usually report the misconduct internally, often to their immediate manager or higher, or else to a designated disclosure coordinator (in the public sector) or, in the private sector the use of an independent hotline was available. In general, when whistle-blowers used the hotline there was anonymity for the whistle-blowers and the hotline acted as a go between the whistle-blower and the client organisation. Anonymity appeared to be less assured in public sector organisations, although investigative bodies went to considerable lengths to protect the identity of the whistle-blowers. There was frustration expressed by whistle-blowers when they tried to report misconduct about a number of issues - that they were not clear how they would be protected, who the right persons were to go to, and that they were not kept informed about what was happening to their reports of misconduct and what the outcomes were. Other complaints emerged along the way about the whistleblower reports not having been taken seriously or simply ignored. Some whistle-blowers reported not knowing what to do and who to go to when they wanted to report. Some also went to considerable lengths to have their concerns addressed by other avenues when there was an initial lack of responsiveness to their concern. These avenues included the unions, Ministers/MPs, the media, anticorruption bodies and employment commissions, as well as going to the courts and using lawyers. There appeared to be a variety of avenues available to whistle-blowers to go to report wrongdoing but it was not obvious for many, which was most appropriate and what the best steps were; that also depended on what sector they were working in and on the organisation itself. When dealing with whistle-blowers in their professional capacity, many interviewees from the agencies dealing with whistle-blowers said that it was important to clarify with whistle-blowers about their expectations and what could be achieved in a practical sense. Some said that the 'unrealistic' expectations of many whistle-blowers when they reported misconduct could have negative consequences on the interactions with the agencies they were dealing with, as well as increasing the frustration and indeed the anger of whistle-blowers. Consequences for Whistle-blowers after Reporting Misconduct - Retaliation and Reprisals Both groups - the whistle-blowers (once their identity had become known), and some of those who dealt with them, generally acknowledged the overall negative experience of 'speaking out', including lack of support, criticism and retaliation by management and being in a workplace culture characterised by denial/defensiveness, blaming, fear and bullying and harassment of the whistleblower. A number of the interviewees who dealt with whistle-blowers stated that they often did not know about or what had happened to whistle-blowers and, thus they had no or little knowledge about any negative treatment the whistle-blowers were subjected to. Whistle-blowers themselves were able to provide many examples of the victimisation they had suffered. Most common were bullying and harassment in the workplace associated with ostracism, isolation, being excluded from meetings and derogatory remarks on social media as well as being subject to disciplinary actions and counter allegations. Examples were given where whistle-blowers were also physically assaulted, their families threatened. As part of this array was the often mentioned issue of a lack of welfare support for the whistle-blowers. This was particularly emphasised by those who deal with whistle-blowers as being either absent or inadequate; there were some exceptions; an anonymous counselling/welfare service was available for employees (not only for whistle-blowers) in some organisations. About the protection offered by the whistle-blowers legislation there was no one who indicated it was effective in doing so, nor was it effective even as a deterrent. However many suggestions were provided as to how whistle-blowers and the whistle blowing processes could be improved and how negative experiences could be minimised both by whistle-blowers and in particular by those who dealt with them. Impact on Whistle-blowers For many whistle-blowers the outcomes of reporting misconduct were significant emotional and psychological impact, including stress, exhaustion, mental health and health related issues as well as the financial costs (using lawyers, going to court, losing their jobs) and a negative impact on their careers (not being promoted, moved sides ways, not having their contract renewed or in a number of cases dismissal). All of the whistle-blowers interviewed were no longer working for the organisation in where they had observed the misconduct; indeed many were no longer working (were unemployed or retired). Above all, whistle-blowers had a pervading sense of injustice and perceived a lack of fairness at the treatment that they had been subjected to after reporting misconduct, and that influenced their sense of trust and confidence in people and organisations. In many instances these experiences of being badly treated when they reported misconduct, led to a radical change in the lives of a number of whistle-blowers; with some changing career direction, some going back to further study (employment/workplace law in particular) and others writing about their experiences and publishing books. Again for other whistle-blowers they had gone on to help other (and potential) whistle-blowers by working for whistle-blower volunteer support lines and establishing websites to inform whistle-blowers about practical strategies and ways of handling the reporting process and the aftermath. When in the light of their experiences, whistle-blowers were asked whether they would do it over again, that is, to report the misconduct, about half said emphatically, yes of course while the other half said no, never. Improving Protection for Whistle-blowers Some thoughtful suggestions were proposed by whistle-blowers themselves and included: - Establish an annual citation or award for corporate governance where whistle-blowers are recognised and thanked. - Provide compensation to the whistle-blowers (as in the US). - Prosecute those who retaliate against whistle-blowers (has anyone been charged in Australia? asked one whistle-blower). - Changing the workplace culture was emphasised; the workplace brings together all sorts of people, with different values and ethical standards, increasing the risk of conflict and cultural clashes; ethical competency was identified as needing to be cultivated. - Investigations need to be done independently, not by Human Resources departments and that the whistle-blower should be given feedback and a copy of the report. - In some sectors such as some sports, there appears to be no grievance process and there is a lack of transparency and independence, especially if there are complains about conduct. - While colleagues and peer groups are supportive, they often do not have the information or knowledge to advise effectively or strategically; more appropriate sources are available. - Support should be provided to whistle-blowers, particularly those who may be vulnerable to reprisals and victimisation; for example having an independent counsellor or psychologist to guide the whistle-blower through the reporting process. None of the persons interviewed, whether they were whistle-blowers or those dealt with them, perceived legislation as effective in preventing victimisation. More often it was improvements in management and workplace culture that were identified as being more useful. Also the need for workplace policies that are actually implemented and complied with was stressed, as well as and more practical welfare support for the whistle-blower and more education in the workplace about whistleblowing procedures and processes. Details: Melbourne: Victoria University, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2018 at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/IBACC/Submissions/Submission_20_-_Victoria_University_27.7.2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Employee Misconduct Shelf Number: 150343

Author: Napier, Sarah Title: What impact do public sex offender registries have on community safety? Summary: Sexual offending is a serious and harmful crime, particularly when it affects children, and often sparks significant community interest in the response by law enforcement and government. The modus operandi of sex offenders can vary widely, and the causes of sexual offending are complex, which means combating sexual offending can present significant challenges. A variety of policies and programs have been trialled internationally with the goal of preventing sexual offending and deterring convicted sex offenders from reoffending once released back into the community. One of these policies has been the adoption of public sex offender registries. In the United States, information on the name, appearance and location of high-risk sex offenders has been available to the public for 20 years. In 1994, the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act was introduced, requiring convicted sex offenders released into the community to register with law enforcement. In 1996, Megan's Law was passed federally as a subsection of the Jacob Wetterling Act. Megan's Law requires law enforcement agencies to make information on registered sex offenders available to the public, which enables individuals to search for registered sex offenders living in their community. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 550: Accessed May 24, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi550 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 150423

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Identity crime and misuse in Australia: Results of the 2016 online survey Summary: Identity crime involving misuse of personal information is arguably one of the most prevalent criminal activities in Australia, affecting individuals, businesses and government agencies alike. It is estimated that identity crime affects hundreds of thousands of Australians each year (AGD 2016). In April 2007, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to the National Identity Security Strategy to protect the identities of Australians in a more regulated and efficient way. This arose out of emerging evidence at the time that large numbers of Australians experience misuse of their personal information for criminal purposes each year (Cuganesan & Lacey 2003; OAIC 2007). The strategy sought to enhance identification and verification processes throughout Australia and to develop other measures to combat identity crime, including the creation of a national Document Verification Service to verify the authenticity of identity credentials and the development of reliable, consistent and nationally interoperable biometric security measures for use in all jurisdictions (AGD 2012). The strategy also recognised the need to quantify the nature and extent of identity crime and misuse of personal information, particularly the victimisation experiences of Australians. It recommended the creation of an identity crime and misuse longitudinal measurement framework that could be used to measure the effectiveness of policy and practice throughout Australia. As part of the measurement framework, large-scale surveys have been conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) to determine respondents' experiences of victimisation-over their lifetime and during the preceding 12 months-and their perceptions of the risk of identity crime in the ensuing 12 months. This report presents the results of the latest identity crime and misuse survey, undertaken by the AIC in May 2016. It updates information obtained in earlier surveys, undertaken in 2013 and 2014, and provides an indication of how the identity crime and misuse of personal information environment has changed in Australia since 2013. Future surveys will continue to track not only changes in victimisation rates but also the economic impact of identity crime and misuse. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Report 06: Accessed May 29, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr6 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 159376

Author: Kleck, Gary Title: Did Australia�s Ban on Semiauto Firearms Really Reduce Violence? A Critique of the Chapman et al. (2016) Study Summary: In 1996 Australia implemented arguably the most ambitious gun control effort ever attempted, banning all semi-auto rifles and shotguns and all pump-action rifles and shotguns, and buying the banned guns already in circulation. Chapman, Alpers, and Jones (2016) produced what is arguably the most extensive evaluation, concluding that the measure was a success. In fact, their own data indicated that the effort failed to reduce homicides, suicides, or unintentional firearms deaths. It is even questionable whether the effort reduced mass shootings, the problem that had triggered the gun control effort in the first place. Details: Tallahassee, FL: Florida State University - College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 2018. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3086324 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Shelf Number: 150389

Author: Liddell, Marg Title: Evaluation of the Walking Alongside Program (WAP) Summary: This report on the evaluation of the Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre's (FKCLC) Walking Alongside Program (WAP) presents findings on the extent to which the outcomes of the program have fulfilled its objectives to date. The WAP is a socio-legal support program for young people of Sudanese and other African migrant/refugee backgrounds pursuing police accountability through often long-running legal actions. It was developed as an adjunct to the FKCLC's Police Accountability Project (PAP)in recognition of its client group's vulnerability and need for ongoing support. The outcome objectives this evaluation set out to measure include enhanced legal, health and educational outcomes; enhanced police accountability; improvements in health and well-being; enhanced community capacity, safety and resilience; reduction in social exclusion and barriers to justice; and whether the WAP is an effective model for replication. A qualitative approach to the evaluation was taken involving interviews and case file analysis. Academic and policy literature on the themes of hope, social exclusion, wellbeing, and community capacity was reviewed as these represent important aspects of the migrant/refugee resettlement experience. While the complexity and overlap of these concepts is acknowledged in the literature, a general consensus emerges about their core meanings, as we discuss. We also consider the literature on therapeutic jurisprudence since this principle underpins the FKCLC�s approach to its work. The assumption is that legal processes and interactions can have both harmful and helpful consequences. The FKCLC clearly sees its role as remedying any harmful effects and promoting access to justice for individuals and communities in the inner west region of Melbourne and beyond. These themes are central to the WAP and highlight the important role this kind of program plays to ensure that migrants and refugees in the Flemington and Kensington area (and elsewhere) are welcomed, supported and treated as equal members of our multicultural society. That is not, however, to downplay or disregard the rich diversity within and between communities. The emphasis on participant-driven evaluation in the literature cautions against adopting predetermined constructs or measures. We acknowledge, therefore, that the construct 'refugee youth' itself "can mask the diverse ways in which a young person from a refugee background experiences the world" (Brough et al. 2003: 195): as a young black person, man, woman, migrant, refugee, African, Somalian, Sudanese, Nuer, Dinka, Shilluk, for example. The literature highlights the need to allow and encourage interviewees to give voice to their own experience, rather than impose preconceived measures upon them. Also that in-depth narrative accounts provide a rich source of qualitative data about both individual and shared experience. We prepared interview questions that were designed to elicit and capture narrative accounts of the views and experiences of WAP participants, their family members, and support professionals. Thematic content analysis of the qualitative data provided the basis for this evaluation. A total of thirteen interviews were conducted. The very low take-up rate for interviews with WAP participants - only four were possible - reflects these young people's vulnerability, disengagement, and the difficulty gaining access to this group. Some of the professionals interviewed referred to a period of six to nine months needed to gain their trust. This timeframe extended beyond that available for the evaluation. Interview data was therefore supplemented by analysis of twenty WAP files, which enabled the researchers to obtain a broader picture of the role of the youth engagement officers (YEOs) as well as a view on whether the overall objectives of the WAP had been met. Difficulties also arose in locating family members to interview, with only one coming forward. Eight professionals were interviewed: three from FKCLC, and five support professionals who worked with the same group of young people or with other disengaged youth in the Western region. Although the sample was small, data from the file analysis and individual interviews indicated that most of the objectives of the WAP were being met. Frequent accolades of the YEO, both past and current, related especially to their unconditional care and positive regard for the young people and their families, and their ability to work collaboratively with other services to provide holistic case management. Interviews with professionals reflected a deep understanding of the WAP client group and many referred to this group's vulnerability and disengagement from family, community and the service system. The professionals commented on the value of the PAP and the WAP and the importance of the notion of 'walking alongside' people engaged in protracted human rights litigation. All professionals indicated that the YEO was able to undertake tasks that they were often unable to, due to the flexibility of the YEO's role in providing unlimited and unconditional support, regardless of the client's situation. They believed that, without the YEO, many of the young people would not have pursued or continued with their police accountability cases. The advocacy role of the YEO was pivotal in raising awareness of the plight of the people linked to both the WAP and the PAP. This was reinforced with examples of over-policing and discrimination. While there were criticisms of police there were also comments that some police engaged positively with African young people in inner west Melbourne. The overwhelming view expressed was that more police needed to understand and be prepared to engage in an appropriate and respectful manner with African migrants/refugees. WAP participants interviewed indicated the value of the program, with reference to the YEO's ability to �stick with� them or "hang in there" with young people "no matter what." Participants felt that this helped the young people combat a sense of helplessness and to feel empowered, more confident to pursue their rights. For some this had translated into an ability to advocate for themselves and others, leading their peers in ways to effectively respond to police and to become model responsible citizens. Testament to the YEO's commitment was that WAP clients maintained and/or resumed contact with them. Support and interpretation of court proceedings by the YEO enabled the legal and non-legal proceedings to be brought together and this reduced the stress for the WAP clients. This was important for not just the FKCLC staff but for other staff working with the WAP clients. All those interviewed, including the WAP clients, felt that there was value in the WAP concept being replicated in other community legal centres. They felt that as well as human rights and police accountability cases it could be extended to support people involved in criminal and civil litigation. This was reinforced in comments that the YEO was able to provide systemic advocacy and be inclusive and collaborative in her work with a range of services, both legal and non-legal. Without the WAP the participants felt that "things would return to the way they were" and this would mean a reduction in police accountability. It would also mean that young people would have no place to go when they felt that they were being targeted or discriminated against. All interviewees referred to there being insufficient funding and time for the current YEO position. All thought that the funding should be extended as this would give the YEO greater capacity to assist more young people, as well as advocate for change in the way that young people are dealt with in legal, criminal and civil proceedings. While the data sets were small, sufficient information emerged to determine that the WAP objectives were being met, and to support the recommendation that the program be continued and extended. Recommendations From the findings of this evaluation, we recommend the following: 1. The Youth Engagement Officer (YEO) should be funded to cover more days of the week - currently the position is funded for three days. 2. Consideration should be given to employing an additional YEO. 3. The funding for the Walking Alongside Program (WAP) should be extended to include more time: - to work with police to improve the collaborative relationships between police and the young people being supported by the WAP - while this is currently being undertaken by the Chief Executive Officer of the Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre (FKCLC) there is clearly a role for a YEO in this process; - to be able to provide support to more people over more days of the week; - to make improvements to the internal procedures in managing the cases; - so that collection of information from the point at which the Youth Engagement Officers commences contact with the Police Accountability Program and vice versa can be documented and internal file sharing and file management can be streamlined. 4. Consideration should be given for FKCLC to take a leadership and advocacy role to assist other Community Legal Centres to undertake legal and non-legal advocacy work. This could include: - Human rights and public interest litigation - Criminal and civil litigation. This emphasis should be on the collaborative role of the YEO to facilitate, support and advocate for program participants' access to the range of services required to meet their wider social and emotional needs. 5. FKCLC and the YEO should use these findings to continue to raise awareness, as Higgs (2013) suggests, of: - the value of giving young people hope to develop pathways away from behaviours that are harmful to themselves and others; - the need to recognise and acknowledge injustices that many young people experience and work to remedy these to improve their overall well-being; - the need to establish more inclusionary practices so that young people can feel part of a community of care, within the broader community. 6. Recognising that the FKCLC has helped clients to become advocates and peer leaders, we recommend this model be expanded to train other young people as mentors to work alongside the YEO and the community. 7. While the study was small there were sufficient comments on police behaviour to suggest that police training be enhanced to include anti-bias training. A recent example of six young African men being asked to leave an Apple store suggests that such bias is a wider community problem. 8. Further qualitative research (such as life narratives and participant observations- see Fangen 2010) is required to explore and raise awareness of the problems African youth and their families encounter in settling in a new country, given the traumatic experiences they have often faced in their home country. Details: Melbourne: RMIT University, 2015. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2018 at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Diana_Johns/publication/304269475_Evaluation_of_the_Walking_Alongside_Program_WAP/links/576b612808aef2a864d211ae/Evaluation-of-the-Walking-Alongside-Program-WAP.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 150413

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: A Sentencing Guidelines Council for Victoria; Report Summary: A perennial struggle within the criminal law is how to balance the need for equality, transparency and consistency with the need for individualised justice when deciding how people found guilty of crimes should be punished. On the one hand, it is a fundamental principle of the rule of law that like cases be treated alike, that justice be dispensed equally. The legitimacy of the law, especially the criminal law, is largely dependent on it being perceived as fair. This requires not only that decisions are fair in and of themselves, but also that the process by which those decisions are made is perceived as fair. Justice must not just be done; it must be seen to be done. This means that decisions must not appear arbitrary, nor can they appear to treat people differently without good reason. On the other hand, the unique circumstances of every case, and of every offender, mean that discretion is essential to the process of sentencing. Judges and magistrates are required to take into account the culpability of the offender, the harm the offender has caused to any victims and to the broader community, the particular circumstances of the offender's life and prior history, and a number of distinct (and often competing) objectives of punishment. Judges and magistrates must then determine both the type and the level of punishment that is most proportionate to the offending and that accords with numerous legislative schemes and broader principles of the common law. Sentencing is a complex and unenviable task. In Australia, the approach to sentencing known as instinctive synthesis involves courts simultaneously balancing all the relevant considerations in a case to reach an appropriate outcome. This approach preserves the court's discretion to impose a just and proportionate sentence that takes into account all the circumstances of the case. The intent of sentencing guidelines is not to remove that discretion, but rather to structure its exercise in a way that is transparent and understandable without unnecessarily tying the court's hands. Indeed, recent research in the United Kingdom suggests that sentencing guidelines have improved not only the consistency in how courts sentence offenders, but also the individualisation of those sentences. Sentencing guidelines aim to guide - not supplant - judicial decision-making. This is in stark contrast to proposals for mandatory sentencing, which curtail judicial discretion and inevitably lead to injustice. Further, the process for the development of sentencing guidelines aims to engage the broader community in the informed consideration of sentencing policy, allowing greater reflection of community standards in sentencing practices, and greater public confidence in the sentencing process. A sentencing guidelines council for Victoria represents one of the most significant changes to sentencing in Australia in recent memory. It also represents a unique opportunity to better achieve the necessary balance between consistency, transparency and discretion in sentencing, in a way not seen before in any Australian jurisdiction. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2018. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 31, 2018 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/A_Sentencing_Guidelines_Council_for_Victoria_Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Punishment Shelf Number: 150417

Author: Rogan, Adam Title: Risky masculinities: young men, risky drinking, public violence, and hegemonic masculinity Summary: Young men's engagement in risky drinking and public violence is now recognised as a significant public health issue for communities and societies throughout the world. These two practices often lead to a range of serious negative outcomes not only for the participants themselves, but also other individuals and wider society. Drawing on a series of focus groups and in-depth interviews conducted with young Australian men, this research examines the ways in which young men's engagement in risky drinking and public violence can be understood as a display of hegemonic masculinity. The concept of hegemonic masculinity suggests that there exists a legitimate form of masculinity within a given social and historical context that is positioned as dominant over all women, and all other forms of lesser masculinity. The aim of this research is to explore young men's understandings of risky drinking and public violence and how these practices may be drawn on to construct and perform legitimate and empowered masculine identities. Through their engagement in risky drinking and public violence, young men are able to enact culturally legitimate masculinities and distance themselves from subordinate and marginalised masculinities. The engagement of young men in these practices also sustains and reproduces gendered power inequalities that see men positioned as dominant over women, and some men positioned as dominant over others. This critical examination of the relationship between risky drinking, public violence, and hegemonic masculinity illuminates the importance of acknowledging the gendered nature of risk and risky practice, and the ways in which young men's engagement in risky practice is informed by dominant ideologies of masculinity. Details: Wollongong: University of Wollongong, 2015. 346p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 1, 2018 at: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5694&context=theses Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 150429

Author: Australia. Parliament. Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Title: Hidden in Plain Sight: An inquiry into establishing a Modern Slavery Act in Australia Summary: Slavery is one of the most appalling crimes in human history. Regrettably, the term 'modern slavery' reminds us that slavery and slavery-like practices are still prevalent around the world today, including here in Australia. Modern slavery is often 'hidden in plain sight'. These heinous crimes are present across a range of industries in Australia and in the global supply chains of businesses and organisations operating here. Latest estimates suggest that over 40 million people around the world, and 4 300 in Australia, are victims of some form of modern slavery, which includes human trafficking, slavery, debt bondage, forced labour and other slavery-like practices. In November 2016, the Foreign Affairs and Aid Sub-Committee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade (Committee) sought the referral of this inquiry to investigate measures to better combat modern slavery in Australia and around the world. The Committee was very pleased when the Australian Government, through the Attorney-General, approved and provided a referral for this inquiry in February 2017. The inquiry particularly focussed on assessing the effectiveness of the United Kingdom's Modern Slavery Act 2015 (UK Act) and whether similar or improved measures could be introduced in Australia. During the inquiry, the Committee received 225 submissions and held 10 public hearings. The Committee heard from a range of dedicated individuals, businesses and organisations with an interest in eradicating modern slavery, including from within global supply chains. The Committee applauds the work being undertaken by these groups to tackle these terrible crimes. The Committee heard strong support for key elements of the UK Act, including from businesses. There was particular support for the establishment of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and the introduction of global supply chain reporting requirements. The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce similar measures here, with a range of improvements as outlined in this report. Specifically, the Committee recommends the establishment of an Australian Modern Slavery Act, including an Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner to lead and coordinate Australia's response to combatting modern slavery. Evidence suggests that the UK Commissioner has made an important contribution to raising awareness of modern slavery, better coordinating UK law enforcement agencies and advocating for improved supports for victims. Details: Canberra: The Committee, 2017. 393p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2018 at: http://www.gla.gov.uk/media/3377/hiddeninplainsight-australian-modern-slavery-doc.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Trafficking Shelf Number: 150453

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Organised crime research in Australia 2018 Summary: This collection of papers presented at the second national Organised Crime Research Forum is a measure of the state of organised crime research in Australia. In 2016, the Australian Institute of Criminology and the Australian National University established the first Organised Crime Research Forum to bring together researchers and practitioners from around the country to present and discuss their work. The main purpose was to raise the profile of a pressing global and domestic crime problem and to forge research partnerships between law enforcement agencies and the university sector: research partnerships that could help improve the evidence base needed to adapt and develop ever more effective responses to the threat of organised crime. While many forms of criminality rightly occupy our attention and resources, organised crime and its transnational dimension is a persistent threat with the very real potential to undermine the rule of law and the security of Australia. The public discussion about what to do about organised crime draws mostly on media reports of arrests and drug seizures and cycles between alarm and apathy. The Forum, however, curates discussions about the diverse forms of organised crime, drawing on the insights, experiences and concerns of the participants, and provides a bridge between experts and the broader public. In 2017, the second Forum was again conducted, with many more participants, including representatives from nearly every state and territory police service and a range of federal law enforcement agencies and government departments, along with academic researchers from across the country. This publication includes 15 of the papers that were presented in June 2017 and represents a significant slice of current research on organised crime in Australia. The feedback from the first Forum highlighted the need to engage police and policy practitioners as more active participants in the Forum and to encourage grounded research focused on the concerns and needs of those involved in investigating and suppressing organised crime. Organised crime research in Australia, as elsewhere, faces numerous challenges. Apart from the elusiveness of organised criminal activity, definitional differences across jurisdictions and discipline experts can limit a broader research perspective, often needed to situate local and global manifestations of organised crime. Common challenges also include the currency, reliability and validity of the available data and, when combined with data access restrictions, serve to separate the academic research 'outsider' from the practitioners� experiential knowledge and intelligence databases. Finally, ensuring the relevance of research, whether by academics, practitioners or policy makers, is best shaped by the open dialogue and discussion fostered by the Forum. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 146p. Source: Internet Research: AIC Research Report 10: Accessed June 4, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rr/rr10 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Cybercrime Shelf Number: 150459

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Serious Offending by People Serving a Community Correction Order: 2016-17 Summary: This report addresses a requirement in the Corrections Act 1986 (Vic) that: [f]or each financial year commencing on or after 1 July 2016, the Sentencing Advisory Council must report for that year the number of persons convicted during that year of a serious offence committed while subject to a community correction order. Specifically, this report identifies the number of people sentenced in 2016-17 for a serious offence that was committed while the person was serving a community correction order (CCO). This report also examines some important issues relating to people sentenced for a serious offence while serving a CCO, including: - the time people took to commit a serious offence; - the prevalence of different types of offences committed on a CCO; and - the total number of people sentenced in 2016-17 for committing a serious offence. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2018. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2018 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Serious_Offending_by_People_Serving_a_CCO_2016-17_1.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Community Corrections Shelf Number: 150468

Author: Little, Simon Title: Impact of youth diversion on re-offending by young people Summary: In Australia, most young people who offend and have contact with police are diverted from formal processing via a formal police caution or referred to a restorative justice conference (hereafter referred to as a 'youth justice conference'). The focus on diversion is based on the perceived criminogenic effects that formal court processing may have on young people. Labelling theory provides the primary theoretical basis for diverting young people from formal processing, by predicting that being labelled 'deviant' by the courts can have a detrimental effect on the individual's self-image and the label that others attach to them. Stigmatisation caused by this negative labelling makes it increasingly likely for the young person to gravitate towards other negatively labelled young people and engage in subsequent offending behaviour. Thus, if the predictions of labelling theory are true, those diverted from court should be less likely to re-offend, all other factors being equal. This thesis provides an examination of how effective the police diversionary strategies of formal police cautioning and youth justice conferencing are for reducing recidivism by young people in comparison to a finalised youth court appearance. However, the decision by police about whether to divert or formally process alleged young offenders is not due to random allocation, but is based on a complex interplay between various legal and extra-legal factors. Thus, a comparison between these two groups of young people on outcome measures may be impacted by selection bias, or reflect pre-existing differences between the groups on outcome measures. Propensity score matching (PSM) provides the ability to deal with the problem of selection bias by matching groups on a number of covariates to achieve statistical balance, and therefore approximate experimental conditions. Details: Brisbane: Griffith University, 2015. 351p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 6, 2018 at: https://www120.secure.griffith.edu.au/rch/file/39aafb13-e8d8-4db7-b0aa-0a4222b88d83/1/Little_2015_02Thesis.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Diversion Programs Shelf Number: 150484

Author: Stephens, Cathryn Title: A Word of Caution: Police cautioning as juvenile diversion and the need for regulation in the ACT Summary: In June 2011, the ACT Government released the 'Towards a Diversionary Framework for the ACT' Consultation Report (the Consultation Report). Based on a territory-wide consultancy and stakeholder submissions, the Consultation Report lays the foundations for the innovative development of a diversionary framework for the ACT juvenile justice system. The current study focuses on the role of police in the delivery of this diversionary framework and assesses police cautioning as a diversionary mechanism. The paper argues that, as the first point of contact for young people with the formal criminal justice system, and a significant point for diversion, police and the cautioning schemes they administer should be at the fore in the development of a diversionary framework for the ACT. The paper then argues that a strong regulatory framework for police cautioning is essential if cautioning is to be an effective component in a diversionary framework for the ACT. However, it finds that, at present, police cautioning of young people in the ACT is substantively unregulated. The paper therefore proposes a framework for regulation of cautioning in the ACT to enhance the effectiveness of police cautioning as a diversionary mechanism. The foundations of this framework are threefold: - First, that effective diversion does not necessitate complete exclusion of the criminal justice system and diversion must be seen as a means, not an end. - Second, that it is crucial to have an in depth understanding of the 'players' involved in the juvenile justice system - young people and the police - and the dynamic between these groups, so the system can be responsive to these realities. - Third, that an effective regulatory framework must comprise three strategies: rules (in the form of legislation and policy), training and education, and organisational structure. Details: Canberra: Australian National University School of Law, 2011. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2018 at: ANU College of Law Research Paper No. 12-26: Accessed June 6, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2115999 Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Diversion Shelf Number: 150487

Author: Iner, Derya, ed. Title: Islamophobia in Australia: 2014-2016 Summary: This report focuses on the critical analysis of Islamophobia and its various manifestations in Australia since 2014. Leaving aside terminology and historical Islamophobia within Western (e.g. Orientalism, colonialism, neo-conservatism) and Australian (e.g. dispossession of Indigenous Australians and racism towards different ethnic groups) settings, this report documents and analyses the present manifestations of Islamophobia. Grounded within a theoretical and empirical framework, the report explores the individual and institutional aspects of Islamophobia and the relationships between the two. While analysing diverse manifestations, the report does not claim to capture all forms of Islamophobia inclusively. The report is organised in two sections. Section I describes the theological, political and cultural aspects of Islamophobia as reflected in various institutions. Section I also examines the interplay of Islamophobia within the religious plane, the political sphere, media reporting of Islam and Muslims, right-wing organisations and in the field of criminology. Section II presents and analyses data gathered via the Islamophobia Register Australia reflecting Australian Muslims' Islamophobic experiences. The report captures and critically analyses 243 verified incidents reported between September 2014 and December 2015. While these incidents do not reflect all local experiences of Islamophobia in Australia, they shed light on many aspects of its manifestations, nuances and complexities. The report findings signify the circumstances under which anti-Muslim hate incidents exist, operate and affect Australian Muslims, and illustrate specific characteristics of Islamophobia. Details: Sydney, N.S.W.: Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation, Charles Sturt University, 2017. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2018 at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1075164/Islamophobia.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Bias Motivated Crimes Shelf Number: 150513

Author: Payne, Jason Title: Where have all the young offenders gone? Examining changes in offending between two NSW birth cohorts Summary: New South Wales (NSW), like Australia overall, has experienced a large decline in crime since 2000, yet little is known about its causes. This study explored this decline through a developmental criminology lens by examining two birth cohorts involving all those born in New South Wales in 1984 and 1994. Comparisons between cohorts showed that, by age 21, the proportion of the population that had come into contact with the criminal justice system had halved (-49%), with the largest declines in vehicle theft (-59%), other property theft (-59%) and drink-driving (-49%). However, there remained a group of 'chronic' offenders (those committing 5+ offences) who committed crime at a higher rate and accounted for a larger proportion of offences (77%) than the 1984 cohort of 'chronic' offenders (68%). The crime decline in New South Wales would therefore appear to have resulted from a large reduction in the number of young people committing crime for the first time, although there remains a diminishing 'hard core' of prolific offenders. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 553: Accessed June 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi553 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 150537

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Targeting Repeat Domestic Violence: Assessing short-term risk of reoffending Summary: Drawing on repeat victimisation studies, and analysing police data on domestic violence incidents, the current study examined the prevalence and correlates of short-term reoffending. The results showed that a significant proportion of offenders reoffended in the weeks and months following a domestic violence incident. Individuals who reoffended more quickly were more likely to be involved in multiple incidents in a short period of time. Offenders with a history of domestic violence-particularly more frequent offending-and of breaching violence orders were more likely to reoffend. Most importantly, the risk of reoffending was cumulative, increasing with each subsequent incident. The findings have important implications for police and other frontline agencies responding to domestic violence, demonstrating the importance of targeted, timely and graduated responses. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 552: Accessed June 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi552 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 150538

Author: Dowling, Christopher Title: Protection Orders for Domestic Violence: A systematic review Summary: Protection orders are a common legal response to domestic violence which aim to prevent further re-victimisation by the perpetrator. The current study systematically reviews research into the use and impact of protection orders, using the EMMIE framework (Effectiveness, Mechanisms, Moderators, Implementation and Economy). Meta-analysis is used to examine the overall effect of protection orders, while narrative synthesis is used to examine the underlying mechanisms and moderators of their effectiveness, their implementation and economic viability. Protection orders are associated with a small but significant reduction in domestic violence. They appear to be more effective under certain circumstances, including when the victim has fewer ties to the perpetrator and a greater capacity for independence, and less effective for offenders with a history of crime, violence and mental health issues. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 551: Accessed June 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi551 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 150539

Author: Lyneham, Samantha Title: When saying no is not an option: Forced marriage in Australia and New Zealand Summary: As the world continues to develop better understandings of human trafficking and slavery in modern times, different manifestations of these practices are coming to light. Indeed, human trafficking and slavery continue to affect Australia and the Asia-Pacific region in more clandestine and insidious ways than might have been anticipated. This report addresses forced marriage, a slavery-like practice that has gained increasing attention in Australia and New Zealand since 2010 but has yet to form the focus of primary research that documents the experiences, decisions, views, and recommendations of victim/survivors and of the stakeholders that have engaged with them. The lack of data on the nature and context of forced marriage in Australia and New Zealand and on the potential consequences, both positive and negative, of criminalising this practice has resulted in insufficient evidence to support prevention and response mechanisms. This research therefore intends to provide policymakers, practitioners, and support providers with comprehensive knowledge about the problem as it affects both countries. Objectives and methodology The research had three primary objectives: - to explore perceptions and realities around forced marriage in Australia and New Zealand; - to describe the potential consequences of criminalising forced marriage; and - to review and identify where further policy development may be required to support the sectors and individuals impacted by this legislation. To address these objectives, thematic analyses of information derived from interviews with stakeholders (24 interviews with 38 participants), focus groups with stakeholders and community members (5 focus groups with 47 participants), interviews with victim/survivors (6 interviews with 7 participants) and victim/survivor case files (n=10) were conducted. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Research Reports no. 11: Accessed June 15, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/rr/rr11 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Forced Marriage Shelf Number: 150552

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Commonwealth fraud investigations 2015-16 Summary: Public sector fraud involves dishonestly obtaining a benefit or causing a loss by deception or other means, and can be perpetrated by public servants or by members of the public or corporations. It can lead to a loss of revenue, damage to morale and long-lasting damage to trust in government services. The AIC has been conducting a Commonwealth fraud census since 2006, following on from an Attorney-General's Department data collection established in 1995. This paper reports the findings of the most recent annual census of fraud against Commonwealth entities and the measures taken to prevent fraud. It highlights the substantial cost of fraud to the Commonwealth, particularly from external suspects targeting Commonwealth monies or resources. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Statistical Reports no. 7: Accessed June 15, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr7-0 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 150553

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: National data on the health of justice-involved youth people: a feasibility study 2016-17 Summary: The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has reported against the National Prisoner Health Indicators for adult prisoners since 2009. However, little information currently exists, at the national level, about the health of young people under youth justice supervision (also known as juvenile justice supervision) in Australia-either in detention or in community-based supervision. Addressing this data gap has been recognised as a priority in reports from multiple cross-jurisdictional bodies between 2011 and 2017. The importance of developing a national data collection focused on the health of young people under youth justice supervision was explicitly stated in the National Advisory Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information and Data (NAGATSIHID) Strategic Plan 2016-2020. Improving national information in this area also supports the agreed standard for practice to be delivered by juvenile justice administrators, as set out by the Australasian Juvenile Justice Administrators (AJJA) in the Juvenile Justice Standards 2009. The National Youth Justice Health Advisory Group (NYJHAG) was established in August 2016 to assist the AIHW to conduct a feasibility study during 2016-17 into potential data developments. The NYJHAG was set up as a time-limited group, with representatives from the statutory agencies responsible for the health of young people under youth justice supervision in the Australian States and Territories; a selection of subject matter experts in the fields of adolescent health and youth justice; and a representative each from the AJJA, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the AIHW. This report records the results of the feasibility study. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 20, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/4d24014b-dc78-4948-a9c4-6a80a91a3134/aihw-juv-125.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Health Services Shelf Number: 150600

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Audit of complaints investigated by Professional Standards Command, Victoria Police Summary: As part of our work to determine how effectively Victoria Police handles complaints against police officers, IBAC audited how PSC handled a sample of complaint files, consisting of 59 investigations out of the 221 investigations finalised by PSC in 2015/16. The 59 files selected for audit by IBAC covered complaint investigations that concerned more serious allegations made about Victoria Police officers. These matters included allegations of assault, improper criminal associations, drug use or possession offences, sexual offences, handling stolen goods, threats to kill, interference in investigations, and misuse of information. The audit identified a number of concerns regarding PSC's complaint handling that require improvement. Practices that require improvement include: Poor management of conflicts of interest: The vast majority of files audited (95 per cent) did not explicitly identify or address actual, perceived or potential conflicts of interest between investigators and subject officers. Failure to consistently consult with the Office of Public Prosecutions: Victoria Police did not consistently consult with the Office of Public Prosecutions in relation to reportable offences as required under section 127(2) of the Victoria Police Act 2013. Inadequate recommended actions: IBAC auditors disagreed with the action Victoria Police recommended in 15 per cent of files. This included two matters where it appeared the Assistant Commissioner of PSC downgraded the recommended disciplinary action without providing clear reasons. Probity concerns: The audit identified some PSC investigators had complaint histories that raised issues of concern and could adversely affect community confidence in the outcome of investigations. Inappropriate file classification: The way complaint files are classified by PSC determines how they are managed. Issues were identified with the way the work file classification (known as a C1-0 file) is used. The audit found the approach adopted by PSC means this classification is being used well beyond its stated purpose of undertaking preliminary inquiries. For example, the work file classification was used for complaints that contained clear allegations of criminality off-duty (C3-3 file) or corruption (C3-4 file). The practice of reclassifying a matter as a work file after an investigation had been completed, on the basis that the file contained 'intelligence only', was also considered inappropriate. One of the risks in allowing files to be reclassified as work files on closure is that complaint investigations can be closed prematurely. Failure to recommend broader organisational improvements: PSC investigators identified a range of possible policy and procedural improvements in 27 per cent of files. However, no files formally recommended 'action on any identified deficiency in Victoria Police premises, equipment, policies, practices or procedures' as is recommended in the Victoria Police Manual. This is despite the fact that some of the recommendations made by PSC investigators identified opportunities for broader application of findings and improvements across the organisation. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2018. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 22, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/179431/apo-nid179431-874266.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Citizen Complaints Shelf Number: 150637

Author: Mendolia, Silvia Title: The Effect of Religiosity on Adolescent Risky Behaviors Summary: We investigate the relationship between religiosity and risky behaviors in adolescence using data from a large and detailed cohort study of 14 year olds who have been followed for seven years. We focus on the effect of the self-reported importance of religion and on the risk of youths having early sexual intercourse, drinking underage, trying cigarettes, trying cannabis, and being involved in fighting at ages 14-17. We use school and individual fixed effects, and we control for a rich set of adolescent, school, and family characteristics, including achievements in standardized test scores at age 11, parental employment, and marital status. We also control for information on personality traits, such as work ethic, self-esteem, and external locus of control. Our results show that individuals with low religiosity are more likely to engage in risky health behaviors, whatever their combination of personality traits. These effects are robust to separate estimations for boys and girls and to the control variables used. Moreover, the results are essentially unchanged when we use Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment estimation methods - which provide causal estimates conditional on selection on observables only. Details: Bonn: Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), 2018. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper Series No. 11566: Accessed July 2, 2018 at: https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/11566/the-effect-of-religiosity-on-adolescent-risky-behaviors Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Shelf Number: 150749

Author: Beesley, Julie Patricia Title: Organised Chaos: Bringing Complexity to Criminology and the Study of Organised Crime, Terrorism and the Crime-Terror Nexus Summary: Given the complexities of our time, it is not surprising that criminological models, theories and perspectives often fall short of providing complete and satisfactory explanations of complex phenomena. Organised crime and terrorism, and the emerging crime-terror nexus, are examples of such phenomena. If they were simple, they would be easy to understand and prevent, but they are not. Complexity science ('complexity') studies complex phenomena. Given the nature of organised crime, terrorism and the crime-terror nexus, one would expect that the family of complexity, including chaos theory, might lend itself to furthering our understanding and knowledge of these phenomena. Drawing on the natural and social sciences, this thesis explores the notion. In doing so, a new complexity model, using borrowed science, is developed to apply complexity in a criminological context, and to critically examine organised crime, terrorism and the crime-terror nexus through a complexity lens. The new complexity model is tested using the case study method and considers whether the new model furthers our understanding and knowledge of these complex phenomena, together with practical and policy implications. The thesis also considers whether the new complexity model adds a new tool to the criminologist's toolbox to provide fresh and novel insights into complex problems. Details: Sydney:University of Sydney, School of Law, 2017. 324p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 3, 2018 at: https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/17067 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime-Terror Nexus Shelf Number: 150762

Author: Martin, Christopher Luke Title: Government-housing: governing crime and disorder in public housing in New South Wales Summary: Crime and disorder are prominent problems for social housing authorities. Housing NSW attempts to address problems of crime and disorder in public housing in New South Wales through a diversity of practices that constitute an extensive 'government' of tenants' conduct. In this thesis, I call them practices of 'government-housing'. The historical development of government-housing practices reflects developments in the government of crime and disorder and, more generally, in liberal governmentality. In the nineteenth century, classical liberal reformers first formulated 'the housing question' in terms of the physical and moral improvement of urban workers and the poor; then, in the social liberal governmentality of twentieth century, social housing was built to secure and normalise vulnerable but worthy working class households. From the 1970s to the present, social housing has been problematised, reduced and transformed by advanced liberal governmentality, so that it now houses very poor and needy persons and is continuously engaged in their government as individual subjects and collectively as communities. Advanced liberal government-housing practices reflect the cleavage in contemporary strategies for governing crime and disorder: on one hand, an adaptive strategy that seeks to responsibilise individuals, communities and agencies in new ways, including through reformed techniques of social security, to ameliorate and prevent crime and disorder; and on the other, a strategy of sovereign reaction that denies and reacts against the limits of government through punitive, exclusionary displays. These strategies are confused in Housing NSW's practices of government-housing, and housing officers can switch quickly from the first to the second. The crucial point on which they turn is the subject of the public housing- the 'client'. Housing NSW is committed to 'working with the client' as a subject of qualified agency; however, the operation of the eligibility process constitutes the client differently, as an alternately incapable and crimeprone, then selfishly agentive and blameworthy subject, and this elicits pessimistic, cynical reactionary responses from some housing officers. This pattern is evident in Housing NSW's neighbourhood-level practices of governmenthousing. Housing NSW conducts projects to 'renew' the built form of estates according to principles of crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and engage tenants as the 'capable guardians' of their neighbourhoods; the 'CPTED lens', however, can also magnify anxieties and complaints about myriad signs of disorder. Housing NSW also works to 'renew' or fabricate community relations through tenant participation projects and partnerships with other agencies to improve services, but these are difficult projects that may falter on the problematic subjectivity of the client or on unhealthy partnerships. As another means of fabricating community relations, Housing NSW also invokes tenants' contractual obligations under their residential tenancy agreements- inducing expectations of strict liability and enforcement by eviction. Housing NSW is a heavy user of proceedings in relation to all manner of complaints and disputes, and this presents particular risks for its 'working with the client' approach. It responds to some complaints of breach - particularly nuisance and annoyance -with an investigation of the client's support needs that is simultaneously a preparation for proceedings, and housing officers' efforts often end up going in that direction. In relation to other breaches- particularly 'illegal use of premises', and even more particularly involvement in drug offences - Housing NSW seeks nothing less than termination and eviction in proceedings that parallel, and even run ahead of, a criminal prosecution. The confusion of strategies is starkest in a number of innovations on the public housing landlord-tenant legal relationship, such as 'acceptable behaviour agreements', introduced by the State Government over the last decade. These 'new tools' against crime and disorder take a contractual form that appears to further responsibilise tenants, but in substance they empower Housing NSW to 'get tough', impose more rules and evict more readily. These 'new tools', however, have presented such a strain to Housing NSW's ameliorative practices that it has hardly used them at all. The thesis also considers the local level of government-housing and the complications it poses for practice. Here this dimension is presented in an account of the local construction of problems of crime and disorder by tenants and workers on the public housing estate at Riverwood, in southwest Sydney, New South Wales. The 'crime talk' of these tenants and workers speaks to their sense of the estate's place- between middle suburbia and an imaginaty geography of poverty, and between local narratives of reinvention and declineand h"'w they are habituated to the propositions of government-housing at the higher level. Most tenants said they felt safe on the estate, but they also worried over signs of disorder. They reacted against the subjectivity of the client by asserting a sharpened sense of liability, but they also strongly supported community development activities and associated them with their sense of security. Some wished for more conformity, backed by authoritative policing and enforcement of tenancy contracts, but they also doubted whether these approaches could actually work. Public housing, therefore, is distinctively and densely governed, and beset by the tensions and hazards of confused governmental strategies. By identifying these hazards, however, the thesis indicates how Housing NSW might make a clearer strategic commitment to prevention and amelioration, rather than reaction and punitive exclusion. Details: Sydney: University of Sydney, School of Law, 2010. 365p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 3, 2018 at: https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/8577 Year: 2010 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 150763

Author: Heerde, Jessica A. Title: Prevent crime and save money: Return-on-investment models in Australia: Full report Summary: Adolescent antisocial behaviour, such as violence, is both a serious and costly issue in Australia and known to peak during adolescence. Depending on how adolescent antisocial behaviour is defined and measured rates of this behaviour vary, however in Australia are generally between 5 and 20%. The cost of crime in Australia is estimated to be $47.6 billion per year with rates of crime highest in the age 15-24 group. Adolescent antisocial behaviour has important implications for feelings of safety within the community and community members' enjoyment of their local environments. Thus, finding effective ways to reduce the developmental pathways to youth antisocial behaviour is important. An area of increasing importance is demonstration of the costs and benefits of effective approaches to reducing adolescent antisocial behaviour (so-called returnon-investment analyses). This report presents new analyses from the International Youth Development Study (IYDS), an ongoing longitudinal study of antisocial behaviour in Victorian young people which began in 2002, designed to demonstrate the feasibility of combining Australian longitudinal cohort data with prevention strategy investment data to reduce crime versus expenditure on prisons in Australia. The project investigates rates and predictors of antisocial behaviour and violence from the early waves of the IYDS (age 11 years) to young adulthood (age 25 years) to estimate the return-on-investment in Victoria achievable with a $150 million investment in a mix of 6 evidence-based prevention strategies. The aims of the current project were to: 1. Report population rates in the Victorian context of different forms of antisocial outcomes at different points in the life-course; 2. Estimate effect sizes for modifiable risk factors; and 3. Estimate the return-on-investment in Victoria a $150 million investment would have in a mix of 6 evidence-based strategies. To investigate these aims data from 2,884 IYDS participants was used to estimate the reduction in incarceration and intimate partner violence achievable in the State of Victoria by investing $150 million in a mix of evidence-based prevention strategies. Baseline data were obtained in the IYDS at average age 15 from a sample recruited in 2002 to be state-representative of students in Victoria. Follow-up data were obtained at average age 25 in 2014/15. Evidence-based prevention strategies included: Nurse Family Partnerships, Triple P Universal and Triple P Level 4 groups, Secondary School Age Alcohol Supply Reduction, Tutoring by Peers and Screening and Brief Intervention for young adult alcohol problems. Based on the IYDS in 2014/15, findings showed, for those of average age 25 (range 21 to 29) the annual incarceration rate (any police or court apprehension) was estimated at 3.5% (1.0% for 1-day or more) and involvement in intimate partner violence involving physical force was 8.5% (causing physical injury was 3.0%). Multivariate regression analyses were used to identify the effect of age 15 risk factors (socioeconomic disadvantage, family problems, child behaviour problems, substance [including alcohol] use and school problems) and age 21 alcohol problems on age 25 incarcerations and intimate partner violence involving physical assault. Analyses revealed the 10-year lag effect of having invested an extra $150 million would have been a reduction in 2015 of 1,624 cases of incarceration (5% reduction) and 3,034 cases of intimate partner violence involving physical force (10% reduction). In addition to these estimated 1-year effects, benefits would also have been observed in each of the prior nine years and in subsequent years. The prevention strategy investment mix investigated in this report was: Nurse Family Partnership for low income ($35 M), Triple P Universal ($34 M), Triple P Level 4 groups ($51 M), Secondary School Age Alcohol Supply Reduction (SAASR; $14 M), Tutoring by Peers ($9 M) and Screening and Brief Intervention for young adult alcohol problems ($7 M). The net return from the $150 million prevention strategy investment was conservatively estimated at $191 million. Project findings demonstrate several modifiable factors for antisocial behaviour that could be targeted in early intervention and prevention programs to reduce the developmental pathways that lead to youth perpetration of intimate partner violence and incarceration. The results of the current study demonstrate the importance of considering childhood and adolescent family and school-based problems/risk factors, as well as youth substance (including alcohol) use and previous engagement in antisocial behaviour. The present analysis reveals there is sound data to perform return-on-prevention investment analyses in Victoria suggesting it is feasible and cost-effective to prevent problems such as intimate partner violence, while also reducing incarceration rates. Together, project findings can be used to inform policy in Australia about financially viable and effective programs to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour. This project will contribute to understanding that imprisonment and family violence are preventable and that there are significant economic benefits in implementing evidence-based prevention and early intervention approaches. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2018. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed July 5, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/18-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Adolescents Shelf Number: 150764

Author: New South Wales. Inspector of Custodial Services Title: The Management of Radicalised Inmates in NSW Summary: Correctional authorities are responsible for managing national security and violent extremist inmates in a way that protects staff, other inmates, and the broader community from violent acts. They must also work to prevent radicalisation to violence of other inmates, and promote opportunities for disengagement from violent extremism. Although internationally management of radicalised prisoners is not a new issue, this remains a fast developing area of policy and practice. To assess the extent of the issue of radicalisation to violence in NSW prisons and the current practices being employed by CSNSW to manage the risks posed by national security inmates and violent extremists in custody, a number of correctional centres were inspected: the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre, Silverwater (MRRC), where the majority of new admissions into custody are received and undergo initial screening; the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre (MNCCC), where the alleged 7 April 2016 assault occurred; the Lithgow and Goulburn Correctional Centres; and the High Risk Management Correctional Centre, Goulburn (HRMCC), where the majority of national security inmates are accommodated under a strict security regime. CSNSW has been managing inmates charged with or convicted of national security offences since 2003. Although the total number in custody in NSW remains low it has been rising. At the time of referral, there were 29 adults charged with or convicted of national security offences in the NSW prison system; there are now over 35. Although this represents a small number of offenders within a prison population of approximately 13,000, it is a population that requires a strategic approach and specialist resources. Of the small number of violent extremist inmates in custody in NSW, CSNSW has determined few have become radicalised to violence while in custody; it appears that most violent extremist inmates enter custody with such views. Despite there being no evidence of widespread radicalisation to violence in prison in NSW, the risk remains and vigilance is required. Recent terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia have been committed by people who have spent time in custody. There are a number of key prison-management policies and protocols that have been identified as useful for the management of violent extremist offenders and the prevention of violent extremism in prisons. These include: - overall prison conditions; - effective assessment and classification systems; - physical, procedural and dynamic security; - professional prison-staff training; - fair, humane and non-discriminatory treatment; - disengagement interventions involving experts; and - reintegration support. CSNSW has clear objectives to countering terrorism which includes preventing offenders in custody from planning, organising, directing or funding terrorism; preventing radicalisation in prison; and enhancing information sharing with other agencies. CSNSW has developed eleven strategies to achieve these objectives, which are endorsed by the Inspector and are consistent with the best practice prison management policies and protocols. The inspection team found that a strategic approach to security and rehabilitation is needed to manage violent extremism and prevent radicalisation. In response to this, CSNSW is developing a new Counter Terrorism and Countering Violent Extremism Strategy to lead, advise and coordinate CSNSW activities related to countering violent extremism and preventing radicalisation in prison. Details: Sydney: Inspector of Custodial Services, 2018. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 5, 2018 at: http://www.custodialinspector.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/The%20management%20of%20radicalised%20inmates%20in%20NSW.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Extremists Shelf Number: 150765

Author: Payne, Jason Title: Exploring the Causes and Consequences of the Australian Crime Decline: a comparative analysis of the criminal trajectories of two NSW birth cohorts Summary: In this study the arrest records of the 1984 and 1994 NSW birth cohorts were obtained using a data matching process facilitated by the NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR). The aim of this research is to examine the possible causes and consequences of the Australian crime decline through a longitudinal and developmental criminological lens. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first such comparative analysis of longitudinal data aimed at exploring the crime decline, and builds on the recent, albeit it aggregated and cross-sectional, analysis both in Australia (Weatherburn et al. 2014) and overseas (Farrell et al. 2015). Overall, the age-graded longitudinal experiences of the more recent of the two cohorts (born in 1994) confirm the declines previously identified by Weatherburn and Holmes (2013). Specifically, the results presented in this study suggest that as a proportion of each birth cohort the number of young people having contact with the criminal justice system by their 21st birthday had almost halved; down from 9.5 percent for the 1984 birth cohort to 4.8 percent for the 1994 birth cohort. But for the very young ages of between 10 and 13 years, the annualised prevalence of criminal justice contact was markedly lower for those born in 1994, although the analysis shows that these disparities are greatest in the lateteenage and early adulthood years. Importantly, the otherwise non-existent or modest differences in the younger years suggests that for both cohorts the emergence and prevalence of 'early onset' offending was not dissimilar. Instead, the so-called crime decline appears to have been the result of fewer young people having contact with the criminal justice system as teenagers and young adults. The comparative population prevalence across a range of different aggregated and disaggregated offence types was also examined. Of interest was the extent to which the prevalence of offending had declined more or less for specific offence types. For example, by age 21 there was a: - 56 percent decline in the population prevalence of property offending - the aggregate crime category with the highest overall decline; - 49 percent decline in the prevalence of drink-driving offences; - 42 percent decline in the prevalence of disorder offences; and - 32 percent decline in the prevalence of overall violent offending. The decline in the prevalence of overall violent offending was generally consistent for each of the specific sub-categories of violence, including a 29 percent decline in assault (aggravated and unaggravated), a 43 percent decline in robbery, and a 26 percent decline in other violent offending not elsewhere classified. For property offending, the fall in prevalence by age 21 was highest for motor vehicle theft (down 59%) followed by stealing (down 50%) and burglary (down 46%). Drug offending was the crime type that experienced the lowest overall reduction, although population prevalence by age 21 was still 22 percent lower in 1994 than in 1984. In terms of offending frequency, the average proven offence count for offenders born in 1994 was 34 percent higher than estimated for their peers born 10 years earlier. By offence type, the results indicate that by age 21: - The average number of violent offences committed was 2.3 and 2.7, respectively - an increase of 14 percent - The average number of property offences committed was 3.6 and 4.0 respectively - an increase of nine percent. It is notable that for motor vehicle theft, there was an eight percent decline in the average number of offences per offender. - The average number of drug offences was 1.6 and 1.6, respectively - equivalent to no change over 10 years. - The average number of drunk driving offences was 1.1 and 1.1, respectively - equivalent to no change over 10 years. - The average number of disorder offences was 2.5 and 3.1, respectively - an increase of 24 percent. Although these data suggest that offenders from the 1994 were more prolific and chronic in their offending, this was not true. Instead the increases seen between 1984 and 1994 have been underpinned by the 'falling out' of a large number once-off or very low frequency offenders, making chronic offenders responsible for a disproportionally greater share of the crimes that were recorded. Examined by classifications of chronicity, the data showed that: - Once-only offenders comprised 35 percent of the total 1994 offending cohort, down from 41 percent in 1984. - Low-rate offenders (those detected for between 2 and 4 crimes by age 21) comprised 33 percent of the offending cohort in 1994, down from 36 percent in 1984; - Chronic offenders (those detected for five or more crimes) represented one in four (23%) of the 1984 offender cohort, though this increased to one in three (32%) of the 1994 offender cohort. In terms of offence counts, these so-called chronic offenders were responsible for 77 percent of all recorded episodes of offending; up from 68 percent for equivalent peers born in 1984. The age of onset was also examined in these data but showed relatively little change between the 1984 and 1994 cohorts. For example: - The median age of first offence was 18 years for both cohorts. - The median age of onset for once-only offenders (19 years), low-rate offenders (18 years) and chronic offenders (15 years) also stayed the same across the two cohorts. - Although the age of onset didn't change, the nature of first offending did such that property offences were considerably less likely to be indicated as an onset offence (down 22%), with the largest fall seen for motor vehicle theft (down 44%). Making up for the decline was a commensurate increase in violent offending (up 28%), drug offending (up 38%) and disorderly conduct offending (up 14%) as the offence of first contact with the criminal justice system. By gender and Indigenous status, these data show that the key findings seen at the population level appear to have been experienced equally for young women and for Indigenous people in NSW. In fact, the population prevalence of criminal justice system contact for young Indigenous people in NSW declined more rapidly than for their non-indigenous counterparts - resulting in a 17 percent fall in relative over-representation In the final analysis, semi-parametric group based analysis was used to examine how criminal career trajectories have, on average changed through the crime decline. Taking into account the full extent of the longitudinal data to age 21, these comparative analyses suggest that the crime decline has resulted from a large reduction in the number of offenders who have historically had contact with the criminal justice system for only one or a very small number of offences. The key driver of the decline, at least amongst these two birth cohorts, has been change in the prevalence of contact rather than a change in the relative frequency of offending amongst chronic offenders. For chronic offenders, two trajectories emerge. The first is the early onset and high-volume offending population who, so it seems, are fewer in number and are offending at lower rates. The second are the late-adolescent high-volume offenders who appear to be greater in number starting their offending one year earlier on average. These shifts suggest that the profile of offending has changed. Whether this is as a consequence of circumstance or purposeful policy intervention is unknown, however the changing nature of these trajectories suggests that the criminal justice system may not only be, in part, responsible for the crime decline, but will also need to adjust in response to its consequences. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2018. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 5, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/50-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Chronic Offenders Shelf Number: 150766

Author: Quilter, Julia Title: 'Intoxication' and Australian Criminal Law: Implications for Addressing Alcohol and Other Drug-Related Harms and Risks Summary: This report presents the findings of a study that explored how the state of 'intoxication' produced by the consumption of alcohol and/or other drugs is treated by the criminal law and criminal justice system in Australia. The study was motivated by the emergence, during the 2010s, of 'alcohol-fuelled violence' as a prominent and influential motif in policy debates and criminal law reform initiatives. The aim was to document the variety of ways in which assumptions and claims about the effects of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) are embodied in Australian criminal laws, and to compare those legal 'knowledges' with the knowledge that resides in the expert AOD literature. The project methodology involved three phases: i) A review of the expert epidemiological, public health and criminological literature regarding the effects of AOD, with a focus on expert understandings of the relationship between AOD intoxication and violence. Literature published in the period 2000-2015 was reviewed, with a focus on works of commentary and review including systematic reviews and meta-analysis. ii) Collection and analysis of currently in force (at May 2015) criminal law statutory provisions, in all Australian jurisdictions, that attach significance to the fact of a person�s 'intoxication'. Each provision was catalogued with reference to the purpose for which significance was attached to intoxication, and with reference to how intoxication was defined. iii) Collection and analysis of decisions handed down during a 5 year period (2010-2014) by the highest appellate court in each State and Territory, and the High Court of Australia, in which the court considered evidence that the accused, the victim or a witness was 'intoxicated' at the time of the alleged commission of a criminal offence. The review of the expert literature in Phase 1 revealed that there is strong evidence of a relationship between violence and alcohol, but not a simple causal relationship. Alcohol is regarded as either a 'conditional' cause, 'risk' factor, or one of multiple factors that might be implicated in the production of violence (including homicide). There is far less evidence to suggest a correlation between illicit drugs and crimes of violence. There is an emergent but influential body of literature that critiques attempts to isolate or 'abstract' alcohol or illicit drugs from the social contexts within which violence occurs. This scholarship has important implications for the validity of instances in which the criminal law seeks to 'isolate' intoxication as a discrete factor - eg, as an offence element or sentencing factor. The chief findings of the Phase 2 review of legislation were: 1) Australian criminal laws attach significance to intoxication for a wide variety of purposes, including: as the basis for exercising a coercive power; as relevant to whether a suspect can be interviewed by police; as a core or aggravating element of an offence; as a (limited) 'defence' whereby the accused can dispute mens rea or 'voluntariness' and to limit reliance on intoxication evidence to support other defences; and as an aggravating or mitigating factor in sentencing. 2) Legislative provisions that attach criminal law/policing significance to intoxication are not limited to traditional criminal harms, but extend to a number of location - or activity-based 'sites' where AOD use is regarded as carrying risks of harm or anti-social behaviour, and thereby, a basis for criminalisation - eg public space use, transport, and dangerous activities (eg, firearms, mining). 3) There is no single or widely accepted definition of 'intoxication' in Australian criminal laws. Under-definition is widespread; there is significant variation both within jurisdictions and nationally as to how intoxication is defined; and the language used to define and describe intoxication is frequently ambiguous, leaving considerable scope for subjective assessments to be made by persons in authority. Although familiar because of their use in the driving offences context, biological detection approaches to defining intoxication (eg offences based on prescribed concentrations of alcohol) are relatively rare. 4) Under-definition is especially common in criminal laws concerned with public order offences and police powers. While it might be argued that a flexible approach to definition is appropriate in this context - given the need for 'on-the-spot' risk assessments - it is also important to recognise the potential for disproportionate impact on already marginalised individuals and communities, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons. 5) Australian criminal laws frequently attach significance to 'intoxication' caused by illicit drugs (ie drugs other than alcohol) without regard to the evidence that different drugs have different effects, including depressant, stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. Moreover, while the criminal law typically demands that degrees of alcohol intoxication be measured (eg blood alcohol concentrations which deem a person to be intoxicated), equivalent provisions concerned with illicit drugs typically define intoxication with reference to the mere presence of a (prohibited) drug in a person's system - no matter how much was consumed, by what means and when. The chief findings of the Phase 3 review of appellate case law were that: 1) Court proceedings in relation to criminal charges involve a wide variety of approaches to assessing whether a person was sufficiently under the influence of alcohol or another drug that they should be regarded as 'intoxicated' for the purpose of the criminal law, including: self- and/or witness report of consumption; selfand/or witness report of behaviour or 'state'; biological detection; appearance/behavioural assessments by a police officer; assessment by medical, toxicology or psychology experts; and judicial assessment of the available evidence (including CCTV footage and video recording of police interviews). 2) Scientific and medical expert evidence regarding AOD effects exerts only a relatively modest influence on the concept of 'intoxication' that impacts on assessments of criminal responsibility. Juries are regularly asked to make complex assessments about the extent of a person's intoxication on the basis of their 'common knowledge' about AOD effects. Where judicial guidance is offered, it was observed that there was a tendency to deploy 'tests' based on a person's observable mechanical functions as a sort of 'proxy' for a state of intoxication that is sufficient to impede intent formation, or other cognitive processes relevant to criminal responsibility. 3) The so-called intoxication 'defence' is only one of the ways in which evidence of the accused's intoxication may impact on the courtroom determination of his/her criminal responsibility. The relationship between evidence of AOD consumption and effects, criminal trial processes and the determination of criminal responsibility is much more complex than is commonly recognised in both the scholarly literature and the political discourse that frequently surrounds intoxication-focused criminal law reform proposals and debates. 4) While the most common focus of Australian criminal law is accused/offender intoxication, victim intoxication also features prominently, particularly in the context of sexual offences. Despite concerted statutory reform which has attempted to ensure that a complainant's intoxication does not impede successful prosecution of offenders (indeed, that it can assist proof of some elements, such as the absence of consent), there is still considerable variation in how courts approach evidence of complainant intoxication - in relation to proof of non-consent and proof of the offender's knowledge of non-consent, and in relation to assessments of the credibility and reliability of the complainant's evidence. 5) Although recent policy debates suggest the ascendency of the view that intoxication should be regarded as an aggravating factor when it comes to the determination of punishment, judicial approaches to sentencing are more nuanced. Courts consistently articulate a 'general rule' that intoxication per se does not operate as a mitigating factor. However, the study identified a number of circumstances in which intoxication was treated as an 'indirect' mitigating factor by: supporting the characterisation of the offender's conduct as 'out of character'; supporting the characterisation of the offender's conduct as spontaneous/unplanned; linking the offender's behaviour to conditions which are regarded as mitigating, such as mental illness and addiction; or locating the offender in a context of wider disadvantage, specifically, Indigenous community disadvantage. In addition, courts regularly observe that the offender's intoxication 'explained but did not excuse' the criminal behaviour. 6) In addition to those contexts in which legislation prescribes intoxication as an aggravating factor, there are two circumstances in which courts treat intoxication as an aggravating factor when sentencing an offender. First, victim intoxication may be regarded as an aggravating factor where it increased her/his vulnerability (especially where there is evidence that the offender exploited this vulnerability). Second, offender intoxication may be regarded as an aggravating factor where s/he was considered to have been 'recklessly intoxicated' - ie aware, based on past experience, of being at greater risk of engaging in violence or other relevant criminal behaviour, while intoxicated. It is unclear, in the case law, how this insight on the part of the offender is established. The report concludes with the following recommendations: 1) While a single definition of intoxication for all criminal law purposes is neither feasible nor desirable, consideration should be given to the national standardisation of legislative terminology and criteria for assessing 'intoxication' for criminal law purposes. 2) 'Best practice' definitions must be sensitive to the different sites or regulatory contexts in which relevant laws operate, the different purposes for which significance is attached to intoxication, and the different rationales embodied in different statutes. 3) Further research is required to cautiously investigate whether the biological detection model could be more widely adopted, beyond the driving context, and potentially including contexts where the purpose in question is to address the increased risk of violence associated with alcohol intoxication. 4) Where circumstances demand that assessment based on observed behaviour is the more appropriate (or feasible) approach, this report recommends: a. uniform adoption of expressly stated criteria for making the assessment that a person is intoxicated; and b. a commitment by police forces, and other organisations whose officers/employees exercise coercive powers, to educating the wider community about how police officers are trained to assess intoxication, what criteria are used, and how the exercise of intoxication-related powers is reviewed and monitored by police agencies. 5) Further research is required into the nature of, and rationale for, the criminal law's approach to the effects of drugs other than alcohol in terms of producing the impairment, risk of violence and other effects with which the criminal law is concerned. Attention should be focused on whether the law takes adequate account of the different effects of different drugs, and the appropriateness of deeming the presence of any drug quantity to be evidence of impairment or other adverse effect. 6) Improved and more consistent 'knowledge transfer' between the AOD expert literature and legal contexts (law-making, policing, court decisions) is desirable. This should include greater specificity regarding the implications of AOD consumption for relevant physical, cognitive and emotional functions. Further, the AOD expert literature tends not to be attuned to questions for which answers are needed in law-making and application, and support for research to fill this gap should be considered. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2018. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 5, 2018 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1718/20-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 150767

Author: Donnelly, Neil Title: Evaluation of the Bail Assessment Officer (BAO) Intervention Summary: Aim: To determine whether the Bail Assessment Officer (BAO) intervention which was piloted in Central and Parramatta local courts in late 2016 had an impact on the proportion of defendants being granted bail at first court appearance and/ or reducing time spent in custody. Method: The impact of the BAO intervention on bail refusal and time spent in custody was assessed using a two-by-two design; with group (BAO intervention vs. control) and time (pre-intervention period vs. post-intervention period) as the two factors. The treatment group consisted of custody-based defendants from two local courts (Central and Parramatta) where the BAO intervention was operating. The control group consisted of defendants appearing at three local courts (Burwood, Campbelltown and Fairfield) where the BAO intervention was not operating. The pre-intervention period was SeptemberDecember 2015 and the post-intervention period was September-December 2016. Outcomes compared in the analysis were percentage of defendants granted bail at first court appearance, mean bail refused days and mean time on remand. Results: There was no significant change from pre-intervention to post-intervention in the percentage of defendants granted bail at first court appearance or the mean number of bail refused days or days on remand for defendants appearing in the BAO intervention courts. Similar results were also evident for defendants appearing in the control group courts and held even after controlling for a wide range of covariates. Conclusion: There is no evidence from this aggregate-level analysis that the BAO intervention had an impact on the granting of bail at first appearance, bail refused days or time on remand. However, a rigorous assessment of program effectiveness was precluded because of the lack of clear, objective eligibility criteria for program entry and limited recording of essential program data. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research; 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 209: Accessed July 9, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Evaluation-of-the-Bail-Assessment-Officer-intervention-CJB209.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 150792

Author: Wilson, Alan Title: Review of the Criminal Organisation Act 2009 Summary: The Criminal Organisation Act 2009 (Qld) (COA) came into force on 15 April 2010. The objects of the COA are to disrupt and restrict the activities of organisations involved in serious criminal activity including members and associates of those organisations. The COA requires the Act to be reviewed by a retired Supreme Court Judge five years after its commencement. On 2 October 2015, the Honourable Yvette D'Ath, Attorney-General, Minister for training and Skills announced that the Honourable Alan Wilson SC would be appointed to conduct the review. The object of the review was to decide whether the Act is operating effectively to disrupt serious and organised criminal activity. The COA requires the review to be tabled in the Queensland Legislative Assembly. The Attorney-General provided detailed terms of reference requiring the review to make recommendations about whether the Act should continue, and whether any of its provisions should be amended or repealed. The findings from the Review were also required to be considered by the Taskforce on Organised Crime Legislation. Details: Melbourne: Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney General, 2015. 238p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2018 at: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2016/5516T432.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Intelligence Shelf Number: 150897

Author: Atkinson, Bob Title: Report on Youth Justice Summary: On 12 February 2018 Mr Robert (Bob) Atkinson AO was appointed Special Advisor to the Honourable Di Farmer MP, Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women, and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence. Mr Atkinson was asked to examine and report on a series of youth justice matters by 8 June 2018, and to advise on: progress of the government's youth justice reforms, and next steps other measures to reduce recidivism, and recommendations for youth detention stemming from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse. This report addresses the first two terms of reference while the third is subject to a separate report. Understanding the report: The Four Pillars The key finding and recommendation is that the Queensland Government as a whole adopt four pillars as its policy position for youth justice. 'The Four Pillars' are objectives framed by two fundamental principles: that public safety is paramount, and that community confidence is critical. The Four Pillars guiding the report are: Intervene early; Keep children out of court; Keep children out of custody; and Reduce reoffending. The report includes 31 papers and 77 recommendations to improve the youth justice system and address the causes of offending. Details: Brisbane: Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, 2018. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2018 at: https://www.csyw.qld.gov.au/resources/dcsyw/youth-justice/youth-justice-report-strategy/youth-justice-report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Justice Policy Shelf Number: 150912

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Towards national measures of alcohol-related crime Summary: Research has demonstrated that alcohol misuse has a significant impact on police time and resources, the health sector and the Australian community more broadly. Despite growing interest in the topic and the number of studies that have been completed, there remain significant limitations to the national measurement of alcohol-related crime. While recent studies have canvassed the challenges of measuring alcohol-related crime and proposed possible solutions, this study set out to bridge a gap in the knowledge and understanding of the steps that need to be taken to establish practical, high-quality indicators of alcohol-related crime at a national level. The Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs commissioned the Australian Institute of Criminology to undertake a review of policing and non-policing data on the involvement of alcohol in crime and to identify the short-, medium- and longer-term options available for better understanding and measuring the magnitude of alcohol-related crime in Australia. Based on an extensive review of the literature, interviews with representatives from all state and territory police agencies and a range of non-policing agencies, and a review of existing data sources, this report describes the data that are currently available to measure the involvement of alcohol in crime, the strengths and limitations of these data and the issues that will likely impact on future efforts to measure alcohol-related crime at the national level. The report ends by proposing a suite of national indicators of alcohol-related crime. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 100p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Research Report 12: Accessed July 25, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/node/183071 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol-Related Crime, Disorder Shelf Number: 150913

Author: Willis, Matthew Title: Property Crime and Indigenous Offenders Summary: It is well recognised that Indigenous offenders are over-represented within the Australian criminal justice system. In response to this, researchers have attempted to identify the factors contributing to Indigenous offending. Such studies have tended to look at Indigenous offending and engagement with the criminal justice system as a whole, across the full range of different offence types, or have focused on violent crime (Memmott et al. 2001; Bryant & Willis 2008; Wundersitz 2010). Little attention has been paid to Indigenous involvement in other specific forms of crime, such as property offending. While violent crime (specifcally acts intended to cause injury) accounts for the largest proportion of recorded Indigenous offenders (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2016a) and prisoners (ABS 2016c), a substantial number of Indigenous people are imprisoned or otherwise sanctioned for property offences each year. Understanding and addressing factors contributing to Indigenous involvement in property crime can also potentially contribute to reducing Indigenous over- representation (Weatherburn 2014). This paper aims to assist policymakers and practitioners by filling some of the gaps in knowledge about Indigenous involvement in property crime. The brief first overviews the extent of Indigenous involvement in property crime and draws some comparisons between nature and rates of property crime committed by Indigenous offenders and non- Indigenous offenders. Some of the main theoretical explanations for involvement in property offending across the overall population are examined and related to property offending by Indigenous people. The brief draws on unpublished research data to further explore the nature of Indigenous property offending and also examines some initiatives that aim to reduce this offending. For the purposes of this paper, 'property crime' will encompass the offences of robbery; unlawful entry with intent/break and enter (burglary); all thefts; fraud; and property damage as classified under the Australian and New Zealand Standard Offence Classification. Robbery is usually considered a violent crime as the actual or threatened use of violence is an element of the offence that is more serious than the theft element. However, the factors contributing to involvement in robbery and patterns of incidence for robbery tend to align more closely with crimes such as burglary than they do with violent crimes such as assault. For instance, rates of robbery in Australia and internationally have been declining in recent years to an extent that is consistent with property crime trends but not with violent crime trends (van Dijk, Tseloni & Farrell 2012). Violent crime has also declined but over a shorter period and with greater fluctuation (Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) 2016; Nelson 2015). Therefore, robbery will be considered a property crime for the purposes of this paper; this approach has been undertaken in other recent studies of property crime (Brown 2015). Details: Sydney: Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 2018. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Brief 23: Accessed july 26, 2018 at: https://www.indigenousjustice.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/mp/files/publications/files/property-crime-willis-fracchini-rb23-ijc.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Burglary Shelf Number: 150922

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth Justice in Australia: 2016-17 Summary: This report looks at young people who were under youth justice supervision in Australia during 2016-17 because of their involvement or alleged involvement in crime. It explores the key aspects of supervision, both in the community and in detention, as well as recent trends. About 1 in 500 young people aged 10-17 were under supervision on an average day A total of 5,359 young people aged 10 and over were under youth justice supervision on an average day in 2016-17. Among those aged 10-17, this equates to a rate of 20 per 10,000, or 1 in every 492 young people. Most young people were supervised in the community More than 4 in 5 (83% or 4,473) young people under supervision on an average day were supervised in the community, and close to 1 in 5 (17% or 913) were in detention (some were supervised in both the community and detention on the same day). The majority of young people in detention were unsentenced - About 3 in 5 (61%) young people in detention on an average day were unsentenced-that is, awaiting the outcome of their legal matter or sentencing. Young people spent an average of 6 months under supervision - Individual periods of supervision that were completed during 2016-17 lasted for a median of 122 days or about 4 months. When all the time spent under supervision during 2016-17 is considered (including multiple periods and periods that were not yet completed), young people who were supervised during the year spent an average of 185 days or about 6 months under supervision. Supervision rates varied among the states and territories - Rates of youth justice supervision varied among the states and territories, reflecting, in part, the fact that each state and territory has its own legislation, policies, and practices. In 2016-17, the rate of young people aged 10-17 under supervision on an average day ranged from 13 per 10,000 in Victoria to 67 per 10,000 in the Northern Territory. Rates of supervision have fallen over the past 5 years - Over the 5 years from 2012-13 to 2016-17, the number of young people aged 10-17 under supervision on an average day fell by 16%, while the rate dropped from 25 to 20 per 10,000. These falls occurred in both community-based supervision (from 21 to 17 per 10,000) and detention (from 4 to 3 per 10,000). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander over-representation has increased - Although only about 5% of young people aged 10-17 in Australia are Indigenous, half (50%) of those under supervision on an average day in 2016-17 were Indigenous. The level of Indigenous over-representation (as measured by the rate ratio) rose over the 5 years from 2012-13 to 2016-17. On an average day in 2012-13, Indigenous young people aged 10-17 were 15 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision, rising to 18 times as likely in 2016-17. This was due to a proportionally greater fall in the non-Indigenous rate compared with the Indigenous rate over the period. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 54p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/19707990-1719-4600-8fce-f0af9d61331c/aihw-juv-116.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Shelf Number: 150935

Author: Taylor, Emmeline Title: Staying Ahead of the Game: Mobile technologies in retail: A review of benefits and risk Summary: The aim of this report is to harness the learning from the implementation of self-checkout (SCO) and combine this with available information relating to mobile scanning (m-scan) and mobile point of sale (m-POS). The report provides an overview of benefits, risks and key considerations for industry stakeholders regarding the utilisation of mobile technologies in the retail sector. Whilst there is a growing literature attending to the benefits of mobile payment, a pr�cis overview of vulnerabilities and impact on loss is largely missing. It is clear that understanding remains 'fragmented' , particularly in relation to 'shrinkage' and there is little by way of a research agenda or roadmap. With the market being flooded with software and products, retailers are exposed to a compelling case for mobile payment, but are not as cognisant of the potential risks. The report provides an overview of some of the different modes of mobile payment systems, a consideration of the benefits that they offer to retailers and their customers, before focusing on the potential risks and vulnerabilities. The full methodology can be found in the Appendix. The report culminates in a list of recommendations for developing a robust approach to mobile payment technologies as well as providing an agenda for future research focused on understanding loss mitigation. 01. PROJECT SCOPE AND RESEARCH AIMS Aims and Objectives - Outline what mobile scanning and mobile POS is and the various guises it can take in the retail sector. - Draw upon relevant research from the introduction of SCO with regards to loss and apply the relevant lessons to mobile POS technology. - Consult with loss prevention professionals, industry partners and academic experts to gain insight into mobile payment opportunities and risks. - Provide insight on the key considerations for industry stakeholders (primarily retailers) in moving to m-scan and m-POS with regards loss mitigation. Details: Canberra: Australian National University, 2013. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/841099/1/Staying%20Ahead%20of%20the%20Game.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Prevention Shelf Number: 150942

Author: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Child homicide in Queensland: A descriptive analysis of offences finalised by Queensland criminal courts, 2005-06 to 2016-17 Summary: When homicide occurs within our community, it provokes strong emotions. When a child is the victim of homicide, community concern magnifies. This report provides the results of research undertaken by the Secretariat of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council as part of the formal request by the Attorney-General to examine sentencing for criminal offences arising from the death of a child (child homicide offences). To promote a comprehensive understanding of child homicide, the Secretariat considered a range of information sources, including data from government agencies as well as the broader body of literature at state, national and international levels. This report is a descriptive analysis of the offence characteristics, victims, offenders and sentencing outcomes associated with child homicide offences finalised by Queensland criminal courts in the 12-year period between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2017. It does not provide explanations for any identified patterns or trends; however, additional legal discussion and interpretation of the data is included in the Council's complementary consultation paper Sentencing for criminal offences arising from the death of a child: Consultation paper. The Council's final report, scheduled for completion by 31 October 2018, will include additional commentary about the data. This research report begins with an outline of the scope and an overview of the sentenced offences examined. The report then looks at victims of child homicide and offenders sentenced by Queensland courts for child homicide, as well as what we currently know about child homicide as an offence category. Where relevant, adult homicide is used for comparative purposes. This research reveals a number of key findings: Key findings Child homicide offences - Child homicide is complex and diverse, posing specific challenges for the criminal justice system as well as prevention efforts. - The majority of child homicides occur in a private location, usually the victim's home. The likelihood of a homicide occurring in the home is greatest for child victims aged under 10 years. - Child homicide cases take significantly longer to progress from offence to sentencing than adult homicide cases, although in the current Queensland dataset, a number of historical child murder cases influence this finding. - Substance misuse and mental health issues are associated with child homicide offenders; however, the contribution of these factors to the homicide event is difficult to determine. - According the National Homicide Monitoring Program, over the period 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2014, Queensland accounted for 19.5 per cent of all national homicide incidents and 25.0 per cent of all national child homicide incidents. Victims of child homicide - Children in Queensland are less likely than adults to be the victim of homicide events finalised by Queensland criminal courts. Ten adults per 100,000 adult population were victims of homicide events finalised by Queensland courts over the 12-year period, compared to 5.7 children per 100,000 child population. - A child is at greatest risk of homicide in their first year of life, with risk reducing until it again increases during a child's mid to late teenage years. - The number of boy and girl victims is about the same. In contrast, almost two thirds of adult homicide victims are male. - Patterns in the cause of death are identifiable based on who committed the child homicide and the age of the victim. Child homicide offenders - Family members are the most common perpetrators of child homicide, with parents or parent equivalents representing the largest offender group. - While a majority of sentenced child homicide offenders record previous convictions, most did not record a previous conviction for a violent offence. - Females represent a higher proportion of perpetrators in the child homicide category than in any other category of homicide. - Offenders sentenced for child homicide are on average younger than adult homicide offenders. Sentencing of child homicide offences - All offenders sentenced by Queensland criminal courts for child homicide over the 12-year period received custodial sentences. - Adult offenders sentenced for child manslaughter are more likely to have pleaded guilty than those sentenced for child murder. - For adult offenders sentenced for homicide, child homicide is more likely than adult homicide to result in a sentence for manslaughter, not murder. - For adult offenders sentenced for manslaughter, the average custodial sentence is 8.3 years. Offenders sentenced for adult manslaughter received significantly longer average sentences (8.5 years) than offenders sentenced for child manslaughter (6.8 years), but the median values are not as different (8.0 and 7.5 respectively). - A quarter of adult offenders imprisoned for manslaughter of a child were declared to be convicted of a serious violent offence (SVO). - All adult offenders sentenced for murder received a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Details: Brisbane: The Council, 2018. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/576510/sentencing-for-child-homicide-offences-research-report-july-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Homicide Shelf Number: 150972

Author: Our Watch Title: Changing the picture: A national resource to support the prevention of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children Summary: Violence against women is not an 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander problem'. It is a national problem - one that is prevalent and persistent - in all communities, right across Australia. At the same time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience disproportionate rates of violence, and violence that is often more severe. This resource helps us understand why this is, what is needed to change this, and how as a society we can all work together to stop this violence from happening in the first place. A national survey found Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women report experiencing violence in the previous 12 months at 3.1 times the rate of non-Indigenous women. Hospitalisation rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women due to family violence-related assaults are 32 times the rate for non-Indigenous women. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are nearly 11 times more likely to die due to assault than non-Indigenous women. Violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women is perpetrated by men of all cultural backgrounds, in many different contexts and settings across the country. Changing the picture contains a set of clear actions that are needed to address the many drivers of this violence. Because these drivers are located right across Australian society, this is a national resource - intended to encourage, guide and support a national effort - by many organisations and stakeholders, at many levels and in many settings. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2018. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/17029131-bcf4-45b2-9f54-19cf9b333727/Changing-the-picture-AA.pdf.aspx Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 150973

Author: Our Watch Title: Changing the picture: Background paper: Understanding violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children Summary: This document is a background paper that supports and informs the Our Watch resource Changing the picture: A national resource to support the prevention of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children. Changing the picture is a new resource whose overarching goal is to reframe and improve Australia's approach to the prevention of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children. It is a solutions-focused practice framework that outlines how violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women can be prevented, and describes the essential actions that are needed to change and shift the underlying drivers of this violence. It considers how this prevention work should be undertaken, and by whom, and it outlines the principles that should guide this shared national effort. It also includes examples of relevant work already being undertaken around the country. Violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children is a national issue. Preventing it is everyone's responsibility. Some prevention initiatives need to be specifically aimed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These should be owned, developed and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and wherever possible, implemented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-controlled organisations. However, Indigenous people and organisations must not be expected to bear sole responsibility for preventing this violence. Non-indigenous people, 'mainstream' organisations and governments must also take action. They have a particular role to play in preventing violence perpetrated by non-Indigenous men and in combatting racism, structural inequality and discrimination. For these reasons, Changing the picture is aimed at a diverse audience - government and nongovernment, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and including both individuals and organisations. It is relevant both to practitioners who are working 'on the ground' (in numerous fields, and in both Indigenous-specific and 'mainstream' contexts), as well as those involved in policy development and program funding, design, planning or implementation. It offers guidance to support evidence-informed, intersectional and culturally safe approaches to prevention policy and practice, across jurisdictions and sectors. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2018. 105p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/8ecbd0af-0599-4518-a169-7801f35bf7b4/Changing-the-picture-background-paper-FINAL-AA.pdf.aspx Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 150975

Author: Bricknell, Samantha Title: Co-offending among young homicide offenders in Australia Summary: Research on young persons who commit homicide has largely focused on associative factors rather than event characteristics. This paper uses 25 years of data from the National Homicide Monitoring Program to describe the characteristics of homicide incidents perpetrated by offenders aged 10-17 years. In particular it examines if young homicide offenders are more likely to co-offend and if incident, victim and offender characteristics vary depending on whether the young person killed on their own or with others. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin 12: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb12 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Co-offending Shelf Number: 150977

Author: Victoria (Australia). Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Trends in Minor Drug Offences Sentenced in the Magistrates' Court of Victoria Summary: This report examines trends in the prevalence and sentencing of minor drug offences in the Magistrates' Court of Victoria in the 10 years from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2017 (the reference period). For this report, a minor drug offence is defined as the possession or use of an illicit drug of dependence. The report analyses data on 118,101 proven charges of a minor drug offence. In total, 61,788 cases in the Magistrates' Court included at least one proven charge of a minor drug offence. The report finds that, over the reference period, there was a substantial increase in the number of proven charges of a minor drug offence, particularly from 2010-11 to 2016-17, when the number increased by 97%, from 8,586 to 16,937. The increase in minor drug offences was primarily driven by the drug methylamphetamine. The number of proven charges relating to methylamphetamine increased from just 263 in 2007-08 to 5,712 in 2016-17, when it surpassed cannabis (5,169 proven charges) as the most common drug type in minor drug offences. The number of proven charges involving prescription drugs increased by 298%, from 250 in 2007-08 to 996 in 2016-17. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2018. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Trends_in_Minor_Drug_Offences_Sentenced_in_the_Magistrates_Court.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 150978

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: A Future Without Violence: Quality, safeguarding and oversight to prevent and address violence against people with disability in institutional settings Summary: This report examines violence against people with disability in institutional settings and gives recommendations for change. The report was commissioned by the Attorney General's Department to examine violence against people with disability in institutional settings, at a time when the disability sector is undergoing major reform with the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The Commission undertook extensive consultations with stakeholders, advice from an Expert Reference Group, and a literature review to put forward a number of recommendations to improve safeguarding and oversight mechanisms that prevent and address violence against people with disability in institutional settings. In addition, the report argues for building the knowledge and capacity of people with disability to recognise instances of violence, understand their rights and engage with available oversight mechanisms to achieve change Details: Sydney: AHRC, 2018. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_report_VAPWD_2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Disabilities Shelf Number: 150979

Author: Coyne, John Title: I can see clearly now! Technological innovation in Australian law enforcement: a case study of anti-money laundering Summary: The Australian government's technological monopolies have ended. Technological developments, especially those that have been disruptive, have been driven primarily by private corporations for at least the past ten years. Meanwhile, legislative responses to those changes, be they disruptive or otherwise, have been increasingly delayed. Acceleration in the development and use of technology has been matched by changes in the capability of those who would do us harm. In the face of rapid social change, governments have lost more than a technological edge, as the very conceptualisations of sovereignty and geographical jurisdictions are being challenged. Law enforcement agencies' traditional business models for dealing with organised crime are under significant pressure from threat actors that are able to operate more agile decision-making cycles and exploit seams between jurisdictions and in law enforcement agencies' capabilities. In this context, Australian law enforcement agencies face an increasing number of challenges from emergent technologies. A key policy challenge underpinning these issues relates to the limited capacity of law enforcement to introduce innovative strategies in response to disruptive technology. Another is how to make cross-jurisdictional cooperation simpler and easier. This report explores technological innovation in law enforcement through a specific crime type case study of anti-money laundering (AML) provisions. It analyses the factors that support or restrict technological innovation in federal law enforcement's AML efforts and argues that the current ecosystem for innovation for AML needs to be enhanced to engage with the dual challenge of disruptive technology, and the integration of existing pockets of AML excellence into a holistic whole-of-government innovation program. The initial steps for responding to this challenge should include an analysis of the central assumptions that underpin innovation, policy-making, strategy and finance in this space. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 2018. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ad-aspi/2018-07/SR%20123%20I%20can%20see%20clearly%20now.pdf?jLRQZUtiZ44.o66ipdnFVjoXF2plYehv Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Money Laundering Shelf Number: 150983

Author: McEwen, Celina Title: A guide to evaluating interventions related to violence against women Summary: Evaluation is a standard requirement for most community- based services, programs and projects. Ideally, they are done by evaluators, but often they are done by those delivering the services, who may have little evaluation knowledge and skills. This guide, Evaluating interventions related to violence against women, can be seen as a companion to other evaluation guides. It is a resource for community and health workers, clinicians, as well as educators, activists, policy-makers, academics and others. It is designed to help them evaluate interventions related to violence against women (VAW), so they can use the findings to improve services, secure funding and acknowledge the quality of work delivered by practitioners. This guide also provides information to assist non-professional evaluators with commissioning or assessing evaluation processes and outputs. It explains the importance of understanding the context of evaluation, and determining an organisation's level of "evaluation-readiness". Finally, it seeks to help evaluators with no VAW-specific experience to consider key issues and challenges in evaluating interventions that address issues of domestic and family violence (DFV) and/or sexual assault (SXA). It provides some ideas to help evaluators plan and design evaluations that are ethically robust, culturally sensitive and gender-responsive. Details: Sydney: Australian National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS), 2018. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Insights: Issue 03, 2018: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/ANROWS_IN.18.03_McEwen_Guide-to-Evaluating-Interventions-related-to-VAW.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 150985

Author: Papazian, Natasha Title: Transgender Domestic Violence: An Analysis of the Transgender Community and Service Provision in Queensland Summary: In recent years, awareness of domestic violence against Australian women has increased, particularly following a number of domestic homicides and the advocacy of survivors such as Rosie Batty. However domestic violence can be experienced irrespective of sexuality or gender. While most research literature focuses on the experiences of cisgender women, there is some that explores domestic violence in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities. These studies often treat these communities as a homogenous group, and focus largely on sexual orientation and not gender identification (Langenderfer-Magruder et al. 2016; Ristock 2003). This means that the specific experiences of transgender people are often overlooked. The purpose of this research is to examine domestic violence in the transgender community in Queensland. Given the academic and broader social focus on cisgender women as victims of domestic violence, current understandings are often centred around heteronormative and cisgendered frameworks. This research explores the experiences of violence outside these frameworks. It does so through interviews with eight (8) transgender people and five (5) transgender-friendly service providers, seeking to understand: their experiences of violence; the unique issues faced by transgender people; and the challenges and barriers transgender people encounter when accessing support services. This thesis identifies a number of unique issues that transgender people experience, which do not occur in violent relationships of cisgender partners (whether they are heterosexual or homosexual). Some of these unique experiences include the types of violence; links between stages of transition and vulnerability to victimisation; and identity issues that come with transitioning while in a relationship. Utilising the continuum of violence, this thesis finds that domestic violence in the transgender community is an extension of the structural inequality and violence that transgender people experience in their everyday lives, and these experiences inform and influence recognition and help-seeking for domestic violence. Details: Brisbane: School of Justice, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, 2018. 231p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 1, 2018 at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/118621/1/Natasha_Papazian_Thesis.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 150990

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Overlap between youth justice supervision and alcohol and other drug treatment services: 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2016 Summary: This report presents information on young people aged 10-17 who were under youth justice supervision (both in the community and in detention) and/or received an alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment service between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2016. The report found that: Young people under youth justice supervision were 30 times as likely as the young Australian population to receive an AOD treatment services Young people who received an AOD treatment service were 30 times as likely as the Australian population to be under youth justice supervision Dual service clients were more likely than those who only received AOD treatment services to have multiple treatment episodes and drugs of concern Young Indigenous Australian were 14 times as likely as their non-Indigenous counterparts to receive both services. Details: Sydney: AIHW, 2018. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/youth-justice/overlap-youth-justice-supervision-and-aodts/contents/table-of-contents Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 151005

Author: McKillop, Nadine Title: A comparison of individual, ecological and situational factors associated with adolescence- and adulthood-onset sexual abuse of children Summary: Background: This study builds specifically on two previous projects (Smallbone et al. 2005; Smallbone, Leclerc & Allard 2011). This work highlighted important gaps in knowledge concerning the similarities and differences in the circumstances of adolescence- and adulthood-onset sexual abuse of children. To date, little research has attempted to address these gaps, or directly examine the role of individual, ecological and situational influences in the onset of sexual abuse in adolescence and adulthood. Discerning the commonalities and differences between adolescence- and adulthood-onset child-sex abuse may validate and/or challenge current conceptualisations of, and responses to, the prevention of child sexual abuse, which was the impetus for this project. Aims: The project examined offender histories and the specific circumstances in which child sexual abuse first occurs in adolescence and adulthood. It aimed to (a) identify common and unique developmental, ecological and situational risk factors associated with adolescence-onset and adulthood-onset sexual abuse offending and (b) determine what responses are therefore required to effectively prevent its occurrence during these two life-stages. Method: Individual (e.g. developmental history) and contextual (e.g. relationship context, offence settings, situational precipitators, decision-making, opportunity structures, sexual acts, frequency, duration, and presence of guardians) factors associated with the onset of child sexual abuse at these two life-stages were compared. Results: Four key findings emerged from this research: (1) adverse developmental histories are common among adolescents and adults who sexually abuse children, (2) sexual offending in adolescence is often preceded by a history of contact with the Youth Justice System for non-sexual offences, (3) offending is differentially influenced by situational factors within the routine activities and social ecologies that comprise these two developmental stages and (4) adolescents and adults may be motivated to sexually abuse children for different reasons. Recommendations and conclusions: Three key recommendations stem from these findings: (1) primary- and secondary-prevention approaches should be a key priority for policy development in Australia, (2) policy development and implementation must take a broader approach to explaining, and responding to, child sexual abuse and (3) approaches to preventing, and responding to adolescents and adults who sexually abuse children, should be developmentally-appropriate and tailored to suit their unique criminogenic needs. The findings present an important opportunity to reflect on current policies and practices addressing the issue of child sexual abuse and to promote the development of new strategies to combat sexual abuse of children across the prevention spectrum. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2018. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2018 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1819/30-1314-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse Shelf Number: 151011

Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: National mapping and meta-evaluation outlining key features of effective "safe at home" programs that enhance safety and prevent homelessness for women and their children who have experienced domestic and family violence: State of knowledge pape Summary: History and development of "safe at home" programs - Domestic violence refuges - Domestic violence was not recognised in policy or as a professional practice issue in Australia until the second wave of feminism in the 1970s (Breckenridge & Laing, 1999). In 1972, as part of an orchestrated social action campaign, feminist activists squatted in empty properties and established the first women's refuge in Glebe, New South Wales. Activist engagement with government directly led to the Commonwealth Labor Government providing initial funding for women's refuges (Breckenridge, 1992). Activist initiatives such as this subsequently proliferated in all Australian States and Territories. These activities were fuelled by dual intentions: highlighting the impacts of domestic violence to create enough political pressure to end it; and providing women with an option to leave a violent partner by providing refuge accommodation in the short term (McFerran, 2007, p. 29). This initial focus on securing and expanding the availability of refuge accommodation had the unintended consequence of the removal of women and children from the family home becoming "normalised" and accepted as the primary response to domestic violence. In the face of no other alternatives, this was regarded for some time as the most effective means to ensure women's safety (Edwards, 2004; Jones et al., 2010; Spinney & Blandy, 2011). The refuge model is a suitable option for some women escaping violence when the perpetrator and/or his supporters are not incarcerated and are highly likely to engage in further and escalating violence. Refuges provide other benefits - for example, the communal living model promotes self-esteem and empowerment via shared experience and mutual support (Murray, 2008, p. 69). However, another contributing factor to the impetus for change was the growing recognition by health and welfare professionals more generally that leaving the family home frequently results in temporary or long-term homelessness, as well as economic and social disadvantage and ongoing disruption to victims' lives (Desmond, 2011). Post separation difficulties such as these can result in some women returning to their violent partner in order to escape homelessness, survive financially and better provide for their children (Braaf & Barrett Meyering, 2011; Desmond, 2011). Beginnings of "safe at home" For over 20 years, high security refuges remained the primary response until the mid to late 1990s when advocacy groups and researchers proposed the option that women and children remain safely in their home while the perpetrator is removed as a means of redressing the socially unjust orthodoxy of women and children fleeing from men's violence (Chung et al., 2000; McFerran, 2007). These later became known as "safe at home" approaches. It was never the intention that "safe at home" become a universal response or to replace existing specialist DV emergency accommodation. In fact, initially there was much anxiety about this being an unrealistic option based on professional concern about whether the safety of women and children could be sustained (Edwards, 2004b). Nevertheless, these recommendations were made at a time when policy and practice developments were increasingly focused on integrated interagency responses, law reform and specialist courts with new models emerging that were underpinned by coordinated responses involving police, courts and services for victims and perpetrators - one of the early examples being the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Family Violence Intervention Program (Cussen & Lyneham, 2012). Original proposals for women and children remaining in the home were based on the assumption that they were not at a high risk of danger and that there would be police and court responses in place that excluded the perpetrator from the home and responded effectively to any subsequent breaches of protection orders. In this respect, calls for "safe at home" options were aspirational and underpinned by some form of integrated interagency model or partnerships being in place at the sector and local level. From the early 2000s, women's specialist domestic violence accommodation services commenced trials of "safe at home" programs including the Eastern Domestic Violence Outreach Service in Melbourne, the Bega Program, and the South Eastern Sydney and Mt Druitt pilots (Edwards, 2011). The evaluations of these pilot programs indicated that there was the potential for such an approach and demonstrated that it was viable for a select group of women. However, it was also evident that there needed to be consistent court procedures so that perpetrators would be excluded from the home as expected and Apprehended Violence Orders would be properly policed and perpetrators arrested if they breached them (Edwards, 2004; Edwards, 2011). Edwards' (2011) research also highlighted the imperative of ongoing risk assessment and comprehensive responses to perpetrators - the latter responses being offered by organisations other than safe at home programs. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes: State of Knowledge, Issue 05: Accessed August 6, 2018 at: https://dh2wpaq0gtxwe.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/final%205_3.1%20Landscapes%20SafeAtHome%2029%207%202015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 151029

Author: New South Wales. Audit Office Title: Regulation of water pollution in drinking water catchments and illegal disposal of solid waste Summary: The NSW Environment Protection Authority (the EPA) is the State's primary environmental regulator. The EPA regulates waste and water pollution under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (the Act) through its licensing, monitoring, regulation and enforcement activities. The community should be able to rely on the effectiveness of this regulation to protect the environment and human health. The EPA has regulatory responsibility for more significant and specific activities which can potentially harm the environment. Activities regulated by the EPA include manufacturing, chemical production, electricity generation, mining, waste management, livestock processing, mineral processing, sewerage treatment, and road construction. For these activities, the operator must have an EPA issued environment protection licence (licence). Licences have conditions attached which may limit the amount and concentrations of substances the activity may produce and discharge into the environment. Conditions also require the licensee to report on its licensed activities. This audit assessed the effectiveness of the EPA's regulatory response to water pollution in drinking water catchments and illegal solid waste disposal. The findings and recommendations of this review can be reasonably applied to the EPA's other regulatory functions, as the areas we examined were indicative of how the EPA regulates all pollution types and incidents. Details: Sydney: NSW Audit Office, 2018. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2018 at: https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/latest-reports/regulation-of-water-pollution-in-drinking-water-catchments-and-illegal-disposal-of-solid-waste Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Environmental Crimes Shelf Number: 151037

Author: McKillop, Nadine Title: Understanding and preventing the onset of child sexual abuse in adolescence and adulthood Summary: Offender and offence characteristics associated with the onset of child sexual abuse in adolescence and adulthood were examined in a sample of males adjudicated for sexual offences. Predictors of adolescent- and adult-onset abuse reinforce that adolescents and adults, for the most part, are two distinct offender populations who may be motivated to sexually abuse for different reasons and who are influenced by opportunity structures, constraints and experiences that characterise these developmental stages. Findings support tailored prevention efforts for adolescents and adults. Emphasis should be placed on primary and secondary prevention efforts that are currently less developed in Australia, compared to tertiary responses. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 554: Accessed August 7, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi554 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Sex Offenders Shelf Number: 151038

Author: Blackley, Riddhi Title: Sentencing and Treatment of juvenile sex offenders in Australia Summary: This paper examines sentencing and treatment practices for juvenile sex offenders in Australia and the challenges of reconciling the imperatives of rehabilitation, accountability and community protection. It begins with an overview of juvenile offenders and the juvenile justice system, including the principles for sentencing young offenders. It then considers the complex lives and offending patterns of juvenile sex offenders, before providing examples of judicial reasoning in sentencing. It concludes by examining best practice in treatment for sexually abusive behaviours and innovative justice responses to juvenile sex offending, such as therapeutic treatment orders and restorative justice conferencing. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 555: Accessed August 8, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi555 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 151050

Author: PriceWaterhouseCoopers Title: The economic impacts of potential illegal phoenix activity Summary: Over the four financial years of 2012-13 to 2015-16, more than a million Australian businesses ceased operating. Of those, 36,532 were business failures resulting in insolvency with an external administrator appointed. In most cases, these may have been legitimate and honest commercial failures; in other cases these failures may have been deliberate. The deliberate and systematic liquidation of a corporate trading entity which occurs with the intention to avoid liabilities and continue the operation and profit taking of the business through other trading entities is known as illegal phoenix activity. Phoenix companies arise from the 'ashes' of a collapse of a commercial entity, leaving behind a trail of avoided outstanding payments to tax authorities, creditors, businesses, customers and employees. The Inter-Agency Phoenix Taskforce has been established by Australian government authorities to address the actions of 'potential illegal phoenix activities' in a nationally coordinated manner. The Inter-Agency Phoenix Taskforce is made up of all government agencies (29 agency members including State and Territory Revenue Offices as at June 2018) that have an interest or role in monitoring and addressing potential illegal phoenix activity. The Taskforce has two broad functions; intelligence sharing and strategic oversight of agencies activities. These roles have been established with a view to jointly identify, manage and monitor suspected illegal phoenix activity. While Taskforce members have participated in compliance and monitoring activities to combat illegal phoenix activities for some time, for most of that time there has not been an intelligence tool to assist in defining the potential illegal phoenix population where Taskforce activities could be targeted. The establishment of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Phoenix Risk Model (PRM) has been a key progression in this area as it allows for the identification of the potential illegal phoenix population, including a better understanding of the incidence and cost associated with this activity. Significant advancement in measuring potential illegal phoenix activity has been achieved through the development of the PRM and better information sharing through the establishment of the Taskforce. Despite this, there remains a broad range of the direct costs4 and total economy-wide impacts , which suggests that more can be done to establish the true cost of potential illegal phoenix activity. This report presents two separate groups of impacts resulting from the activity of potential phoenix organisations. These impacts are: direct costs and economy-wide impacts. These groups of impacts are not interchangeable, consider differing types of costs to the economy and are not mutually exclusive. Therefore, these groups of impacts should be considered separately. Details: Sydney: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2018. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed August 8, 2018 at: https://www.ato.gov.au/uploadedFiles/Content/ITX/downloads/The_economic_impacts_of_potential_illegal_Phoenix_activity.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 151086

Author: Scott, Emily Title: Justice Diverted? Prosecutorial discretion and and the use of diversion schemes in Victoria Summary: Diversion programs are theoretically available to all Victorians facing their first minor criminal charge. These programs give people the opportunity to be "diverted" from the justice system and avoid a criminal record, with the opportunity to participate in rehabilitative programs and contribute to the community. It has been shown that participation in such programs reduces the likelihood of reoffending. However, a key barrier to being accepted into these programs is the requirement that the prosecution consent. Where the prosecution refuse to consent to diversion, this decision is not made in open Court and cannot be subject to review. Such a lack of transparency creates great scope for inconsistency and prejudice, which detrimentally impacts minority groups. Chapter 1 outlines the background and current legislative framework for the adult and youth diversion schemes. Chapter 2 discusses why the diversion program is an integral part of the criminal justice system. Chapter 3 identifies the issues that are impeding the success of the diversion schemes and focuses on the impact of diversion schemes on vulnerable groups, namely, Aboriginal and Torres Islander (ATSI) people, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, and survivors of family violence. Chapter 4 highlights the legal issues implicit within the current legislative framework governing adult and youth diversion. Chapter 5 presents our recommendations for legislative and practical reforms, based on our research and consultations with key stakeholders. Details: Melbourne: Liberty Victoria, 2018. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/172361/apo-nid172361-769821.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Courts Shelf Number: 0

Author: Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse Steering Committee Title: Youth Sexual Violence and Abuse Steering Committee: Final Report Summary: The committee's Final Report found that youth sexual violence and abuse is a state-wide issue, affecting young people in urban, regional and remote communities in Queensland. The report found that communities most affected by youth sexual violence and abuse also experience a higher prevalence of social, economic and intergenerational disadvantage. It also highlighted that young women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are disproportionately affected. Details: Melbourne: Queensland (Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships), 2017. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2018 at: https://www.csyw.qld.gov.au/resources/dcsyw/violence-prevention/youth-sexual-violence-abuse-report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 151102

Author: New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Portfolio Committee No. 2 - Health and Community Services Title: Provision of drug rehabilitation services in regional, rural and remote New South Wales Summary: Chapter 1 provides an overview of the current state of play for the provision of drug rehabilitation services in regional, rural and remote New South Wales. This includes a discussion of the problem of drug addiction in regional areas, and information about the services available, funding arrangements and the process for patients to access facilities. While this inquiry has focused on addiction to illegal drugs, it has also encompassed alcohol addiction, as often these addictions go hand-in-hand. Chapter 2 provides an overview of each region that the committee visited during the inquiry, noting the services available as well as the gaps that were identified by local inquiry participants. The committee travelled to Nowra and Batemans Bay on the South Coast, Dubbo and Broken Hill in the West and Far West, and Grafton and Lismore on the Far North Coast. A theme that emerged throughout the inquiry was that many in the community are unaware of all the services available in their local area and broader region. This chapter therefore provides a snapshot of each region to the best of the committee's knowledge. The issue of improving publicly available information about drug rehabilitation services will be explored in the next chapter. Chapter 3 discusses key improvements to the provision of rehabilitation services in regional, rural and remote New South Wales which have been identified by inquiry participants. Overall, participants considered that there is a lack of funding in drug and alcohol rehabilitation which means that there are a lack of facilities, beds and staff. However, inquiry participants also identified the need for funding to be distributed responsibly. This chapter therefore goes on to consider improvements in the areas of service delivery and publicly available information, as well as data collection, effective planning, measuring success and the oversight of facilities. The chapter concludes by discussing staffing and funding concerns. Issues specific to Aboriginal people living in regional, rural and remote New South Wales are discussed in chapter 4. Chapter 4 examines the provision of drug rehabilitation services for Aboriginal people in regional, rural and remote New South Wales. It commences by discussing the relationship between Aboriginal disadvantage and drug and alcohol addiction, before providing an overview of the drug and alcohol services currently available to Aboriginal people in regional New South Wales. The chapter then discusses the need for more Aboriginal-specific services, including treatment that is available on country. Finally, this chapter explores Aboriginal staffing levels and training, and the Koori Court. Details: Sydney: The Committee, 2018. 130p. Source: Internet Resource: Report no. 49: Accessed August 15, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/186371/apo-nid186371-985751.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Shelf Number: 151133

Author: Victoria (Australia). Auditor General Title: Managing Rehabilitation Services in Youth Detention Summary: At any time in Victoria, there are around 200 children and young people aged between 10 and 24 years old incarcerated in youth justice centres. Around 32 per cent are on remand and awaiting trial, and 68 per cent have been convicted of an offence. In 2017-18, 961 young people received a total of 1 332 sentences and 460 young people received 777 remand orders. Between 1 November 2017 and 31 January 2018, young people on remand spent an average of 25 days and young people sentenced spent an average of 58 days in youth detention. Young people in youth detention have complex needs-they have often experienced socio‐economic disadvantage, family breakdown, trauma, neglect, drug abuse and violence. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are over‐represented in this cohort, as are young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. According to the Youth Parole Board, around a quarter of young offenders have diagnosed intellectual impairments, and 40 per cent have mental health problems. Evidence from other jurisdictions, academic research and consultation with stakeholders suggests that these figures are likely understated. A key aim of youth detention is reducing young people's risk of reoffending. Addressing the underlying causes of offending, ensuring good primary and mental health, and enabling education are all steps that can reduce reoffending. Victoria's youth detention system operates two centres-the Parkville Youth Justice Precinct (Parkville), which accommodates boys aged 10-17 and girls and young women aged 10-24, and the Malmsbury Youth Justice Precinct (Malmsbury), which accommodates boys and young men aged 15-24. There are plans to open an additional facility, Cherry Creek, in Melbourne's west in 2021. On 3 April 2017, responsibility for youth justice was transferred from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to the Department of Justice and Regulation (DJR). DJR now manages Victoria's two youth detention centres at Parkville and Malmsbury. Through Justice Health (JH), DJR also manages the contract with the Youth Health and Rehabilitation Service (YHaRS), a service provider of primary and mental health, health case management and offending behaviour services. This contract was transferred to DJR, under the same terms, conditions and reporting arrangements that DHHS established. Following the July 2017 report by Ms Penny Armytage and Professor James Ogloff AM, Youth Justice Review and Strategy: Meeting needs and reducing offending (Youth Justice Review), the government invested $50 million for reform. The Department of Education and Training (DET) operates Parkville College (PC), a registered specialist government secondary school. PC operates at both Parkville and Malmsbury and offers classes six days a week, 52 weeks a year, to all young people in youth detention in Victoria. It also operates the Flexible Learning Centre for those recently released. PC aims to re‐engage young people in education and help them to complete educational qualifications. In this audit, we examined a sample of 40 young people incarcerated between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2017. We examined how well the rehabilitation services, including educational services, provided by DJR, YHaRS and DET- including PC-are meeting the developmental needs of children and young people in the youth detention system, and reducing their risk of reoffending. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2018. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: PP no 425, Session 2014�18 : Accessed August 15, 2018 at: https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-08/20180808-Youth-Detention.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Corrections Shelf Number: 151135

Author: New South Wales. Audit Office Title: Managing antisocial behaviour in public housing Summary: In recent decades, policy makers and legislators in Australian states and territories have developed and implemented initiatives to manage antisocial behaviour in public housing environments. All jurisdictions now have some form of legislation or policy to encourage public housing tenants to comply with rules and obligations of 'good neighbourliness'. In November 2015, the NSW Parliament changed legislation to introduce a new approach to manage antisocial behaviour in public housing. This approach is commonly described as the 'strikes' approach. When introduced in the NSW Parliament, the 'strikes' approach was described as a means to: - improve the behaviour of a minority of tenants engaging in antisocial behaviour - create better, safer communities for law-abiding tenants, including those who are ageing and vulnerable. FACS has a number of tasks as a landlord, including a responsibility to collect rent and organise housing maintenance. FACS also has a role to support tenants with complex needs and manage antisocial behaviour. These roles have some inherent tensions. The FACS antisocial behaviour management policy aims are: to balance the responsibilities of tenants, the rights of their neighbours in social housing, private residents and the broader community with the need to support tenants to sustain their public housing tenancies. This audit assessed the efficiency and effectiveness of the 'strikes' approach to managing antisocial behaviour in public housing environments. We examined whether: - the approach is being implemented as intended and leading to improved safety and security in social housing environments - FACS and its partner agencies have the capability and capacity to implement the approach - there are effective mechanisms to monitor, report and progressively improve the approach. Details: Sydney: NSW Audit Office, 2018. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Performance Audit: Accessed August 15, 2018 at: https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/latest-reports/managing-antisocial-behaviour-in-public-housing Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Social Behavior Shelf Number: 151136

Author: Fitz-Gibbon, Kate Title: Investigating Adolescent Family Violence in Victoria: Understanding experiences of practitioner perspectives Summary: This report looks at adolescent family violence and highlights that it has long-term implications on the health and wellbeing for those affected. The report draws on the insights of those who have experience adolescent family violence as well as experts, service providers, general practitioners and health service providers. It uses these insights to discuss the nature and impact of adolescent family violence, the adequacy of current criminal justice, service and therapeutic responses, and the need for future practice and policy reform. In identifying patterns in the experiences of those affected, the report found that: Adolescent males more commonly used violence in the home than their adolescent female counterparts, and mothers were more likely to be victimised than male adults within the home Adolescent females more commonly used verbal violence and property damage as mechanisms for control, while adolescent males were more commonly reported using physical violence. The report finds that adolescent family violence had long-term health and wellbeing implications for those affected, which can include educational, relational, health and economic impacts. It also makes recommendations for policy and practice. Details: Melbourne: Monash Gender and Family Violence Program., 2018. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2018 at: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/07/Adolescent-Family-Violence-in-Victoria-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Adolescents Shelf Number: 151144

Author: Day, Andrew Title: The forgotten victims: Prisoner experience of victimisation and engagement with the criminal justice system Summary: Many women in prison have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). As this form of violence is often intergenerational and entrenched, women in prison are widely considered to be at particular risk of ongoing victimisation following release from custody. And yet, their support needs often go unrecognised, and it is likely that a range of barriers exists that prevent ex-prisoners from accessing services. This project, jointly funded by ANROWS and Sparke Helmore Lawyers was conducted in partnership between James Cook University and the South Australian Department for Correctional Services. Led by Professor Andrew Day, this research develops an understanding of the factors that influence help-seeking by women in prison who may have concerns about their personal safety post-release and how this might inform service responses. From this research, a three stage model of help-seeking and change for women in prison was developed. The model suggests that any individual who experiences IPV must: recognise and define the situation as abusive and intolerable (Stage 1); decide to disclose the abuse and seek help (Stage 2); and identify a source of support and where to seek help (Stage 3). At the same time, the ability to seek help is influenced by a broad range of individual, interpersonal and socio-cultural factors including: the woman's own history; the personal networks in which she interacts, and the history of these networks; connections between networks or systems; formal and informal social structures that influence the woman indirectly; and overarching institutional systems at the cultural or subcultural level (social/cultural norms and prejudices). For policy-makers, practitioners and service providers, the research identifies: women in prison are a particularly vulnerable group who are likely to be at a high risk of ongoing victimisation; significant barriers exist that prevent women in prison from accessing IPV support services while in prison and post-release; current service models are unresponsive to the specific needs of women in prison and post-release; a specialised approach for women in prison is needed based on their particular social and individual circumstances; the development of culturally specific support services are required for women in prison who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander; and women with lived experience of incarceration should be part of the service framework in the community sector at all levels of program governance, design and delivery. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWs), 2018. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/188151/apo-nid188151-993026.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 151240

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision: 2016-17 Summary: Of young people aged 10-17 who were under sentenced youth justice supervision at some time from 2000-01 to 2016-17, 39% returned to supervised sentence before turning 18. Of young people aged 10-16 in 2015-16 and released from sentenced community-based supervision, 26% returned to sentenced supervision in 6 months, and 50% within 12 months. Of those released from sentenced detention, 59% returned within 6 months, and 82% within 12 months. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/48ae3545-83c5-46f1-96d4-9fac034fc71b/aihw-juv-127.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Shelf Number: 151281

Author: Lesman, Bella Title: Victorian Crime Statistics by LGAs Summary: This publication provides crime data over a ten-year period for Victoria's local government areas (LGAs) with a brief overview for the whole of Victoria. The data is derived from Victoria's Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) as recorded by Victoria Police and extracted from the Victoria Police Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) database. For the whole of Victoria for the year ended March 2018, the total number of criminal offences decreased by 7.4 per cent, from 542,893 in 2017 to 502,858. For the same period, the offence rate decreased by 9.5 per cent, from 8,585.2 to 7,773.2 per 100,000 population. Although most offence categories in Victoria decreased over the twelve months to March 2018, crimes against the person rose by 0.9 per cent, driven by an increase of 1,586 sexual offences. Taking the population increase in Victoria into account for the year ended March 2018, the rate for crimes against the person decreased marginally over the year from, 1,258.2 to 1,240.7 offences per 100,000 population. However, sexual offences rose from 211.4 to 231.1 offences per 100,000 population. The crime statistics in this paper have been collated under the two main categories of offences recorded and offence rates(per 100,000 population ) and include statistics for the following five major recorded crime categories: 1. Crimes against the person; 2. Property and deception offences; 3. Drug offences; 4. Public order and security offences; and 5. Justice procedures offences. For each of these crime categories: a) The five LGAs with the highest number of offences for the year ended March 2018 are identified; b) The five LGAs with the highest offence rates for the year ended March 2018 are identified; c) Data for the five LGAs identified in (a) and (b) are presented with a ten-year snapshot revealing variations in the five crime categories between April 2008 to March 2018; and Summary data for all recorded crimes is presented for all Victorian LGAs in Section 2a and 2b and Appendix 1. Tables with offence numbers and offence rates per 100,000 population for the five major recorded crime categories can be found in the Appendices 2-6. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Parliament, Parliamentary Library & Information Service, 2018. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper No. 2, August 2018: Accessed August 29, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/188091/apo-nid188091-992676.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 151282

Author: Herbert, James Title: National comparison of cross-agency practice in investigating and responding to severe child abuse Summary: The response to severe child abuse (namely abuse requiring police investigation) requires many different workers across agencies and disciplinary backgrounds to work together effectively. This paper reports on the arrangements in place in each state/territory to support a cross-agency response based on characteristics associated with effective cross-agency responses identified in the research literature. This paper was prepared to provide practitioners and policy makers with a national view on cross-agency policies to encourage cross-jurisdictional learning and sharing of approaches. The authors also hope that this paper will lead to a national discussion around effective policies and practices in cross-agency responses. Each state/territory was compared on the characteristics of their response to severe child abuse, arrangements for joint planning, interviewing and investigation, the degree of integration of therapeutic and supportive services, and governance arrangements. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: CFCA PAPER NO. 47: Accessed August 30, 2018 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/47_national_comparison_of_cross-agency_practice_in_investigating_and_responding_to_severe_child_abuse.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 151314

Author: Weatherburn, Dan Title: General offending by domestic violence offenders Summary: Aim: To assess (a) the extent to which DV offenders specialise in DV offending (b) the type and frequency of involvement in non-DV offences by DV offenders and (c) the similarities and differences between DV assault offenders and non-DV assault offenders. Method: To address the first two questions we examine non-DV offending by offenders convicted in New South Wales (NSW) of a DV offence between 2008 and 2017. To address the third we use classification techniques to determine how well DV assault offenders and non-DV assault offenders can be separated on the basis of demographic and criminal justice variables or (in a separate sub-analysis) how well they can be separated on the basis of the Level of Service InventoryRevised (LSI-R). Results: A little over a third (35.25%) of the cohort had a DV conviction as their only conviction. The remainder (64.75%) had at least one general (non-DV) offence. DV offences accounted for only 38 per cent of all the offences committed by DV offenders between 2008 and 2017. DV offenders committed more than 2.5 times as many non-DV offences as DV offences. The 65,183 DV offenders who committed at least one non-DV offence, between them generated a total of 385,741 proven non-DV offences The most common non-DV offences committed by DV offenders in the cohort were traffic offences (27.99% of all non-DV offences), theft offences (14.67% of all non-DV offences) and drug offences (12.31% of all non-DV offences). DV assault offenders and non-DV assault offenders differ very little in terms of their demographic and criminal justice profile or in terms of their LSI-R profile. Conclusion: Policing strategies aimed at deterring or incapacitating domestic violence offenders are likely to produce spillover benefits in terms of other forms of crime. Further research is urgently needed to determine what works in reducing the risk of DV reoffending for those who specialise in DV and those whose offending involves both DV and non-DV offences. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 215: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-General-offending-by-domestic-violence-offenders-CJB215.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 151333

Author: Blagg, Harry Title: Diversionary pathways for Aboriginal youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder Summary: This article reports on a study undertaken in three Indigenous communities in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia (WA) intended to develop diversionary strategies for young people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Rates of FASD in the West Kimberley were comparable to those of high-risk populations internationally and there are concerns that youths with FASD are being enmeshed in the justice system. Further, under WA law they are at risk of being held in indefinite detention if found unfit to stand trial. Besides recommending legislative reform, the authors urge a 'decolonising' approach, meaning maximum diversion into community owned and managed structures and processes, able to offer a culturally secure environment for stabilising children with FASD. The study calls for reform of police diversionary mechanisms and the creation of mobile 'needs focused' courts, offering comprehensive screening and rapid entry into on-country programs with strong Aboriginal community involvement. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 557: Accessed September 7, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi557 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 151422

Author: Victoria. Parliament. Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission Committee Title: Inquiry into the external oversight of police corruption and misconduct in Victoria Summary: In 2016, the Independent Broad‑based Anti‑Corruption Commission Committee's Strengthening Victoria's integrity agencies report identified concerns among stakeholders about the transparency, impartiality and effectiveness of the current police complaint‑handling and oversight systems in Victoria. Some stakeholders called for the establishment of a new, independent body to receive, handle and investigate all complaints about police, instead of Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), along the lines of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI). In response to these concerns, the Committee determined in July 2016 to inquire into the external oversight of police corruption and misconduct in Victoria, including the effectiveness of the complaints and police oversight systems. Police play a vital role in society in preventing crime, enforcing the law and protecting and assisting the community on a day‑to‑day basis. Their work is complex and demanding and can be extremely challenging.ii In order to meet these demands and effectively carry out their duties, police are provided with significant powers, strictly governed by the law, to detain, search and use force against individuals. The community expects these powers to be used lawfully and that police officers will be accountable for their actions. The community's trust and confidence in the police is reinforced by the effective, 'independent and objective' oversight of its complaints handling, which contributes to the accountability of police in a democratic society.iii However, there has been considerable, and continuing, debate about how that independent oversight of police ought to be institutionalised and exercised. iv A key issue in this debate is how to strike an appropriate balance between police responsibility for managing the conduct of their members and an external agency's oversight and investigation of complaints about police. In examining this issue, the Committee has explored the relevant research, evaluated the evidence it has received and sought to learn from interstate and international experience as well as best practice principles. Details: Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer, 2018. 432p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2018 at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/IBACC/report/IBACC_58-06_Text_WEB.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Complaints Against the Police Shelf Number: 151432

Author: Modecki, Kathryn Lynn Title: Antisocial Behavior During the Teenage Years: Understanding Developmental Risks Summary: Individuals are far more likely to engage in antisocial behaviour during adolescence than any other period of their life. This paper presents selected results from two studies which used secondary data analysis to provide a theoretically informed picture of youths' decision-making process in relation to delinquency. Study 1 focused on changes in adolescents' perceived rewards and delinquency involvement over four years. Results showed that high levels of perceived rewards go hand in hand with high levels of delinquency, but perceived antisocial rewards 'topped out' by age 14, suggesting that the best time to intervene is during early adolescence or late childhood. Study 2 focused on anger control. Youth who were highly delinquency-involved were especially likely to report surges in anger on days when they experienced a stressor, pointing to a need for delinquency prevention programs aimed at emotion control, including cognitive reappraisal. Improving these skills should enhance youths' ability to navigate risk during the teenage years. Details: Canberra, ACT: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2108. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 7, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi556 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Adolescent Behavior Shelf Number: 151438

Author: Freeman, Karen Title: Is Domestic Violence in New South Wales Decreasing? Summary: New evidence released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) today indicates that domestic assault (DV) in NSW is on the decline. BOCSAR analysed data on violence drawn from crime victim surveys carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics between 2008-09 and 2015-16. The data, collected over eight consecutive surveys, were grouped into four two year periods: 2008/10, 2010/2012, 2012/2014 and 2014/2016. BOCSAR found no change over this period in victim willingness to report DV but the estimated rate of DV victimisation fell significantly, from 795 per 100,000 population in the period 2010/2012 to 575 per 100,000 in the period 2012/2014 (a decline of around 28%). A further smaller decline occurred between 2012/2014 and 2014/2016 (down 9%) but this second change was not statistically significant. It is interesting to note that no similar decline occurred across Australia as a whole. BOCSAR also examined changes in the NSW police recorded rate of domestic assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. Because this offence is so serious, it is much less susceptible to variations in victim willingness to report DV to police. In this analysis BOCSAR found that the annual rate of domestic assault incidents occasioning grievous bodily harm fell from 5.8 per 100,000 in 2008/9 to 4.9 per 100,000 in 2015/16, a decline of 15.5 per cent. Regional analysis showed that the rate of DV occasioning grievous bodily harm was highest in the Far West and Orana region of NSW. In this part of the State, the recorded rate of DV occasioning grievous bodily harm is more than 5 times the State rate. Details: Australia: Crime and Justice Statistics, 2018. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 8, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Pages/bocsar_media_releases/2018/mr-Is-domestic-violence-in-NSW-decreasing.aspx Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australian Bureau of Statistics Shelf Number: 151447

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Sleeping rough: A profile of Specialist Homelessness Services clients Summary: On Census night in 2016, around 8,200 Australians were sleeping rough (ABS 2018)-living on the streets, sleeping in parks, squatting, staying in cars or living in improvised dwellings. Despite accounting for only around 1 in 14 Australians who are homeless, rough sleepers are the most visible of those experiencing homelessness and are recognised as some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in society (Phillips and Parsell 2012). This report presents, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of Australia's rough sleepers, over a 4 year period, using the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection (SHSC). Rough sleepers are more likely to be male, aged 35 or over, unemployed, living alone and have mental health and/or drug or alcohol issues As a group, the nearly 13,700 rough sleepers showed different demographic characteristics from all other adult clients (143,000) who sought the assistance of specialist homelessness services (SHS) upon their first presentation to services in 2011-12: - 66% were male, compared with 36% of other adult SHS clients - 54% were aged 35 or over, compared with 45% of other adult SHS clients - 94% were unemployed or not in the labour force, compared with 87% of other adult SHS clients - 68% were living alone, compared with 34% of other adult SHS clients - 47% had a mental health issue (34% of other adult SHS clients) and 34% reported a drug and/or alcohol issue (17% of other adult SHS clients). Analysis of the service use patterns of rough sleepers presenting to SHS in 2011-12 revealed 3 cohorts of rough sleepers Persistent service users: accessed services every financial year from 2011-12 to 2014-15 and account for 13% of all rough sleepers. Service cyclers accessed services in 2 or 3 years of the 4-year period and account for 42% of all rough sleepers. Transitory service users accessed services in 2011-12 only and account for 44% of all rough sleepers. Service use increases with increasingly complex needs While rough sleepers have a similar demographic profile, they showed increasing service use according to their needs or 'vulnerability conditions' - in this analysis, based on whether someone had ever reported: a mental health issue, experienced problematic drug and/or alcohol use, and/or experienced domestic or family violence. Persistent service users (1,800 people) had the most complex needs. Eight in 10 reported a mental health issue, while two-thirds reported at least 2 of the 3 vulnerability conditions. Service cyclers (5,800 people): more than half reported a mental health issue, while 2 in 5 reported at least 2 of the 3 vulnerability conditions. Transitory service users (6,100 people) were the least likely to report experiencing mental health issues, domestic or family violence and/or problematic drug and/or alcohol use. Fewer than 1 in 5 reported at least 2 out of 3 vulnerability conditions. Rough sleepers most frequently seek accommodation and financial services Accommodation and financial services were most commonly sought by all 3 groups of rough sleepers. Younger clients aged 15-24 were more likely to seek these services than clients aged 50 and over. Rough sleepers also sought assistance with interpersonal relationships - particularly domestic and family violence, and sexual abuse. Across all 3 groups of rough sleepers, females were around 5 times as likely as males to seek assistance with domestic and family violence and sexual abuse. Short-term or emergency accommodation most commonly provided to rough sleepers Rough sleepers were much more likely to receive short-term or emergency accommodation (ranging from 65% of transitory service users to 86% of persistent service users), over medium-term or transitional housing (20%-41% across the 3 groups) and only a small proportion received a long-term housing solution (6%�14%). Accordingly, a lack of long-term housing solutions-that is, neither receiving nor being referred to another agency for a long-term housing solution-was identified as the largest gap in service provision. Persistent service users most likely to engage with services Consistent with persistent service users accessing support in all 4 years examined, they were also more likely to have more frequent contact with services (a greater number of support periods per person) than all rough sleepers. Almost half of this group had 10 or more support periods, while fewer than 1 in 10 service cyclers had the same level of engagement. As transitory service users accessed support only in 2011-12 this group had far less engagement-three-quarters (76%) had only 1 support period. Persistent service users were also more likely to receive more nights of accommodation, compared with both service cyclers and transitory service users. Many rough sleepers experience repeat episodes of homelessness Despite receiving support from SHS agencies, many rough sleepers experienced repeat episodes of homelessness, and remained homeless at the end of the 4-year period. More than 6 in 10 persistent service users had repeat periods of homelessness during the 4 years (that is, transitioned from homeless to housed and then to homeless again) and around 5 in 10 remained homeless at the end of the study, even after accessing services in each of the 4 years being reported. Around one-quarter of service cyclers also experienced repeat episodes of homelessness and 4 in 10 were homeless at the end of the period. While transitory service users accessed services only in 2011-12, more than 6 in 10 were homeless after their support. For up to 1 in 5 rough sleepers who accessed support over the 4 years, their housing outcome was unknown at the end of the reporting period. Linking data sets could provide more comprehensive information This analysis reports only on clients accessing services from SHS agencies, and not all homeless or rough sleepers. It also reports only on findings to 30 June 2015. Linking this data to other sources-for example, information on rent assistance, income support, or social housing-would provide more comprehensive information on a client's circumstances, journey and outcomes, to better inform service responses. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/96b4d8ce-d82c-4149-92aa-2784698795ba/aihw-hou-297.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Homeless Persons Shelf Number: 151498

Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Understanding Domestic Violence Incidents using Crime Script Analysis Summary: Finding ways to reduce repeat domestic violence requires an understanding of both violent relationships and what happens during violent incidents. The current study uses crime script analysis to describe incidents of men's violence against women. The results provide new insights into the situational factors present when arguments escalate to violence. These findings highlight the important role of third parties (eg friends and other family members) and the potential for bystander intervention. They also show the significance of emotion and intoxication. The ability of police to de-escalate violence is highlighted. Most importantly, the findings illustrate how crime script analysis can be applied to domestic violence to help identify ways to intervene to prevent repeat violence and reduce harm to victims. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi558 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Script Analysis Shelf Number: 151494

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Corruption and Misconduct Risks Associated with Employment Practices in the Victorian Sector Summary: This is a summary of IBAC�s research report "Corruption and misconduct risks associated with employment practices in the Victorian public sector." This report highlights the corruption vulnerabilities associated with employment practices across the Victorian public sector and alerts public sector agencies to opportunities to strengthen their systems and practices to mitigate those vulnerabilities. The findings of this research report are based on consultations with relevant Victorian public sector agencies, IBAC research, investigations and data holdings and other materials. The full report is available on IBAC�s website. Details: Australia, 2018. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2018 at: http://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/research-documents/report_corruption-and-misconduct-risks-associated-with-employment-practices-in-the-victorian-public-sector-august-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=6eac7575_2 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Corruption Shelf Number: 151479

Author: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network Title: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network: Data report 2018 Summary: This report provides detailed data on intimate partner homicides that have occurred across Australia between 2010 and 2014. This report has been authored by Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network and published by the Domestic Violence Death Review Team, New South Wales. The report presents findings of a specialised national domestic and family violence homicide dataset regarding histories of domestic and family violence leading up to intimate partner homicides. It aims to enhance understandings of domestic violence homicide in Australia, and to enhance intervention and prevention efforts. Among its key findings, the report highlights that between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2014: there were 152 intimate partner homicides in Australia which followed an identifiable history of domestic violence the majority of intimate partner homicides involved a male killing their female (current or former) intimate partner, and the majority of those males who killed a female had been the primary abuser against that female prior to her death Details: Camperdown, NSW: The Network, 2018. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2018 at: http://www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/resources/e7964843-7985-4a25-8abd-5060c26edc4d/website+version+-+adfvdrn_data_report_2018_.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Family Violence Shelf Number: 151553

Author: Roth, Lenny Title: Pharmaceutical drug misuse Summary: The misuse of pharmaceutical drugs is a major public health issue in Australia, as highlighted by parliamentary, government and coroner reports. The NSW Coroner's Court is currently examining this issue as part of an inquest into the unrelated opioid overdose deaths of six people in 2016. There are fears that Australia could be heading down the same path as the United States, where prescription drug misuse has been described as an epidemic. Over the past decade in Australia there has been an increase in the rate of pharmaceutical drug misuse and a marked rise in overdose deaths involving these drugs. In 2012, a national framework of action was developed to address the problem. One of the framework's key priorities - a national real-time prescription monitoring program - has not yet eventuated. Tasmania has had such a system since 2012 while Victoria and the ACT are currently introducing State-based systems. Both Commonwealth and State legislation regulates the supply of pharmaceutical drugs. A recent change at the Commonwealth level was the rescheduling of commonly used painkillers containing codeine so that they can now only be obtained by prescription. The Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration is also currently consulting on a range of regulatory options for dealing with the misuse of strong opioids. Meanwhile, the medical profession has developed new guidelines in relation to drugs of dependence. The NSW Government has undertaken a range of actions including: programs to educate prescribers; monitoring supplies of Schedule 8 drugs to pharmacies; working towards a national prescription monitoring program; releasing a pain management strategy; considering the outcomes of take-home Naloxone trials; and increasing access to the Opioid Treatment Program. Other policy measures that could be adopted in NSW are those recommended in a 2014 NSW Deputy State Coroner�s report and a 2018 Victorian Parliamentary Committee report. US policy responses are also worth considering. The US programs that allow for the collection of unused prescription drugs may be of particular interest in light of the evidence that family and friends are a significant source for those who misuse pharmaceutical drugs. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2018. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper no. 1/2018: Accessed September 17, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/175626/apo-nid175626-793116.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 151562

Author: Thorburn, Hamish Title: The effect of parole officers on re-offending Summary: Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect that parole officers have on the reoffending of parolees. Method: The sample chosen was all adults released on parole in NSW between 2009 and 2012. Data on parole officer, officer characteristics and office of the parolee were obtained from Corrective Services NSW. This was matched with the reoffending database (ROD) maintained by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research to obtain demographic, index contact and prior offending variables for each parolee. The outcomes measured were reoffending within one, two or three years of release, and were recorded as binary variables. Logistic regression models were used to estimate these effects, with parole officer and parole office being included as random effects. Significance of the random effects was measured using likelihood ratio tests comparing the random effects models to the same models without the random effects included. Finally, the random parole officer effects were regressed on parole officer gender, age and years of experience to determine if these factors influenced parole officer effects. Results: Significant variance was found in the random effects for the parole officers for reoffending within one, two or three years, and within one and three years for parole offices. In the majority of cases, differences in parole officer and office effects accounted for less than 1 percentage point in the probability of reoffending. However, in extreme cases, this difference could be as high as 11 percentage points. No evidence suggesting that parole officer age, gender or years of experience were associated with parole officer effects was found. Conclusion: It does appear that there are differences in parole officer and office effects on reoffending. However, in practical terms, these effects are very small in the majority of cases. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 214: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-The-effect-of-parole-officers-on-reoffending-CJB214.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Offender Supervision Shelf Number: 151571

Author: Rahman, Sara Title: Evaluation of the EQUIPS Domestic Abuse Program Summary: Aim: To estimate an unbiased effect of commencing the EQUIPS Domestic Abuse Program (DVEQUIPS) on general reoffending and domestic violence (DV)-related re-offending. Method: To deal with omitted variable bias, instrumental variables approaches are used to examine general and DV reoffending within 12 months free time after program referral for DVEQUIPS starters and offenders who were referred but did not start (non-starters). The program was delivered as a closed group which permitted the use of the peer non-commencement rate as an instrumental variable (IV), to exploit differences in participation based on the number of other offenders available to start the program at the time of an offender's referral. Results: Instrumental variables analyses indicated that selection bias was not a major problem, supporting the use of logistic regression to compare re-offending outcomes for starters and non-starters. The treatment effects estimated for offenders who started the program were not significantly different from zero for either general or DV-related re-offending within 12 months of referral. Conclusion: There is no evidence of a treatment effect for those who start DVEQUIPS within 12 months of referral when compared with those offenders who were referred but did not start. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 211: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Evaluation-of-the-EQUIPS-Domestic-Abuse-CJB211.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 151572

Author: Wan, Wai Yin Title: Assessing the impact of NSW's Safer Pathway Program on recorded crime outcomes - an aggregate-level analysis Summary: Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Safer Pathway program in reducing the incidence of domestic violence. Method: Data was obtained from the NSW Police Force's COPS and CIDS databases. Each of the nine LACs where the Safer Pathway program had been implemented were matched with statistically similar control LACs where the program was not available. Seven different domestic violence (DV) outcomes were examined; the number of incidents of DV offences, DV assaults, persons of interest (POIs) proceeded against for DV offences, POIs proceeded against for DV assault, victims of DV incidents, victims of DV assault and police call-outs for DV. Each outcome was analysed separately using a fixed-effect negative binomial or Poisson panel model. This analysis was performed both at the pair level (the pair analysis) and pooling LACs based on stage of implementation (the stage analysis). The main variable of interest was the difference in the trend change between the Safer Pathway and control LACs. Results: The stage analysis showed no significant results for any stage 1 LACs (where the program commenced in September 2014) for any of the outcomes examined. However, the stage 2 LACs (where the program commenced in July 2015) showed a significant decrease in three outcomes relative to the matched control LACs (all by 0.8% per month). In the pair analysis, downward differences in trend changes were found in three outcomes in Canobolas (of 2.2%, 1.6% and 2.2% per month) and one in Rose Bay (2.9% per month). Botany Bay however showed a significant upward difference in trend change in four different outcomes (ranging between 1.3 and 1.9% per month). Conclusion: In stage 2 LACs, there is evidence for a small improvement in several DV indicators after the program was implemented. The results for stage 1 LACs are mixed. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 210: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Assessing-the-impact-of-NSWs-Safer-Pathway-Program-on-recorded-crime-outcomes-cjb210.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 151573

Author: Ringland, Clare Title: The Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT) and intimate partner repeat victimisation Summary: Aim: To examine the predictive ability of the Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT) in determining a victim's risk of intimate partner repeat victimisation. Method: The study sample was 24,462 victims of intimate partner violence who were administered the DVSAT and recorded in the Central Referral Point (CRP) database between 1 January 2016 and 30 June 2016. Repeat victimisation was defined as experiencing a new domestic violence incident within 12 months of the index incident. The incident had to involve an intimate partner and result in a subsequent incident recorded in the CRP database. Two measures of repeat victimisation were defined: one included intimate partner related incidents overall (regardless of the type of incident); the other was limited to physical incidents of intimate partner violence, involving homicide, assault, sexual assault or robbery. Various predictors were examined, including the number of 'yes' responses to DVSAT items, with particular focus on 'yes' responses to 12 or more items, whether the victim had been involved in 2 or more DV incidents in the 6 months prior (a proxy for the repeat victim trigger), and being classified as 'at serious threat' (based on 12 or more 'yes' responses, the repeat victim trigger and/ or an officer's professional judgement). Responses to individual DVSAT items were also examined. Predictive accuracy was assessed separately for female and male victims. Results: Responding 'yes' to 12 or more items was associated with repeat victimisation but was a poor indicator in terms of discriminating those who experienced repeat victimisation from those who did not. The classification of 'at serious threat' was a better indicator of repeat victimisation than was responding 'yes' to 12 or more items, however, predictive accuracy was still poor. While some individual DVSAT items were predictors of repeat victimisation, many were weak predictors, and some, intended as indicators of increased risk of repeat victimisation, actually signalled a lower risk of this outcome. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of empirical validation when developing a risk assessment tool and provides evidence in support of further evaluation and review of the DVSAT. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 213: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Domestic-Violence-Safety-Assessment-Tool-cjb213.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 151574

Author: Yeong, Steve Title: Did the 2013 Bail Act increase the risk of bail refusal? Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in New South Wales Summary: Aim: To estimate the causal effect of the introduction of the Bail Act 2013 (NSW) on the likelihood of being bail refused by NSW bail authorities. Method: Data on bail hearings occurring between 1 January 2012 and 31 January 2017 in NSW were extracted from the NSW Police Force's Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) and the NSW Justicelink system for use in this analysis. Using a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) setup we compare bail decisions before and after the legislative changes for defendants accused of 'minor offences', which carry the general right to bail irrespective of the policy change, with defendants accused of all other non-minor offences. We explore the effect of the change on two separate outcomes: first, the probability that police refuse bail and, second, the probability that the courts refuse bail. We then proceed to employ various sample restrictions in order to estimate how the new legislation may have affected juveniles, women, Indigenous defendants, defendants with no prior convictions, and defendants with at least one prior prison sentence. Results: Overall, we find the legislative change to have increased the probability of the courts refusing bail to a defendant accused of a non-minor offence by 0.8 percentage points. Given the mean pre-policy refusal rate for these defendants was 7.3 per cent; this implies a relative increase of about 11 per cent. The impact of the legislation appears to be greater for high-risk defendants. Defendants with prior prison sentences are now about three percentage points more likely to be refused bail by the courts. In relative terms this represents an increase of 8.5 per cent off pre-policy levels. Conclusions: The NSW Bail Act (2013 (as amended)) increased the probability that the average defendant is refused bail by the courts by about 11 per cent. This represents an additional 1,500 bail refusals by NSW courts in the 2-year post reform period. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 212: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Did-the-2013-Bail-Act-increase-the-risk-of-bail-refusal-CJB212.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 151575

Author: Council of Australian Governments Title: National Plan to reduce violence against women and their children - including the first three-year Action Plan Summary: Domestic and family violence and sexual assault are crimes that must be stopped. In Australia, around one in three women has experienced physical violence, and almost one in five has experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. That is why the Commonwealth, state and territory governments worked with the community to develop a 12-year National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan). Released in 2011, the National Plan explains what we are doing to reduce violence against women and their children. Its vision is that: Australian women and their children live free from violence in safe communities. Over 12 years the National Plan aims to achieve: A significant and sustained reduction in violence against women and their children. The National Plan focuses on the two main types of violent crimes that have a major impact on women in Australia�domestic and family violence and sexual assault. Research shows there is a strong link between violence against women and their children and how people view the roles of women and men. The National Plan focuses on stopping violence before it happens in the first place, supporting women who have experienced violence, stopping men from committing violence, and building the evidence base so that we learn more about 'what works' in reducing domestic and family violence and sexual assault. These changes take time, which is why we need a long-term plan. Each of the four Action Plans build on each other over 12 years, and are designed so that we can look back at what has been achieved and refocus on what actions will make the most difference in the future. Details: Greenway, ACT: Australian Government Department of Social Services, 2018. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/08_2014/national_plan1.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 151578

Author: Queensland Mental Health Commission Title: Portugal's response to drug-related harm Summary: In June 2018, the Queensland Mental Health Commissioner visited Portugal to observe the country's response to illicit drug use, which is acknowledged by the International Narcotics Control Board as a best practice model. The Commissioner was accompanied by the CEO and Board President of the Queensland Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies and an Addiction Medicine Specialist from Metro North Hospital and Health Service. This report outlines the group's reflections on what they observed of the Portuguese approach to illicit drug use. Details: Brisbane: Queensland Mental Health Commission, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2018 at: https://www.qmhc.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/portugals_response_to_drug-related_harm.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 151657

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: Everyone's business: Fourth national survey on sexual harassment in Australian workplaces Summary: Between April and June 2018, the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) conducted a national survey to investigate the prevalence, nature and reporting of sexual harassment in Australian workplaces and the community more broadly. The Commission has conducted and reported on similar sexual harassment surveys in 2003, 2008 and 2012. The 2018 National workplace sexual harassment survey (2018 National Survey) was designed to collect data about: - the prevalence and nature of sexual harassment experienced by Australians aged 15 years and older across their lifetime (at any time or anywhere) - the prevalence and nature of sexual harassment experienced by Australians aged 15 years and older in the workplace - the perpetrators of workplace sexual harassment - characteristics of workplaces where harassment occurs - the industries where harassment occurs - the reporting of workplace sexual harassment and the outcomes of complaints - the impacts of workplace sexual harassment on those who experience it - the responses of people who witnessed or heard about sexual harassment in their workplaces, and - Australians' levels of awareness of where they can access information about sexual harassment. The 2018 National Survey was conducted both online and by telephone with a sample of over 10,000 Australians. The survey measured people's experiences of sexual harassment over the course of their lifetimes and within the last five years. Details: Sydney: AHRC, 2018. 288p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2018 at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_WORKPLACE_SH_2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Sex Crimes Shelf Number: 151707

Author: Equality Institute Title: Family violence and education: Review of the evidence on impacts of violence and responding to violence in the education sector Summary: Family violence is a key public health issue in Australia. Approximately one in four Australian women have experienced violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15. Family violence can take a multitude of forms including but not limited to physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse and coercive control. Children and young people are also often impacted by family violence, and in recent years there has been a shift in understanding and practice to recognise children and young people as victims in their own right. There is considerable evidence that children and youth are exposed to multiple forms of family violence, and that such violence has lasting impacts on their development. This report examines both children who experience direct victimisation of family violence as well as those who experience family violence through exposure such as witnessing or hearing intimate partner violence in the household. DET commissioned this literature review to assess and contribute to the evidence base for addressing family violence within the education sector. The purpose of this literature review is to identify, investigate and synthesise evidence on the prevalence and impact on children and youth experiencing or exposed to family violence. This report also surveys family violence response and early intervention programming in the education sector, and examines the evidence relating to the efficacy of such programs. This review included an analysis of over 200 reports including state, national and international research on the various impacts of family violence on children and youth, and on early identification, early intervention and response practices in education settings. Details: Northcote, VIC: Equality Institute, 2018. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5656cae6e4b00f188f3228ee/t/5a82827aec212db2edd2b9a4/1518502530833/DET_Low+Res+Double+Pages.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Children and Violence Shelf Number: 151708

Author: Sullivan, Tom Title: Fentanyl use by police detainees remains unchanged Summary: This bulletin provides new data on the prevalence of fentanyl use among a sample of Australian police detainees. A survey of 1,044 detainees conducted under the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program in 2018 found that three percent of detainees reported having used fentanyl in the past 12 months. The same proportion of detainees interviewed in 2016 reported having used the drug. The most common reason that detainees started to use fentanyl was that it had been prescribed for medical reasons. Seventy-one percent of frequent users had engaged in non-medical use of fentanyl. Most of these users were given fentanyl by their family and friends. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletins no. 13: Accessed September 27, 2018 at:https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb13 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 151710

Author: Segrave, Marie Title: The Practice of Dowry and the Incidence of Dowry Abuse in Australia Summary: Our position and recommendations We address each of the Terms of Reference further in our submission. However, there are some important issues and specific recommendations that inform our submission and which we outline below as our key contribution to the Inquiry. 1. Women's safety must be the priority Consistent across the significant research we have undertaken in the area of family violence, and the intersections of gendered violence and issues pertaining to migration, is that women's safety first and foremost must be the priority. It is essential that all women, regardless of age, visa status, nationality, culture, religion, ability, sexuality, and socioeconomic status have access to support mechanisms that can respond immediately and without hesitation to their safety concerns. We are concerned that attempting to single out specific forms of abuse, such as dowry abuse, focuses attention on the specific act (which, as we note below is poorly defined) and a defined response to that act. Such efforts divert attention from the broader circumstances of violence and coercive control that occur in the context of family and intimate partner violence. We urge the Commonwealth to recognise the importance of ensuring all forms of family abuse and economic abuse are the focus of sustained attention, investigation and effective response. It is important that we as a society not lose sight of the big picture: which is to pursue the safety of all women via working towards ending gendered violence in all its forms. 2. Clarity in terminology and scope of key definitions We note that there is no definition for 'dowry' or 'dowry abuse' within the terms of reference, nor is there any definition of 'brideprice'. We are concerned to ensure that there is no slippage between dowry, dower, brideprice, brideservice, dowry abuse, arranged or forced marriage. We note that there are variations on practices in relation to dowry and to brideprice (which is not specified in the Terms of Reference) and that these reflect diverse cultural, faith and regional practices. We also note that dowries and brideprices do vary in size globally, but average prices are very significant (Johnston 2018). All forms of these practices can include or be connected to violence against women and girls, however we cannot presume this is always present. 3..Evidence base Consistent through our submission is an acknowledgement of the absence of a robust evidence base in relation to specific aspects of risk for women, that reflect the diverse Australian community. We urge careful attention to robust evidence-based submissions to this Inquiry, and the importance of supporting significant and nuanced research that can enable better understanding of the ways in which women experience family violence in the community and the identification of risk, to develop informed and well-targeted strategies to enable women informed and well-targeted strategies to enable women to access support and to live safe from violence. 4. Dowry abuse with the context of economic abuse Economic abuse has been recognised as a key form of family violence for more than a decade (see for example Victorian Family Violence Protection Act, s. 5 (2008)). Most forms of family violence entail economic abuse and/or coercion (Ulbrick 2017): economic abuse affects all women and may take many varied and complex forms. We urge that dowry abuse be recognised more broadly within the suite of economic abuses documented in recent research findings affecting all women, including those who may face more intense or greater risks in terms of economic abuse such as women with disability (Maher et al 2018) or women from immigrant and refugee communities (Segrave 2017). 5. Role of law: migration We draw attention to the proposed and recent changes to the Migration Act and the Migration Legislation Amendment (2016 Measures No. 3) Regulation 2016. Our research has demonstrated that recent measures, while intended to enhance women's protection, are in fact more likely to discourage and/or prevent partner and family visa applications, with the impact of ensuring migrant women who are potentially or currently in violent and abusive relationships remain outside the current framework of support measures including access to the Family Violence provisions (Segrave 2017, Maher and Segrave 2018). We are particularly concerned for women whose families have paid a substantial dowry or a brideprice, to secure a marriage who cannot return to their country of origin following their marriage or promise of marriage to an Australian permanent resident or citizen. We are also concerned that there are demonstrable practices of women being told they must repay significant debts to be 'released' from a marriage and/or secure more funds from their families to remain in Australia (Segrave 2017). In cases of brideprice, some traditions require women's families to repay brideprice upon divorce or domestic violence, while other traditions do not (Johnston 2018). These examples point to the complexity of visa status and migration law and policy in the context of family violence. We urge the Commonwealth to interrogate the role of migration law and regulation in contributing to sustaining conditions within which victim survivors of family violence are discouraged or reluctant to come forward. 6. Role of law: criminal We urge careful consideration in relation to the introduction of legislation in relation to dowry abuse. We reiterate the importance of careful attention and review of the existing evidence to ensure we are not determining that cultural and religious practices are abusive prima facie, rather than focusing on broader patterns of coercion, control and economic abuse that inform all instances of family violence. It is important that any future response clearly identifies abusive conduct in relation to dowry, and as a form of economic abuse, as the issue rather than the entire practice per se. We note that the Victorian Parliament took this approach when they recently passed amendments to the Family Violence Act, which included the addition of dowry abuse and forced marriage in the suite of practices identified in the definition of family violence. This came about in response to Recommendation 156 of the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence. Importantly, in the Second Reading, it was stated that: "The Royal Commission heard that in addition to forms of family violence experience in all communities, women in some culturally and linguistically diverse communities experience specific forms of family violence, among them dowry-associated violence and forced marriage. The Royal Commission also heard that these forms of abuse may not be readily recognised as family violence by some within these communities. Accordingly, the Royal Commission recommended expanding the statutory examples of family violence in the Family Violence Protection Act (recommendation 156) and this Bill responds to that recommendation. It is important to note that the Bill does not make the practice of taking and giving dowry illegal, but merely illustrates, by use of a statutory example, that where certain abusive behaviours are used to demand or receive dowry, this can constitute family violence." (Parliament of Victoria 2018: 1773) This approach locates dowry abuse within statutory examples of economic abuse in the context of family violence. It does not actually or symbolically criminalise cultural practices: an outcome which may have the effect of creating an additional barrier of fear for those women seeking to report family violence. In such cases legislation may have the unintended consequence of implying to women that they are complicit in the abuse. Further, evaluation of new and specific family violence offences in Australia and overseas, such as non-fatal strangulation (Fitz-Gibbon et al 2018), and coercive and controlling behaviour (Walklate et al 2018), suggests that additional criminal law offences do not always result in better outcomes for women (Douglas 2015; Walklate et al 2018). To this end, we argue that more law is not always the answer in seeking to improve women's safety from intimate partner violence (Walklate et al 2018). Details: Monash University, 2018. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 3, 2018 at: file:///C:/Users/AuthUser/Downloads/Submission%2047.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Brides Shelf Number: 151644

Author: Dicker, Nicole Title: Policy Analysis: Australia's Commitments to Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Summary: This paper analyses Australia's commitments to ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG) overseas as articulated in Australian aid policies and strategies as well as in domestic, regional and global documents. It answers the central question prompting the policy analysis: what has been Australia's policy position/emphasis on EVAWG over the last decade? The paper identifies the way in which sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has been positioned in key policies over the last ten years that have influenced the delivery of the Australian aid program; Australia's targets, commitments and public focus with respect to EVAWG; and emerging trends and issues of coherence. The paper has been prepared for the Office of Development Effectiveness which will be conducting an evaluation of Australia's development assistance towards EVAWG. This will be a ten-year follow up to ODE's 2008 evaluation Violence against Women in Melanesia and East Timor. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of Australian policy engagement and development assistance to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls since 2008. This paper on Australia's policy commitments to EVAWG will inform the evaluation, particularly its accountability dimension. The findings presented in the paper derive from a desk-based review of key documents: Australian aid policy and strategy documents, including current Aid Investment Plans and Aid Partnership documents; Australian domestic policy and strategy documents; and global and regional policy, strategy and legal documents. The analysis revealed the Australian Government's strong commitment to promoting gender equality, empowering women and girls, and preventing and reducing SGBV, both within Australia and internationally. The documents reviewed consistently highlighted the unacceptably high prevalence of SGBV, globally. They position SGBV as inherently linked to, and resulting from, gender inequality. The documents describe SGBV as criminal, a significant human rights violation, a form of discrimination against women, and threat to development. A major finding of this analysis is that gender equality and EVAWG have consistently been given importance in the policies of Australian Governments over the past decade. Documents reviewed also show that the emphasis Australia gives to promoting gender equality internationally has increased over the course of the last decade. This has been accompanied by a greater focus on EVAWG across the aid program. While EVAWG has been a consistent theme across Australian Government policies of the past ten years, Australia's policy emphasis on EVAWG has shifted. The Australian aid program has evolved over the last decade from positioning SGBV as principally a health concern, to a justice and security issue, to a complex development challenge requiring a variety of interventions spanning many sectors and issues and involving a broad range of partners. Aid policy documents show the Australian aid program to now emphasise a comprehensive approach to addressing SGBV. The approach combines improving the quality of services and responses, access to justice, and prevention. The documents reviewed contain numerous targets and commitments for EVAWG, cutting across a range of development issues/themes: gender equality, empowerment of women and girls and violence against women and girls; peace, justice and strong institutions; service provision; prevention; women and girls in conflict and disaster zones; disability-inclusive development; an integrated approach to EVAWG; global, regional and bilateral engagement with governments; research and reporting. The specific commitments are set out in the document; a list containing all targets and commitments is provided at page 16. Australia's development assistance can then be cross-checked against this list to assess the extent to which Australia has met its commitments to EVAWG. Details: Canberra, ACT: Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2017. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2018 at: https://dfat.gov.au/aid/how-we-measure-performance/ode/strategic-evaluations/Documents/ode-evawg-policy-analysis.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Gender-Based Violence Shelf Number: 152827

Author: Australia. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Title: Inquiry into the trade in elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn Summary: The illegal wildlife trade is having a devastating impact on natural environments globally. This global trade has resulted in elephant and rhino species experiencing a drastic decline in their population numbers, and in the case of the northern white rhino, a complete decimation of that species. The global trade is facilitated, in part, by transnational criminal organisations. The profits generated from the illegal wildlife trade, especially elephant ivory and rhino horn, converge and facilitate other criminal activities such as money laundering, human trafficking and illicit drugs. Evidence suggests established illegal wildlife trafficking networks are used to fund militia and terrorist activities. In response to the illegal wildlife trade and profiteering from the exploitation of endangered species, the international community came together in 1975 to establish the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) to restrict the trade in flora and fauna species to prevent their extinction. Today there are over 35 000 species listed and offered various degrees of protection under CITES, including both species of elephant and five species of rhinoceros. However, despite CITES' success, the illegal wildlife trade has continued, especially for elephant ivory and rhino horn. In recognition of this ongoing problem, in 2016 the international community agreed to a non-binding resolution that called upon CITES members to implement a domestic trade ban on elephant ivory. Since that time, a significant number of countries have announced, or have implemented, a domestic trade ban on elephant ivory. The world's largest consumer of elephant ivory, China, implemented its ban in 2017. The world's primary exporter of elephant ivory products, the United Kingdom, is currently in the final stages of reviewing legislation that would implement a domestic ivory trade ban. The United States legislated its ban in 2016. Despite this international movement to implement domestic trade bans, Australia is yet to act. Although the Department of the Environment and Energy is supportive of those countries that have implemented domestic trade bans, it does not view a ban as necessary in the Australia because evidence suggests the domestic ivory market is not contributing to poaching or the illegal trade. However, civil society representatives challenge this view. Evidence to this inquiry revealed a weakness in Australia's current wildlife trade control framework; chiefly, the absence of regulations that apply to the domestic market. For example, there is no legal requirement for any ivory or rhino horn item to be identified as a pre-CITES item before it is traded within Australia. The committee heard that this lack of regulation is problematic because the illegal wildlife trade exists alongside the legal trade, and acts as a conduit to the illegal trade. Other broader concerns were discussed with the committee. Civil society groups called into question existing law enforcement and border control arrangements. In particular, criticisms were directed at the enforcement of environmental laws and the lack of prosecutions against people found in possession of illegal ivory and rhino horn. Civil society groups argued the low prioritisation of environmental crime had resulted in the wildlife trade becoming a low risk/high reward venture. Screening procedures to identify illegal ivory and rhino horn at Australia's border were also criticised. The committee heard overwhelming support for the implementation of a domestic trade ban for both elephant ivory and rhino horn. The individual traders and industry representatives that would be adversely impacted by a ban also recognised that action is needed. However, there was debate about the best way to implement a domestic ban, and what type of exemptions would be included if one were implemented. Advocates for a domestic ban described the UK framework as a model of best practice. The committee considered, at length, the UK framework and stakeholders' views about its application in Australia. Evidence to this inquiry highlighted the legal considerations that would need to be taken into account when considering the implementation of a domestic trade ban in Australia. Constitutional limitations restrict the Commonwealth government from unilaterally implementing a domestic ban; however, advocates and legal experts detailed options for how the Commonwealth government could proceed with a domestic trade ban. Details: Canberra ACT: The Committee, 2018. 128p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2018 at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Law_Enforcement/Elephantivoryrhinohorn/Report Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Animal Poaching Shelf Number: 152828

Author: Kerr, Aysha Title: Prisoner use of information and communications technology Summary: Developments in information and communications technology (ICT) have changed how people in nations like Australia conduct their lives. Widespread access to the internet, use of social media and the capacity to manage vast amounts of information and to communicate instantly with people all across the world have fundamentally changed our personal and professional lives. While the use of ICT has increased exponentially for most Australians, those held in our prisons have not had the same access to this technology. The emerging use of ICT in prisons promises to transform the daily lived experience of prisoners. This paper explores some of the ways ICT is being implemented in Australian prisons and internationally, and considers the challenges, risks and benefits of bridging the 'digital divide'. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 560: Accessed October 4, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi560 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Information Technology Shelf Number: 152830

Author: Voce, Isabella Title: Who reports domestic violence to police? A review of the evidence Summary: The police play an important role in the management of immediate harm and risk associated with domestic violence. However, the hidden nature of domestic violence incidents means that the involvement of police is dependent on a report being made. Set against the backdrop of increasing levels of reporting of domestic violence in Australia, the current study analysed 21 Australian and international quantitative studies of victim self-report data to identify factors associated with victim reporting of domestic violence to police. The analysis found that victims who are female, non-white, experiencing frequent violence and who have been abused in the past are more likely to report. Incidents that involve serious violence, an intoxicated offender and/or child witnesses are also more likely to be reported to the police. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 559: Accessed October 4, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi559 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 152831

Author: Equality Institute Title: Literature Review: Ending violence against women and girls Summary: The Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) is undertaking a strategic evaluation of Australia's development assistance to end violence against women and girls. This will be a ten-year follow up to ODE's 2008 strategic evaluation Violence against Women in Melanesia and East Timor (Ellsberg et al. 2008). The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of Australian support, and to make recommendations and provide practical lessons for Australia's future aid program and policy engagement. The evaluation team will visit Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Indonesia, with Skype interviews conducted with key stakeholders in Vanuatu and Pakistan. The objective of this literature review is to inform the ODE evaluation. This review provides a desk-based analysis of the available evidence about trends, innovations, and approaches to ending violence against women and girls. It informs the evaluation's key evaluation questions and will be used to triangulate other qualitative and desk-based evidence generated as part of the evaluation. While other literature reviews exist on this topic, this review intends to add a specific Asia and Pacific lens, with a focus on the approaches and research that are most strategic and relevant to Australia's aid program. The intended audience is DFAT staff with aid management responsibilities, Australian NGOs and implementing partners who may use the literature review and evaluation findings to improve future assistance to end violence against women and girls. Details: Canberra, ACT: Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2018. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 4, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/194461/apo-nid194461-1013371.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Gender-Based Violence Shelf Number: 152832

Author: Rahman, Sara Title: The Effect of the Violent Offender Treatment Program (VOTP) on Offender Outcomes Summary: Aim: To identify the impact of the Violent Offender Treatment Program (VOTP) on re-offending and return to custody outcomes at 24 months of free time post release. Method: Data were obtained for all offenders referred to VOTP between 2007 and 2014 and released from prison, yielding a sample size of 587 referrals. Ordinary least squares and two-stage-least-squares (2SLS) linear probability models were used to estimate the differences between those who started the program and those who did not, on four outcome variables measured at 24 months free time post release: 1) re-offending with any offence; 2) re-offending with any offence or a return to custody; 3) re-offending with a violent offence; and 4) re-offending with a violent offence or a return to custody. Similar analyses were also undertaken comparing outcomes for offenders who completed VOTP with those who did not complete the program. Results: Starting VOTP was associated with significantly lowered probability of general re-offending (by 9 percentage points), general re-offending or returning to custody (7 percentage points) at 24 months free time post release. Similar differences in the probability of general re-offending (9 percentage points) and general re-offending or returning to custody (7 percentage points) were found in relation to completing VOTP. We also find non-significant results for violent re-offending. The latter finding may be related to loss of statistical power due to sample attrition. Conclusion: VOTP appears to be associated with lower rates of general re-offending and return to custody, however the estimates obtained are based on a simple regression approach and may not represent causal effects. Replication with more robust techniques and/or a larger sample size is recommended. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: (Crime and Justice Bulletin No. 216): Accessed October 11, 2018 at: https://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Effect-of-the-Violent-Offender-Treatment-Program-(VOTP)-CJB216.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Offender Treatment Programs Shelf Number: 152902

Author: Peacock, Amy Title: Australian Drug Trends 2018: Key findings from the National Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) Interviews Summary: Sample characteristics The IDRS sample in 2018 were predominantly male with a mean age of 43, consistent with the national profile in previous years. Two in five participants (41%) reported that their drug of choice was heroin, although methamphetamine remained the drug injected most often in the past month (45%). Weekly or more frequent use of crystal methamphetamine increased in 2018 (47%), continuing an upward trend that has been observed from 2010 onwards. Heroin Recent (i.e., past six month) use of heroin has decreased amongst the annual sentinel sample since monitoring began but remained stable in 2018 (51%) compared to 2017. Thirty-one per cent of recent consumers reported daily use of heroin in 2018. The median price for one gram of heroin was reported at the lowest value since monitoring commenced. Methamphetamine Recent use of any methamphetamine has fluctuated over the years and showed a significant increase in 2018 compared to 2017, with three in four participants (77%) reporting recent use. This was driven by the significant increase in use of crystal methamphetamine (75%) - the most commonly used form. A lower median price was observed for powder, base, and crystal methamphetamine relative to the previous few years. A greater number of consumers perceived crystal purity as high in 2018 (35%) compared to 2017. Cocaine Recent use of cocaine and frequency of use has generally decreased amongst the national sample since the beginning of monitoring (14% in 2018), though numbers reporting use were originally quite low. Cocaine was perceived as 'low' in purity by one-third of participants (33%) in 2018, the highest percentage observed in 15 years. Cannabis Recent use of cannabis remained largely stable in 2018, though a small decline in use has been observed since monitoring began in 2000, with three in four participants (73%) reporting recent use in 2018. Nearly half of consumers (45%) reported using cannabis daily. Pharmaceutical opioids Use of all forms of pharmaceutical opioids has remained stable or significantly declined since monitoring of each opioid first began. In 2018, morphine was the most common pharmaceutical opioid used in a non-prescribed context (22%), with 7% reporting non-prescribed fentanyl use. New psychoactive substances (NPS) and other drugs Use of NPS has remained low and stable over the period of monitoring, with one in ten participants (11%) reporting recent use. Rates of non-prescribed benzodiazepine use have decreased, with 30% reporting such use in 2018. Alcohol and tobacco use have remained consistently high over the period of monitoring, with 93% reporting recent use of tobacco (92% of consumers reporting daily use). Drug-related harms and other risks One-quarter (25%) reported using a combination of opioids, benzodiazepines, and/or stimulants the day prior to interview. One in five participants (20%) reported overdosing on any drug in the preceding year, most commonly heroin. Eight per cent of the total sample had been resuscitated with naloxone by somebody trained through the take-home naloxone program, and 3% with naloxone obtained through a pharmacy. Rates of sharing of needles and other injecting equipment remained stable in 2018, although there was an increase in experience of an injection related problem (73%). Self-reported mental health problems and criminal activity remained relatively high and stable (45% and 41%, respectively). Details: Sydney, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Australia, 2018. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ndarc/resources/National%20IDRS%20Interview%20Report%202018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 152907

Author: Victorian Problem Gambling Foundation Title: Problem gambling and the criminal justice system Summary: In 2008, the Office of Gaming and Racing (OGR) funded an internal research project to investigate 'good practice' problem gambling treatment options for Victorian correctional clients and to further explore the relationship between problem gambling and crime. The Problem Gambling and the Criminal Justice System project is the first of its kind in Victoria. It represents an important first step in better understanding the needs of problem gamblers in the state's criminal justice system. Key objectives of the project were to improve the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) understanding of problem gamblers in the Victorian criminal justice population, to gather evidence to inform the development of better treatment options for these particular individuals and to strengthen linkages between the Gambler's Help service system and the criminal justice system, and in particular the correctional services system. Major components of the research project included: - a review of existing research investigating 'good practice' treatment interventions for correctional populations and the relationship between gambling and criminal offending - a review of data collection processes and holdings across Victoria's criminal justice system to determine the extent to which information on problem gambling is routinely collected - an analysis of problem gamblers within Victoria's correctional services system to identify treatment needs and improve understanding of the extent of, nature of and relationship between problem gambling and offending behaviour - identifying perceptions of problem gambling in Victoria's Supreme and County courts - mapping and profiling DOJ-funded Gambler's Help treatment services to determine the extent to which they are currently servicing Victorian correctional clients. Broadly speaking, the research methodology involved a combination of a literature review, surveys and interviews with prisoners, interviews with key justice stakeholders including Victoria Police and Corrections Victoria staff, consultations with Gambler's Help counsellors and staff, and a detailed analysis of official criminal justice records and data sources. The research primarily focussed on issues around access to, and the provision of, effective treatment services within custodial settings. Findings relating to the relationship between gambling and gambling-related offending and the incidence of problem gambling and gambling-related offending within the correctional population, should be interpreted as indicative, rather than absolute. Details: North Melbourne: The Foundation, 2013. 244p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 15, 2018 at: https://responsiblegambling.vic.gov.au Year: 2013 Country: Australia Keywords: Gambling Shelf Number: 152960

Author: National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council Title: Theft Matters: Understanding the Link Between Home Burglaries and Vehicle Theft in the Top End Summary: In late 2016, the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC) introduced a new sub-program, 'Better Data Utilisation', to reflect the importance of optimising the tactical utility of the NMVTRC's considerable data holdings to police and other stakeholders. Research in Australia and other countries suggests that the theft of immobilised vehicles is most often preceded by the thief gaining access to the vehicle's transponder key. In many ways the Northern Territory (NT) represents a unique consumer market in respect of its remoteness, climate, built environment and resident lifestyle. NT Police subsequently expressed an interest in undertaking a 'deep analysis' of local thefts to confirm the relationship between residential burglaries and vehicle crime. Findings Of the 1,095 motor vehicle thefts, more than one in three (392, 36%) were reported as residential unlawful entry with intent (UEWI) and 8 percent (83) were commercial UEWI with the remaining 57 percent of vehicle thefts (621) taken by other means such as stolen from the street, carpark, shopping centres etc. (termed non-UEWI). Details: Australia: National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council, Inc, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2018 at: https://carsafe.com.au/nt-study Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Auto Theft Shelf Number: 153121

Author: Bushnell, Andrew Title: Victim Appeal: How To Address Manifestly Inadequate Sentences Summary: Victim appeal is an innovative reform designed to: Increase public confidence in the judiciary; and Increase the satisfaction of victims of crime with the criminal justice process. Victim appeal would give victims of crime the right to instruct the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to seek leave to appeal against a sentence handed down by a District or County Court or Supreme Court. This right would be in addition to the existing discretion of the Director Public Prosecution or, in some states, the Attorney-General, to appeal against sentences. Unlike Crown appeals in most states, victim appeals would go to a leave hearing at the Court of Appeal, which would determine whether the appeal can proceed. The DPP would advise the victim of the chances of a successful appeal and bear the costs of the appeal. Australians have consistently reported low confidence in the judiciary. Public confidence in the judiciary is driven by: The perception of leniency; and Access to information about crime trends and specific cases. Over the past decade and across jurisdictions, sentencing patterns in Australia have been stable. For serious crimes like homicide, assault, and sexual assault, judges have sentenced offenders to prison at approximately the same rate and for the same periods of time. However, over the same period, the number of Crown appeals against 'manifestly inadequate' sentences has fallen. In 2008-09, there were 138 such appeals in the mainland states. In 2016- 17, this had fallen to 85. This is despite the fact that these types of rare, sensational cases, in which judges fail to apply community standards continue to occur and to attract disproportionate media attention. This media attention in turn damages the reputation of the judiciary. Victim appeal provides a new mechanism for correcting these rare cases. Its introduction will help mitigate their effect on the public's confidence in the judiciary. Victim appeal also builds upon the existing practice of allowing victims to read Victim Impact Statements at sentencing hearings. This practice has been shown to have some therapeutic effect for victims. However, many victims continue to report feeling a lack of agency in the system. Victim appeal provides victims with a real and consequential decision to make as part of the criminal justice process. Lastly, victim appeal should be preferred to more dramatic reforms like mandatory sentencing, which increases the risk of disproportionately severe sentences, and giving victims separate representation in criminal trials, which undermines our traditional adversarial criminal justice system. Details: Melbourne: Institute of Public Affairs, 2018. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/197706/apo-nid197706-1033771.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Leniency Shelf Number: 153245

Author: Plan International Title: Unsafe in the City: Sydney Summary: Free to Be is a crowd-mapping website that enables young women to identify and share the location of public spaces that make them feel uneasy and scared or happy and safe, implemented in Sydney in April-May 2018. It was designed in collaboration with Crowdspot, Monash University XYX Lab and young women within the city. Based on Plan International's extensive experience of working with girls and young women in cities through our Safer Cities programme, the research sought to understand more about the experiences of girls and young women. As well as Sydney, Free to Be has been implemented in Delhi, Kampala, Lima, Madrid and Melbourne. The Free to Be tool comprised an interactive map of the city and a survey which allowed girls and young women to drop 'pins' on the map - good or bad - and answer questions about their experiences there, as well as leave comments. A group of young women in Sydney were involved in the design and promotion of the tool, as well as having an opportunity to reflect on the findings to support analysis. In total, 2,083 pins were dropped on spots of the Sydney map, of which 25% denoted good experiences (516) and 75% bad (1,567). Good places were characterised by being busy, often with working people. This was closely followed by the place having a good 'community environment' or being well known to the participant. The threat of sexual harassment with and without physical contact was the main issue identified in connection with bad pins. Over two-thirds of the comments on bad pins included sexual harassment of some kind and 63% of all the pins identified gender-based discrimination as a factor. Discrimination based on ethnicity was identified in 10% of the pins (the highest of all the cities), usually alongside gender discrimination, highlighting the intersectional nature of discrimination and harassment in Sydney. On the street was the most likely location for bad pins, often alongside to/from work or school and public transport. Strong negative clusters tended to form around train stations and bus interchanges. These data demonstrate the compromised freedom for young women and girls moving around their city. Harassment directed at young women and girls, and especially those of the LGBTIQA community, is apparently exacerbated by the lockout laws in Sydney, and the lack of public transport available at corresponding hours. This indicates the complexity of access to, and safety in, the city - an intervention brought in to protect one part of the community increased the pressure on others. Women and girls change their behaviour in response to these challenges: nearly half of those recording bad pins (47%) avoided the area if they were alone and 12% simply never went back to the location. When asked how they responded to bad incidents, 20 participants reported that they stopped studying or quit their job because of their experiences. For more than a third of all the pins (36%), young women were resigned to the fact that such incidents are so frequent that they are used to it. Consequently, they take their own precautions such as walking fast through such areas with their phones at the ready. Reporting of events to the authorities was low at 9%, and in more than two-thirds of these cases (69%), the authorities apparently did nothing. Based on these findings, young women in Sydney made the following recommendations: 1) Behaviour change: - Changing the blame culture: listen to and act upon the stories of women and girls - Challenging toxic masculinity - Allies and bystanders: empowering them to call out harassment and intervene safely 2) Girls' participation in decision-making: listen to and work with girls and young women, respect their experiences and recommendations, and involve them in co-designing their cities. 3) Enforcement and accountability: - Strengthening reporting mechanisms - Improving the responsiveness of security services and the police - Clarification of laws and enforcement regarding street harassment Details: Melbourne: Plan International, 2018. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/196691/apo-nid196691-1025636.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Analysis Shelf Number: 153246

Author: New South Wales. Law Reform Commission Title: Consent in relation to sexual offences Summary: 1.9 When NSW introduced s 61HA in 2007, the aim was to bring about a cultural shift in the way the community and key participants in the criminal justice system respond to people who have experienced sexual assault. At the time, the Attorney General, relying on the findings of an Australian Institute of Criminology study of juror attitudes and biases in sexual assault cases, observed: [S]ome members of the community still hold the view that women often say "no" when they mean "yes", that women who are raped often ask for it, and that rape results from men not being able to control their need for sex and responsibility for rape is therefore removed. This [amendment] reflects the views of the greater majority of the community of New South Wales who strongly reject those outdated views. 1.10 However, recent developments have led some people to question whether the law is meeting its objectives. 1.11 In particular, community concern over the Lazarus case led the Attorney General to ask us to review the law of consent. In this case, the complainant said the accused sexually assaulted her in an alleyway behind a nightclub in Sydney's Kings Cross. The complainant detailed her experiences publicly in an interview with ABC's Four Corners program. 1.12 The case involved a trial, a retrial and two appeals8 over 5 years. It centred on the issues of consent and the accused's knowledge of whether the complainant consented. In two trials, the judges incorrectly applied the law on knowledge. The Court of Criminal Appeal ultimately decided not to order a third trial, believing it would be unfair and oppressive to the accused. There has been a lot of criticism about the Lazarus case and the authors of a number of preliminary submissions say that it shows the law must change. 1.13 Some have called for a new approach to consent. They believe the law should recognise a person's consent only when it is communicated clearly through their words or actions. Some think that Tasmania and Victoria provide models for reform that NSW should consider. 1.14 The issue goes beyond one case. Our review is occurring at a time when discussions about sexual assault and harassment are becoming increasingly prominent in public discussion, both in Australia and overseas. As one preliminary submission to our review states, the international #MeToo movement has "brought the issues of sexual violence and consent to the forefront". People all over the world have come forward, sharing their personal stories and supporting the movement. 1.15 The traction that the movement has gained shows that "the concern with what constitutes consent is real and far-reaching". One preliminary submission says the movement is "indicative of attitudes to consent to sex in 2018", and that s 61HA needs to change to reflect these "enlightened community views" on consent. 1.16 Our review also occurs against the backdrop of a commitment by the NSW Government to prevent, and better address, instances of sexual assault within the state. In July, for example, the Government released its first sexual assault strategy. The strategy aims to improve the existing services for people who experience sexual assault, raise community awareness of sexual violence, and improve prevention and education measures in families and the wider community. Scope of the review 1.17 Sexual assault is a complex problem that cannot be addressed solely by reforming the law.16 The authors of many preliminary submissions acknowledge that social and cultural understandings of consent and sexual assault need to change and that there are limits to what law reform can achieve. Many argue that any law reform must be accompanied by broad community education about the law of consent and the realities of sexual assault. In light of the low conviction and high attrition rates for sexual assault offences, submissions also point to many problems with the way the criminal justice system deals with sexual assault complaints. They make various recommendations for change. 1.19 Some argue, for example, that complainants need to be better supported in the justice system; that criminal justice processes need to be improved; and that police, prosecutors, lawyers and judges need to have a better understanding of sexual assault. Some suggest that restorative justice processes should be used or that NSW should set up specialist sexual assault courts with expert staff and judges. 1.20 These issues are important and interrelated, and holistic responses from government and the wider community are required to address them. However, our review has a specific focus: whether the approach to consent in the law should be reformulated. While we may discuss some of these broader issues during our review, we are conscious that we are limited by our terms of reference. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2018. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Consultation Paper 21: Accessed November 3, 2018 at: https://www.lawreform.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Publications/Consultation-Papers/CP21.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Criminal Law Shelf Number: 153247

Author: Queensland Productivity Commission Title: Imprisonment and Recidivism Summary: In September 2018, the Queensland Government asked the Commission to undertake an inquiry into imprisonment and recidivism in Queensland. The inquiry has been commissioned in response to concerns about increases in prisoner numbers and high rates of recidivism. The number of people in Queensland prisons has risen by more than 50 per cent in the five years to 2017, and more than half of prisoners reoffend and are given a new sentence within two years of their release. The rate of imprisonment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continues to outstrip the rate for the rest of the population, and imprisonment rates for women have been increasing faster than for men. The growth in prisoner numbers has significant social and economic implications for affected individuals and their families, the wider community and for the Queensland Government. What has the Commission been asked to do? The terms of reference for this inquiry ask us to examine how government resources and policies can be best used to reduce imprisonment and recidivism and improve outcomes for the community over the medium to longer term. The terms of reference ask us to consider: - trends in the rate of imprisonment in recent years, including comparison with other sentencing options - evidence about the causal factors underlying trends in the rate of imprisonment - factors driving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment and recidivism and options to improve matters - factors driving the imprisonment and recidivism of women and options to improve matters - factors affecting youth offending and corresponding imprisonment rates and options to improve matters - measures of prisoner recidivism rates, trends in recidivism and causes of these trends - the benefits and costs of imprisonment, including its social effects, financial costs and effectiveness in reducing/preventing crime - the effectiveness of programs and services in Australian and overseas to reduce the number of people in prison and returning to prison, including prevention and early intervention approaches, non-imprisonment sentencing options, and the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners - the efficacy of adopting an investment approach, whereby investments in prevention, early intervention and rehabilitation deliver benefits and savings over the longer term; and - barriers to potential improvements and how these barriers could be lowered. The terms of reference require that our recommendations are consistent with the Queensland Government Policy on the Contracting-out of Services, which states that there will be no contracting-out of services currently provided by the Queensland Government unless it can be clearly demonstrated to be in the public interest. Details: Brisbane: The Commission, 2018. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper: Accessed November 3, 2018 at: https://qpc.blob.core.windows.net/wordpress/2018/09/Issues-Paper-Imprisonment-and-Recidivism.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Incarceration Shelf Number: 153249

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Restitution and Compensation Orders Report Summary: In Victoria, victims of crime have a number of different options to seek compensation, including making an application for an order for restitution or an order for compensation under Part 4, Divisions 1 and 2 of the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic). In 2016, the Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) released The Role of Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process: Report, which recommended that the Sentencing Advisory Council review whether restitution and compensation orders under the Sentencing Act 1991 (Vic) should become sentencing orders (Recommendation 49). In June 2017, the Attorney-General requested advice from the Council on this issue in the form of terms of reference, and this report constitutes the Council's response to that request. Whether restitution and compensation orders should become sentencing orders has been considered at least twice before, once by the Victorian Parliament's Law Reform Committee in 1994 and more recently by the then Department of Justice in 2009. Neither review reached a firm conclusion on this issue. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2018. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2018 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Restitution_and_Compensation_Orders_Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Restitution Shelf Number: 153277

Author: Farmer, Clare Title: Victoria's Banning Provisions: 'balancing' discretionary police powers and individual rights Summary: Over the past decade alcohol-related violence in and around licensed premises has been an area of notable legislative and operational policing development. Victoria's banning notices sit within a range of provisions enacted in response to problems of disorderly behaviour in the night-time economy. The legal principles upon which banning notices are based and the way in which they are implemented challenge traditional expectations regarding the separation of powers and individual due process rights in the administration of justice. Banning notices are one example of a move towards police-imposed summary justice, which circumvents the criminal law and reconfigures the notion of balance in the criminal justice system. There is a disconnect between the use of balance to both explain the need for provisions such as banning notices, and to legitimise their consequential undermining of the due process rights of individuals. This thesis challenges the appropriateness of using a need for balance to justify the discretionary police power to ban. A mixed methodological approach facilitates the examination of two core themes. The first analyses the underlying political assumptions and justifications that secured the passage of the banning notice provisions through the Victorian Parliament. The second theme explores the extent to which the implementation of banning notices, and their impact upon individual rights, have been subject to ongoing scrutiny. Details: Geelong, VIC: Deakin University, 2015. 333p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 6, 2018 at: http://dro.deakin.edu.au/eserv/DU:30082239/farmer-victoriasbanning-2015A.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Control Policy Shelf Number: 153280

Author: New South Wales. Ombudsman Title: Abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults in NSW - the need for reform Summary: In July 2016, the Ombudsman's office commenced a standing inquiry under section 11(1)(e) of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993 to examine and respond to allegations of abuse and neglect of adults with disability in community settings, such as the family home. We started the inquiry: - in recognition of the seriousness of the increasing number of matters that were being reported to us that raised concerns about the safety and welfare of adults with disability in the community, and - in the absence of any other agency with the powers to investigate allegations that do not reach a criminal threshold or that otherwise require a coordinated interagency response. The standing inquiry - Between August 2015 and October 2018, we received 358 contacts relating to the alleged abuse and neglect of adults with disability living in community settings. Most (206) of the matters involved reports of alleged abuse and neglect that required action as part of the standing inquiry. The 206 reports do not relate to the conduct of service providers - they are about the conduct of the person's family and other informal supports, and members of the community. Source of reports We have an agreement with the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline that it will refer matters to us that involve allegations of abuse and neglect of adults with disability in community settings in NSW. Of the 206 matters, 55 (27%) have been referred to us by the Hotline. The majority (143) of the other matters have been directly reported to us by external agencies or individuals. The primary source of reports (whether via the Hotline or directly to our office) has been non-government disability providers, who have accounted for almost half (91) of all reports. Other main reporters include family members (34), NSW government or funded agencies (24), and community members (20). The people involved - Alleged victims Over half (110) of the matters reported to us in the standing inquiry have involved allegations of abuse or neglect of an adult with intellectual disability. More broadly, most reports have involved a person with some form of cognitive impairment. However, there has been a range of matters in which the person has not had a cognitive impairment - including 11 matters that involved a person with a solely physical disability. Subjects of allegation - Most of the subjects of allegation have had a close and personal relationship with the adult with disability - with most of the alleged abuse and neglect committed by their family members or their partner/spouse. Over two-thirds (141) of the reports have been about the conduct of family members - mainly parents (99) and siblings (31). The adult with disability's partner/spouse has been the subject of allegation in 17% of matters (35). A smaller number of reports have involved community members (10) and ex-support staff of the adult with disability (4). The reported allegations - Most of the reports have involved more than one type of abuse and/or neglect - most commonly neglect (78) and physical abuse (77). Allegations of ill-treatment featured in 56 reports, and one-quarter of reports involved alleged financial abuse of the adult with disability (52). Over 10% of reports included allegations of sexual abuse (24). Our actions under the standing inquiry Our actions in response to the reports typically involve undertaking inquiries with agencies that are currently, or have recently been, involved with the alleged victim; checking available intelligence on relevant parties (including police and child protection databases); bringing agencies together to facilitate the exchange of relevant information, discuss the existing risks, and agree on necessary actions; and monitoring the implementation of the agreed actions. The standing inquiry has enabled our office to test, in a very practical sense, what needs to be done to provide an effective interagency response to these matters. Our handling of the 206 reports has highlighted that providing an effective interagency response can be relatively straightforward - provided that the agency taking the lead role has access to the right information, adequate powers, and the cooperation and support of key government and non-government stakeholders. However, the Ombudsman's standing inquiry is a temporary measure, and will cease on 1 July 2019. In addition, there are critical gaps that are not addressed by the standing inquiry. In particular, we do not have the power to enter private residences to gain direct access to the alleged victim, and we are not competent or compellable to provide information to NCAT. The standing inquiry also does not encompass elder abuse. Details: Sydney: The Ombudsman, 2018. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: A special report to Parliament under section 31 of the Ombudsman Act 1974 : Accessed November 7, 2018 at: https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/62139/Abuse-and-neglect-of-vulnerable-adults-in-NSW-November-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Disabilities Shelf Number: 153350

Author: CREATE Foundation Title: Youth Justice Report: Consultation with young people in out-of-home care about their experiences with police, courts and detention Summary: Young people with a care experience are overrepresented in the youth justice system. To understand the issues effecting young people in both child protection and youth justice systems CREATE interviewed young people throughout Australia. While offenders and young people who went missing felt disrespected, anxious and afraid during their time interacting with youth justice, victims felt let down and powerless. Additionally, young people felt unsupported during their time in the justice system and perceived the police and courts to discriminate against young people in out-of-home care. The report highlights the need for a trauma informed youth justice system, better clarity around how caseworkers and carers are meant to support young people who enter both systems, and reducing the stigma associated with being in out-of-home care. Details: Spring Hill QLD: The Foundation, 2018. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 7, 2018 at: https://create.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Youth-Justice-Report-Standard-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Detention Shelf Number: 153351

Author: Putt, Judy Title: Women's specialist domestic and family violence services: Their responses and practices with and for Aboriginal women: Final report Summary: Despite the increasingly high profile of domestic and family violence (DFV) in Australian society, surprisingly little is known in the public domain about the ways women's specialist services provide help to the victims/survivors. When it comes to Aboriginal women, high rates of violence have been well documented and publicised; however, very little has been documented or analysed in relation to how specialist DFV services work with and for Aboriginal women as clients/survivors, workers, board, and community members. Women's specialist domestic and family violence services: Their responses and practices with and for Aboriginal women is a project that concentrated on how workers and services listen to Aboriginal women - what they see and hear, what they have learnt, and how they apply this in practice. Produced by working closely and collaboratively for more than a year with three specialist DFV services - Alice Springs Women's Shelter, ACT Domestic Violence Crisis Service, and Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women's Council Domestic and Family Violence Service (NPY Women's Council) - the research undertaken for this report focused on learning from these services and from the Aboriginal women who have contact with these services, as clients and community members, or who work with or within the services. The research also focused on finding out from Aboriginal women what they value from crisis contact, and when and how they thought services could ask them their views and experiences. The insights are crucial for women's specialist services in maintaining open and continual learning from Aboriginal women as clients. Local Aboriginal women were an integral part of the research project, but the research findings do not represent the views of all Aboriginal women. Among the recommendations from the research are a number of key messages for policy and practice. For policy, key messages include: Women's specialist DFV services need to be supported in their work with and responses to the needs of Aboriginal women, as they serve as a crucial and reliable option for Aboriginal women in crisis. There needs to be greater recognition of how Aboriginal women can influence - and have influenced -service models and practice, especially where they are the majority of clients. Defining and monitoring "successful" outcomes should be realistic and grounded in what service users value. Across the sector, capacity has to be built within services for continuing self-evaluation that is guided by the views and feedback from Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women. Additional resources and support are essential for this to be done well and with care. For women's specialist DFV services, key messages include: Recognising that formal governance structures of services may not suit Aboriginal women as places to represent their own and others' views, but that other ways of eliciting guidance and reflection on a group basis exist. Cultivating stronger ties between specialist DFV services and local Aboriginal organisations and leaders. Having realistic expectations of the roles and number of Aboriginal frontline staff. In some contexts, positions of mentor or cultural advisor may work well. These rest on ideas of the "learning organisation". Building and sustaining informal networks and contacts, including through creative outreach and community development activities. Continuing and supporting the constant process of learning by adopting a collaborative approach and by having discussions or conversations with Aboriginal women clients or ex-clients more often, and in ways that are ethical, safe, and which are valued by them. Details: Sydney: Australia�s National Research Organisation for Women�s Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 8, 2018 at: https://dh2wpaq0gtxwe.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/Women's%20specialist%20domestic%20and%20family%20violence%20services_Putt_HorizonsFINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 153359

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Estimating the costs of serious and organised crime in Australia 2016�17 Summary: This report estimates the cost of serious and organised crime in Australia in 2016-17 to be between $23.8b and $47.4b. The report updates the Australian Crime Commission's estimates for 2013-14, given there have been some major developments in the available baseline data, and some further attempts to improve the costing methodology. As with the previous study, this paper considers the direct and consequential costs of serious and organised crime, as well as the costs associated with preventing and responding to serious and organised crime by government entities, businesses and individuals/households. Although costing methodologies are improving, there remains an ongoing need for government and business to collect better and more comprehensive data on how serious and organised crime affects their operations. It is clear, however, that the economic impact of serious and organised crime on the economy is substantial and growing. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Report 09: Accessed November 13, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr09 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 153413

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Opioid harm in Australia: and comparisons between Australia and Canada Summary: Locally and internationally, the rising use of opioids is a cause of concern. All opioids-including codeine-can be addictive and their use can result in dependence, accidental overdose, hospitalisation or death. This report brings together information from a range of data sources to tell the national story of opioid use and its harmful effects. It is the first time that the AIHW has produced such a comprehensive report that presents current national data and trends on opioid use and harms in Australia. The report also presents findings from a collaboration between the AIHW and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). This includes comparisons between ED presentations and hospitalisations in Australia and Canada, where possible, and discussion of the benefits and challenges of international collaboration. In Australia in 2016-17, 3.1 million people had 1 or more prescriptions dispensed for opioids (most commonly for oxycodone); about 40,000 people used Heroin; and about 715,000 people used Pain-killers/analgesics and pharmaceutical opioids for illicit or non-medical purposes. Opioid deaths and poisoning hospitalisations have increased in the last 10 years Legal or pharmaceutical opioids (including codeine and oxycodone) are responsible for far more deaths and poisoning hospitalisations than illegal opioids (such as heroin). Every day in Australia, nearly 150 hospitalisations and 14 emergency department (ED) presentations involve opioid harm, and 3 people die from drug-induced deaths involving opioid use. In 2016, the number of opioid deaths (1,119) was the highest number since the peak in 1999 (1,245 deaths). After 1999, the number of deaths fell to a low of 439 in 2006, then began to climb again. In 2016, opioid deaths accounted for 62% of all drug-induced deaths. From 2007 to 2016, after adjusting for differences in the age structure of the population, the rate of opioid deaths increased by 62%, from 2.9 to 4.7 deaths per 100,000 population. The increase was driven by an increase in accidental opioid deaths and in pharmaceutical opioid deaths. Similarly, from 2007-08 to 2016-17, after adjusting for age, the rate of hospitalisations per 100,000 population with a principal diagnosis (main reason for hospitalisation) of opioid poisoning increased by 25%, while the rate of hospitalisations with any diagnosis (all reasons for hospitalisation) of opioid poisoning increased by 38%. Pharmaceutical opioids are responsible for more opioid deaths and poisoning hospitalisations than heroin In 2016, the most commonly mentioned opioid in opioid deaths was Naturally derived opioids (for example, oxycodone, codeine and morphine), which was mentioned in 49% of opioid deaths. Similarly, in 2016-17, hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of opioid poisoning were more likely to involve pharmaceutical opioids than heroin or opium. The rate per 100,000 for those by Naturally derived opioids was more than twice as high as for those by Heroin. More opioid prescriptions were dispensed but on average prescriptions were for lower doses and/or quantities In 2016-17, 15.4 million opioid prescriptions were dispensed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to 3.1 million people. The oral morphine equivalent (OME) is a measure of opioid use that adjusts for the difference in potency between different opioids. It converts the amount of each opioid dispensed to the amount of oral morphine that would be required to produce the same pain-relieving effect. After adjusting for differences in the age structure of the population, from 2012-13 to 2016-17, although there was a rise in the rate of prescriptions dispensed per 100,000 population and the number of people per 100,000 population receiving them (9% and 4% respectively), the OME stayed the same over the same period (989 to 987 OME mg per 1,000 population per day)-on average, the prescriptions dispensed were for lower doses and/or quantities. Oxycodone and codeine most commonly dispensed opioids -- Oxycodone was the most commonly dispensed prescription opioid in 2016-17, with 5.7 million prescriptions dispensed to 1.3 million people, followed by codeine (3.7 million prescriptions to 1.7 million people) and tramadol (2.7 million prescriptions to 600,000 people). Similar to the results for all opioid prescriptions dispensed, on average prescriptions dispensed for oxycodone were for lower doses and/or quantities. After adjusting for differences in the age structure of the population over time, from 2012-13 to 2016-17 there was approximately a 30% rise in both the number of oxycodone prescriptions dispensed per 100,000 population and the number of people receiving them per 100,000 population, but the OME over the same period remained the same (338 to 340 OME mg for oxycodone per 1,000 population per day). Higher rates of OME for opioids dispensed in Inner regional and Outer regional areas -- After adjusting for differences in the age structure of the population, the total number of prescriptions dispensed per 100,000 population was highest for Inner regional areas (74,000 per 100,000 population) and lowest for Very remote areas (38,000 per 100,000 population). The rate of OME was also highest for Inner regional areas (1,374 OME mg per 1,000 population per day), followed closely by Outer regional areas (1,362 OME mg per 1,000 population per day). These rates of OMEs are 2 times higher than in Very remote areas, which at 645 OME mg per 1,000 population per day was the lowest of all areas. 1 in 10 Australians have ever used any type of opioid for illicit or non-medical purposes In 2016, around 1 in 10 (11%) of Australians aged 14 and over had ever used at least 1 type of opioid for illicit or non-medical purposes; recent use (that is, use in the last 12 months) was much lower, at 3.7%. Most had used pharmaceutical opioids rather than illegal opioids, with 9.7% having ever used Pain-killers/analgesics and pharmaceutical opioids, compared with 1.3% who had ever used Heroin. Of people who reported non-medical use of Pain-killers/analgesics and pharmaceutical opioids, 75% had used Over-the-counter codeine products, 40% had used Prescription codeine products and 17% had used Oxycodone. Opioid use varies between Australia and Canada -- Both Australia and Canada have government-funded pharmaceuticals. Overall, there was a downward trend in both countries in the total average opioid dosage (the defined daily dose or DDD) per 1,000 people, per day prescribed in the 5 years to 2016-17. However there were slight differences in the types of opioids prescribed, with the DDD rate for hydromorphone substantially higher in Canada, and the DDD rate for tramadol and buprenorphine higher in Australia. Both countries had a similar DDD rate for fentanyl. Illicit use of fentanyl is more common in Canada than it is in Australia, while heroin use is comparatively higher in Australia than in Canada. The impact of this difference is that people using these different drugs-while they are all opioids-have different trajectories and contact with the acute care system. Fentanyl is more potent than heroin and has a greater potential to be lethal, meaning many users die before they can receive acute care. Side effects from opioid use are responsible for the greatest number of hospitalisations in both Canada and Australia Despite differences in the rates of hospital care in Australia and Canada for opioid harms-due in part to differences in systems and infrastructure for health services-there are similarities in the profiles of people most likely to receive hospital care for opioid harm. In both Australia and Canada, the greatest volume of harm treated in hospitals came from side effects from opioid use. The age distribution for people hospitalised for this reason was similar in Australia and Canada, with rates of hospitalisation increasing with increasing age, reflecting the rates of prescription opioids in both countries. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 130p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/605a6cf8-6e53-488e-ac6e-925e9086df33/aihw-hse-210.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 153417

Author: Cavanough, Edward Title: The Impact of Wage Theft on Queensland's Workers and Economy Summary: This report aims to quantify the likely impact of wage theft - in both the form of regular-wage theft and the non-payment of superannuation guarantee in Queensland - on Queensland workers and the Queensland economy. Wage theft is a vastly under-reported but widespread economic liability. The limited research on the practice, defined as "employers pocketing a portion of [workers] wages by undercutting minimum entitlements under Australian labour law" by Berg and Farbenblum (2017) has demonstrated how widespread wage theft really is, particularly in the form of the non-payment of superannuation, and the underpayment of regular wages to low-income workers, often temporary migrant workers. However, to date, there have been few attempts to quantify the economic impact of wage theft in Australia, for two key reasons. First, wage theft has only entered the Australian policy lexicon in recent years. As this report highlights, media stories using the term 'wage theft' were almost never used until 2016, with hundreds of stories now appearing yearly. This lack of awareness and urgency surrounding the issue likely limited related research more broadly, which is observable in the lack of literature on wage theft's economic impact in Australia. Secondly, quantifying wage theft is inherently challenging due to a lack of available data. Despite its obvious significance, there are only a handful of reliable data sets that shine some light on the nature of wage theft in Australia, and even those only tell part of the story as wage theft, by its very nature, often is unreported and therefore not recorded. Accordingly, this report uses the available data to explore the potential economic impact of wage theft in Queensland under varying scenarios. Part 1 of this report first describes what wage theft is and how it manifests itself in the Queensland economy. The primary forms of wage theft are the underpayment of regular wages, and the underpayment or non-payment of the superannuation guarantee. This can occur in numerous ways, including pressuring workers not to claim overtime or paid meal breaks, or simply not paying staff current award rates. The non-payment of superannuation is particularly prevalent as it is easier for employers to get away with and harder for workers to monitor and therefore report. Part 2 then collates the best data on wage theft available in Queensland: the results of 34 Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) audit campaigns in the state since 2009. The FWO is responsible for investigating incidences of underpayment across Australia. It acts on this responsibility by both investigating 'tip-offs' from workers, as well as conducting random audits on businesses across Australia. In the 34 audits the FWO has made in Queensland since 2009, it audited 6731 businesses. Through its audits, 28 per cent of businesses were non-compliant with either payment obligations or record keeping. The FWO also reimbursed 6958 workers a total of $2,489,791 at an average reimbursement of $358 per wage theft victim. While the FWO audits provide a vital insight into the non-compliance of Australian labour laws, Part 2 also describes how it has had its funding significantly reduced since 2013. While there were 28 FWO audit campaigns undertaken or completed in Queensland between 2009-2013, there have only been 6 that have been both commenced and concluded since. This reflects the lack of funding available to the FWO, which is thought to only have 38 inspectors on the ground in Queensland. Using the aggregated data from all FWO audits in Queensland, Part 3 of this report then explores the potential economic costs if the FWO findings were applied economy wide. This report estimates that up to 437,000 workers in Queensland are likely to be victims of wage theft to some degree. Conservatively, the total lost wages are at least $156.5 million annually. Assuming all wage theft victims were losing just 1 per cent of their income per year, this cost grows to $244 million. If all wage theft victims were losing 5 per cent of their income per year, the cost rises markedly to $1.2 billion in lost earnings. Part 4 of this report then examines the available data to determine how much superannuation is not paid to Queensland workers. Industry Super Australia estimated that over 580,000 Queenslanders are underpaid superannuation every year, at an average underpayment of $1915. This equates to more than $1.1 billion per year in unpaid superannuation, which will inevitably cause major economic headaches as those reliant on these forgone superannuation contributions draw down more on age pensions instead of their own retirement savings. Part 5 looks at how these various economic costs impact Queensland's economy more broadly. Conservative wage theft estimates would see consumer spending reduced in Queensland by more than $100 million per year, with at least $60 million in federally levied taxes being forgone in the state because of underpaid wages. And Part 6 briefly contextualises these damning statistics, demonstrating that wage theft is almost certainly costing Queensland more per year than other major economic liabilities, like road accidents, material theft of goods, and even the devastating Cyclone Yasi. In concluding, this report reiterates an increasingly obvious reality: that wage theft is a serious problem, a major economic liability for individual workers, federal and state governments, and a manifestly unfair scourge that is widespread throughout Queensland and Australia, demanding serious policy intervention at both state and federal levels. Details: World Square, NSW: McKell Institute, 2018. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2018 at: https://mckellinstitute.org.au/app/uploads/McKell-QLD-Impact-of-Wage-theft-on-QLD-Workers-and-Economy-FINAL.-.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 153418

Author: South Australia. Drug and Alcohol Services Title: Opioid Use and Associated Harms in South Australia Summary: The term opioids encompasses both naturally occurring opiates (morphine and codeine) derived from the resin of the opium poppy, semi-synthetic (oxycodone) and synthetic (fentanyl) opioids. These drugs are only available via prescription; however they can be obtained and used illicitly. Heroin (diamorphine) is also derived from the opium poppy, but is produced illegally and not available by prescription. Opioids can be highly effective for the treatment of pain, although there is a risk of adverse effects and potential for dependence when not used appropriately . Global estimates suggest that the number of opiate users has remained stable in recent years, comprising around 0.4% of the global population aged 15-64 years in 20144 . Opiate use is highest in South-West Asia (0.9%), Central Asia, (0.8%), Europe (0.6%) and North America (0.5%). There is evidence of increased use or harm in some countries, with heroin-related deaths rising substantially in the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2014. In addition, estimates of problem opiate users in France have shown a marked increase in recent years, and heroin use in Italy based on population surveys increased significantly between 2008 (0.4%) and 2014 (0.8%), although overall use is still low. However, household surveys have shown decreases in heroin use (measured as use in the last 12 months) in the general population between 1999 and 2014 in countries such as Hungary, Norway, the UK, Austria, France and Denmark, with use stable in Germany, Spain and Ireland. Prevalence of use in the last 12 months is also low, at 0.5% or less in all countries surveyed in 2014, with the exception of Italy (0.8%). In contrast, heroin use has been increasing in North America, reflected in national household surveys (use in the last 12 months among those aged 12 years and over increased from 0.1% in 2003 to 0.3% in 20146 ) and in the number of heroin-related deaths (from 0.7 deaths per 100,000 population in 1999 to 2.7 deaths in 2013) . The UNODC has also documented increases in opiate use in Africa, whereas it has remained largely unchanged in Asia between 1998 and 2014 and has declined in Oceania. This is primarily due to decreases in heroin use in Australia, where prevalence of use in the last 12 months decreased from 0.8% in 1998 to 0.2% in 2001, and remaining between 0.1% and 0.2% from 2010 to 2016. In the United States, deaths due to prescription opioids are greater than those for heroin and non-opioid drugs such as cocaine. In Australia, there has been an almost four-fold increase between 1990 and 2014 in the prescription of opioids for medicinal purposes, primarily due to a rise in the prescription of drugs such as morphine and methadone for the management of chronic non-cancer pain . In addition, the use of other synthetic opioids such as oxycodone, fentanyl and buprenorphine rose markedly between 2000 and 2011 . Australian research looking at opioid prescriptions from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Repatriation Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) reported a marked increase in prescriptions for oxycodone between 2002-03 and 2007-08, but a decrease in prescriptions for morphine. Prescriptions for fentanyl also increased between 2002 and 2011 . National sales data for over-the-counter (OTC) codeine and prescription opioids estimated community use in 2013, and found that OTC codeine was the most commonly sold opioid. In addition, most prescription use was for the stronger opioids, which includes fentanyl, oxycodone and morphine. The study concluded that opioid use is considerably higher than is suggested by PBS/RPBS data alone. However, national data after 2013 are not included in these studies; this bulletin presents South Australian PBS/RPBS data up to 2017. National data are also available on opioid-related overdose deaths from the National Coronial Information System (NCIS), and include oxycodone, fentanyl and codeine . Although numbers are small (465 in total for oxycodone, 136 for fentanyl and 113 for codeine), deaths where the underlying or contributing cause was related to these drugs increased from 2000 to 2013. For 53% of oxycodone-related deaths, it was recorded that the drug was prescribed, compared with 37% of fentanyl-related deaths, and 60% of codeine-related deaths . In addition, 27% of oxycodone-related deaths were persons with a history of drug injecting (55% of fentanyl-related deaths and 16% of codeine-related deaths) and multiple drugs (in particular alcohol and benzodiazepines) were recorded in the majority of deaths for all three opioids. A study looking at all deaths in Australia for those aged 15-74 years where opioid overdose was the underlying cause found that pharmaceutical opioid overdose deaths increased from 21.9 per million population in 2001 to 36.2 per million population in 2012. The pharmaceutical opioid death rate in 2012 was 2.5 times higher than that of heroin overdose deaths. The death rate for fentanyl and oxycodone increased significantly between 2001 and 2012, and the death rate was highest for oxycodone (7.8 per million persons) in 2012. This study also calculated death rates per 100,000 Oral Morphine Equivalent (OME)21 grams dispensed, which enabled a comparison of the different pharmaceutical opioids by taking into account the different formulations and strengths of each drug. There was no change between 2001 and 2012 in morphine or oxycodone deaths per 100,000 OME grams, but a significant increase for fentanyl. In 2012, morphine-related death rates per 100,000 OME grams were significantly higher than those for oxycodone (1.7 times) and fentanyl (2.2 times). More recent data on opioid overdose deaths for Australians aged 15-54 years found that 76% of these deaths in 2013 were attributed to pharmaceutical opioids, compared with 68% in 2010. For accidental deaths only, the proportion attributable to pharmaceutical opioids increased slightly from 67% in 2010 to 68% in 2013. Data were only available to 2013, which includes the period in which the consumption and prescription of opioids began to rise in South Australia (as presented in this bulletin); mortality data from 2014-2017 are not available. Population survey data also indicate a small increase in non-medical use of prescription pain-killers/analgesics and opioids , and there has been an increase since the 1990s in the proportion of accidental overdose deaths due to prescription opioids, as well as an increase since 2006 in accidental overdose deaths due to heroin . In response to these findings, this report presents data on current trends in opioid26 use and harms, specifically: 1. The prevalence of opioid use in the population (via surveys, prescriptions, and wastewater data); 2. Hospitalisations, emergency department presentations and deaths related to opioid use; 3. Specialised services provided for opioid misuse. Where possible, South Australian data are compared with data from other States and Territories, as well as nationally. Unless otherwise stated, data presented are from South Australia. Details: Adelaide?: DASSA, 2018. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: DASSA Statistical Bulletin No. 14: Accessed November 15, 2018 at: https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/1181fe4b-0d60-4d59-b1b1-c6c001481021/Statistical+Bulletin+Opioids+Review+of+Data+2018+Update+FINAL.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-1181fe4b-0d60-4d59-b1b1-c6c001481021-mnRwR8j Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 153475

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people in child protection and under youth justice supervision: 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2017 Summary: This report presents information on people aged 10-17 who were in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2017. Young people under youth justice supervision were 9 times as likely as the general population to be in the child protection system. Indigenous Australians were 17 times as likely as their non-Indigenous counterpart to be both in the child protection system and under youth justice supervision. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 19, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/bdcab5ea-2009-4c44-95ff-8225f5171c4a/aihw-csi-26.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Services Shelf Number: 153508

Author: Farbenblum, Bassina Title: Wage Theft in Silence: Why Migrant Workers Do Not Recover Their Unpaid Wages in Australia Summary: On 29 October 2018, Bassina Farbenblum and Laurie Berg released the report Wage Theft in Silence: Why Migrant Workers Do Not Recover Their Unpaid Wages in Australia. This report reveals that the majority of migrant workers are paid well below minimum wage but very few ever take action to get the wages they are owed. This report, and the 2017 report Wage Theft in Australia, draw on responses to the National Temporary Migrant Work Survey from 4,322 participants across 107 nationalities of every region in the world, working in a range of jobs in all Australian states and territories. Key findings include: Among international students and backpackers who acknowledged they had been underpaid in Australia, the overwhelming majority suffered wage theft in silence. Fewer than one in ten took action to recover wages they were owed. Of the small number who tried to recover wages, two in three recovered nothing. Fewer than one in six received the full amount they were owed. Only 3% of underpaid participants contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman and well over half of them recovered none of their unpaid wages. Though it is often assumed that most underpaid migrant workers are not interested or willing to take action to get the wages they are owed, in fact well over half of survey participants indicated that they were open to trying to recover their wages. This suggests that if resources are devoted to interventions that better enable migrant workers to report and address underpayment, many more would do so. It is commonly assumed that migrant workers won't report underpayment because they are unfamiliar with the different legal culture in Australia. In fact, Asian participants were the most open to trying to recover their wages. Participants selected a range of rational reasons why they had not sought to address their underpayment: a quarter indicated fear of possible immigration consequences, close to a half reported that they did not know what to do, and many believed they would not be successful. Many of these barriers can be practically addressed. There is an urgent need for a new or better process for wage recovery, better resourced support services, and a guarantee that migrants' visas will not be jeopardised if they report wage theft. Details: Sydney, University of New South Wales, UNSWMigrant Worker Justice Initiative, 2018. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 19, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/593f6d9fe4fcb5c458624206/t/5bd26f620d9297e70989b27a/1540517748798/Wage+theft+in+Silence+Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 153510

Author: Berg, Laurie Title: Wage Theft in Australia: Findings of the National Temporary Migrant Work Survey Summary: The National Temporary Migrant Work Survey is the most comprehensive study of wage theft and working conditions among international students, backpackers and other temporary migrants in Australia. The survey draws on responses from 4,322 temporary migrants across 107 nationalities of every region in the world, working in a range of jobs in all states and territories. Its unprecedented scope indicates the breadth, depth and complexity of non-compliance with Australian labour law. Temporary migrants comprise up to 11% of the Australian labour market. Despite the prominence of migrant worker exploitation in the media, there has been limited empirical data on the overall nature and extent of wage theft among international students and backpackers in Australia. Still less is known about how experiences vary between students and backpackers, across nationality groups, or in different industries. This study begins to fill these gaps. It enables development of evidence-based policies and services that are more responsive to temporary migrants' diverse experiences and needs, as identified by them. The survey addressed the characteristics of temporary migrants' lowest paid job, rates and method of pay, working conditions, how they found low paid work, their knowledge of Australian minimum wages and perceptions of their labour market. It was conducted online between September and December 2016, in twelve languages in addition to English. The survey was anonymous and open to any individual who had worked in Australia on a temporary visa. Most participants (55%) were international students, followed by around a third (33%) who were backpackers (Working Holiday Makers) while working in their lowest paid job in Australia. Three quarters (77%) of international students were enrolled at a university and 23% were studying at vocational and English-language colleges. Almost half of participants (47%) were from countries in Asia, including 15% who were Chinese nationals (including Hong Kong). The majority of participants (57%) had undertaken their lowest paid job in New South Wales. Survey participants' experiences broadly reflect current conditions as 69% had arrived in Australia since 2014 and 84% since 2012. Details: Sydney: Migrant Worker Justice Initiative, University of New South Wales, 2017. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2018 at: https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/120396/1/Wage%20theft%20in%20Australia%20Report_final_web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 153516

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Police Use of CCTV on the Rail Network Summary: Despite support from police for the use of CCTV, and its popularity in public places, there has been limited research into the use of CCTV by police for investigative purposes. The current study attempted to better understand police demand for CCTV footage from the NSW rail network. Results showed the police made an average of 17 requests per day for footage, mostly for criminal investigations. On both the metropolitan and intercity network, requests were more common for stations that recorded a higher number of incidents, had more cameras, and had fewer patrons. Once station characteristics were taken into account, the findings suggested that CCTV footage was more likely to be requested from those stations with lower levels of public surveillance. This research can help to inform the design, layout and management of CCTV systems on public transport and in other locations. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi561 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: CCTV Shelf Number: 153111

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Estimating the Costs of Serious and Organised Crime in Australia: 2016-17 Summary: This report estimates the cost of serious and organised crime in Australia in 2016�17 to be between $23.8b and $47.4b. The report updates the Australian Crime Commission's estimates for 2013�14, given there have been some major developments in the available baseline data, and some further attempts to improve the costing methodology. As with the previous study, this paper considers the direct and consequential costs of serious and organised crime, as well as the costs associated with preventing and responding to serious and organised crime by government entities, businesses and individuals/households. Although costing methodologies are improving, there remains an ongoing need for government and business to collect better and more comprehensive data on how serious and organised crime affects their operations. It is clear, however, that the economic impact of serious and organised crime on the economy is substantial and growing. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr09 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Business Crime Shelf Number: 153110

Author: Australia. Senate. Education and Employment References Committee Title: Wage Theft? What Wage Theft?! The exploitation of general and specialist cleaners working in retail chains for contracting or subcontracting cleaning companies Summary: 1.1 On 19 June 2018, the Senate referred the following matter to the Education and Employment References Committee (the committee) for inquiry and report by 17 September: The exploitation of general and specialist cleaners working in retail chains for contracting or subcontracting cleaning companies, with particular reference to: (a) frameworks at both Commonwealth and industry level to protect workers from harm, including exploitation, wage theft, underpayment, wage stagnation and workplace injury; (b) measures designed to ensure workers have adequate representation and knowledge of their rights; (c) compliance with relevant workplace and taxation laws, including the effectiveness and adequacy of agencies such as the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Australian Taxation Office; (d) practices including 'phoenixing' and pyramid subcontracting; and (e) any related matters. 1.2 On 25 June 2018, the Senate granted an extension of time to report until 15 October 2018. On 13 September 2018, the Senate granted a further extension of time to report until 13 November 2018. Conduct of the inquiry 1.3 Notice of the inquiry was posted on the committee's website. The committee also wrote to key stakeholders to invite submissions. 1.4 The committee received 22 submissions, as detailed at Appendix 1. 1.5 The committee held 5 public hearings:  19 July 2018 in Caboolture;  25 July 2018 in Devonport;  4 September 2018 in Melbourne;  14 September 2018 in Canberra; and  18 October 2018 in Canberra. 1.6 A list of witnesses that appeared at these hearings is available at Appendix 2. Structure of the report 1.7 During the course of the inquiry the committee identified a number of key issues relating to the exploitation of workers in the retail cleaning industry. It also examined similar matters relating to the Commonwealth procurement of cleaning services. 1.8 Chapter 2 provides background information on the cleaning industry and identifies the characteristics that make it 'high risk' for worker exploitation. 1.9 Chapter 3 summarises the findings of the Fair Work Ombudsman's investigation into the procurement of retail cleaners in Tasmania, with a focus on Woolworths' poor management of its cleaning supply chain. It also examines the effectiveness of proactive compliance deeds as a compliance tool used by the Fair Work Ombudsman, and the limitations of the Cleaning Accountability Framework. 1.10 Chapter 4 turns to a case study in the public sector involving the Commonwealth Department of Finance and its cleaning contracting arrangements under the Property Services Coordinated Procurement framework. 1.11 Chapter 5 examines issues surrounding the fragmentation of employment chains and the effectiveness of Section 550 of the Fair Work Act 2009. 1.12 Chapter 6 contains a discussion on the additional measures needed to address non-compliant behaviour from employers, including the inappropriate use of pyramid subcontracting, the misuse of labour hire arrangements, and illegal phoenixing. 1.13 Chapter 7 sets out the need for additional measures to assist vulnerable workers. Details: Canberra: The Committee: 2018. 116p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2018 at: https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/reportsen/024233/toc_pdf/WagetheftWhatwagetheft!.pdf;fileType=application/pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 153887

Author: Guthrie, J. Title: Exploring the potential of Justice Reinvestment in Cowra: Community Report Summary: Cowra, in central west New South Wales, is in the Federal electorate of Hume and the state electorate of Cootamundra. This research project was designed to work with the community to enable them to set their priorities for how they would like money that is currently spent on incarcerating their citizens reinvested back into the community. The project was led by Dr Jill Guthrie with colleagues from the Australian National University (ANU), the University of New South Wales and other organisations. It was guided by a reference group of representatives from the Cowra Aboriginal Land Council, Cowra Shire Council and other local and international experts. The project tested the research methodology and theory of Justice Reinvestment (JR), a framework for rethinking the criminal justice system in terms of value for money invested. Within a JR approach, taxpayer money is not spent imprisoning people for low-level criminal activity; instead, that money is reinvested into the community where those people live. JR requires a shift in policy and social outlook from one of incarceration to one of non-incarceration and investing in the community and in people. It requires involvement by governments at all levels (federal, state and local, as well as Indigenous governance), non-government organisations, service providers, the business sector, the education, employment and health sectors, the police and the judiciary. The entire Cowra Community - Indigenous and non-Indigenous - participated, represented by stakeholders from health, education, housing, employment and criminal justice as well as Indigenous and non-Indigenous governance structures. This enabled whole-of-community responses to the issues. Details: Canberra: Australian National University, 2017. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2018 at: https://rsph.anu.edu.au/files/FINAL_COMMUNITY_REPORT.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Corrections Shelf Number: 153895

Author: Loxton, Deborah Title: Measuring Domestic Violence in Longitudinal Research Summary: Domestic violence is a serious public health problem. Experiences of domestic violence are associated with a plethora of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal behaviour. In addition, women effected by domestic violence have poor physical health, with chronic pain and chronic disease associated with domestic violence experiences. It is estimated that one third of women experience domestic violence worldwide. However, prevalence statistics for domestic violence vary widely depending on the sample composition, including factors such as age, cultural background, and the source of the sample. Domestic violence is a problem for women of all ages, however, the highest point prevalence is found in young women, followed by middle-aged women and then older women. Prevalence rates of domestic violence also vary depending on the cultural background of the sample. For example, the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence was undertaken across 10 countries: Thailand, Bangladesh, the United Republic of Tanzania, Ethiopia, Brazil, Japan, Samoa, Serbia, Montenegro, Peru, and Namibia. Despite consistency in measurement instruments, prevalence rates varied widely between settings, with 15% to 71% of women reporting experiences of sexual or physical partner violence. Prevalence rates are often not comparable and differ depending on the source of the sample. For example, samples drawn from clinical settings have consistently reported higher prevalence rates for domestic violence than samples drawn from the general population. For instance, Abbott, Johnson, Koziol-McLain and Lowenstein recruited participants from hospital emergency departments and reported that 54% of participants had experienced domestic violence. By contrast, 5-26% of women reported experiencing domestic violence in a nationally representative sample. Given the health issues that are associated with domestic violence, this is not a surprising result. The number and type of questions that are asked of women also influence prevalence statistics. For example, Devries et al. found that asking a single question about abuse elicits far fewer disclosures than asking the same women about abuse with a more comprehensive instrument. Questions that ask women to identify their experiences as 'violent' or 'abusive' might lead to fewer responses than items that ask about specific behaviours. The mode of data collection may also influence responses to questions about abuse. Tourangeau and Smith found that higher rates of sensitive behaviours were reported in self-administered surveys compared to surveys that were administered by interviewers. In addition to sample composition, the number and types of questions asked, mode of data collection, and the time since the abuse occurred might also impact on prevalence rates. Some longitudinal research has demonstrated that there are inconsistencies in the reporting of abuse and adversity over time. Pachana, Brilleman and Dobson found that more than half of participants inconsistently reported being grabbed, shoved, pushed, kicked or hit. That is, participants responded that they had experienced the abuse at one point but at subsequent surveys (3 and 6 years later) reported that the event had not happened. In addition, two thirds of participants inconsistently reported sexual abuse. Inconsistent responses have also been observed for childhood sexual abuse, with one third of participants inconsistently reporting this form of abuse over time. The research to date suggests that domestic violence might be subject to inconsistent reporting over time but the scope of the issue has not been assessed. Further, the types of abuse most prone to inconsistent reporting have not been examined. In addition, the reasons why women might report domestic violence inconsistently have not been explored. The aims of this project are to: - determine why there is inconsistency in responding to abuse items, - investigate the degree to which an inconsistent response indicates the presence or absence of abuse events, and - examine the relative validity of asking about abuse using different timeframes Details: Callaghan NSW , Australia: Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, 2017. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health: Accessed December 6, 2018 at: https://plan4womenssafety.dss.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Measuring-Domestic-Violence-in-Longitudinal-Research.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 153916

Author: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing for criminal offences arising from the death of a child: Final report Summary: This report presents the advice of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council (Council) following its review of penalties imposed on sentence for criminal offences arising from the death of a child, referred to the Council by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, the Honourable Yvette D'Ath MP on 26 October 2017. In developing its final report and recommendations, the Council was asked to: - consider and analyse penalties imposed on sentence for offences arising from the death of a child and report on current sentencing practices; - determine whether the penalties currently imposed for these offences adequately reflect the particular vulnerabilities of these victims; - identify any trends or anomalies that occur in such sentencing - for example, the nature of the criminal culpability forming the basis of a manslaughter charge, which may affect any sentence imposed; - assess whether existing sentencing considerations are adequate for the purposes of sentencing these offenders and identify if specific additional legislative guidance is required; - examine the approach in other Australian jurisdictions; - identify and report on any legislative or other changes required to ensure the imposition of an appropriate sentence for these offences; - identify ways to enhance community knowledge and understanding of the penalties imposed for these offences; - consult with the community and other key stakeholders; and - advise on any other matters relevant to this reference. The focus of the review was on sentencing for the offences of murder and manslaughter (referred to throughout this report as 'child homicide offences'). These offences capture offences highlighted in submissions and consultation as being of most concern to the community with respect to current sentencing practices - that is, deaths caused as a result of child abuse and neglect. Details: Brisbane: The Sentencing Advisory Council, 2018. 299p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Dec. 6, 2018 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/205141/apo-nid205141-1053826.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 153918

Author: Douglas, Bob Title: We All Pay the Price: Our Drug Laws are Tearing Apart Australia's Social Fabric, as Well as Harming Drug Users and Their Families Summary: In March 2018, Australia21 held a national summit of 36 experts in drug treatment, drug law, community welfare and the social effects of drug use, to explore the ways drug policies and practices across Australia impact on our society. The purpose of the day-long Roundtable meeting at Victoria's Parliament House was to build on the conclusions of three previous high level Roundtable summits on Illicit drug policy that Australia21 had initiated since 2012. All 36 participants were sent a discussion paper entitled "Can we impact positively on apparently intractable social problems through improved social policy to address the currently illegal drugs?" The paper argued that our current drug policy settings, with their heavy emphasis upon drug prohibition and drug law enforcement, produce harmful outcomes for people who use drugs, as well as their families and indeed, the broader community. Problems associated with illicit drugs in our community are complex, multifactorial and interrelated, and there was firm consensus among the Roundtable group that some of these problems are more the result of our drug policies than the drugs themselves. The prohibition of specified drugs perversely promotes criminal markets, encourages the growth of prison populations and damages the lives of many Australian families. The group shared evidence of current drug laws directly and disproportionately harming people who are convicted for personal use and possession, as well as having many other adverse consequences for income security, housing, parenting, child protection, domestic and family violence, family breakdown, mental health, employment, crime, social welfare, recreation, road safety and the environment. They noted that drug offences are dealt with inconsistently, so Australians in some jurisdictions are more likely to be negatively impacted than others. The group also expressed overarching concerns about the diversion of scarce human and financial resources from managing health and social issues into drug law enforcement that is unproductive, wasteful and too often harmful. Ultimately, we all pay the price for policies that are poorly targeted and even counter-productive to harm reduction. There is no magic bullet for solving problematic drug use, but there is a vast amount of strong evidence and international experience to support an approach which treats it primarily as a health and social issue and not as a criminal matter. The group noted the success of this approach in Portugal, with significant reductions in harms since its adoption in 2001. While recognising the different circumstances in the two countries, the group agreed that implementing a similar approach would be desirable for Australia, contributing to a more just, more harmonious, more inclusive and more compassionate society. The participants agreed that a range of diverse social outcomes could be improved rapidly and efficiently through a combined strategy of: - identifying drug use as a health and social issue and therefore removing criminal sanctions for personal use and possession; and - concentrating drug law enforcement on the activities of those who illegally manufacture, import, promote and traffic in drugs; and - redirecting any savings from a narrower law enforcement focus into treatment and rehabilitation; and - creating new infrastructure to build treatment and rehabilitation services, as a key pillar in the management of drug dependence. It was also agreed that long-term legalisation of drugs should be a carefully evaluated, incremental process, commencing with officially recognised "decriminalisation" of some currently illicit drugs and removal of sanctions for possession and use of specified limited amounts of the substances. The aim would always be to manage the inevitable ongoing use of psychoactive drugs so as to reduce the harm done to users and the community at large. It was recognised that after many decades of prohibition, this approach will seem counter-intuitive to some members of the community. Even some colleagues in the health and social services sectors will not yet be comfortable about supporting the removal of criminal sanctions for use and possession. Also, if the community is ambivalent or opposed, it will be very difficult for even those politicians convinced of the need for drug law reform to initiate and support the legislative action necessary for change. So this new approach would require more than just an act of legislation. It would need substantial collaboration across the health, welfare and drug law reform communities. It would need a campaign with clearly defined aims that are attractive to Australians and have tangible benefits for the entire community. It would need a nuanced communication program that deals effectively with public fears and uncertainties about giving up a punitive approach and appearing to be "soft on drugs and crime." Achieving such bold change is usually difficult and often slow, so it would also need bold leadership. Consequently, the Roundtable focused much of its discussion on what it would take to bring the Australian community along the path to reform. Several priorities emerged: - Show how a focus on law enforcement and criminalisation feeds disadvantage in already vulnerable groups and hurts the whole community. - Acknowledge community fears about drugs and demonstrate the benefits of supporting more access to prevention and treatment rather than relying heavily on punishment as the way to reduce harm from drugs. - Reframe how drug use and people who use drugs are seen in the community so the discussion is about 'us' not 'them', and communicate this in ways which appeal to different demographics and political frameworks. - Listen to the issues and concerns raised by the broader health and social services sector and engage with them on their own terms to support drug law reform. - Share information, work in collaboration across a network of agencies and individuals committed to the reform of policy and practice around drugs, and support each other and the champions of change, including those politicians willing to step up for reform. The group agreed to support the development of collaborative networks of leaders, researchers and peak bodies in the health and social welfare field in order to promote acceptance in Australia of evidence-based approaches to managing drug use. As a first step, the participants issued a public statement calling on Australia's federal, state and territory governments to treat drug use primarily as a health and social issue and to remove criminal sanctions for personal use and possession of illicit drugs - warning that there are complex two-way interactions between the punitive approach to drug use and problems including poverty, social disadvantage, unemployment, homelessness, family violence, child protection interventions, mental illness, stigma, discrimination and suicide. Since the Roundtable, the launch of the Noffs Foundation�s Take Control campaign and Uniting�s Fair Treatment campaign have provided further encouraging examples of whole-of-sector approaches. The Roundtable was co-hosted by Victorian parliamentarian Fiona Patten, a member of a seven person Victorian parliamentary inquiry which tabled the report of its year-long study into illicit drug policy a few days after the Australia21 summit. That report proposed very substantial reforms to drug policy and contained 50 recommendations for change, including Recommendation 13, that the Victorian government should "treat the offences of personal use and possession of all illicit substances as a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue". The hope is that this action proposed to the Victorian Parliament will be considered in other states and territories as well. In summary, the personal use and possession of drugs in specified limited amounts should no longer be dealt with under criminal law, but instead should be treated primarily as a health and social issue. To do this, substantial investment will be needed across Australia in local prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and harm reduction services. Law enforcement should restrict its drug focus to criminal trafficking of substances. In the longer term, and with due consideration given to local and international evidence, the objective may be to legalise, regulate and tax selected psychoactive drugs - as happens with currently legal drugs like alcohol, nicotine and therapeutic opioid preparations. The political and other difficulties of achieving these reforms should not be underestimated, but nor should the costs of continuing current policy: we all pay the price. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Australia21, 2018. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2018 at: http://australia21.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/J3271_We-all-pay-the-price-WEB.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Decriminalization Shelf Number: 153891

Author: Australian Government Title: Disrupting Illegal Offshore Gambling: 12-Month Report into the ACMA's Actions Under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 Summary: Illegal offshore gambling has a social and financial impact on Australian consumers, Australia's regulated gambling industry, race and sporting industries, and government. In 2017, the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) was amended to combat illegal offshore gambling through stronger enforcement and disruption measures. The amendments gave the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA): - expanded responsibilities and new powers to enforce prohibitions on providing or advertising illegal interactive gambling services; - new deterrent and disruption tools; - a role in raising awareness of Australian gambling laws to help minimise the supply and use of illegal interactive gambling services. In the first 12 months of operation, we have moved decisively to crack down on illegal operators in the Australian interactive gambling market. We established an Interactive Gambling Taskforce, which has targeted education, engagement and enforcement action to disrupt and deter prohibited and unlicensed offshore gambling services. We have engaged with influential players in the offshore gambling market to raise awareness of the changes to Australian interactive gambling laws, and our role in actively enforcing them. We have established key relationships with international gambling regulators, who have actively engaged with operators licensed in their jurisdiction on our behalf. We have also worked to establish cooperative relationships with other regulatory agencies in Australia that have a role in regulating the online gambling market. Our investigations and enforcement activity has been targeted to have the greatest impact in disrupting offshore gambling. This strategic approach has proven effective in driving compliance, refected in the: - withdrawal of prominent offshore gambling sites from the Australian market; - downward trend in offshore gambling expenditure. Keep reading to learn more about the approaches we�ve used to disrupt the provision of illegal offshore gambling services to Australians and the impact on the market. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Australian Communications and Media Authority, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2018 at: https://www.acma.gov.au/-/media/Interactive-Gambling-Taskforce/Report/pdf/IGA-12-month-report_FINAL-pdf.pdf?la=en Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Betting Shelf Number: 153888

Author: Healey, Lucy Title: Invisible Practices: Intervention with Fathers who Use Violence Summary: This project aimed to provide an evidence base for intervening with fathers who use domestic and family violence (DFV), in order to enhance support for women and children living with DFV. The project is a part of ANROWS's Perpetrator Interventions Research Stream. The project delivered an evidence-informed Practice Guide for workers and highlights the need for organisations to undertake systemic change to embed new practice approaches. Structured interventions with men who use violence mostly occur through the criminal justice system and specialist men's behaviour change programs. While other services, such as child protection and family support services, work with fathers who use violence, this work has never been documented or formalised. In other words, to date, this work has been largely "invisible". The project's findings are structured around four themes: - key skills identified for working with fathers who use violence and control; - key factors identified in partnering with women; key skills in ensuring a focus on children and young people; and - the role of organisations and practitioner capacity building. The project built upon earlier ANROWS research, including the PATRICIA (PAThways and Research Into Collaborative Inter-Agency practice) project, which investigated fostering collaboration between child protection and specialist DFV services. The Invisible Practices project also draws on evidence from other existing research, the expertise of practitioners in four states and the technical skills and knowledge of the US-based Safe & Together Institute's consultants David Mandel and Kyle Pinto. Details: New South Wales, Australia: Australia's National Research Organization for Women's Safety, 2018. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2018 at: https://www.anrows.org.au/node/1307 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 153950

Author: KPMG Title: Maranguka justice reinvestment project: impact assessment Summary: This is the first ever report of its kind in Australia, assessing the substantial economic impacts of investing in justice reinvestment and supporting communities to lead the solutions. Since 2012, Maranguka, the community-led entity in Bourke, in partnership with Just Reinvest NSW, has undertaken activities designed to create change within the community and the justice system. Those activities have included: Aboriginal leaders inspiring a grassroots movement for change amongst local community members, facilitating collaboration and alignment across the service system, delivering new community based programs and service hubs, and partnering with justice agencies such as the police, to evolve their procedures, behaviour and operations towards a proactive and reinvestment model of justice. The report highlights improvements in three key areas: Family strength: a 23% reduction in police recorded incidence of domestic violence and comparable drops in rates of reoffending -- Youth development: a 31% increase in year 12 student retention rates and a 38% reduction in charges across the top five juvenile offence categories -- Adult empowerment: a 14% reduction in bail breaches and 42% reduction in days spent in custody. Maranguka Justice Reinvestment has been largely supported by philanthropists. The economic impact was approximately five times greater than the operational costs in 2017. Details: [N.S.W.] : [Just Reinvest NSW], 2018. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Dec. 11, 2018 at: http://justreinvest.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Maranguka-Justice-Reinvestment-Project-KPMG-Impact-Assessment-FINAL-REPORT.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 153885

Author: Bergin, Anthony Title: Safety in Numbers: Australia's Private Security Guard Force and Counterterrorism Summary: The private security guarding sector is a vital piece of the national security puzzle that has not been drawn into Australia�s counterterrorism planning. There are more than 120,000 licenced security guards in Australia. The security industry has more than double the personnel of Australia�s combined police agencies and permanent Australian Defence Force. Private security staff provide the �eyes, ears and hands� before any terrorist attack and an ability to be first responders after any security-related incident. This report outlines the problems that are holding the guarding sector back from being an active participant in national counterterrorist plans and presents recommendations to enable the private security industry to become an effective part of our counterterrorist capability. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Policy Institute, 2018. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 17, 2018 at: https://www.asial.com.au/documents/item/1645 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 153872

Author: Webster, Kim Title: Australians' Attitudes to Violence Against Women and Gender Equality: Findings from the 2017 National Community Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS) Summary: This report presents the findings of the 2017 National Community Attitudes Survey Towards Violence Against Women (NCAS) survey, and considers them in the context of other related research. The NCAS survey aims to monitor people's understanding of, and attitudes towards, violence against women, including their attitudes towards gender equality, what influences their attitudes, and whether they are prepared to intervene when witnessing abuse or disrespect towards women. The 2017 survey was conducted with a representative sample of 17,500 Australians aged 16 years and over, and has been previously held in 1995, 2009, and 2013. Overall, most participants have accurate knowledge of violence against women and do not endorse this violence, and most support gender equality. However, a significant number believe that women make up sexual assault accusations to get back at men and that gender inequality is exaggerated or no longer a problem. Sections include: About the Survey; The need for action to reduce and prevent violence against women; Why measure knowledge, attitudes and intentions?; About the 2017 questionnaire; Analysing and reporting the results; Benchmarking knowledge and understanding of violence against women; Benchmarking attitudes towards gender equality; Benchmarking attitudes to violence against women; Knowledge and attitudes among people and in places; Knowledge and attitudes in social contexts and occupations; Factors influencing knowledge and attitudes; Intended responses to violence against women; Key findings in Australian states and territories; Strengths and limitations of the NCAS; Discussion of findings and implications for policy, practice and further research. Separate reports for the samples of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, and young people will be published separately; and the methodology is explained in greater detail in a separate report. Details: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Australia 's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, 2018. 192p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 18, 2018 at: https://ncas.anrows.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/NCAS-report-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aborigines Shelf Number: 154038

Author: Wise, Jenny Title: Impact of the 'Yes, I Can!" Adult Literacy Campaign on Interactions with the Criminal Justice System Summary: Low levels of literacy and education are often associated with negative interactions with and experiences of the criminal justice system. Low literacy also contributes to the over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the justice system. This paper examines service provider and criminal justice practitioner perspectives of the 'Yes, I Can!' adult literacy campaign. Interviews with 22 workers in regional New South Wales suggest that the majority believe the 'Yes, I Can!' program can potentially improve the type and frequency of interactions between Indigenous Australians and the criminal justice system. Overwhelmingly, participants viewed increasing literacy levels as key in empowering Indigenous Australians and enhancing encounters with criminal justice service providers. Further study and evaluation, including interviewing participants of the 'Yes, I Can!' campaign and community Elders, is of utmost importance. Details: Canberra, ACT: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 18, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi562 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Education and Crime Shelf Number: 154037

Author: Independent Commission Against Corruption Title: Corruption and Integrity in the NSW Public Sector: An Assessment of Current Trends and Events Summary: All NSW public sector agencies should take a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and serious misconduct that is uncovered in the workplace. Ideally, however, agencies should be equally committed to preventing misconduct or, at the very least, building a workplace climate that is resistant to misconduct in all its forms. Agencies should also be fostering a climate of integrity and accountability. This report assists this objective by identifying areas that are susceptible to corruption and describing relevant prevention tips, red flags and case studies. By global standards, NSW is rightly regarded as not having a significant level of public sector corruption. Citizens can go about their regular dealings with government; safe in the assumption that they will not have to pay or offer a bribe for services they require. But, despite this sanguine assessment, the Commission retains a significant caseload of investigations, and reported incidents of corrupt conduct continue to attract a high level of public concern. As this report indicates, there can be no room for complacency. If systemic and operational weaknesses are not addressed, corruption can take hold and cause significant damage to an agency�s finances, productivity and reputation. The issues, examples and suggestions contained in this report will assist agencies to target the areas of greatest risk. Details: New South Wales, Australia: Independent Commission Against Corruption, 2018. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 9, 2019 at: http://www.icac.nsw.gov.au/docman/preventing-corruption/cp-publications-guidelines/5358-corruption-and-integrity-in-the-nsw-public-sector-an-assessment-of-current-trends-and-events/file Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154058

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Perceptions of Corruption: Survey of Victorian State Government Employees Summary: Overview The Victorian community depends on the Victorian public sector to deliver a broad range of goods and services that impact all aspects of our lives � including education, health, transport, justice and emergency services � and rightly expects that public sector employees conduct themselves with integrity. This report outlines the responses of state government employees following research into their understanding of corruption, their perceptions of corruption and misconduct, attitudes to reporting corruption and misconduct, and attitudes towards preventing corruption. Corruption in any part of the public sector can result in the community losing confidence in the public sector. It usually involves the misuse of public money, depriving programs and projects of valuable and limited funds which adversely impacts the community. Since becoming fully operational early in 2013, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) has conducted a number of major investigations into alleged serious corrupt conduct in the Victorian public sector. In 2016, IBAC engaged research company Urbis to conduct research on perceptions of corruption. Employees from state and local government were surveyed, as were Victoria Police officers and employees, and members of the Victorian community. For the purposes of this report, state government includes government departments and public entities including schools and public hospitals. A separate report is available on local government employee perceptions of corruption. Details: Melbourne, Australia: 2017. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2019 at: https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/research-documents/perceptions-of-corruption-survey-of-victorian-state-government-employees.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154123

Author: Dowling, Christopher Title: Is Methamphetamine Use Associated with Domestic Violence? Summary: Abstract There is considerable evidence of the impact of methamphetamine use on violent behaviour. This paper presents findings from a review of existing research on the association between methamphetamine use and domestic violence. Eleven studies met the criteria for inclusion. Domestic violence is common among methamphetamine users; however, methamphetamine users account for a small proportion of all domestic violence offenders. There is evidence that methamphetamine users are more likely than non-users to perpetrate domestic violence. Importantly, methamphetamine use is frequently present along with other risk factors. This means methamphetamine use probably exacerbates an existing predisposition to violence, rather than causing violent behaviour. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi563 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 154075

Author: Brown, Rick Title: Exploring the Relationship between Organised Crime and Volume Crime Summary: Abstract: Volume crimes such as burglary, theft, criminal damage, drug possession, assault and fraud are often treated in popular discourse as a separate category of criminal behaviour to crimes committed by organised criminal groups. Yet in reality there is considerable overlap, with organised criminal groups involved in various forms of volume crime. As part of a program of work investigating the criminal histories of members of organised criminal groups, this study explores the different ways in which such offenders could be involved with volume crime and their motivations for doing so. A typology describes eight ways in which members of organised criminal groups are involved in volume crime. These include professional organisation, methodologically sophisticated crime, covert business practices, service provision, brokerage, business protection, income generation and way of life. Further research should quantify the extent to which members of organised criminal groups in Australia participate in these activities. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi565 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Assault Shelf Number: 154181

Author: Australia. The Treasury Title: Improving Black Economy Enforcement and Offences Summary: Introduction The black economy covers a range of activities that fall outside of the visibility of regulators, and is constantly evolving. The black economy harms those less able to protect themselves (e.g. migrant workers) and penalises those doing the right thing (e.g. businesses complying with regulations). These people bear the cost of the individuals and businesses dishonestly participating in the black economy. While the financial costs for individuals and businesses are significant, it is the societal costs that can cause the most harm. The black economy undermines trust and creates an uneven playing field. In response to this, the Government established the Black Economy Taskforce (the Taskforce) in December 2016 following an initial investigation by the Board of Taxation which showed that a concerted effort was needed to halt or reverse growth in the black economy. The Black Economy Taskforce Final report (the Taskforce�s Report) illustrated the complexity of the problem, with 80 recommendations (including supplementary recommendations) spanning the whole economy. 1.2 A more targeted, stronger and more visible approach to enforcement The Government responded with a whole of government strategy, including funding to educate the public and greater enforcement (including visibility of enforcement) to combat black economy activities, as well as a commitment to a more targeted, stronger and more visible approach to enforcement. This consultation paper seeks views on a number of proposed amendments to black economy offences and penalties, and a proposal to streamline prosecution processes, as part of that commitment. Details: Canberra, Australia: The Treasury, 2018. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2019 at: https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2018/11/Consultation-Paper-Improving-black-economy-enforcement-and-offences.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Black Economy Shelf Number: 154173

Author: Kezelman, Cathy Title: The Cost of Unresolved Childhood Trauma and Abuse in Adults in Australia Summary: Executive Summary Childhood trauma including abuse affects an estimated five million Australian adults. It is a substantial public health issue with significant individual and community health, welfare and economic repercussions. Unresolved childhood trauma has short-term and life-long impacts which substantially erode both national productivity and national well-being. It needs to be seen as a mainstream public health policy issue and responded to accordingly. Pegasus Economics estimates that if the impacts of child abuse (sexual, emotional and physical) on an estimated 3.7 million adults are adequately addressed through active timely and comprehensive intervention, the combined budget position of Federal, State and Territory Governments could be improved by a minimum of $6.8 billion annually. In the population of adult survivors of childhood trauma more broadly i.e. a figure of 5 million adults, this estimate rises to $9.1 billion. These figures represent a combined effect of higher Government expenditure and foregone tax revenue. If adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse experienced the same life outcomes as nontraumatised adults, the collective budget deficits of Australian governments would be improved, at a minimum, by an amount roughly equivalent to the entire Government outlay on tertiary education. These estimates, based on a conservative set of assumptions, indicate extraordinary cost savings. On different, but still plausible assumptions, the annual budgetary cost of unresolved childhood trauma could be as high as $24 billion. While child abuse includes sexual, physical and emotional abuse, childhood trauma is a broader more comprehensive category. For each, the common element is the powerlessness of the child, due to age and dependency, to prevent or minimise it. Early life trauma and abuse affect the developing brain and have many possible impacts on daily adult life. These include the coping strategies children adopt to minimise overwhelm. Such strategies, highly creative and potentially effective in the short-term, may still be used in adult life. Perpetuated when the underlying trauma is not resolved, these coping strategies are associated with health risks in adulthood. Reducing costs of childhood trauma -- Addressing child sexual, emotional and physical abuse alone could lead to a potential minimum gain of $6.8 billion for the combined Federal, State and Territory Government budgets. The minimum gain from addressing the problem of childhood trauma more generally is $9.1 billion. Active timely and comprehensive intervention, with appropriate support, resources, services and treatment enables adult survivors to participate more fully and productively in the Australian community. Governments are currently exploring a range of revenue measures and expenditure cuts to restore the budget position. As Australia's population ages the long-term prognosis for the budget is for continuing strain; the main driver of deteriorating finances is forecast health expenditures. The Commonwealth Government's most recent inter-generational report (Swan, 2012) showed the major future stress on government expenditures to be in health outlays. As a percentage of GDP, health expenditure is forecast to rise from 3.9% in this current year to 7.1% in 2049-50 (an almost doubling in proportional expenditure). Progress in reducing the impact of childhood trauma and abuse in adults can make a positive contribution not only to the health budget challenges that lie ahead but also to those related to the welfare and criminal justice systems and the lower taxation revenue associated with the impact. Active timely comprehensive intervention will help address childhood trauma and abuse in adults Active investment in specialist services Specialist services are needed to spearhead policy and practice responses to adult childhood trauma and abuse survivors. Active investment to support a coordinated comprehensive model of care, including continued and increased access to effective help lines and online services, is needed. Timely active comprehensive intervention including appropriate support, counselling, resources and services promotes recovery. When survivors comprehensively overcome their trauma they and their children are freed to live productive, healthy and constructive lives. A key by-product of addressing the impacts of childhood trauma in adults is a financial benefit to Federal, State and Territory Government budgets. People affected by unresolved childhood trauma incur significant costs on taxpayers. This occurs through higher Government expenditure on health spending, welfare support and criminal justice costs, as well as via lower taxation revenue. More and better trained treating practitioners - counsellors/therapists Unfortunately our public health system has evolved in a way which means that adult mental health services focus on addressing immediate health issues (such as depression and alcoholism) rather than identifying and addressing underlying causes (such as prior childhood trauma and abuse). A convenient and failsafe pathway to treatment - No wrong door Frontline practitioners: General Practitioners and nurse practitioners will inevitably see people who have been impacted by childhood trauma including abuse, on a daily basis. These contacts provide an opportunity to facilitate a process whereby the person who presents can start receiving the right support, either directly or through targeted referral including specialist counselling, ideally from an accredited practitioner. Training is needed to enable primary care practitioners to identify trauma survivors and to respond appropriately. System, service and institutional improvements - Trauma-informed practice Benefits can also be achieved by raising awareness around the possibility of unresolved trauma in people who seek diverse services across health and human service systems, agencies, organisations and institutions. Adults who experience the ongoing impacts of unresolved childhood trauma will necessarily need to access various services. Broad-based implementation of trauma-informed practice and responses will help minimise the impact of trauma and the risk of re-traumatisation of people who have experienced childhood trauma including abuse. Details: Milson's Point, New South Wales, Australia: Blue Knot Foundation, 2015. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 16, 2019 at: https://www.blueknot.org.au/Portals/2/Economic%20Report/The%20cost%20of%20unresolved%20trauma_budget%20report%20fnl.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Abuse Shelf Number: 154214

Author: Queensland. Audit Office Title: Security of Critical Water Infrastructure Summary: Reliable drinking water and wastewater services are essential to all Queenslanders. Water service providers protect the quality of drinking water by operating treatment plants that remove contaminants. These service providers generally use computer systems to control operations of water treatment plants, and related facilities and assets. Because of the critical importance of clean drinking water to the community, it is vital that water service providers identify and manage security risks associated with this infrastructure. Failure or security breaches in these control systems can have major consequences for the health of citizens, the environment, and the businesses that rely on these services. In this audit, we assessed whether a selection of entities responsible for critical water infrastructure have processes in place to protect their water control systems. We carried out our own tests, known as penetration tests, to identify and exploit security vulnerabilities. We also assessed whether these entities could detect the security breaches and restore the systems in the event of an attack. Details: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia: Queensland Audit Office, 2017. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 18, 2019 at: https://www.qao.qld.gov.au/reports-parliament/security-critical-water-infrastructure-report-19-2016-17 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154272

Author: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Title: Consultation Paper: Criminal Justice Summary: The importance of a criminal justice response Criminal justice for victims In Chapter 2, we discuss the importance of a criminal justice response for victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. Criminal justice involves the interests of the entire community in the detection and punishment of crime in general, in addition to the personal interests of the victim or survivor of the particular crime. Survivors have told us of a variety of responses they have sought from the criminal justice system, and they have expressed a range of views on what they would have regarded as 'justice' for a criminal justice response. We recognise that a criminal justice response is important to survivors not only in seeking 'justice' for them personally but also in encouraging reporting of child sexual abuse and preventing child sexual abuse in the future. Past and future criminal justice responses In private sessions and in personal submissions in response to Issues Paper No 8 � Experiences of police and prosecution responses (Issues Paper 8), we have heard accounts from survivors of their experiences with police, particularly from the 1940s onwards, and of their experiences with prosecutions from the 1970s and 1980s onwards. Survivors have told us of both positive and negative experiences with police and prosecution responses. In general terms, many of the negative experiences we have been told about were experienced in earlier periods of time through to the early 2000s. In our policy work on criminal justice responses, our main focus must be on understanding the contemporary response of the criminal justice system to institutional child sexual abuse and on identifying how it can be made more effective. Criminal justice and institutional child sexual abuse The criminal justice system is often seen as not being effective in responding to crimes of sexual violence, including adult sexual assault and child sexual abuse, both institutional and noninstitutional. Research identifies the following features of the criminal justice system's treatment of these crimes: - lower reporting rates - higher attrition rates - lower charging and prosecution rates - fewer guilty pleas - fewer convictions. There are also features of institutional child sexual abuse cases that may affect the ability of the criminal justice system to respond effectively to these cases. These include: - 'word against word' cases, where there are no eyewitnesses to the abuse and no medical or scientific evidence - the importance of the complainant being willing to proceed, particularly where their evidence is the only direct evidence of the abuse - lengthy delays, where many survivors take years, even decades, to disclose their abuse. This can make investigation and prosecution more difficult - particularly vulnerable victims may be involved, including young children or people with disability. There are also many myths and misconceptions about sexual offences, including child sexual abuse, that have affected the criminal justice system's responses to child sexual abuse prosecutions. The myths and misconceptions have influenced the law and the attitudes jury members bring to their decision-making. The following myths and misconceptions have been particularly prominent in child sexual abuse cases: - women and children make up stories of sexual assault - a victim of sexual abuse will cry for help and attempt to escape their abuser � that is, there will be no delay in reporting abuse and a 'real' victim will raise a 'hue and cry' as soon as they are abused - a victim of sexual abuse will avoid the abuser � that is, a 'real' victim will not return to the abuser or spend time with them or have mixed feelings about them - sexual assault, including child sexual assault, can be detected by a medical examination � that is, there will be medical evidence of the abuse in the case of 'real' victims. Operation of the criminal justice system There has been much academic debate about what might be said to be the purposes of the criminal justice system. In addition to the purpose of punishing the particular offender, the criminal justice system also seeks to reduce crime by deterring others from offending. The criminal justice systems in Australian jurisdictions function through an 'adversarial' system of justice, where the prosecution (representing the Crown) and the defence (representing the accused) each put forward their case and any evidence in relation to whether the act was committed, by whom, and with what intent. Theoretically, this 'contest between the parties' is designed to produce the most compelling argument as to what the truth of the matter is. Given that the investigation and prosecution of criminal matters is undertaken by the state, there is seen to be an imbalance between the prosecution and the accused. In recognition of this imbalance, a number of principles have emerged through the development of the common law to ensure that trials are conducted fairly. These include the following: - The prosecution must prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that the accused committed the crime or crimes charged. The corollary of this principle is that the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. - The accused has a right to silence. This means that the accused cannot be compelled to give evidence or confess guilt. - The criminal trial should be conducted without unreasonable delay. - The accused has the right to examine witnesses in order to test the credibility of the witness and their testimony. - The prosecution is obliged to act independently and impartially and to conduct the case fairly. - If an accused is charged with a serious offence and lacks the financial means to engage legal representation, he or she should be provided with a lawyer. Many survivors have told us that they feel that the criminal justice system is weighted in favour of the accused. Some survivors who have participated as complainants in prosecutions have told us that they felt almost incidental to the criminal justice system and that they had little control over matters that were very important to them. Recognition of victims has increased over the last 50 years. States and territories introduced victims' compensation schemes from 1967 onwards. In the 1990s, emphasis shifted towards providing greater support services for victims. Victim impact statements were also introduced, and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) guidelines required prosecutors to consult with victims. In 2013, Australia's Attorneys-General endorsed the National Framework for Rights and Services for Victims of Crime. Other responses to institutional child sexual abuse A number of stakeholders have argued that the Royal Commission should consider the use of restorative justice approaches (involving a range of processes to address the harm caused to victims) in connection with, or instead of, traditional criminal justice responses to institutional child sexual abuse. It appears that restorative justice may not be available for or of assistance to many survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, including: - because of the power dynamics and seriousness of institutional child sexual abuse offending, restorative justice approaches may only be suitable in only a small number of these cases. - many survivors do not wish to seek a restorative justice outcome with the perpetrator of the abuse - given the frequent delay before reporting, many offenders will be unavailable or unwilling to participate in restorative justice approaches. The Royal Commission provided for elements of restorative justice approaches in institutional child sexual abuse through the 'direct personal response' component of redress. The recommendations we made in our Report on redress and civil litigation (2015) are not intended as an alternative to criminal justice for survivors. Ideally, victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse should have access to justice through both criminal justice responses and redress and civil litigation. Some survivors have also told us that they found real benefit in state and territory statutory victims of crime compensation schemes because the decisions made by the relevant tribunals or administrators gave them official recognition of the crimes committed against them. Our approach to criminal justice reforms It must be recognised that the criminal justice system is unlikely ever to provide an easy or straightforward experience for a complainant of institutional child sexual abuse. However, we consider it important that survivors seek and obtain a criminal justice response to any child sexual abuse in an institutional context in order to: - punish the offender for their wrongdoing and recognise the harm done to the victim - identify and condemn the abuse as a crime against the victim and the broader community - emphasise that abuse is not just a private matter between the perpetrator and the victim - increase awareness of the occurrence of child sexual abuse through the reporting of charges, prosecutions and convictions - deter further child sexual abuse, including through the increased risk of discovery and detection. We also consider that seeking a criminal justice response to institutional child sexual abuse is an important way of increasing institutions', governments' and the community's knowledge and awareness not only that such abuse happens but also of the circumstances in which it happens. We consider that all victims and survivors should be encouraged and supported to seek a criminal justice response and that the criminal justice system should not discourage victims and survivors from seeking a criminal justice response through reporting to police. We are satisfied that any necessary reforms should be made to ensure that: - criminal justice responses are available for victims and survivors who are able to seek them - victims and survivors are supported in seeking criminal justice responses - the criminal justice system operates in the interests of seeking justice for society, including the complainant and the accused. Regulatory responses to child sexual abuse However, it is unrealistic to expect that all true allegations of institutional child sexual abuse will result in a criminal conviction of the accused, even if the criminal justice system is reformed to achieve these objectives. We recognise the importance of ensuring that regulatory responses focusing on child protection can interact effectively with criminal justice responses, particularly in cases where there is no criminal conviction. These regulatory responses include reportable conduct schemes, Working with Children Check schemes and industry regulation. Details: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2016. 709p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/consultation-papers Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Abuser Shelf Number: 154273

Author: Cerreto, Anna Title: Ngaga-Dji (Hear Me): Youth Voices Creating Change for Justice Summary: The Ngaga-dji project voices the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Victoria's youth justice system. Ngaga-dji is driving the change Victoria�s youth justice system needs to enable Aboriginal children to thrive in their communities. The stories in Ngaga-dji are from the heart, they are about love, trauma, strength, discrimination and healing. They are about justice and equality. These children are telling their stories because they trust us to listen and take action on the Ngaga-dji solutions. Details: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Koorie Youth Council, 2018. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://www.ngaga-djiproject.org.au/ Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Shelf Number: 154286

Author: Australia. Department of Social Services Title: National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children: Fourth Action Plan (2019-22) Background and Evidence Summary Summary: Overview The Fourth Action Plan, 'Turning the Corner' is the final Action Plan under the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and Their Children 2010-2022 (National Plan). The Fourth Action Plan will continue to provide a coordinated approach to reducing violence against women and their children through collaboration with all Australian jurisdictions. The priorities explored through the consultation include: - reducing violence against women and their children through prevention activities - reducing sexual violence - addressing the impact of violence on women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities  addressing the impact of violence on women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. - addressing the impact of violence on women with disability - addressing the impact of violence on LGBTIQ people - developing workforce capability - responding to the impact of family and domestic violence on children - adequate crisis accommodation - supporting the medium to long-term safety, wellbeing and independence of women and their children - addressing technology-facilitated abuse - access to justice. The purpose of this paper is to provide information on the evidence base for priorities explored through the consultations. This is not a comprehensive overview of all of the research available, and does not claim to represent the breadth of the conversations which have been had. It is also acknowledged that there are still gaps in the research and data. Details: Canberra, Australia: Department of Social Services, 2018. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://plan4womenssafety.dss.gov.au/the-national-plan/the-fourth-action-plan-2019-2022/ Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aborigines Shelf Number: 154285

Author: Freeman, Karen Title: Domestic and Family Violence by Juvenile Offenders: Offender, Victim and Incident Characteristics Summary: Aim: To examine domestic and family violence perpetrated by juveniles in New South Wales, including identifying characteristics of offenders, victims, and incidents. Method: Descriptive analysis was undertaken of a cohort of persons aged under 18 years who were proceeded against by New South Wales Police for domestic assault. A sub-sample of 200 police narratives for this cohort was further analysed to identify more detailed contextual factors associated with these incidents. Case studies are presented. Results: While the majority of juvenile offenders were male, approximately one third were female. Approximately half of the sample of offenders had criminal proceedings in the 24 months prior to, and the 12 months following, the reference offence, showing a pattern of ongoing criminal behaviour. Victims were more likely to be female, and more likely to be a family member, predominantly a parent, than an intimate partner. Both male and female victims were more likely to be assaulted by a male than female offender. The vast majority of incidents occurred in the victim's home and involved physical violence but did not involve a weapon. Alcohol and other drug use was infrequently associated with these incidents, however mental health issues experienced by the offender was noted in approximately one in four incidents. Conclusion: While domestic and family violence by juveniles has commonalities with domestic and family violence by adults, the nature of the relationship between victims and offenders presents unique challenges in providing appropriate responses to, and services for, victims and offenders. Details: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/2018/10/02/report-domestic-and-family-violence-juvenile-offenders-offender-victim-and-incident Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Assault Shelf Number: 154284

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: What are the Taxpayer Savings from Cancelling the Visas of Organised Crime Offenders? Summary: Abstract This study estimates the taxpayer savings from cancelling or refusing the visas of organised crime offenders. Using data from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Department of Home Affairs, the research produced a statistical model of the known lifetime offending by organised crime offenders in Australia and applied this to the 184 organised crime offenders whose visas were cancelled / refused between December 2014 and May 2018. The results show organised crime offenders are a prolific group. They show a level of activity, and persistence in offending, unlikely to be observed in any general population of offenders. Offending by outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG) members is more serious than other organised crime offenders. Cancelling or refusing the visas of 184 organised crime offenders (139 of whom were OMCG members) is estimated to save the community $116 million as a result of the crimes prevented and savings to the prison system. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 21, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr8 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Cost-Benefit Shelf Number: 154331

Author: Australia. Parliament Joint Standing Committee on Migration Title: No One Teaches You to Become an Australian: Report of the Inquiry into Migrant Settlement Outcomes Summary: Introduction Conduct of the inquiry 1.1 On 17 November 2016, the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, and the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Christian Porter MP, asked the Committee to inquire into and report on migrant settlement outcomes. The terms of reference of the inquiry were to have particular regard to: - The mix, coordination and extent of settlement services available and the effectiveness of these services in promoting better settlement outcomes for migrants; - National and international best practice strategies for improving migrant settlement outcomes and prospects; - The importance of English language ability on a migrant's, or prospective migrant's, settlement outcome; - Whether current migration processes adequately assess a prospective migrant�s settlement prospects; and - Any other related matter. 1.2 The Committee shall give particular consideration to social engagement of youth migrants, including involvement of youth migrants in anti-social behaviour such as gang activity, and the adequacy of the Migration Act 1958 character test provisions as a means to address issues arising from this behaviour. Structure of the report 1.3 The Committee's report is structured around the inquiry's terms of reference. This introductory chapter provides an outline of the conduct of the inquiry and a brief background on the economic benefits of migration. 1.4 An examination of migrant settlement services administered by the Commonwealth, States and Territories and education and language training for migrants is in Chapters 2 and 3 respectively. 1.5 Chapter 4 considers employment programs for migrants and Chapter 5 looks at the community perceptions of migrants, programs that engage migrant families, in particular parents, and the impact of housing accessibility on migrant families. 1.6 Chapter 6 focuses on extracurricular activities for migrant youth such as sports and the arts and Chapter 7 provides some factual background information on migrant youth and anti-social behaviour; an examination of the character test provisions (section 501 of the Migration Act 1958) and intervention strategies such as mentoring programs and justice reinvestment. 1.7 Chapter 8 provides an overview of the Committee's Parliamentary delegation to United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and the United States of America between 2 and 16 July 2017. Economic benefits of migration 1.8 Prior to examining the evidence received during the course of this inquiry, the Committee wanted to provide a brief overview of the economic benefits of migration generally, particularly in the Australian context and the contribution from humanitarian entrants. The Committee notes that there does not appear to be much recent research or data available. However, the Committee is of the view that the conclusions that were reached at those times are just as relevant today as they were when first released. 1.9 There have been a number of studies both internationally and nationally that have considered whether migration is good for the economy. 1.10 The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) listed a number of positive outcomes from migration in the labour market, the public purse and economic growth: Labour markets - Migrants fill important niches both in fast-growing and declining sectors of the economy. - Like the native-born, young migrants are better educated than those nearing retirement. - Migrants contribute significantly to labour-market flexibility. The public purse - Migrants contribute more in taxes and social contributions than they receive in benefits. - Labour migrants have the most positive impact on the public purse. - Employment is the single biggest determinant of migrants' net fiscal contribution. Economic growth - Migration boosts the working-age population. - Migrants arrive with skills and contribute to human capital development of receiving countries. - Migrants also contribute to technological progress. 1.11 The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in their report on the Impact of Migration on Income Levels in Advanced Economies, stated that long-term migration can improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of receiving advanced economies significantly:... a 1 percentage point increase in the share of migrants in the adult population can raise GDP per capita by up to 2 per cent in the long run. Both high- and low-skilled migrants contribute, in part by complementing the existing skill set of the population. Finally, the gains from immigration appear to be broadly shared. 1.12 Every five years, the Australian Government produces an intergenerational report that assesses how changes to Australia's population size and age profile, including through migration, may impact on economic growth, workforce and public finances. In the 2015 Intergenerational Report, the Treasury noted the importance of migration as a source of labour: Historically, immigration has been an important source of labour supply for Australia. Since at least the 1980s, immigration has made the largest contribution to growth in Australia's working age population (aged 15 years and over). 1.13 The Treasury added that migrants increase labour force participation rates: Participation rates also increase as the level of net overseas migration increases. Migrants tend to be younger, on average, than the resident population, and therefore increase overall labour force participation rates. 1.14 The Treasury concluded:...attracting skilled migrants can provide both economic and social benefits to Australia. In an increasingly competitive global labour market, skilled migration that is well targeted and appropriately adjusted to our economic circumstances will support Australian employers and businesses, and provide benefits through a younger and more skilled population in which there are more workers supporting the rest of the community. 1.15 In March 2015 the Migration Council of Australia released the report, The Economic Impact of Migration, which contained an analysis of the economic contribution of migration to Australia. The report found that: - Migration added 15.7 per cent to our workforce participation rate; 21.9 per cent to after tax real wages for low skilled workers; and 5.9 per cent in GDP per capita growth; and - The economy will be 40 per cent larger as a result of migration and contributing approximately $1.6 trillion to the Australian economy. 1.16 More specifically, research shows that humanitarian entrants provide a number of economic benefits. 1.17 In June 2006, the former Department of Immigration and Citizenship completed a research paper on the Economic, social and civic contributions of first and second generation humanitarian entrants. The research paper found: - Humanitarian entrants help meet labour shortages, including in low skill and low paid occupations. They display strong entrepreneurial qualities compared with other migrant groups, with a higher than average proportion engaging in small and medium business enterprises. - Humanitarian settlers benefit the wider community through developing and maintaining economic linkages with their origin countries. In addition, they make significant contributions through volunteering in both the wider community and within their own community groups. 1.18 The report concluded that while the initial years of settlement are difficult, there is strong evidence to show both an economic and social benefit to Australia: The initial years of settlement of humanitarian settlers are often difficult and intensive in the use of government provided support services. The circumstances of their migration make this inevitable. Nevertheless the evidence which has been assembled here has demonstrated that over time there is a strong pattern of not only economic and social adjustment but also of significant contribution to the wider society and economy. Details: Canberra, Australia: Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, 2017. 278p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2019 at: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Migration/settlementoutcomes/Report Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154365

Author: Australia. Department of Health Title: Report of the Review of Australia's Sports Integrity Arrangements Summary: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Review of Australia's Sports Integrity Arrangements (Review) was requested as part of the work being done by the Australian Government to develop a National Sport Plan (Plan). The further development of the Plan now falls within the responsibility of the Minister for Sport, Senator the Hon. Bridget McKenzie, to whom this report is delivered. The increasing commercialisation of sport, the rapid growth in sports wagering, and revelations of ongoing manipulation of sports competitions and doping scandals, has made this Review timely. The Plan is intended to have four pillars: performance, participation, prevention through physical activity, and integrity. The reference to theReview Panel concerned the integrity pillar. Integrity, however, plays a fundamental role in ensuring public confidence in, and the ongoing viability of, all elements of the Plan. Sport has been and continues to be a very important part of life in Australia. At an international level, our athletes have acquired an enviable reputation for their successes and, just as importantly, for their positive competitive spirit and fairness. Similarly, sports organisations and bodies such as the National Integrity of Sport Unit (NISU), the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) have been proactive in deterring, detecting and responding to corrupt behaviour in sport and have similarly been accepted as leaders in their field. This supports the very high level of participation in sport of so many Australians at national, subelite and grassroots levels. Australia�s sports integrity environment compares favourably with many other countries. However, judging from current international experience, the potential for serious integrity breaches in this country and for the intervention of organised crime by reason of available opportunities remains real, and is growing. Without the presence of a comprehensive, effective and nationally coordinated response capability, the hard-earned reputation of sport in this country risks being tarnished, along with a potential reduction in participation rates and a diminution in the social, cultural and economic value of Australia�s significant investment in sport. The focus of this Review, accordingly, has been on developing an understanding of the nature and level of the threats to sports integrity in Australia, to identify and assess our current sports integrity capability and any current weaknesses, and to propose a nationally coordinated response. Elements for that response include the establishment of a National Sports Integrity Commission (NSIC) and a National Sports Tribunal (NST). SPORTS INTEGRITY DEFINED The definition of integrity that we have adopted for this Review is intentionally wide and is capable of capturing the full range of corrupt activity within sport, ranging from serious and organised crime related interventions to minor code and ethics breaches. By reason of the 2011 National Policy on Match-fixing in Sport (National Policy) and the National Anti-Doping Scheme (NAD Scheme), sporting organisations seeking ASC recognition and access to government funding have adopted relevant integrity policies (including match-fixing and anti-doping policies) with which athletes and others are required to comply under agreements with the relevant organisation. It is on the implementation of these policies that this Review has focused, with an awareness that those involved in corrupt sporting activities can include athletes, coaches, trainers, managers, match officials and others subject to contractual obligations requiring compliance with relevant policies, and in addition outsiders who may not be subject to similar conditions, such as venue staff, wagering service providers (WSPs), wagerers, unaccredited sports scientists and player agents. The challenge that is presented, and that we have addressed in this Review, is one that potentially impacts on almost every aspect of the sporting environment. Beyond the sporting contest itself, the threat of corruption to the integrity of sport can extend to the way in which athletes are managed and developed, player transfers, salary caps, the purchase of clubs, marketing and sponsorship, the bidding process for events and so on. Details: Canberra, Australia: Department of Health, 2018. 280p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 22, 2019 at: https://consultations.health.gov.au/population-health-and-sport-division/review-of-australias-sports-integrity-arrangements/supporting_documents/HEALTH%20RASIA%20Report_Acc.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154358

Author: Victoria Police Title: Inspectorate Review 20/2011: Evaluation of Pursuits: Final Report Summary: The decision to engage in a pursuit is one of the most difficult police face. It is also among the quickest they must make. The need to apprehend suspects in order to maintain a lawful society is obvious. The manner and method of apprehensions, especially in cases of automobile pursuits, is however, an object of criticism and disagreement for many commentators. The need to pursue is a dilemma that faces Victoria Police, and policing organisations worldwide. The fallout public opinion and media commentary that follows a pursuit indicates it truly is the case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Bearing this in mind, it is important to highlight the following statistics: - Fatalities from police pursuits make up less than 1% of our State Road Toll - Fatalities from police pursuits make up less than 1% of total pursuit outcomes Victoria Police seeks to eliminate all fatalities and road trauma collisions from our roads. In respect to pursuits, our actions, training, systems, practices and policy contribute significantly towards mitigating risks, and in doing so accords with the our priorities of delivering A Safer Victoria. Review - The 2011 Pursuits Review was undertaken in consideration of the following Terms of Reference: 1. Evaluate the current operational practices regarding Victoria Police pursuits by reviewing all pursuits for the past 12 months. Findings - Pursuits have increased annually at a rate of 4.2% since 2002 - Pursuit terminations have increased from 16% in 2002 to 44% in 2011 - Self terminations have increased from 8% in 2002 to 31% in 2011 - Directed terminations have increased from 8% in 2002 to 13% in 2011 - Pursuit collisions have increased from 10% in 2002 to 14% in 2011 - Pursuit fatalities equate to less than 1% of pursuit outcomes since 2002 - Regular reinforcement of police members' obligations to critical incidents and pursuits through existing internal mediums � intranet, email, The Gazette � appears to have a positive influence on police members' behaviour. The 2011 Pursuits Review was undertaken in consideration of the following Terms of Reference: 1. Evaluate the current operational practices regarding Victoria Police pursuits by reviewing all pursuits for the past 12 months. Findings - Pursuits have increased annually at a rate of 4.2% since 2002 - Pursuit terminations have increased from 16% in 2002 to 44% in 2011 - Self terminations have increased from 8% in 2002 to 31% in 2011 - Directed terminations have increased from 8% in 2002 to 13% in 2011 - Pursuit collisions have increased from 10% in 2002 to 14% in 2011 - Pursuit fatalities equate to less than 1% of pursuit outcomes since 2002 - Regular reinforcement of police members' obligations to critical incidents and pursuits through existing internal mediums - intranet, email, The Gazette - appears to have a positive influence on police members' behaviour. 2. Review the current Victoria Police pursuit policy to determine its adequacy and compliance by police members. Findings - The Victoria Police policy is adequate and compliance by police members is high - The Victoria Police policy aligns with the practices and policies of other law enforcement agencies both nationally and internationally - Uncertainty exists in respect to pursuit definitions, in particular the Elective and Imperative Definitions - Opportunities exist for improvement within Victoria Police in respect to: - Adherence to Approved Driving Authority restrictions On occasion police drivers exceed the speed restrictions placed on their Approved Driving Authorities (ADA) - Adherence to Police Vehicle Class restrictions On occasion police drivers exceed the speed restrictions placed on the Police Vehicle Classification - Post incident reporting and incident investigation There is limited review of police pursuits at supervisor and management levels - Education appears to have a positive influence on police members behaviour - The 8 internal information systems that capture police pursuit data are not connected, and thus do not allow for a total reconstruction and review of pursuits. 3. Review Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, policy and practices to determine safety compliance relative to pursuits. Findings The Victorian Government Solicitors Office and People Department advise that Victoria Police meets its obligations under relevant Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 legislation as it relates to the execution of operational duties (pursuits). 4. Research interstate and international pursuit policy to identify best practice and possible risk mitigation strategies in relation to pursuits. Findings Policies for pursuits nationally and internationally are closely aligned, and appear to have been modelled on the Victoria Police policy review in 2002. There exist a number of technological options that could be used as potential risk mitigation and resolution options for pursuits: - Hands Free Communications - Increases to the In Car Video capabilities - Increases to the Mobile Data Network capabilities Inspectorate: Evaluation of Pursuits - Pursuit Resolution Options, such as the Fleeing Vehicle Tagging System which launches a transmitter that affixes to the fleeing vehicle for tracking, and electronic pulse immobilisers were considered too risky, difficult and costly to operate and execute. Conclusion Victoria Police's execution of functions in pursuits is sound and improving. To place further restrictions and/or ban this function would create a pathway to lawlessness on our roads and draw criticism from the wider Victorian Community. Whilst fatalities from police pursuits make up less than 1% of the State Road Toll, Victoria Police deems this result as unacceptable, robustly investigating, assessing and reviewing the circumstances of each pursuit fatality, under the constant and immediate scrutiny and oversight of agencies such as the Critical Incident Management Review Committee, Ethical Standards Department and Office of Police Integrity, but more so, the wider community. Victoria Police is committed to delivering A Safer Victoria. It would be preferred that vehicle pursuits did not occur, but Victoria Police attempts to mitigate the risk of an adverse result through: its established policy and training; constant review; and ongoing reinforcement to staff of their obligation to our primary duty of protecting life and property. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Police, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2019 at: http://pi.aic.gov.au/resources/inspectorate-review-202011-evaluation-pursuits-final-report Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Police Behavior Shelf Number: 154386

Author: El-Murr, Alissar Title: Intimate partner violence in Australian refugee communities: Scoping review of issues and service responses Summary: This paper looks at what is currently known about intimate partner violence in Australian refugee communities, and what service providers can do to ensure appropriate support is available to this client group. The first half of the paper provides a scoping review of current research. The second half of the paper looks at real-life case studies of service practice through consultations with organisations of importance to refugee communities in Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria. Key messages - Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most commonly experienced form of family violence used against women in Australia and takes place across all cultures and faith groups. - In addition to physical and sexual violence, women from refugee backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to financial abuse, reproductive coercion and immigration-related violence. - Intersecting factors relevant to the experience of IPV in refugee communities include migration pathways and traumatic pre-arrival experiences, as well as settlement issues such as acculturation stress and social isolation. - Integrated, trauma-informed care is regarded as promising practice in services targeting individuals from refugee backgrounds to address women's experiences of IPV. - To assist in overcoming barriers to engagement, service providers can implement strategies to enhance cultural safety. Promoting community involvement and leadership has been shown to be important in developing culturally competent programming and should underpin violence prevention strategies. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2018. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: CFCA Paper No. 50: Accessed January 24, 2019 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/50_intimate_partner_violence_in_australian_refugee_communities.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 154389

Author: Powell, Anastasia Title: Review of bystander approaches in support of preventing violence against women Summary: There has been a significant focus within recent Australian government and policy debates on the role of primary prevention to address violence against women; in particular, sexual and intimate partner violence. In 2007 VicHealth published Preventing violence before it occurs: A framework and background paper to guide the primary prevention of violence against women in Victoria In 2009 the then State Government of Victoria launched (VicHealth 2007). Drawing on an international evidence-base, this document set out the conceptual framework for the prevention of violence against women (henceforth referred to as the 'VicHealth framework') as well as the strategic directions and priority actions for state government policy. In particular, the VicHealth framework identified the social determinants of violence against women - such as unequal power relations between women and men, and social norms that reinforce this - and provided a roadmap for program and policy activity to address these determinants effectively. A Right to Respect: Victoria's Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women 2010-2020 (State Government of Victoria 2009). This 10-year plan set out a statewide strategy to enable the primary prevention of violence against women across settings and communities. At the federal level, in 2009 the Australian government released Time for Action, the National Council's Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009b). Time for Action Together these documents provide a high-level framework for the prevention of violence against women by identifying effective and promising strategies, priority areas, as well as population groups and sites. In turn, this local focus on preventing violence against women draws on a global context in which the United Nations (e.g. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) and the World Health Organization (WHO 2002; 2004) have provided significant leadership as well as specific guidance on how to 'do' prevention work (see WHO 2004). proposed a 12-year national strategy for primary prevention and also further reform of the response and intervention systems for family violence and sexual assault. In 2011 the Council of Australian Governments launched the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children to drive activity in six outcome areas, including primary prevention and respectful relationships (Commonwealth of Australia 2011) Tertiary responses to violence against women, such as legal penalties for perpetrators and support services for victims, continue to play a crucial role in society's overall response to violence against women. However, in the context of continuing rates of victimisation and low reporting of violence to police, such responses are not in of themselves enough to stop violence against women continuing to occur. For example, in the most recent Australian Personal Safety Survey, 40 per cent of women reported experiencing at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 15, and while men who experience violence are most likely to be assaulted by a stranger, women continue to be most likely assaulted by a current or former partner or family member (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006). These findings reflect those in earlier research which indicated that more than a third of Australian women surveyed have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, most often at the hands of a current or former intimate partner (Mouzos & Makkai 2004; Australian Bureau of Statistics 1996). Moreover, such research also indicates that approximately 80 per cent never report their experience of violence to police (Mouzos & Makkai 2004; Australian Bureau of Statistics 1996). In addition to the direct impacts of violence on women, children and families, there are also serious social costs of violence against women for the broader Australian community. For example, research commissioned by VicHealth (2004) found that domestic violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15 to 44 years, contributing more to ill-health than other risk factors such as smoking and obesity. Furthermore, the annual cost of domestic violence to the Australian economy has been estimated to be $13.6 billion including: health-related costs, lost productivity, legal system expenditure, provision of emergency accommodation and other costs (National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children 2009a). In sum, the problem of violence against women is far too prevalent and its effects on individuals and communities far too serious to limit responses to those taking place only after violence has occurred (WHO 2002).... Details: Carlton, Victoria, AUS: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2011. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2019 at: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/VicHealth_ReviewBystanderApproachesSupportPreventingVAW_5-2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia Keywords: Bystander Intervention Shelf Number: 154461

Author: Pennay, Darren Title: The role of bystander knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in preventing violence against women: A full technical report Summary: VicHealth commissioned the Social Research Centre and academic associates from La Trobe University to develop and undertake a community survey on bystander knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in relation to preventing violence against women. The design of the survey was informed by VicHealth's evidence-based framework for preventing violence against women, Preventing Violence Before It Occurs: A Framework and Background Paper to Guide Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women in Victoria (2007), and the Review of Bystander Approaches in Support of Preventing Violence Against Women (Powell, 2010). Bystander action can have the objectives of stopping the perpetration of a specific incident of violence against women; reducing the risk of its escalation; and preventing the physical, psychological and social harms that may result. Bystander action may also be directed at challenging some of the key contributors towards violence, such as sexism and gender-based discrimination, as well as strengthening broader social norms and community and organisational cultures that reduce the likelihood of violence against women in the future. The survey developed for the VicHealth Bystander Research Project focused on bystander knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding sexism, discrimination and violence against women in three different settings. The pre-survey development work suggested that the survey items would work best in general social settings, sports club settings and workplaces. A telephone survey was conducted within a sample frame comprising a randomly generated list of landline telephone numbers across Victoria. The in-scope population for the survey was Victorian residents aged 18 years and over. The final achieved number of interviews was 603, with 399 being undertaken in the Melbourne Statistical Division and 204 in the rest of Victoria. The survey findings suggest that physical and verbal forms of violence against women are not acceptable in the community while sexist remarks and discriminatory behaviour are condoned by some. More than two-thirds of respondents considered sexist jokes in particular as always or sometimes acceptable. More than half reported taking some form of action in response to these behaviours, with action more likely for less acceptable forms of violence against women. There was very strong agreement that sports clubs and workplaces are welcoming and respectful toward women and are not accepting of sexism. It was widely perceived that these venues would act in response to discriminatory or violent incidents while playing a role in promoting gender equity and respect. However, a third of respondents had witnessed some form of violence against women, including sexist remarks and discriminatory behaviours, in the 12 months prior to the survey, with one in eight reporting incidents in each of sports clubs and workplaces. While just over two-thirds reported formal policies and practices in place to prevent gender-based discrimination at work, approximately a third reported such formal policies and practices in sports clubs. Violence and discrimination against women was less acceptable and responses to incidents more likely among those in larger workplaces or where formal anti-discrimination policies and practices were in place. The majority of in-scope employees were confident they could respond to an incident of violence against women if it occurred at their workplace, and that their employer and colleagues would support their action. However, women were far less confident than men, both in responding and regarding the support of their workplace and colleagues. Employer and/or colleague support was associated with pro-social behaviour at work. Pro-social inclination was related to pro-social behaviour while those with sexist attitudes showed lower pro-social inclination and behaviour. There were marked differences in the proportion of respondents who would say or do something to show their disapproval of violence and discrimination against women across the settings examined in the survey. Although younger persons (those aged 18 to 34 years) were more likely to have witnessed sexist behaviour towards women (with the behaviours witnessed also encompassing discrimination and violence), they were less likely to take action in response to those incidents. In general, women, university graduates and those aged 35 to 54 years were the most likely to respond to such incidents. The survey findings suggest strong support for bystander action to address violence and discrimination against women in the general community. However, the more subtle and systemic contributors to violence against women such as sexism and gender discrimination are still not considered very serious and more formal and/or informal support is required in key settings to enable more consistent and confident responses to various forms of discrimination and sexism, especially among young people and men. Details: Melbourne: The Social Research Centre, 2012. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2019 at: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au Year: 2012 Country: Australia Keywords: Bystander Intervention Shelf Number: 154462

Author: KPMG Title: Unlocking the future: Maranguka justice reinvestment project in Bourke. preliminary assessment Summary: The Maranguka Justice Reinvestment Project, also known as the Bourke Justice Reinvestment Project, is a grass-roots justice reinvestment project that aims to empower the Aboriginal community in Bourke, New South Wales (NSW). The Maranguka project (which can be translated as 'caring for others') was an initiative of the Bourke Aboriginal Community Working Party; a grassroots coalition of concerned local Aboriginal residents who wanted to see positive change in their community. Since 2013, JustReinvest NSW has worked in partnerhsip with local community groups in Bourke to develop and implement a framework for justice reinvestment in Bourke. The intention of the initiative is to redirect resources that would usually be spent on prison back into the community, to address the underlying causes of imprisonment, and provide support to vulnerable children and families.The Maranguka Justice Reinvestment Project is the first major justice reinvestment project in Australia. The initial part of the project has focused on building trust between community and service providers (including police and government agencies), identifying community priorities and developing Circuit Breaker programs to reduce offending and make the community safe. Community leaders have identified 11 key areas to be addressed through Circuit Breaker programs. These are: justice; employment; education; service delivery; youth engagement; drugs and alcohol; mental health; early childhood; out of home care; housing; family violence. Within each of these areas, results from the Circuit Breaker programs will be fed back to the community and will provide baseline data from which outcomes can be monitored and evaluated, providing valuable guidance for future planning. Details: Sydney: KPMG, 2016. 109p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2019 at: http://www.justreinvest.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/KPMG-Preliminary-Assessment-Maranguka-Justice-Reinvestment-Project.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Peoples Shelf Number: 154475

Author: Brown, Thea Title: Filicide offenders Summary: Filicide is the killing of a child by a parent or parent equivalent. Between 2000-01 and 2011-12, there were 238 incidents of filicide in Australia involving the death of 284 children. This paper examines the characteristics of custodial parents, non-custodial parents and step-parents charged with the murder or manslaughter of their children. Offender circumstances and characteristics differed according to the offender's gender and custodial relationship with the victim. As filicide is difficult to predict, intervention strategies should focus on families with multiple risk factors and address the needs of parents as well as those of children at risk. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 568: Accessed February 6, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi568 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 154498

Author: Queensland Productivity Commission Title: Inquiry into Imprisonment and Recidivism: Draft Report Summary: In September 2018, the Queensland Government directed the Queensland Productivity Commission to undertake an inquiry into imprisonment and recidivism. This report summarises our early findings and nominates areas where further information is sought. Despite declining crime rates, the imprisonment of Queenslanders is escalating. Concerning trends include the growth in the rate of imprisonment of women, which doubled the rate of men over the last ten years, and the significant and growing over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. These matters are not unique to Queensland and reflect wider Australian and international trends. In direct financial terms, imprisonment costs the Queensland community almost a billion dollars every year. Its social costs, although harder to measure, are much greater. Incarceration has profound impacts on prisoners, their families and the community- loss of employment, housing, relationships, as well as mental health problems and potential criminogenic effects-all of which increase the risk of reoffending. In this report, we ask whether community safety is best served by continuing the current approach. Is there a case for some crimes to be punished with non-custodial options? Could better outcomes be achieved with greater attention to rehabilitation and reintegration? Would some offences be better treated as medical issues than criminal offences? Should victims be empowered by building in restitution and restoration options? Early indications are that the community may actually be made safer by reforming current practices, and we are seeking further information to allow us to complete the inquiry. This report reflects the contributions of over 400 stakeholders, representing a broad cross-section of Queenslanders-government agencies, victim peak bodies, prisoner advocates, unions, the judiciary, corrections officers, prisoners, Indigenous peak bodies, and academics. We applaud the willingness of stakeholders to seek better outcomes for victims, offenders, and the community. Details: Brisbane: The Author, 2019. 358p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2019 at: https://qpc.blob.core.windows.net/wordpress/2019/02/Imprisonment-and-recidivism-Draft-Report.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Corrections Shelf Number: 154499

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Towards estimating the prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting in Australia Summary: The World Health Organization estimates that female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) affects over 200 million women and girls across the world. This report indicates the potential number of women and girls living in Australia who may have undergone FGM/C. These numbers are modelled estimates only, calculated by combining international survey data with Australian population estimates. While rudimentary, these estimates can provide insight into the potential extent of FGM/C in Australia. This can help health-care providers, community service providers and policymakers to ensure that appropriate services are available for girls and women who need support as a result of FGM/C. Increasing awareness of this complex global issue may also help to reduce the number of girls who undergo FGM/C in the future Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2019. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: infocus: Accessed February 7, 2019 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/f210a1d8-5a3a-4336-80c5-ca6bdc2906d5/aihw-phe230.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Cutting Shelf Number: 154512

Author: Sibenik, Michelle Title: A Critical Analysis of the Applications of Anti-Stalking Legislation in Victoria, Australia Summary: This research critically analyses the application of Victorian anti-stalking legislation and its efficacy in addressing stalking. A quantitative and qualitative content analysis of stalking cases heard in the County Court of Victoria was employed to identify the nature of behaviours being addressed as stalking crimes. Case analysis highlights a legislative framework that results in a blanket definition of stalking, where its malleable application is responding to both stalking victimisation and is stretched beyond the meaning of stalking. This highlights a highly discretionary and versatile law that is too broad and is applied inconsistently. Details: Melbourne: Monash University, 2018. 272p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 7, 2019 at: https://figshare.com/articles/A_Critical_Analysis_of_the_Applications_of_Anti-Stalking_Legislation_in_Victoria_Australia/7151519 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Sexual harassment Shelf Number: 154532

Author: Stafford, Jennifer Title: Key Findings from the 2015 IDRS: a Survey of People Who Inject Drugs Summary: key findings - 888 participants were interviewed for the 2015 IDRS. - Heroin remained the most commonly reported drug of choice for participants who inject drugs. - The proportion who reported recent heroin use remained stable however the frequency of heroin use significantly increased. Heroin was reported to be 'very easy' to obtain and of 'low' purity. - Proportions reporting the recent use of any form of methamphetamine remained stable. An examination of the different forms of methamphetamine shows a significant increase in the recent use of ice/crystal and significant decrease in speed powder. The frequency of use of all forms of methamphetamine remained stable. All forms were considered 'very easy' or 'easy' to obtain. Ice/ crystal and base were reported as �high� in purity, while speed powder was of 'medium' purity. - Nationally, the recent use of cocaine remained stable. NSW remained the only jurisdiction where sizeable numbers of participants were able to comment on cocaine. Recent use, frequency of cocaine use and price remained stable in NSW. Nationally, cocaine was reported as 'very easy to obtain and the purity considered 'medium'. - Large proportions reported the recent use of cannabis which remained stable. Hydroponic cannabis dominated the market. - Extra-medical use and injection of pharmaceutical preparations continued to occur, with jurisdictional differences in patterns observed. Nationally, the proportions reporting the recent use of morphine and oxycodone significantly decreased. Small numbers nationally reported the recent use of fentanyl. - Sharing of injection equipment was common. Less than half of the participants re-used their own needles in the last month. - Nearly half of the national sample self-reported having had a mental health problem in the last six months, with depression the most commonly reported, followed by anxiety. - Over one-third of the national sample reported involvement in a criminal activity in the last month, mainly drug dealing or property crime. Around one-third had been arrested in the last year. Details: Sydney, Australia: National Drug and Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2015. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2019 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/key-findings-2015-idrs-survey-people-who-inject-drugs Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Cannabis Shelf Number: 154303

Author: Sindicich, Natasha Title: An Overview of the 2015 Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System Summary: key findings - 763 regular psychostimulant users (RPU) participants took part in the EDRS in 2015. Participants were primarily recruited through word-of-mouth and the internet. - Preference for ecstasy has significantly declined and cannabis has significantly increased with 30% of the EDRS sample reporting ecstasy and 29% reporting cannabis as their drug of choice in 2015. The proportion reporting recent use of cannabis has also significantly increased as has use of cannabis when 'coming down' from ecstasy. - Despite a significant decrease in the proportion reporting recent use of ecstasy, the most popular form of ecstasy consumed on a regular basis was still pill (tablet) form. There remains an increasing trend in the use of MDMA crystal/rock with 2015 being the second year this data has been collected. This form was considered to be a more potent form of ecstasy with 56% of MDMA crystal/rock users reporting it being of 'high' purity compared to 20% of those reporting pills, powder and caps as 'high'. - Speed powder remained the form of methamphetamine used by most RPU with a quarter of the sample reporting recent use. However, recent use of speed powder and base was reported by significantly lower proportions of RPU in 2015 compared to 2014. The recent use of ice/crystal remained stable in 2015 with 1 in 5 participants reporting recent ice/crystal use. There was also a significant increase in those reporting that ice/crystal was 'easy' or 'very easy' to obtain. - The recent use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) remained steady with one-third of the sample having used NPS in the past six months. The frequency of use remains low (1-2 days over a six month period). The most commonly reported NPS were: 2C-B, DMT and NBOMe. - Synthetic cannabis stabilized at low levels (6%) which is comparable to 2014 figures. - Recent use of cocaine, LSD, ketamine and GHB was also stable from 2014 to 2015. - The recent use of cannabis and tobacco increased significantly among RPU in 2015. - Alcohol is the second most commonly used drug among this group with 97% reporting recent use on a median of 48 days (twice weekly). Details: Sydney, Australia: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 2015. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2019 at: https://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/resource/overview-2015-ecstasy-and-related-drugs-reporting-system Year: 2015 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Shelf Number: 154302

Author: Victoria Police Title: 2017 Victoria Police: Mental Health and Wellbeing Study Summary Summary: Victoria Police has released the findings of the landmark Mental Health and Wellbeing Study which provides a more accurate picture of the mental health issues impacting employees. This study is the first of its kind to be conducted by Victoria Police, and was one of the most important recommendations to come from the 2016 Mental Health Review. Findings from this study have provided our organisation with highly valuable data about the specific issues of our workforce which will allow us to provide better and more targeted mental health and wellbeing supports to meet these needs. Details: Docklands, Victoria, Australia: Monash University, 2017. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2019 at: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=46171 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154377

Author: Australian Red Cross Title: Best Practice Guidelines: Supporting Communities Before, During and After Collective Trauma Events Summary: The guidelines outline best practice before, during and after a collective trauma event. While emergency management agencies are well positioned to address physical safety needs during their response to various incidents, the traumatic impacts on individuals involved, as well as the wider community, are less understood. The Australian Red Cross has responded to this concern by investigating current best practice when dealing with collective trauma events and has developed the Best Practice Guidelines: Supporting Communities Before, During and After Collective Trauma Event. The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 (2014); the Sydney Siege (2014); the Dreamworld theme park tragedy in Queensland (2016); and the attack on pedestrians in Bourke Street in Melbourne (2017) are examples of events that go beyond emergency incidents to become collective trauma events. Collective trauma events break the bonds between people and damage their sense of community by disrupting perceptions on public locations, routines and values. Developed in conjunction with experts in emergency recovery, social work, psychology and sociology, the guidelines outline what emergency management agencies can do to mitigate the impacts of a collective trauma event before, during and after its occurrence. The guidelines are supported by case studies from Australia and across the world that provide real-world context. The Red Cross identifies psychological first aid as best practice psychosocial support, and considers the effects of mainstream and social media around a collective trauma events and the role of messaging from leaders and public figures. The guidelines aim to assist all organisations in their preparedness, response and recovery to collective trauma events and compliment the growing evidence base around the issue. Details: Carlton, Victoria, Australia: Australian Red Cross, 2018. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2019 at: https://www.redcross.org.au/getmedia/03e7abed-2be0-43b7-95d7-0e8f3d5206bd/ARC-CTE-Guidelines.pdf.aspx Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154376

Author: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee Title: Active Armed Offender Guidelines for Crowded Places Summary: Introduction It is the responsibility of both Government and private sector stakeholders to work collaboratively to ensure that integrated and effective plans and arrangements are in place to prevent or reduce the impact of these incidents. Crowded places pose a broad range of security challenges for owners, operators and those responsible for providing a protective security overlay. They have been specifically identified - nationally and internationally - as attractive targets by those wishing to engage in terrorism, as well as disgruntled or mentally impaired individuals. Active armed offender attacks have occurred, and continue to occur, in crowded places around the world such as sporting stadiums, transport hubs and entertainment venues. Crowded places present a particularly attractive target for terrorism, due to the ready access to large numbers of potential victims. Attacks which occur in crowded places are particularly insidious because crowds using these places are often distracted by the venue event, reducing their situational awareness of their immediate environment. The Active Armed Offender Guidelines for Crowded Places are intended to increase understanding of the threat that active armed offender incidents pose in crowded places. The Guidelines seek to illustrate the key role that owners and operators of crowded places can play in developing and implementing appropriately informed prevention, preparedness, response and recovery arrangements to reduce the risks posed by such a threat. The guidance material has been developed by the 'Crowded Places Advisory Group' (CPAG) on behalf of the Australia-New Zealand Counter - Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC). It should be read in conjunction with Australia's Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism; Improvised Explosive Device Guidelines for Crowded Places, Chemical Weapon Guidelines and the Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Guidelines for Crowded Places. Purpose These Guidelines aim to increase the awareness of owners and operators of crowded places of the dynamic terrorism threat, while providing guidance on the issues and options which can be considered during risk mitigation and contingency planning activities. These Guidelines set out several broad guiding principles which public and private sector stakeholders should consider to reduce the vulnerability of their site to the threat of terrorism. The Guidelines aim to supplement and build upon some of those broad areas of focus, with particular emphasis on the following two principles: - Prevention and preparedness arrangements should be underpinned by an intelligence-led, risk management approach. - Effective security outcomes in complex crowded place environments require cooperation and coordination among stakeholders. Gaining a better understanding of the risk environment, and options for preventing and dealing with active armed offender incidents, will enable owners and operators in the private sector in particular to more effectively contribute to the collective national efforts to manage the active armed offender threat to crowded places. It is intended that this knowledge will lead to the development of 'contingency plans' or sub-plans to supplement existing emergency response plans and arrangements at facilities and venues. Details: Canberra, Australia: 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2019 at: https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Media-and-publications/Publications/Documents/active-armed-offender-guidelines-crowded-places.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Active Armed Offender Shelf Number: 154371

Author: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee Title: Chemical Weapon Guidelines for Crowded Places Summary: Crowded places such as stadiums, shopping centres, pedestrian malls and major events will continue to be attractive targets for terrorists. Australia is not immune. Terrorists have plotted similar attacks here, including on crowded places, and we expect more will occur. Australian governments work with the private sector to protect crowded places. Our law enforcement and intelligence agencies are well-equipped to detect and disrupt plots, and they have a strong history of stopping terrorist attacks. Owners and operators of crowded places have the primary responsibility for protecting their sites, including a duty of care to take steps to protect people that work, use, or visit their site from a range of foreseeable threats, including terrorism. The objective of this strategy is to protect the lives of people working in, using, and visiting crowded places by making these places more resilient to terrorism. The success of this strategy rests on strong and sustainable partnerships across Australia between governments and the private sector to better protect crowded places. These partnerships give owners and operators access to better threat and protective security information. By accessing this information, owners and operators will be in a better position to protect their crowded places against terrorism. This strategy includes a suite of supplementary materials that will assist owners and operators to understand and implement protective security measures. These materials also contain modules on specific weapons and tactics used by terrorists. It is important owners and operators of crowded places read the strategy before they consult any of the additional tools and guidance materials. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee, 2017. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2019 at: https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Media-and-publications/Publications/Documents/chemical-weapon-guidelines-crowded-places.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154372

Author: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee Title: Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Guidelines for Crowded Places Summary: Introduction Crowded places can pose a broad range of security challenges for their owners and operators. Terrorists and other criminals have, and will continue to, see crowded places as attractive targets for attacks both in Australia and overseas. Terrorist attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) often target crowded places such as public transport hubs, sporting arenas, entertainment precincts, and shopping malls. Government and private sector cooperation helps to ensure incident planning and arrangements are integrated and effective, while aiming to reduce the likelihood and impact of IED attacks. The Crowded Places Advisory Group (CPAG) has developed these Guidelines on behalf of the Australia New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC), with input from the Business Advisory Group (BAG). They should be read in conjunction with Australia�s Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism; Active Armed Offender Guidelines for Crowded Places, Chemical Weapon Guidelines and Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Guidelines. Purpose Those who own or operate crowded places are responsible for providing a safe and secure environment for the general public by applying well-informed risk and emergency management arrangements. It benefits everyone to stop or limit the consequences of an IED incident and quickly restore normal business activities. These Guidelines help people who own or operate crowded places to be more aware of the threat posed by IEDs. They also provide guidance on the issues and options to consider during risk mitigation and contingency planning activities. Australia�s Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism sets out several guiding principles for public and private sector stakeholders to reduce their vulnerability to the threat of terrorism. These Guidelines supplement the Strategy with key emphasis on the following two principles: - Prevention and preparedness arrangements should be underpinned by an intelligence- led, risk management approach; and - Effective security outcomes in complex environments where large crowds gather require cooperation and coordination between all stakeholders. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee, 2017. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2019 at: https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Media-and-publications/Publications/Documents/IED-Guidelines/IED-guidelines-crowded-places.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154373

Author: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee Title: Hostile Vehicle Guidelines for Crowded Places Summary: Who should read this and why - vehicles as weapons This publication provides an overview of hostile vehicle mitigation to all owners and operators responsible for the management of crowded places. It offers insight into how protective measures can be integrated into public and private places in order to mitigate and reduce the impact of vehicles being used as weapons. Owners and operators of crowded places want their site to be as safe as reasonably possible for their staff and the public. Organisational reputation, business continuity, and legal requirements for publicly accessible areas to be safe are all important reasons for owners and operators to understand and mitigate the risk posed by hostile vehicles. The aim of this document is to provide those responsible for crowded places with knowledge to inform security design considerations and decisions. It is intended to be a starting point to the development of effective and aesthetically complementary designs that help protect crowded places from hostile vehicles. Details: Canberra, Australia: 2017. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2019 at: https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Media-and-publications/Publications/Documents/hostile-vehicle-guidelines-crowded-places.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154374

Author: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee Title: Australia's Strategy for Protecting Crowded Places from Terrorism Summary: Summary Crowded places such as stadiums, shopping centres, pedestrian malls, and major events will continue to be attractive targets for terrorists. The current National Terrorism Threat Level in Australia is PROBABLE, as outlined on www.nationalsecurity.gov.au. This reflects the advice of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) that individuals and groups continue to possess the intent and capability to conduct a terrorist attack in Australia. The elevated terrorist threat is likely to persist for the foreseeable future and it is not confined to any one city or metropolitan area. Attacks on crowded places overseas, including London Bridge and Borough Market in June 2017, Manchester Arena in May 2017, the Berlin Christmas market in December 2016, and the Bastille Day parade in Nice in July 2016, demonstrate how basic weapons - including vehicles, knives, and firearms - can be used by terrorists to devastating effect. Australia is not immune. Terrorists have plotted similar attacks here, including on crowded places, and we expect more will occur. In July 2017, police and intelligence officials disrupted a plot to conduct a terrorist attack using an improvised explosive device against the aviation sector, and a plot to develop an improvised chemical dispersion device for use in a terrorist attack on Australian soil. Australian governments work with the private sector to protect crowded places. Our law enforcement and intelligence agencies are well-equipped to detect and disrupt plots, and they have a strong history of stopping terrorist attacks. But the reality is it will not always be possible to prevent all terrorist attacks from occurring, so we need to strengthen our national arrangements in order to help owners and operators better protect crowded places from terrorism. Owners and operators of crowded places have the primary responsibility for protecting their sites, including a duty of care to take steps to protect people that work, use, or visit their site from a range of foreseeable threats, including terrorism. The objective of this Strategy is to protect the lives of people working in, using, and visiting crowded places by making these places more resilient. The approach taken to protect crowded places should be nationally consistent, proportionate and, to every extent possible, preserve the public's use and enjoyment of these places. It is not possible to protect everything, so owners and operators must prioritise the highest risk areas of a crowded place. This Strategy also ensures there is a clear and consistent understanding of what constitutes a crowded place, the roles and responsibilities of all those involved in protecting these places, and the threat environment in which they operate. The success of this Strategy rests on strong and sustainable partnerships across Australia between governments and the private sector to better protect crowded places. To this end, the Strategy sets out a new national framework, known as the 'Crowded Places Partnership.' This Partnership provides a consistent approach in each state and territory for trusted engagement between all levels of government, state and territory police, and owners and operators across the country. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee, 2017. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 9, 2019 at: https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/media-and-publications/publications/documents/australias-strategy-protecting-crowded-places-terrorism.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154370

Author: Deloitte Access Economics Title: Review of the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody Summary: The Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody (RCIADIC) was conducted between 1987 and 1991. The final report was provided in 1991 and made 339 recommendations across a wide range of policy areas. The largest number of recommendations relate to policing, criminal justice, incarceration and deaths in custody. The RCIADIC also made recommendations relating to health, education and self-determination in recognition of the breadth of factors leading to the high rates of incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly for young people. The RCIADIC concluded that "Aboriginal people in custody do not die at a greater rate than non-Aboriginal people in custody � what is overwhelmingly different is the rate at which Aboriginal people come into custody, compared with the rate of the general community". Despite this key finding, in the 27 years since the RCIADIC the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander share of the prison population has doubled, while the mortality rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody has halved. Thus, while there have been positive steps, it is clear that further work is still required to successfully address the disproportionately high, and growing, rates of incarceration among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Details: Canberra: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2018/ 815p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2019 at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/au/Documents/Economics/deloitte-au-economics-review-implementation-recommendations-royal-commission-aboriginal-deaths-custody-251018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 154545

Author: Victoria Police Title: Addressing Profit-Motivated Vehicle Theft in Victoria's Separated Parts and Scrap Metal Industries Summary: BACKGROUND 1. The inter-agency Task Force Discover was established to examine how the motor wrecking and scrap metal industries may facilitate profit-motivated vehicle theft (PMVT). Led by Victoria Police Crime Command, the Task Force completed a state-wide regulatory audit of motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers to reconcile anecdotal evidence that regulatory non-compliance by these businesses creates opportunities for PMVT. The Task Force aimed to develop an objective understanding of the extent of regulatory compliance among motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers and consider how levels of non-compliance related to unrecovered stolen vehicles in Victoria. 2. PMVT is a significant problem in Victoria. Data from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council demonstrates there were 2,562 unrecovered stolen passenger and light commercial (PLC) vehicles in Victoria in 2013. The number of unrecovered PLC vehicles in Victoria has increased 21 per cent over the last five years due to the ability of vehicle thieves to profit from the growing domestic and international demand for spare parts and scrap metal. This demand has led to an expansion in the motor wrecking and scrap metal industries, which now comprise a variety of players displaying an equally diverse range of capital resources, experience and levels of compliance with the law. Vehicle thieves can subsequently exploit the noncompliant tiers of industry to off-load, launder and sell stolen vehicles for the value of their separated parts and left over scrap metal. 3. Between September 2013 and June 2014, Task Force Discover audited a total of 432 motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers, estimated to represent approximately 90 percent of all operators in Victoria. The Task Force audited all commercial practices supporting the trade in used vehicles, spare parts and scrap metal derived from vehicles in order to: - collect intelligence on compliant and non-compliant commercial practices; - complete an authoritative assessment on the overall extent of regulatory compliance and consider implications that levels of non-compliance have for levels of PMVT in Victoria; and - improve the understanding of issues associated with the motor wrecking and scrap metal industries, including occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental protection issues. KEY FINDINGS 4. The Task Force Discover audit focussed firstly on business licensing with a Motor Car Traders Licence (MCTL), business registration with Second-Hand Dealers Registration (SHDR) and record keeping practices for the trade in vehicles due to the implications that noncompliance in these areas has for PMVT. Secondly the audit focussed on occupational health and safety and environmental protection standards for the trade in parts and scrap due to the implications that non-compliance in these areas has for community harm. Task Force investigators (comprising Victoria Police detectives) made an assessment of the regulatory compliance of each business they attended. Of the 432 motor wreckers and scrap metal dealers audited: - 302 businesses or 70 per cent were assessed by Task Force investigators as either not holding the required authorisation to trade (i.e. the correct licence or registration) or being non-compliant to some degree with the conditions of their business licence or registration. This non-compliance included: - incomplete record keeping on customer identities and vehicle identifiers - failing to make notifications to the Written-Off Vehicles Register (WOVR) - failing to undertake criminal history checks and background screening of employees, and - failing to publicly display business licensing or registration details. - 199 businesses or 46 per cent were assessed as not holding the required authorisation to trade and of these: - 112 businesses operated without a MCTL or SHDR, but were assessed as requiring a MCTL - 12 businesses operated without a MCTL or SHDR, but were assessed as requiring a SHDR - 75 businesses traded only with a SHDR, but were assessed as requiring a MCTL. - 398 businesses or 92 per cent did not submit notifications to the WOVR. - 390 businesses or 90 per cent were assessed to be non-compliant to some degree with OHS and environmental protection regulations - 82 businesses or almost 20 per cent were referred for safety breaches deemed likely to cause injury; and - 41 businesses or 9 per cent were referred for moderate environmental breaches causing obvious and ongoing serious pollution to soil and waterways. Details: Melbourne: The Author, 2014. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2019 at: https://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?a=internetBridgingPage&Media_ID=108408 Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Car Theft Shelf Number: 154602

Author: Victoria Police Title: Victorian Inter-Agency Task Force into Compliance with Local and Illicit Export Activity Task Force Discover - Final Report Summary: Task Force Discover was an Inter-agency Task Force (ITF) funded by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council and led by Victoria Police Crime Command. Its audit of more than 400 Victorian motor wrecking and scrap metal businesses represents the most comprehensive compliance checking exercise ever undertaken in respect of this sector in Australia. The results reveal a staggering record of noncompliance across the regulatory spectrum with- - 7 in 10 either not holding the required authorisation to trade (ie the correct licence or registration) or being non-compliant to some degree with the conditions of their business licence or registration; - 9 in 10 not complying with written-off vehicle reporting obligations; - 9 in 10 assessed to be non-compliant to some extent with OHS and environmental protection regulations, with- - 1 in 5 referred for extreme safety breaches deemed likely to cause imminent injury; and - 1 in 10 referred for extreme environmental breaches causing obvious and ongoing serious pollution to soil and waterways. The ITF also observed that- - with many businesses operating almost exclusively on a cash only basis transactions are untraceable, which has implications for investigating the chain of vehicle acquisition and disposal, and also raises questions about compliance with taxation; and - such widespread non-compliance enables vehicle thieves to launder stolen vehicles through motor wreckers or scrap metal dealers with little or no risk their personal details will be retained. The ITF report clearly demonstrates that the existing law, in respect of the management of separated vehicle parts and vehicle-related scrap, is in need of major reform. The NMVTRC's reform proposal is set out in the form of a set of model laws that are designed to remove ambiguities and gaps, and deal more effectively with enduring non-compliance. The report includes a link to an exposure draft of those model laws. Details: North Melbourne Victoria: National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council, 2014. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 14, 2019 at: https://carsafe.com.au/assets/ModernisingRegulatoryRegimesITFtaskForceDiscover.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: Automobile Theft Shelf Number: 154607

Author: Lyneham, Samantha Title: Estimating the dark figure of human trafficking and slavery victimisation in Australia Summary: The true extent of crime victimisation is unlikely to ever be known, yet new statistical techniques offer a promising method of uncovering the 'dark figure' of hidden victimisation. One such technique is multiple systems estimation (MSE), which counts the overlap of victims appearing in different combinations across multiple data sources. Using this technique, it is estimated that the number of human trafficking and slavery victims in Australia in 2015-16 and 2016-17 was between 1,300 and 1,900. This means there are approximately four undetected victims for every victim detected. Quantifying the extent of human trafficking and slavery victimisation enhances our understanding of the problem and provides a sound evidence base for informing policy development, the provision of victim support and law enforcement activities. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: AIC Statistical Bulletin 16: Accessed February 15, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/02/apo-nid220271-1332516.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Human Trafficking Shelf Number: 154629

Author: Our Watch Title: Unpacking Violence: A storytelling resource for understanding nonphysical forms of abuse and the gendered drivers of violence against women Summary: The Our Watch Non-physical Forms of Abuse campaign, No Excuse for Abuse, aims to raise awareness of non-physical forms of abuse against women and increase understanding that all forms of abuse are serious. The campaign, funded by the Australian Government's Department of Social Services, launched in July 2018 and includes social marketing content and material. This resource is to support people working to prevent violence against women in Australia. In this document, we refer to these people as practitioners. The practice component of the campaign aims to provide prevention of violence against women practitioners with resources they can use when undertaking prevention activities e.g., training and presentations to stakeholders, policy planning, organisational development, and advocacy work. These resources will demonstrate the relationship between non-physical forms of abuse and the gendered drivers of violence, as identified by Change the story. The resource consists of: - seven narrative stories that can be used to demonstrate and unpack non-physical forms of abuse and their link to the gendered drivers - guidance notes to support practitioners in making use of the stories This resource also includes information for faciltators and background knowledge. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2019. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2019 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/822ff18a-9fb8-46a0-b9b9-38afb134eb68/Unpacking-Violence-Full-Resource-AA.pdf.aspx Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 154630

Author: Australia. The Treasury Title: A sharing economy reporting regime A consultation paper in response to the Black Economy Taskforce Final Report Summary: The Black Economy Taskforce (the Taskforce) was established in December 2016 to develop a forward-looking, multi-pronged policy response to combat the black economy in Australia. The Black Economy Taskforce's final report (the Taskforce's report) highlighted the harm that the black economy causes to businesses and the community, penalising honest taxpayers, undermining the integrity of Australia's tax and welfare systems and creating an uneven playing field for the majority of small businesses doing the right thing. This impact is being felt by many businesses and consumers, including those in the sharing economy. The sharing economy has grown significantly in recent years, facilitating innovation, job growth and more choice for consumers. During its consultations, the Taskforce heard that as the sharing economy grows there is an increasing risk that sellers (participants selling goods and services via sharing economy platforms) may not be paying the right amount of tax. This potential underpayment of tax undermines the benefits of the sharing economy to consumers and businesses, and creates an unfair playing field for those doing the right thing. The ATO has entered into arrangements with some platforms to provide information under its existing information gathering powers. Data collection in the ride sourcing sector has enabled the ATO to undertake preventative activities that help drivers to understand and comply with their obligations. However, a more comprehensive regime is needed to more broadly improve compliance in this area. To combat this issue, the Taskforce's report recommended that a compulsory reporting regime be established: 'Operators of designated sharing ('gig') economy websites should be required to report payments made to their users to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Department of Social Services (DSS) and other government agencies as appropriate. The Government should also continue to raise users' awareness about the potential tax obligations from participation in sharing economy activities.' As part of the 2018-19 Federal Budget the Government responded to the Taskforce's report, agreeing that there should be greater transparency of payments made through sharing economy websites and announcing that it would consult on how this recommendation could be implemented. In agreeing with this recommendation, the Government noted that innovation in business models should be supported by Government and the community, and regulatory changes should aim to minimise the regulatory burden, and support a level playing field with existing, compliant businesses. This consultation paper is seeking input on the design of a new reporting regime for sharing economy activities. Details: Parkes ACT: The Author, 2019. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2019 at: https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2019/01/Consultation-Paper-A-sharing-economy-reporting-regime-1.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Black Economy Shelf Number: 154640

Author: Australia. The Treasury Title: Black Economy Taskforce: Final Report Summary: Following an initial investigation by the Board of Taxation, supported by Treasury and the ATO, the Government (in December 2016) established this Taskforce to develop an innovative, forward-looking and genuinely whole-of-government strategy to combat the black economy. The black economy is a significant, complex and growing economic and social problem. In our opinion, it could have increased in size by up to 50 per cent since 2012. The costs it entails are not only financial in nature (lower tax revenues and higher welfare costs), but also societal. The black economy is manifestly unfair, allowing some to play by their own rules and penalising businesses, employees and consumers who do the right thing. Under cover of the black economy, vulnerable workers are exploited, criminal groups flourish and social capital and trust are undermined. The black economy is not standing still, but rapidly shifting and evolving in step with wider economic, technological and social changes. It is a growing problem which, if not dealt with, can develop a dangerous momentum of its own: a 'race-to-the-bottom' which we are already seeing in particular areas. In 2012, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that the black economy equated to 1.5 per cent of GDP, with the illicit drug industry adding a further 0.4 per cent of GDP. This estimate is now outdated. We consider that the black economy could be as large as 3 per cent of GDP (roughly $50 billion) today, given the trends we identify in this Report. A sense of urgency is needed from policymakers, leaving behind business-as-usual approaches from the past. A new strategy and commitment is required: one which addresses underlying causes, not symptoms, while keeping regulatory burdens low; one which goes beyond tax; and one which breaks down agency silos and embraces joint action and the intelligent use of data and analytics. This Taskforce was a genuinely whole-of-government undertaking, bringing together 20 Commonwealth agencies. This agenda has a clear purpose and objective: to make our society both fairer and more equitable by creating a level playing field. To the extent that this yields a revenue dividend, the Government's capacity to fund needed services (or provide tax relief or lower deficits) will be greater. Combatting the black economy is not just a matter for governments. We all need to be part of the solution. We need a new social contract: a renewed commitment from the business community and wider public to fight the black economy. Our hope is that our work, including our public hearings and consultations, has helped start an overdue national conversation. In the time since the Interim Report in March, the Government announced the adoption of two of our key recommendations in the 2017-18 Budget. In late May and throughout June, we conducted a national roadshow, holding public hearings and industry roundtables in every state capital city and the regional centres of Bathurst, Mildura and the Gold Coast. We have received 149 submissions from businesses, unions, community organisations, state and territory governments and members of the public. The Taskforce Chairman has held over 140 bilateral meetings with stakeholder representatives. In August, we released a detailed consultation paper containing over 50 ideas. Perhaps as a result of this review, we have been told by tax and law enforcement authorities that public reporting and enforcement of black economy offences has increased. Details: Parkes, ACT, The Author, 2017. 377p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2019 at: https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2018/05/Black-Economy-Taskforce_Final-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Black Economy Shelf Number: 154645

Author: Walker, Samantha Title: Are First-Time Young Offenders being Recorded for Serious Crimes than in the Past? Summary: Over recent years the Victorian community has expressed concern about young offenders, especially those who commit violent or serious crimes such as assault, motor vehicle theft, robbery or burglary. This issue has also been the subject of media coverage, which has suggested police are recording more first-time young offenders for serious crimes than in the past. This analysis examines the offences recorded by police for alleged young offenders aged between 10 and 17 years old on the first day they were ever recorded for offences, where that day was between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016. This sample included 23,973 unique alleged first-time young offenders. Kendall's rank order correlations were used to determine if any changes observed over time were statistically significant. The number of alleged first-time young offenders fell from 5,654 in 2012 to 4,414 in 2016, an average decrease of 5.8% per year. Their average age at the time of their first recorded offending day was stable across the five years at approximately 15 years old. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Crime Statistics Agency, 2017. 2p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2019 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/research-and-evaluation/publications/youth-crime/are-more-first-time-young-offenders-being-recorded Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: At-Risk Youth Shelf Number: 154355

Author: Shirley, Kimberley Title: Co-Offending Among Young Victorian Offenders in 2016 Summary: This fact sheet provides information about young offenders who offend with one or more other people over the past 12 months, including data on demographics and offence types. The key findings of the analysis are that: - In 2007, 62.6% of young offenders were recorded as offending with at least one other person. This has decreased to 56.1% in 2016. - Almost all young co-offenders (70.7%) only offend with other young people. - Young co-offenders are more likely to be male, aged between 10 and 12 years and reside in the 30% most disadvantaged postcodes in Victoria. - Robbery was the offence type most likely to involve young co-offenders, with 61.3% of robbery offences committed by young offenders involving at least one other person. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Crime Statistics Agency, 2017. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2019 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/research-and-evaluation/publications/youth-crime/co-offending-amongst-young-victorian-offenders-in Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: At-Risk Youth Shelf Number: 154356

Author: Walker, Samantha Title: Characteristics of Chronic Offenders in Victoria Summary: Previous Crime Statistics Agency analysis of reoffending has focused on youth. This fact sheet examined the offending frequency of alleged offenders of all ages recorded in the 10 years to 30 June 2017, and explored the characteristics of those who were chronic offenders during the study period (more than 10 alleged offender incidents) compared with those who offended less frequently. Key findings include: - Of all alleged offenders, 6.3% were chronic offenders and were responsible for 43.9% of the recorded offender incidents during the 10-year period. - People aged under 25 years (at the time their first offender incident was recorded during the 10-year period) made up more than half (54.2%) of all chronic offenders. - The majority of chronic offenders were male (83.3%) and were born in Australia (84.3%). - The most commonly recorded offence type for chronic offenders was non-aggravated burglary, followed by stealing from a retail store. - The most commonly recorded police outcome for chronic offenders was arrest. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Crime Statistics Agency, 2018. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2019 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2018/04/69/f9d1461ef/Crime%20Statistics%20Agency%20-%20In%20Fact%207%20-%20Characteristics%20of%20chronic%20offenders.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154357

Author: Livingstone, Charles Title: Should AFL Clubs Get out of the Pokie Business? Observations on the Location of Victorian AFL Club EGM Venues: Disadvantage and the Rate of Family Incidents Summary: A link between AFL-controlled pokies clubs and rising rates of family violence has been revealed, thanks to new research from Monash University. The findings detail gambler losses of $94 million across 1316 AFL-controlled pokies machines, the majority of which are located in lower socio-economic suburbs. Using police crime data, Dr Charles Livingstone of Monash University has identified a correlation between the proportion of AFL machines in local government areas and a marked increase in family violence. The report found that family violence rose by 22 per cent in areas of Victoria where AFL pokies were placed, a 5.7 per cent higher rate of increase than average. The correlation is strongest in Melton, which has the highest concentration of AFL machines in Victoria, and where the increase in family violence incidents between 2013-2017 was a staggering 35 per cent. "EGM [electronic gaming machine] concentrations are associated with higher levels of family incidents - that is, overwhelmingly, violence against women," Dr Livingstone�s report notes. This correlation is deemed "strongly at odds" with the AFL�s own 'Respect and Responsibility Policy', a key purpose of which is to 'demonstrate a commitment to broader cultural change aimed at addressing violence against women'. As Dr Livingstone concludes, it is "likely counter to the spirit, intention, and likely the actual letter of the policy." All but one Victorian AFL club (North Melbourne) currently operate pokies machines, with a number operating multiple venues. Carlton owns the most with 300 machines, reaping a revenue of over $17 million from gambler losses. The paper reveals that more than half of the 1316 machines are located in Melbourne's northwestern suburbs, identified by the report as "socio-economically disadvantaged". Losses here amounted to $54 million last year, or 57% of the AFL club total. Referring to Melton, Dr Livingstone�s report says "access to EGM venues is an important factor driving family violence, and without the venues operated by the three AFL clubs in that area, it is probable that the losses experienced by EGM users would be about half." Details: Victoria, Australia: Monash University, 2018. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2019 at: https://media.heraldsun.com.au/PDF/2018/Feb/AFL_Pokies.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 154344

Author: Rahman, Sara Title: Assessing the risk of repeat intimate partner assault Summary: Aim: To identify factors associated with the risk of experiencing repeat intimate partner assault. Method: A subset of 336 individuals who reported experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the 12 months prior to participating in the ABS Personal Safety Survey 2016 was identified, 145 (43.2%) of whom experienced repeat victimisation involving assault. Population-weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of experiencing repeat IPV involving assault in the 12 months prior to survey response. Results: The best population-weighted logistic regression model indicated that the following factors significantly correlate with experience of repeat IPV assault: experience of emotional abuse in the most recent 12 months, socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness of a person's area of residence, low educational attainment and disability status. This model correctly classified 69.3 per cent of cases and had acceptable levels of discrimination (AUC=.760). Conclusion: Victim experience of emotional abuse and sociodemographic factors are potentially useful factors for inclusion in risk assessment tools to identify victims at risk of repeat IPV. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime and Justice Bulletin, No. 220: Accessed February 19, 2019 at: https://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2019-Report-Assessing-the-risk-of-repeat-intimate-partner-assault-CJB220.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 154664

Author: UNSW Australia Title: Child Maltreatment in Early Childhood: Developmental Vulnerability on the AEDC Summary: - Exposure to any form of childhood maltreatment is associated with an increased risk of developmental vulnerability at age five. - Children exposed to multiple maltreatment types were more likely to be vulnerable on multiple developmental domains, relative to non-maltreated children. - Other important contributors to early developmental vulnerabilities included being male, maternal smoking during pregnancy, young maternal age, socioeconomic disadvantage, and parental mental illness. - Associations between child maltreatment and age 5 developmental vulnerability remained strong after controlling for the influence of other contributing factors. - Early detection and effective intervention for maltreated children could improve development milestones and learning trajectories throughout childhood. Details: Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia: New South Wales Family and Community Services, 2018. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/547460/Child-maltreatment-in-early-childhood-developmental-vulnerability-on-the-AEDC-Evidence-to-action-Jan-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Development Shelf Number: 154349

Author: Victoria State Government Title: Community Safety Statement 2018/19 Summary: The first Community Safety Statement outlined the Victorian Government�s plan for keeping our state safe. It also set out exactly what is being done to drive down crime, beginning with the delivery of 3,135 new frontline police - the biggest investment in Victoria�s history. This investment was underpinned by a new model of police resourcing - developed by Victoria Police in consultation with The Police Association of Victoria � that ended the boom and bust cycles of the past. Last year's Community Safety Statement also made clear the Government's additional priorities � reducing family violence and other serious offending, greater community engagement, putting victims first, holding offenders to account and boosting police technology and capability. These commitments � developed in partnership with Victoria Police � were accompanied by a record $2 billion investment that provided the people, resources, laws and support needed for Victoria Police to deliver a safer Victoria. The Community Safety Statement 2018/19 builds on this foundational work, detailing the police, protection and prevention our state needs. That includes expanding the investment and support being delivered to Victoria Police, as well as the broader reform work being done to the justice system to ensure perpetrators are being adequately punished. It also outlines how the Government and Victoria Police will be held to account for the delivery of initiatives through twice-yearly public reporting by the independent Community Safety Trustee. Further demonstrating our shared commitment to remaining accountable and on track, a new Community Safety Statement will be issued every year. It�s a long-term commitment that puts an end to short-term quick fixes. Finally, we now have the steady hand that�s needed to keep our state safe. Finally, the politics is being taken out of policing. Details: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Victoria State Government, 2018. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://communitysafety.vic.gov.au/ Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154353

Author: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Title: Key Findings: Audit of Victoria Police's Oversight of Serious Incidents Summary: The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) plays a vital role in providing independent oversight of Victoria Police. IBAC's role includes: - receiving complaints and notifications about corrupt conduct and police personnel conduct (including complaints received by Victoria Police and mandatorily reported to IBAC) - assessing those complaints and notifications to determine which will be referred to Victoria Police for action, which will be dismissed, and which will be investigated by IBAC - providing or disclosing information to the Chief Commissioner relevant to the performance of the duties and functions of Victoria Police - reviewing investigations of selected matters referred to Victoria Police to ensure those matters were handled appropriately and fairly - oversighting deaths and serious injuries associated with police contact pursuant to a standing 'own motion' - conducting 'own motion' investigations about police personnel conduct or corrupt conduct - conducting private and public examinations to assist investigations into police personnel conduct and, in the case of public examinations, exposing systemic issues, encouraging people with relevant information to come forward and to serve as a deterrent to others - ensuring police officers have regard to the Charter of Human Rights including through reviews and audits of Victoria Police complaint investigations - undertaking research and other strategic initiatives, including auditing how Victoria Police handles its complaints - informing and educating the community and Victoria Police about police misconduct and corruption, and ways it can be prevented. Details: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, 2018. 2p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/docs/default-source/research-documents/fact-sheet---audit-of-victoria-police-oversight-of-serious-incidents.pdf?sfvrsn=4e517775_4 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Audit Shelf Number: 154352

Author: Victoria State Government Title: Victorian Government Response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Summary: Introduction The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse uncovered tragic and widespread abuse of children who were in the care of government and non-government institutions. Children reporting abuse were not believed and their allegations were ignored. We acknowledge the findings of historical abuse within Victorian Government institutions and the ongoing psychological and physical harm suffered by survivors. As part of the inquiry, survivors shared stories of the profound trauma they suffered while in the care of government and non-government institutions and spoke of the extent to which this trauma impacted their lives as children and into adulthood. We acknowledge your strength, resilience and courage and we thank you for your bravery in coming forward to make sure the abuse of children was brought to light. It is thanks to the courage of survivors of historical child sexual abuse that the Royal Commission was able to do its important work and we acknowledge your vital contribution. The Victorian Government is taking responsibility to make sure no child is failed again and the wrongs of the past are never repeated. We are also making sure the needs of survivors are treated with the priority and importance they deserve. As well as making important recommendations for governments and institutions, the Royal Commission provided essential support for survivors of abuse in Australia so their voices could be heard. We welcome the release of the Final Report and thank the Royal Commission for its commitment and dedication in these important tasks. We are continually working to improve the ways we protect children, and the recommendations of the Royal Commission will be instrumental in guiding laws and practice to better protect children from abuse. This includes building cultures across the community that give children and young people a voice, empower them to raise concerns, and making sure that our responses to their concerns are effective and appropriate. We are committed to working with other jurisdictions to protect all children from abuse and implement more than 50 recommendations requiring intergovernmental collaboration. The Victorian Government is consulting with the Australian Government and state and territory governments to progress these recommendations. The Victorian Government is determined to make sure these failures to protect children never happen again and survivors are given the care and support they need. Our response to the Royal Commission reflects these commitments. For the next five years, the Victorian Government will report annually on its progress in building better protections for children. Details: Victoria, Australia: Victoria State Government, 2018. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://www.justice.vic.gov.au/institutionalchildsexualabuse Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154363

Author: Cigdem-Bayram, Melek Title: How do Crime Rates Affect Property Prices? Summary: In this paper we take the first steps to providing parameters capturing the wider impacts of crime when performing cost benefit analysis of investments in justice infrastructure. Specifically, we provide the first set of estimates of the wider impacts of crime for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. We estimate the effects of two different types of crime on households applying a hedonic regression model to a three year dataset of house prices and characteristics, distances to local amenities and crime rates. We find while an increase in the per capita rate of crime against persons reduces property prices in regional Victoria, it has no such effect in Melbourne. And we find no significant relationship between crimes against property and property prices in either Melbourne or regional Victoria. This implies that when investing in justice infrastructure to deliver services in regional Victoria that are expected to reduce crime against persons, the impact on the broader community (as captured through effects on property prices) should be taken into account in a cost-benefit analysis. Details: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Infrastructure Victoria, 2018. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/invtpaper/201802.htm Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154362

Author: Victoria State Government Title: Community Safety Trustee Progress Report - June 2017: First Report on the Implementation of the Community Safety Statement Summary: Introduction On 7 December 2016, the Government released the first ever Community Safety Statement for Victoria. The Community Safety Statement 2017 (CSS) sets out a law and order plan for the state accompanied by new investment in excess of two billion dollars, including the largest investment in additional police in the history of the police force. The overall objective of the CSS is clear � to make Victoria safer. While acknowledging the independence of the Chief Commissioner of Police, the CSS also holds Victoria Police and the Government to account for the record investment, committing them to deliver on specific priorities to keep the community safe. The Government has said that its five community safety priorities are: 1. Reducing harm 2. Increasing connection to the community 3. Putting victims first 4. Holding offenders to account 5. Improving Victoria Police capability, culture and technology. The CSS is an agreement between the Government and the Chief Commissioner, signed by all parties, to deliver on the priorities and commitments as set out in the statement. Further detail on the priorities can be found in Appendix A. The CSS investment will be delivered from 1 July 2017 over a four year period, and throughout this time the statement will remain a living document. New statements will be released annually to report on progress and build on the Government's community safety agenda. Engagement with the community over this time will provide important input into future statements. Further supporting accountability, the CSS sets out the specific outcomes the Government wants to achieve within each of the priority areas. This is accompanied by a set of measures to track progress and monitor the difference that implementation of commitments within the statement makes over time. While I applaud the transparency and desire for real change behind this approach, my initial view is that some of the accountability measures could be more robust. I await the Government's next statements with a particular interest in this progress reporting and how effective it is in demonstrating the changes in policing that the CSS commits to achieving. As is acknowledged in the statement, the existing measures may benefit from some refinement over time. While the CSS is new for Victoria, New Zealand Police�s annual Statements of Intent represent an excellent example of the future potential of the CSS. Over a ten year period, New Zealand Police Statements of Intent have demonstrated the capacity for the maturation of policing strategy, during which New Zealand has achieved impressive results in crime reduction. I encourage the Government to continue to look to New Zealand to build the sophistication of the CSS over time, particularly in relation to the setting of specific targets for achievement. Details: Victoria, Australia: Victoria State Government, 2017. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2017/07/apo-nid97871-1160936.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154360

Author: Weatherburn, Dan Title: Offending Over the Life Course: Contact with the NSW Criminal Justice System Between Age 10 and Age 33 Summary: Aims: To estimate the prevalence of contact with the NSW criminal justice system (CJS), the court system (after the first CJS contact) and the prison system amongst a cohort of people born in 1984 who are now 33 years of age. Method: Prevalence estimates are obtained by counting the number of people at each age from 10 (the age of criminal responsibility) to age 33 making their first CJS contact (as defined above) and dividing each count by an estimate of the population in that year and for that year of age. We sum the estimates at each age to arrive at a figure for the cumulative proportion that have had some form of CJS contact. To estimate the prevalence of contact with the custodial system (juvenile or adult) we repeat this process for each person appearing in a NSW court (including the NSW Children's Court) who received a penalty of full-time custody. Results: Nearly a third (32.4%) of those born in 1984 have, over the next 25 years, had some contact with the NSW criminal justice system (a police caution, a cannabis caution, a youth justice conference or an appearance in court). Just less than a quarter (24.4%) appeared in court. Nearly a half (48.4%) of all men, one in six women (15.8%) and more than a third (35.5%) of Aboriginal members of the cohort have had contact with the CJS. The percentages of males, females and Aboriginal Australians in the cohort who have received at least one custodial penalty are 4.2 per cent, 0.5 per cent and 13.2 per cent, respectively. The mean frequencies of contact with the court system (after the first CJS contact) are inversely related to age at first contact. Cohort members aged under 15 at their first CJS contact appeared in court after their first contact 7.5 times more often than those whose first contact with the CJS occurred when they were 25 years or older. On average those aged 10-14 at their first CJS contact received more than five custodial penalties over the next 25 years, compared with 1.2 for those whose first CJS contact occurred when they were 25 or older. The top 10 per cent of the cohort, in terms of court contacts and custodial penalties, accounted for 43 per cent of all court contacts and 39 per cent of all custodial penalties. Conclusion: Efforts to reduce persistent contact with the criminal justice system and demand for criminal justice resources should focus on young people making their first contact with the criminal justice system before the age of 15. Details: New South Wales, Australia: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/2018-Report-Offending-over-the-life-course-BB132.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Australians Shelf Number: 154359

Author: Penington Institute Title: Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2018 Summary: The Penington Institute has published the "Australia's Annual Overdose Report 2018". The report found that in 2016 there were a total of 2177 drug-related deaths in Australia. This is a little under double the number of drug-related deaths which occurred in 2002 (1231 deaths). The majority of the drug-related deaths in 2016 were considered accidental (1704). There were increases reported in regional areas, where the per capita rate of drug-related death was 8.1 per 100 000, compared with 6.6 per 100 000 in urban areas. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were significantly over-represented with the accidental death rate being 20.7 per 100 000, compared with 6.4 per 100 000 for non-Indigenous people. Details: Carlton, Victoria, Australia: Penington Institute, 2018. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: http://www.penington.org.au/australias-annual-overdose-report-2018/ Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginal Australians Shelf Number: 154367

Author: McLeod, Abby Title: Diversity and Inclusion in Australian Policing: Where are We at and Where Should we Go? Summary: While the promotion of women in policing has long been on the international agenda, in the Australian context a significant increase in attention to women in policing has occurred in recent years, framed largely in terms of the business benefits commonly associated with organisational diversity. Notably, major independent reviews of organisational culture and sex discrimination have been commissioned by Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and South Australia Police, and a number of jurisdictions have announced 50/50 male-female recruitment targets. These initiatives have been simultaneously welcomed and resisted by both men and women (sworn and unsworn), raising a range of questions about how best to promote gender equality in our nation's policing institutions. Details: Manly, New South Wales, Australia: Australian Institute of Police Management, 2018. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2019 at: https://www.aipm.gov.au/engage/news/diversity-and-inclusion-australian-policing-where-are-we-%C2%A0and-where-should-we-go Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154368

Author: Gannoni, Alexandra Title: National Deaths in Custody Program: Deaths in custody in Australia 2016-17 Summary: The National Deaths in Custody Program (NDICP) is responsible for monitoring the extent and nature of deaths occurring in prison, police custody and youth detention in Australia since 1980. The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has coordinated the NDICP since its establishment in 1992, the result of a recommendation made by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) the previous year. This report contains detailed information on deaths in both prison and police custody and custody-related operations in 2016-17, and compares these findings to longer term trends. No deaths occurred in youth detention in 2016-17. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Reports No. 13: Accessed February 27, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr13 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 154773

Author: Victoria State Government Title: Serious Offending by People Serving a Community Correction Order: 2017-18 Summary: In this report, the Council examines the number of people sentenced in 2017�18 for committing a serious offence while serving a community correction order. The report fulfils a requirement under the Corrections Act 1986 (Vic) for the Council to report annually on convictions for serious offences committed by people on community correction orders. A complete list of serious offences current between 16 January 2012 and 30 June 2018 is also available. Details: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2019. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 1, 2019 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/publications/serious-offending-people-serving-community-correction-order-2017-18 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 154761

Author: New South Wales. Legislative Council. Standing Committee on Social Issues Title: Gay and Transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010: Interim report Summary: That with reference to the May 2018 report of ACON In Pursuit of Truth and Justice and the progress made by NSW Police Force through Strike Force Parrabell, the Standing Committee on Social Issues inquire into and report on the response to Gay and Transgender hate crimes between 1970 and 2010 and current developments in policy and practice in relation to such crimes, and in particular: (a) the violent crimes committed in New South Wales between 1970 and 2010 where the victim of that crime was a member of the LGBTIQ community and where the relevant crime was the subject of a report to the NSW Police Force, including: (i) whether there existed impediments within the criminal justice system that impacted the protection of LGBTIQ people in New South Wales and the delivery of justice to victims of LGBTIQ hate crimes and their families, with reference to case studies of particular matters including but not limited to Alan Rosendale, Scott Johnson, John Russell and Ross Warren, (ii) to the extent that past impediments are identified, how effectively these have been addressed by current policy and practice, (b) in relation to LGBTIQ hate crimes more generally: (i) what role the so-called 'Gay panic' defence played in the culture of LGBTIQ hate crimes between 1970 and 2010, (ii) how the so-called 'Gay panic' defence impacted the delivery of justice and the treatment of Gay men during LGBTIQ hate crime investigations and court proceedings, and (c) any other related matter Details: Sydney: The Committee, 2019. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 5, 2019 at: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/2510/Report%20-%20Gay%20and%20Transgender%20Hate%20Crimes.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Hate Crimes Shelf Number: 154813

Author: Australia. Productivity Commission Title: What is known about systems that enable the 'public health approach' to protecting children Summary: The Secretariat for the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision is seeking input from individuals and organisations on the second What Works project. This project investigates what is known about systems that enable the 'public health approach' to protecting children. The focus will be on systems that protect children from abuse and neglect that occurs within families (to minimise duplication with recent work on child abuse in institutional settings). Australian governments have committed to taking a public health approach to protecting children under the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009-2020. A range of approaches have been used to date, but there is growing concern that efforts are still too crisis oriented, focused on responding to child abuse and neglect after they have occurred, rather than on prevention. This project will look specifically at system design: what is known about 'what works' to build a system where all the parts are working together to enable the public health approach to protecting children. It will highlight system-change approaches that appear effective, but will not assess the effectiveness of individual programs or interventions. Details: Melbourne: The Commission, 2019. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Consultation Paper: Accessed March 6, 2019 at: https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/what-works/child-protection/consultation/what-works-child-protection-consultation.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 154824

Author: ACON Title: In Pursuit of Truth and Justice: Documenting gay and transgender prejudice killings in NSW in the late 20th century Summary: Australia has a long history of violence towards people from sexual and gender minorities, stretching from colonisation to the present day. This Report looks at what has been a tragic and shameful episode in Sydney�s history. �It is now known that from the 1970s through to the 1990s, hundreds of members of Sydney's LGBTI communities experienced extremely violent assaults. Some of the bashings ended in hospitalisation, and there were also disappearances and deaths for gay men or men who were perceived to be gay, and for trans women. For some, the difference between assault and murder was often slender - good or bad luck. Many of these assaults occurred in and around the 'ghetto' area of Oxford Street or in the nearby suburbs, although some even happened in the person's home. As well, many of these assaults on men were at suburban beats. "Given prevailing social attitudes to dissident sexualities at the time - and even after male homosexual acts were decriminalised in early 1984 - many of these crimes were inadequately dealt with by police, often being classified after desultory investigations as suicides, misadventure or accidents. Many remain unsolved to this day." (Wotherspoon 2017) ACON, in conjunction with key partners, has undertaken a review of the initial list of 88 homicide cases that occurred during this period. Reported and unreported case judgments, Coronial documents, journal articles, newspaper items and archives have been reviewed. ACON has also undertaken a thematic analysis of the collated case data to draw out key themes of violence surrounding deaths, and to enable broader reflection on the lessons learnt about the culture of violence against LGBTI communities. These deaths were also accompanied by violence more broadly inflicted on the community - assaults, violence, harassment and abuse. This Review has occurred in the context of previous and current responses to these crimes. These include NSW Police Operation Taradale in 2005 which exposed significant deficiencies in the investigation of a number of these murders; Operation Parrabell which is ongoing and may shed light on the degree to which these cases were motivated by "bias"; as well as several Coronial investigations such as the Scott Johnson inquest. In addition, the media has directed attention at these crimes, including the work of many journalists (notably Rick Feneley) and investigators, for example resulting in the recent high-profile documentary and SBS drama series, Deep Water. The key findings from this review include: 1. Homicides occurred in three main spaces, with majority of victims being killed in their own homes, followed by beats, and other locations which mostly include gay and other social spaces. 2. In general, there was little or no pre-existing relationship between assailants and their victims. 3. Where killings happened in the victim's house, the victim was more likely to be known to the assailant, albeit in a minor way, whereas there was generally no existing relationship between the victim and assailant where the killing occurred at the beat or gay social spaces. Details: Surrey Hill, NSW: ACON, 2018. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 8, 2019 at: https://www.acon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/In-Pursuit-of-Truth-and-Justice-Report-FINAL-220518.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Bias-Motivated Crimes Shelf Number: 154849

Author: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Title: Serious Financial Crime in Australia 2017 Summary: INTRODUCTION Serious Financial Crime in Australia 2017 presents the national picture of serious financial crime currently impacting on the Australian community. In 2015, the Australian Government established the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce, a multi-agency task force that unites the operational and strategic intelligence capacity and responsibilities of task force agencies to identify and respond to serious financial crime in Australia. The Serious Financial Crime Taskforce member agencies include: - Attorney-General's Department (AGD) - Australian Border Force (ABF) - Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) - Australian Federal Police (AFP) - Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) - Australian Taxation Office (ATO) - Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) - Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP). Serious Financial Crime in Australia 2017 draws on the collaborative work of the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce agencies, as well as intelligence and operational data held by a broad range of law enforcement, regulatory and other government agencies. The work undertaken by the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce identifies the key threat priorities for operational treatment, ongoing intelligence collection and proposed policy and legislative change. The current priorities of the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce include international tax evasion, illegal phoenix activity, abusive use of trust structures, and criminality related to offshore service providers and superannuation funds. The objective of the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce is to maintain integrity and community confidence in the Australian economy, financial markets, regulatory framework and revenue collection. As at August 2017, the efforts of the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce have recouped $152.53 million for the Commonwealth, raised $391.93 million in tax liabilities, executed 54 search warrants, completed 587 audits, prosecuted four people and convicted four people. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, 2017. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2019 at: https://www.acic.gov.au/publications/intelligence-products/serious-financial-crime-australia-2017 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeiture Shelf Number: 154748

Author: Victorian (Australia) Auditor General Title: Follow up of Asset Confiscation Scheme Summary: Asset confiscation is a tool that Victoria's law enforcement and public prosecution agencies use in response to criminal activity. There are three key agencies that work together to achieve the objectives of the Asset Confiscation Scheme-Victoria Police, the Office of Public Prosecutions and the Department of Justice & Regulation. This follow-up audit examined the progress the three agencies have made in implementing actions to address the 25 recommendations from our 2013 audit of the Asset Confiscation Scheme. While all recommendations were accepted, this has not necessarily translated into timely implementation of business improvements. The audit found that agencies were slow to address the 2013 recommendations. To some extent, agencies were hindered by leadership changes at two of the agencies, legislative reform and the inevitable challenges of seeking agreement across three independent organisations. We found that there has been recent progress in terms of the partner agencies agreeing to a new governance framework and strategic plan, with further work required on the operational plan and performance framework. With new leadership appointments at Victoria Police and the Office of Public Prosecutions, there is a new opportunity to ensure that various issues with the governance arrangements for the Asset Confiscation Scheme are addressed in a timely manner. Details: Melbourne: Author, 2016. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 12, 2019 at: https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/20160608-ACS.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Asset Forfeiture Shelf Number: 154894

Author: Broadhurst, Roderic Title: Phishing and Spam: A Pilot Experiment Summary: In an exploratory pilot study 61 participants recruited during a university orientation week were exposed to social engineering directives in the form of fake email attacks that attempted to elicit personal information. Participants in a 'Hunter' condition were asked to remain to remain vigilant and report any suspicious content to researchers in the ANU Cybercrime Observatory. Participants in the 'Passive' condition received no such instruction. The first two attacks replicated mass generic phishing attempts in which use of names, personal greetings, and personal information were absent. The first generic attack required participants to respond to the email with personal information, and the second attack provided a 'compromised' link for participants to click. The third attack that was launched simulated a spear phishing attempt. In this attempt, the fake emails were tailored with participants' personal information obtained from social media in an attempt to entice participants to click links and enter personal details. The tailored emails impersonated trusted companies or contexts. As hypothesised participants were more susceptible to the specially targeted or spear phishing attacks than generic phishing attacks. 'Hunter' participants were more susceptible to all attacks compared to 'Passive' participants. This finding was contrary to our second hypothesis that alert participants would be more circumspect than those not so primed. "Hunter" participants however, were under-prepared and limited by a single instruction a few months prior to the dispatch of fake emails. Gender differences were also observed with females more likely to be susceptible in all conditions. The ease with which personal information was collected and potentially used against participants, combined with participants' higher susceptibility to targeted attacks, makes spear phishing a continuing threat. Crime prevention awareness combined with basic knowledge about spear phishing methods can reduce the risk of deception. Details: Canberra: Australian National University, Cybercrime Observatory, 2017. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed march 14, 2019 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3062331 Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 154958

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Use and acceptance of biometric technologies in 2017 Summary: Identity crime and misuse cost the Australian economy an estimated $2.65b in 2015-16 (Jorna & Smith 2018). Considerable effort has been devoted to finding secure ways to verify individuals' identity and to secure their personal information. Biometrics is the fastest developing technological solution. It makes use of people's unique biological characteristics to identify them when dealing with government and business. Since 2013, the Australian Institute of Criminology has conducted online surveys to gain a greater understanding of identity crime and misuse in Australia. These surveys have asked about respondents' experience of identity crime and also their willingness to use biometric technologies to safeguard their personal information. This paper presents the results of the latest survey, conducted in 2017, which indicated generally high levels of previous exposure to biometrics and increasing willingness to use biometric technologies in the future. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 569: Accessed March 14, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi569 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Biometrics Shelf Number: 154960

Author: Tzoumakis, Stacy Title: Parental offending and children's conduct problems Summary: The intergenerational transmission of criminality is well established. However, few intergenerational studies in Australia have examined the link between parents' offending and their children's behaviour. Even fewer have used large enough samples to examine serious maternal offending. This study uses a sample of over 21,000 Australian children and their parents to determine the prevalence and co-occurrence of offending among mothers and fathers, and the relationship between parental offending and children's conduct problems at age 11. The study found that parental offending increases a child's likelihood of conduct problems, and the offending most strongly associated with child conduct problems is maternal violent offending. It also found that the intergenerational transmission of antisocial behaviour begins early, highlighting the importance of intervention for at-risk children and programs targeted at mothers as well as fathers. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 571: Accessed March 14, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi571 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Antisocial Behavior Shelf Number: 154961

Author: Henry, Nicola Title: Image-based sexual abuse: Victims and perpetrators Summary: Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) refers to the non-consensual creation, distribution or threatened distribution of nude or sexual images. This research examines the prevalence, nature and impacts of IBSA victimisation and perpetration in Australia. This form of abuse was found to be relatively common among respondents surveyed and to disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with a disability, homosexual and bisexual people and young people. The nature of victimisation and perpetration was found to differ by gender, with males more likely to perpetrate IBSA, and females more likely to be victimised by a partner or ex-partner. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 14, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi572 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crime Shelf Number: 154962

Author: Sullivan, Tom Title: Is alcohol and energy drink consumption associated with antisocial behaviour? Summary: The consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) has become popular in Australia, particularly among young people. AmED research suggests there are associations between AmED consumption and harmful behaviours, including criminal offences. This study investigated the behaviours of a group of AmED consumers known to engage in high-risk activities-police detainees. It found most detainees had recently consumed energy drinks, but consumption of AmED was less common than in community samples. The study also compared the behaviours of AmED consumers with alcohol consumers, and analysed how AmED consumers behaved in AmED sessions versus alcohol sessions. It found AmED consumers reported drinking more alcohol in a usual alcohol session than in a usual AmED session. AmED consumers were also significantly less likely to report being assaulted or committing a traffic offence in an AmED session, compared with an alcohol only session. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, No. 573: Accessed March 14, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi573 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 154963

Author: Gun Control Australia Title: Gun Control Australia: Report Card: New South Wales Summary: About this Report Card -- This Report Card provides an analysis of the current status of New South Wales' gun laws and how they are faring after years of political pressure from the gun lobby to water them down. Figures in the report have been obtained from the NSW Firearms Registry via access to information laws and from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics (BOCSAR) by specific request. The Report Card provides an overview of: - The increasing level of gun ownership in NSW - The poor regulation of gun clubs in NSW - The poor regulation of recreational hunting in NSW - The role the gun lobby has played in the dismantling of NSW gun laws - The use of guns in violent crime including domestic violence - The lack of NSW compliance with the resolutions set out in the 1996 National Firearms Agreement (NFA) in response to the Port Arthur massacre - The policy position that GCA seeks political parties to embrace at the coming NSW election. Quick facts -- - At 1st February 2019 the number of firearms registered in NSW was 1,007,786 with over 880 000 firearms owned by individual license holders. This is an increase of 9.5 per cent on December 2016 (920,041) - The majority of registered firearms are hunting rifles and shotguns (842,791)2 - There are 40,930 registered handguns including semi-automatic handguns - Out of the total 608,193 'genuine reasons' provided for issuing a gun licence, 62 per cent of those reasons were for recreational hunting. - From Jan 2018 to Dec 2018 there were 454 guns stolen in NSW and 591 stolen the previous year. The majority of guns were stolen from residential dwellings. - There are 100 individuals (not collectors or dealers) across NSW who own private arsenals with more than 70 firearms including one individual in Eastgardens with 305 firearms, one in Mosman with 285 firearms and one in North Sydney with 268 - There have been 21,645 permits for children aged 12 and over issued for the period 2016 to 2018. The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party (SFFP) is lobbying to lower the age a child can acquire a permit to 10 - In a five-year period there have been 23 domestic violence related murders using a firearm. The use of gun in domestic violence is under reported and under researched. - In two-year period there have only been 10 convictions/penalties imposed for illegal hunting on private lands - NSW firearm laws are in breach of 11 of the resolutions set out in the 1996 Port Arthur Agreement known as the National Firearms Agreement 1996 (NFA) Details: s.l.: Gun Control Australia, 2019. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2019 at: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/guncontrolparty/pages/105/attachments/original/1552025584/GCA-NSW-Report-Card-2019.pdf?1552025584 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Gun Control Policy Shelf Number: 154979

Author: Nicholas, Roger Title: Pharmaceutical opioids in Australia: A double-edged sword Summary: This literature review was undertaken by Roger Nicholas, Senior Project Manager, NCETA with assistance from HERA Partners. The review informed the development of a resource to support prescribers assist patients experiencing difficulties with their use of pharmaceutical opioids. The review covers a number of key areas including: - Changes in patterns of opioid use in Australia and internationally - Adverse effects of longer term opioid use - The role of opioids in the treatment of persistent non-cancer pain - Medico-legal issues related to opioid prescribing - Assessing and responding to patients with codeine and other pharmaceutical opioid-related problems. Details: Adelaide, South Australia: National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA), Flinders University, 2019. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2019 at: http://nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/2415/4960/5275/Pharmaceutical_opioids_in_Australia_A_double-edged_sword.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Shelf Number: 154985

Author: Smith, Russell G. Title: Understanding and responding to serious and organised crime involvement in public sector corruption Summary: his paper examines the nature of serious and organised crime group (SOCG) involvement in public sector corruption, associated risk factors and best-practice responses and prevention strategies. The paper draws on an environmental scan of international literature on the corruption of public sector officials by SOCGs to determine how corruption occurs and how it can best be prevented. The approaches of other countries were analysed to identify which initiatives can most effectively be applied to problems within Australia. Although the scale of the threat is less in Australia than in other countries, we can learn from overseas experiences how best to minimise this threat in future. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 534: Accessed march 18, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi534 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Organized Crime Shelf Number: 155028

Author: Mendes, Philip Title: Good Practice in Reducing the Over-Representation of Care Leavers in the Youth Justice System Leaving Care and Youth Justice: Phase Three Report Summary: Young people leaving state out of home care are one of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society, and are over-represented in the criminal justice system and youth detention facilities. This report presents findings from phase 3 of the Leaving Care and Youth Justice project, and makes recommendations for policy and practice to prevent and address this over-representation with a trauma-informed approach. Program and policy examples are also included, across the child and family welfare services, youth justice, education, mental health, and youth drug and alcohol services sectors. Details: Melbourne: Monash University, 2014. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2019 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/pacra/good-practice-reducing-over-representation-care-leavers-youth-justice-system Year: 2014 Country: Australia Keywords: At Risk Youth Shelf Number: 155051

Author: Taylor, Annabel Title: Impact of the experience of domestic and family violence on children: What does the literature have to say? Summary: The report summarises key findings from meta-analyses of the literature related to the impact of exposure to domestic and family violence on children and young people. It summarises Australian and international findings on the impact on physical health, psychology and behaviour, and the parent-child relationship, and also looks at research into recognising children's agency and strengths. One finding is that, though children exposed to domestic and family violence can be affected in many ways, there are also a significant number of children who show resilience and competency in the face of violence. Details: Mackay QLD: Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, 2019. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2019 at: https://noviolence.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Impact-of-the-experience-of-domestic-and-family-violence-on-children.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Shelf Number: 155058

Author: Australia. Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee Title: Practice of dowry and the incidence of dowry abuse in Australia Summary: On 26 June 2018, the Senate referred the practice of dowry and the instance of dowry abuse in Australia to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 6 December 2018. This report was made public on 13 February 2019. There are six chapters in this report: Chapter 1 outlines the administrative details of the inquiry, and defines the terms dowry and dowry abuse. Chapter 2 sets out the relevant legislative frameworks in federal, state and international jurisdictions including Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Chapter 3 examines the arguments for and against criminalising the practice of dowry, the adequacy of existing federal criminal law provisions, and the adequacy of the existing extradition arrangements between Australia and the Republic of India. Chapter 4 examines the adequacy of federal family law in protecting victims of dowry abuse. Chapter 5 examines the adequacy of the migration framework in protecting victims of dowry abuse. Chapter 6 examines issues of data collection with respect to the incidence of dowry abuse, and how to raise awareness of this issue amongst victims, the community and professionals. Details: Canberra: The Author, 2019. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/02/apo-nid219986-1332061.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Marriage Shelf Number: 155059

Author: Safe State Title: Acting to End Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Summary: Yet one in five women experience sexual violence and one in four women experience violence by a current or former partner. We can't let this continue. We must act now. Our Government must act to: Create cultural change to prevent violence and promote gender equality; Provide immediate and ongoing support for people experiencing violence; Ensure people experiencing violence have a safe home; Ensure people experiencing violence can access justice safely; Enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to lead change to end violence; Be accountable to specialist workers and the wider community. It's time to act now to ensure every person can live free from violence. Details: NSW: The Author, 2019. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 27, 2019 at: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/safensw/pages/41/attachments/original/1540514938/A_Safe_State_-_Final_Policy_Platform_%28Oct_2018-Mar_2019%29.pdf?1540514938 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 155174

Author: McDowall, Joseph J. Title: Out-of-home care in Australia: Children and young people's views after five years of National Standards. Summary: In 2011, the Australian government introduced the National Standards for Out-of-Home Care as part of the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children 2009�2020. The intent was to establish a set of measures and indicators that would apply nationally so that children and young people in each state and territory could expect to receive similar base-level support from the care system in their jurisdiction. As part of the monitoring of these Standards, it was proposed to conduct surveys of the children and young people in out-of-home care to determine how the implementation of the Standards impacted on their life experience. The CREATE Foundation was concerned that it would be difficult to determine if improvements had been made to the system without having measures bench-marking the state of care across Australia before the Standards were introduced. Therefore, in 2012, CREATE began collecting data from children and young people about their lives in the care system using an extensive national survey, the results of which were published in 2013. This study concentrated on placement issues and levels of participation, and dealt with all life domains including education, health, relationships (family and friends), identity, and culture. All states and territories (except Western Australia) participated in this project. An official survey, based on data provided by governments, was partially assembled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in 2015, and completed in a 2016 publication. While data were presented from over 2000 children and young people, little information was provided on how these participants were selected from each jurisdiction, and for most, their responses were collected with the assistance of caseworkers which limits the independence of the data. The present project represents CREATE's review of the care system five years after its first survey, when the National Standards would have had time to impact on policy and practice, and hopefully to produce improvements in the experiences of children and young people in care. This makes a useful contribution to the body of data being collected that will inform decisions regarding the future of the National Framework for Protecting Australian Children after its scheduled conclusion in 2020. Details: Sydney: CREATE Foundation, 2018. 2-8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 27, 2019 at: https://create.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/CREATE-OOHC-In-Care-2018-Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 155187

Author: Cavanough, Edward Title: Ending Wage Theft: Eradicating Underpayment in the Australian Workplace Summary: Wage theft is now one of the most pressing public policy issues in Australia. In some sectors of the economy it has transitioned from a fringe activity to a business model. And at the same time, most Australians haven't seen a decent pay-rise in more than half a decade. Wage theft and low wage growth are related. Our Falling Wages, Stalling Growth report highlighted how wage theft by some businesses undermines the ability of their competitors to give their staff a pay rise: a reminder that it's in everyone's economic interests to put an end to this pernicious practice. This report builds on that 2018 report with a closer look at the people in our workforce that are most at risk to having their wages stolen. From young workers in hospitality not getting super or penalty rates to migrant workers in horticulture and more, we see that some segments of the population are more vulnerable than others. At the same time few, if any, sectors of the economy can say they are free from blemish - it's more a question of degrees or differing forms that wage theft takes than whether or not it occurs. The report also seeks to highlight the financial and welfare impacts on those workers and their families as well as the flow-on consequences for the broader economy, including the Federal Budget deficit. Recognising that this harmful habit by some has become a community-wide problem that warrants all of our attention, this report puts forward ideas and solutions to eradicate wage theft. These are grouped into four broad categories. First, this report advocates for a set of measures designed to demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach to wage theft. This includes reinforcing steps already underway to criminalise wage theft at a state level as well as new proposals to have it recognised as a form of anti-competitive conduct that will enable legitimate employers to seek damages when a competitor has undermined their business by underpaying their staff. Second, measures to make compliance more straight forward for employers in the first place and private enforcement action more accessible for employees are then explored. In corporate parlance, the latter means ensuring an effective right of audit for employees or unions acting on their behalf. Meanwhile streamlining the payment of superannuation and payroll is a simple example of how unnecessary complexity can be removed for employers. Third, we argue boosting public resources to tackle wage theft as well as improving government enforcement activities are required. Every dollar underpaid to staff means less income and payroll taxes flowing into government coffers. Conversely, this means whenever an employee makes a successful claim for underpaid wages the budget bottom line is improved. In effect, the commonweal and state treasurers are free-riding on some of the more vulnerable workers in our labour force when it really should be the other way around. This is why we have proposed legislating the Stopping Wage Theft Subsidy Pool to subsidise private enforcement action, education campaigns and to reward whistleblowers. Finally, the report looks at how other, often unrelated, areas of government policy need to be improved to ensure they don't unintentionally reward or encourage wage theft. The report puts forward specific suggestions in relation to government procurement and grants as well as immigration, and recommends the establishment of a whole-of-government taskforce to ensure all commonwealth policy levers are aligned towards ending wage theft as a business model. Details: Melbourne: McKell Institute Victoria, 2019. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 27, 2019 at: https://mckellinstitute.org.au/app/uploads/McKell-Ending-Wage-Theft.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 155189

Author: Browne, Bill Title: Point Blank: Political strategies of Australia's gun lobby Summary: The Australian public supports stronger gun control and stricter restrictions and laws on firearms. Despite this, there is a real danger of our firearm laws being watered down. Successive inquiries have found that no state or territory has ever fully complied with the National Firearms Agreement. The public will on firearms is being circumvented because firearms interest groups have made a concerted effort to undermine these laws and loosen state-level gun controls. These groups include firearms suppliers and their peak bodies, members' associations like shooting and hunting clubs, and gun advocates who operate more informally. Either operating independently or together, these organisations have made significant political donations, run campaigns to influence voters and encouraged the election of pro-gun cross-benchers. The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA), the peak body for Australia's five largest firearms suppliers, spends roughly the same amount of money, again as a share of population, on political campaigning as the National Rifle Association (the NRA) does in the United States. The Australian gun lobby runs political campaigns and lobbies politicians and journalists, but it attracts little attention in Australia because it keeps its operations low key. Gun lobby political advertising in recent years has mostly avoided mentioning firearms or gun control at all. Australians are probably more familiar with the NRA than Australia's equivalents, even though relative to population Australia's gun lobby is of a similar size and funding to the NRA. This report provides an account of the political strategies of the gun lobby. Details: Manuka, ACT: The Australia Institute, 2019. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion paper: Accessed March 27, 2019 at: http://www.tai.org.au/sites/default/files/P598%20Point%20blank%20%5BWeb%5D.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms Shelf Number: 155190

Author: Brown, Rick Title: Exploring the implications of child sex dolls Summary: The importation of child sex dolls into Australia has created increasing concerns. However, the implications of these products, and especially their link with child contact sexual offending, remain unclear. From a review of the literature, a number of possible negative impacts are suggested. Although currently unproven, it is possible that use of child sex dolls may lead to escalation in child sex offences, from viewing online child exploitation material to contact sexual offending. It may also desensitise the user from the potential harm that child sexual assault causes, given that such dolls give no emotional feedback. The sale of child sex dolls potentially results in the risk of children being objectified as sexual beings and of child sex becoming a commodity. Finally, there is a risk that child-like dolls could be used to groom children for sex, in the same way that adult sex dolls have already been used. There is no evidence that child sex dolls have a therapeutic benefit in preventing child sexual abuse. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 570: Accessed March 28, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi570 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 155200

Author: Victoria (AUS). Department of Premier and Cabinet Title: Three Years on from the Royal Commission into Family Violence Summary: In March 2016 the Royal Commission into Family Violence made 227 recommendations to prevent family violence, keep victim survivors safe and supported, and hold perpetrators to account. The recommendations outlined the systemic and cultural change needed to achieve the vision of a Victoria free from family violence. The Victorian Government committed to implementing all 227 recommendations in recognition of the devastating and often intergenerational impacts of family violence on the community. An unprecedented investment of over $2.7 billion has been allocated to support this change. The government has already implemented 120 of the 227 recommendations since the release of the final report. The acquittal of these recommendations demonstrates the significant steps that the government has taken to create a world-leading service system aimed at changing underlying attitudes and beliefs that condone family violence, while delivering services to support victim survivors. The experiences of victim survivors form the centre of the reform agenda, to ensure cultural and systemic change. The Royal Commission into Family Violence (Royal Commission) emphasised the need for outcome-orientated action. The government has responded by clearly linking the reform agenda to the desired outcomes. The Family Violence Outcomes Framework was developed in consultation with the family violence service delivery sector, victim survivors and community members. The framework clearly outlines Victoria's priorities in preventing and responding to family violence, why these priorities matter and what constitutes success in achieving these outcomes. Details: Melbourne: The Author, 2019. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/03/apo-nid227726-1347836.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Protection Shelf Number: 155273

Author: Henry, Nicola Title: Not Just 'Revenge Pornography': Australians' Experiences of Image-Based Abuse A SUMMARY REPORT Summary: Key Points: 1 in 5 Australians have experienced image-based abuse. Victims of image-based abuse experience high levels of psychological distress. Women and men are equally likely to report being a victim. Perpetrators of image-based abuse are most likely to be male, and known to the victim. Men and young adults are more likely to voluntarily share a nude or sexual image of themselves � Women are more likely than men to fear for their safety due to image-based abuse. Abuse risk is higher for those who share sexual selves, but they are not the only victims. 1 in 2 Australians with a disability report being a victim of image-based abuse. 1 in 2 Indigenous Australians report image-based abuse victimisation. Image-based abuse victimisation is higher for lesbian, gay and bisexual Australians. Young people aged 16 to 29 years are also at higher risk of image-based abuse. 4 in 5 Australians agree it should be a crime to share sexual or nude images without permission. Details: Melbourne: RMIT Uniersity, 2017. 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2019 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323078201_Not_Just_'Revenge_Pornography'_Australians'_Experiences_of_Image-Based_Abuse_A_SUMMARY_REPORT Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Image-Based Abuse Shelf Number: 155274

Author: Australia Institute Title: Trolls and polls - the economic costs of online harassment and cyberhate Summary: The Australia Institute was commissioned by independent journalist and researcher Ginger Gorman to estimate the economic costs of online harassment and cyberhate. This report is part of a wider research by Ms Gorman on cyberhate. In April 2018, a nationally representative sample of 1,557 Australians were surveyed about online harassment and cyberhate. The poll was conducted online. Questions and details of poll method and adjustments to data are provided later in the report. Key findings: More than one in three of all internet users have experienced some form of online harassment or abuse. The most common were abusive language (27%), being sent unwanted sexual material (18%), and threats of physical violence or deaths (8%). Many people have experienced even more extreme forms of harassment, including being 'doxed', that is, having personal details published to intimidate them (5%), or being impersonated online or other actions to damage their reputation or careers (both 4%). Of concern is this harrassment can go well beyond one-off events. 8% of people say they have experienced 'cyberhate', 'repeated, sustained threats or attacks'. That is equivalent to 1.3 million Australians. The impacts of online abuse can be substantial. Of those who said they had experienced harassment or cyberhate, one in four said they had seen a medical professional as a result, and one in four also said it had impacted their work. Our research found the cost of online harassment and cyberhate to have cost Australians an estimated $3.7 billion in health costs and lost income. Details: Canberra: The Institute, 2019. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2019 at: http://www.tai.org.au/sites/default/files/P530%20Trolls%20and%20polls%20-%20surveying%20economic%20costs%20of%20cyberhate%20%255bWEB%255d_1.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Costs of Crime Shelf Number: 155279

Author: Cigdem-Bayram, Melek Title: Responding to high crime rates: what is the mix of prevention, insurance and mitigation individuals choose and its results? Summary: In this paper we take first steps in providing parameters capturing some wider impacts of crime on individuals for the cost benefit analysis of investments in justice infrastructure. Statistical matching methods are applied to the HILDA dataset in the first broad economic analysis of how individuals respond to living in an acutely high crime environment and the consequences. Compared with individuals living in a postcode with a moderately high crime rate, the matching analysis shows individuals living in postcodes with acutely high crime rates are more likely to be a victim of a violent crime and spend less on insurance. They are also more likely to have a family member incarcerated even if they are no more likely to be incarcerated themselves. There are no significant differences in household incomes or full-time employment rates though those living in an acutely high crime rate postcode are more likely to be unemployed. Finally, although there are no significant differences in measures of mental health, individuals in acutely high crime rate areas spend less on health. This could be because they are less likely to have a long term health condition but could also reflect under-investing in health care which may have negative consequences for health in the long term. Details: Melbourne: Infrastructure Victoria, 2018. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Technical Paper No. 3/18: Accessed April 5, 2019 at: http://repec.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/RePEc/inv/tpaper/IVT201803.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Cost-Benefit Analysis Shelf Number: 155354

Author: Modecki, Kathryn Lynn Title: Understanding delinquency during the teenage years: Developmental pathways of antisocial decision making among disadvantaged youth Summary: Aim -- In an effort to inform treatment and prevention of youth delinquency in Australia, this project explored several key questions in relation to developmental change in adolescents' delinquency involvement. We focused on the role of perceived rewards of antisocial behaviour, self-control, and emotions in driving youthful antisocial decision making, longitudinally over years and over days. Methods -- We leveraged two existing data sets focused on socio-economically disadvantaged youth in Australia to explore these questions. First, we used latent growth models to map developmental change in delinquency and perceived antisocial rewards over several years of high-school, and explored self-control (in the form of conscientiousness), as a moderator of these associations. Second, we used hierarchical linear modeling to assess within-person change in emotion, stressful events, and antisocial behaviour, and assessed whether reward bias and delinquency involvement conditioned these associations. We further explored our findings with an advisory panel of law enforcement personnel who helped provide an initial interpretation of results for informing delinquency prevention efforts for high-risk Australian youth. Results -- Our findings point to a relatively robust positive relation between reward sensitivity and delinquency in the early adolescent years. There was also some evidence that up-ticks in delinquency over the high-school years lead to subsequent increased reward perceptions. Self-control further conditioned these associations. In particular, low self-control (in the form of low conscientiousness) coupled with high perceived antisocial rewards represented a risk for especially high delinquency involvement. In addition to a robust predictive effect of rewards, our findings also highlighted emotional inflexibility as a risk factor for adolescent delinquency. Youth with a strong reward bias tended to engage in antisocial behaviour, regardless of their emotional states; whereas youth with low reward bias were "swayed against" antisocial choices on days they were especially worried. That said, they were also more likely to engage in antisocial behaviour on days they were particularly bored. Further, highly delinquent youth reported less variability in their emotional states, but simultaneously demonstrated increased reactivity to stressful events and set-backs. Thus, these youth tended to get "stuck" in negative emotions, while also over-reacting emotionally to hassles and challenges. Conclusion -- Including components to prevention programs that help youth weigh-up both the costs and benefits of delinquent behaviour may be especially important prior to and at the start of high-school. Low self-control (in the form of low levels of conscientiousness) coupled with high perceived antisocial rewards may be an especially salient risk, and youth who manifest poor self-organization and strong reward cognitions may require special consideration. Intervention and prevention programs that target emotional flexibility among at-risk and delinquent youth may be especially efficacious. Ideally, these programs might help youth to recognize their emotions, respond adaptively to different contextual demands, and, when appropriate, use their emotions to guide them away from problematic choices. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2019 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1819/13-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Adolescents Shelf Number: 155343

Author: Tzoumakis, Stacy Title: The intergenerational transmission of criminal offending behaviours Summary: Background: Parental offending is associated with a wide-range of adverse outcomes in offspring, but the emphasis has been on examining the role of fathers on offspring offending in adolescence and adulthood. Little intergenerational research has been conducted in Australia on the relationship between maternal and paternal offending and diverse offspring developmental vulnerabilities in childhood. Aim: To determine the associations between parental offending histories and offspring developmental outcomes in a large population-based study of Australian children. This study focused on child outcomes in early and middle childhood, which are key developmental periods for intervention and prevention of antisocial behaviour and aggression. Method: Data were drawn from the New South Wales Child Development Study (NSW-CDS) cohort of 87,026 New South Wales children. The NSW-CDS is an intergenerational data linkage study combining information from cross-sectional surveys at age five and 11 years with administrative records. Analyses were conducted on the first two waves of record linkage conducted to date. Firstly, data were analysed from Record Linkage 1, to determine relationships between parental offending and a range of early childhood (age 5 years) offspring outcomes (i.e., social competence; emotional maturity; language and cognitive development; communication and general knowledge; physical health and wellbeing; and, aggressive behaviour). Secondly, using data from Record Linkage 2, the associations between parental offending and offspring conduct problems in middle childhood (age 11 years) were examined. Findings: Mothers with a history of offending experienced greater risk factors (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, mental illness, and offending partners) compared to non-offending mothers. Analyses revealed associations between parental offending and offspring vulnerabilities across a range of developmental domains in early childhood and conduct problems in middle childhood. In early childhood, associations were greatest for cognitive outcomes. Violent and frequent offending had a greater magnitude of association compared to nonviolent and infrequent offending. Both maternal and paternal offending histories were associated with adverse offspring outcomes at both developmental periods. Maternal offending initially seemed to have greater associations compared to paternal offending; however, once both parents� offending was included in the models, the associations were similar. High levels of assortative mating were observed; the majority of mothers with a history of offending had a partner with a history of offending. Conclusions and Implications: Prevention and intervention efforts should start early in development, include mothers and fathers, and target both behavioural and cognitive problems in children. Future research should examine assortative mating among offending parents and how this influences the development of antisocial behaviour among offspring. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Council, 2019. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2019 at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/127298/1/tzoumakis19-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Shelf Number: 155344

Author: Brown, Thea Title: Filicide in Australia, 2000-2012: A national study Summary: The killing of a child by their parent is a rare and unique event, which presents challenges for identifying trends and patterns and for implementing effective prevention measures. Adding to these challenges is the availability, quality and comparability of data. Filicide statistics are frequently contained but not distinguished within broader child homicide data, and definitions of filicide can vary based on the age of the victim (with analyses most commonly relating to victims aged less than 18 years). Further, filicide research is often discrete and focused on particular categories of filicide events, offenders or victims. Consequently, national rates and comprehensive examinations of this phenomenon remain elusive. Nonetheless, previous analyses of Australian cases suggest that rates are high relative to other developed nations. In response, this report presents the first nation-wide examination of Australian filicides, covering the 12-year period from 2000-01 to 2011-12. As such, it highlights both national and state and territory trends regarding filicide incidents, victims and offenders, and provides a robust knowledge base from which to develop prevention measures. Key findings -- Filicide incidents -- Between 2000-01 and 2011-12, there were 238 incidents of filicide nationally. These incidents made up 18 percent of domestic homicide incidents and seven percent of all homicide incidents over the same period. However, while the incident rate remained steady-between 0.16 and 0.59 incidents per 100,000 population, with an average of 20 incidents per year (range=8-29 incidents per year)- this pattern was contrary to the downward trend observed for domestic homicide and all homicide incidents. Filicide victims -- These incidents involved 284 filicide victims, as well as 16 current or former intimate partners. The filicide victims comprised the majority of child homicide victims (63%) over the 2000-12 period. Most incidents involved a single victim, though 28 incidents involved two victims and nine incidents involved three victims. Victimisation rates fluctuated between 0.16 and 0.75 victims per 100,000 children, and comprised between one-fifth and one-quarter of domestic homicide victims in the most populous jurisdictions. The vast majority of these victims were aged less than 18 years (96%), with only ten adult children being killed over the 12-year period. Most victims were aged less than five years (n=189; 67%), with the median age being two years. There were more male than female victims (56% cf 44%), with the male victimisation rate generally higher than that of the female victimisation rate for each year considered. Ten percent of victims were Indigenous, with these victims often being younger than non-Indigenous victims. Filicide offenders -- There were 260 filicide offenders; 216 incidents involving a single offender and 22 incidents involving two offenders. A similar proportion of offenders were male (n=124; 52%) as were female (n=114; 48%), though victims were most commonly killed by their custodial mother (n=133 victims), followed by a custodial father (n=82 victims) or step-father (n=41 victims). Cases involving two offenders were most commonly perpetrated by two custodial parents, or one female custodial parent (n=9; 41%) and one male step-parent (n=9; 41%). Offenders were aged between 17 and 75 years, with the median age being 32 years. Nine percent of offenders were Indigenous. While mothers were equally likely to kill a male or female child, fathers were more likely to kill a male child. Fathers were also more likely to kill children who were slightly older (aged 1-4 years), whereas mothers killed the very young (aged less than 1 year). Most offenders were in a relationship (married or de facto; n=81; 36%) at the time of the filicide. One-fifth were separated (n=43). Two-thirds of incidents where motive was recorded (n=60) were precipitated by a domestic argument related to the upbringing of the child or the child's custodial arrangement. Further, 43 percent of offenders had a criminal history - most commonly a conviction for a violent offence - and 30 percent of offenders were previously involved in an incident of domestic violence, though the direction of the violence was unknown. In addition, one in three offenders (n=63) had a mental illness, one in five committed suicide following the filicide (n=45) and a similar proportion were affected by drugs (n=40). Policy and program implications Identifying trends in the nature, context and prevalence of filicide incidents, victims and offenders allows comprehensive understandings, and therefore improved interventions, to be developed. However, determining risk is problematic, and identifying cases that may result in a parent killing their child will be particularly difficult to distinguish from the broader context of child abuse, family violence, parental separation and mental health cases. Therefore, a broader focus on enhancing education, case management and interagency communication around the often co-occurring factors that may precipitate or contribute to a filicide may be a useful means for better identifying risk and preventing child deaths. To this end, intervening early and effectively with families who have significant issues, rather than focusing on predicting the small number of cases where filicide may be an outcome, is an important strategy. Moreover, situating the current findings within the somewhat disparate but growing body of literature provides a more robust assessment of the nature and prevalence of filicide events, and can enhance the information available from a range of disciplines and perspectives. Importantly, the findings demonstrate the pivotal role of various professionals in filicide prevention, specifically mental health, family and domestic violence, criminal justice and drug and alcohol services. However, as offender circumstances and characteristics differ according to the offender's relationship with the victim, a re-focusing of adult service provision that address the needs of clients as parents as well as those of their children is critical. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2019. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 8, 2019 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1819/52-1415-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Rates Shelf Number: 155345

Author: Australia. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Title: Impact of new and emerging information and communication technology Summary: Pursuant to subsection 7(1) of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010, the committee will examine the impact of new and emerging information and communications technology (ICT) with particular reference to: (a) challenges facing Australian law enforcement agencies arising from new and emerging ICT; (b) the ICT capabilities of Australian law enforcement agencies; (c) engagement by Australian law enforcement agencies in our region; (d) the role and use of the dark web; (e) the role and use of encryption, encryption services and encrypted devices; and (f) other relevant matters. Structure and scope of this report This report is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 broadly considers the new and emerging ICT landscape and provides an overview of some key ICTs. Chapter 2 discusses the coordination of international and Australian law enforcement and key issues to be considered in addressing cybercrime across jurisdictions. Chapter 3 considers the nature and uses of the 'dark web', including encryption, and the challenges it poses for law enforcement. Chapter 4 examines recent legislative reforms in relation to new and emerging ICTs, including the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018. Chapter 5 discusses operational challenges as well as the workforce and ICT vulnerabilities that affect Australian law enforcement's capabilities. Chapter 6 considers strategic responses and opportunities both internationally and within Australia. Details: Canberra: Author, 2019. 126p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed April 8, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/04/apo-nid229006-1349951.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Communication Technology Shelf Number: 155346

Author: Flanagan, Kathleen Title: Housing outcomes after domestic and family violence Summary: Key points --  The principal crisis response for women and children who have to leave their home due to violence is provided by the Specialist Homelessness Services system, yet data suggests that for many clients, there is little services can do to provide a pathway from crisis into stable, secure and long-term accommodation.  Existing DFV support programs cannot compensate for the absence of affordable, suitable housing-so moving from short-term or transitional accommodation into permanent, independent housing is very difficult, and sometimes unachievable, for women and children affected by DFV.  Reliance on private rental market subsidies as a way to achieve housing outcomes is problematic in tight markets and such assistance cannot always successfully overcome other barriers like limited affordable supply and competition from other prospective tenants.  Governments around Australia have adopted strategic responses to domestic and family violence that promote integrated service delivery for affected families.  This integrated response to domestic and family violence is generally working well, promoting collaborative working relationships amongst services and providing support that is valued and appreciated by service users.  For service users, a relationship with a skilled, capable and well-connected support worker is crucial, both therapeutically and for sustaining their engagement with support.  Other areas of government policy, such as the income support system, can exacerbate poverty and disadvantage and make re-establishing stable housing more difficult for victims.  Where safe, secure and affordable housing is not available, women may decide to return to a violent relationship because they perceive this as a safer option than the alternatives. between different housing tenures and markets, depending on their resources, choices and needs. Details: Melbourne: Australian Housing and urban Research Institute, 2019. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: AHURI Final Report 311; Accessed April 10, 2019 at: https://www.ahuri.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/37619/AHURI-Final-Report-311-Housing-outcomes-after-domestic-and-family-violence.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 155349

Author: Henry, Nicola Title: Responding to 'revenge pornography': Prevalence, nature and impacts Summary: Executive summary -- Research aims and design - Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is a term used to describe a pattern of behaviours involving the non-consensual creation, distribution, or threats to distribute, nude or sexual images (photographs or videos). Also known as 'revenge pornography' or 'non-consensual pornography', IBSA affects a significant proportion of the population and has wide-ranging and significant impacts. This report provides an empirical account of IBSA in Australia, including documenting the prevalence, nature and impacts of victimisation and perpetration, and analysing the effects of existing and proposed laws governing IBSA in Australia. The study addresses three key questions: 1. What is the nature and prevalence of IBSA in Australia, and what are the impacts on victims? 2. What are the merits and limitations of existing Australian and comparative legislative models for responding to IBSA? 3. What are the perceptions of key legal, policy and support stakeholders regarding the effectiveness of existing legislation and the need for new legislative models for responding to IBSA in Australia? The study involved a mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology comprising the first ever national online survey of IBSA victimisation and perpetration; legislative analysis of criminal offences in Australia and internationally; stakeholder engagement; and 44 in-depth interviews conducted with 52 key stakeholders across three states (New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria). Key findings: National survey -- Prevalence: Victimisation -- The study found that 1 in 5 survey respondents (23%) reported being a victim of at least one form of IBSA. Most common among respondents were nude or sexual images taken of them without their consent, with 1 in 5 (20%) reporting these experiences. Also common were nude or sexual images being sent onto others or distributed without consent, with 1 in 10 (or 11%) reporting such experiences; a finding since replicated in a representative population-based national study commissioned by the Australian Office of the eSafety Commissioner (OeSC 2017). Nine per cent of survey respondents had experienced threats that a nude or sexual image would be sent onto others or distributed without their consent. The survey also found that 1 in 10 women reported someone taking an image of their cleavage without their permission ('downblousing') and 1 in 20 women reported someone taking an image up their skirt ('upskirting') without their permission. Overall, the study found that women and men reported similar rates of victimisation, however there were differences in the nature of IBSA between women and men. Significantly, the survey found that some members of the Australian community were more likely than others to report being a victim of IBSA. This included: 1 in 2 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; 1 in 2 Australians with a disability; 1 in 3 Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual people; 1 in 3 young people aged 16 to 19 years; and 1 in 4 people aged 20 to 29 years. The study found that victims of IBSA were almost twice as likely as non-victims to report experiencing high levels of psychological distress. These impacts were highest for victims who had experienced threats to distribute an image, of whom 80% reported high levels of psychological distress, consistent with a diagnosis of moderate to severe depression and/or anxiety disorder. Prevalence: Perpetration -- In terms of self-disclosed perpetration, the survey found that 1 in 10 (10.1%) respondents reported engaging in at least one IBSA behaviour. Almost 9% said that they had taken a nude or sexual image of another person without that person's permission, and nearly 7% said that they had distributed a nude or sexual image without permission. One in 20 (5.4%) also reported making threats to another person that they would distribute their nude or sexual images. For all individual IBSA behaviours, the survey found that men were significantly more likely to report engaging in perpetration than women. Overall, 13.7% of men and 7.4% of women reported engaging in any IBSA perpetration. Perpetration was highest for males in the 20-29 (18.2%) and 30-39 (15.6%) age groups. For women, perpetration was highest at the 20-29 (9.3%) and 16-19 (9.1%) age groups, suggesting a younger cohort of women are engaging in IBSA perpetration as compared with men. The study also reported on the characteristics of IBSA perpetration. Most respondents said the victim was a partner/former partner (23.7%), a family member (19.7%) or a friend (17.2%). In keeping with the victimisation findings, perpetrators reported similar numbers of males as female victims (males 34.8%; females 37%). The study found a disturbing level of victim-blaming and harm minimisation attitudes among respondents. Overall, 1 in 2 men (50%) and 1 in 3 women (30%) held attitudes that either minimised the harms or blamed the victims. Despite widely-held victim-blaming attitudes among survey respondents, 4 in 5 Australian respondents (81%) agreed with the statement 'It should be a crime for someone else to share a nude or sexual image of another person without that person's permission'. These findings demonstrate the importance of education to address problematic and inconsistent community attitudes on IBSA. A particularly pertinent finding was that 4 in 5 (81%) respondents agreed with the statement: 'It should be a crime for someone to share a nude or sexual image of another person without that person's permission'. Females (84%) were significantly more likely than males (77%) to endorse the criminalisation of IBSA. Both victims (81%) and non-victims (81%) of IBSA were just as likely to agree that it should be a crime. Perpetrators (77%) were somewhat less likely to agree that IBSA should be a crime than non-perpetrators (81%), though the margin of difference was not statistically significant. These findings indicate that there is broad support within the Australian community regarding the need for legal consequences in response to IBSA, regardless of whether someone has experienced it personally as either a victim or perpetrator. Key findings: Stakeholder interviews -- Importance of specific criminal offences Like the survey respondents, stakeholder participants indicated overwhelming support for the introduction of consistent federal and state/territory laws that criminalise IBSA. In particular, the study found majority support for federal leadership in creating a national approach to criminalising IBSA, which would then be mirrored across all states and territories. Participants stated that criminal laws send a clear message to the community that these behaviours will not be tolerated, recognising the significant harms associated with IBSA and providing scope for law enforcement to treat such behaviours more seriously. Definitions Participants expressed concerns about the most appropriate definitions to include in legislation to capture the varying contexts in which IBSA occurs. This was specifically mentioned in relation to defining 'distribution' and what constitutes an 'intimate image'. For most participants, it was important that: the definition of distribution includes 'showing' not just 'sending' or 'posting online'; an offence occurs regardless of whether the image was distributed to one or more people; and the offence is not premised on the distribution occurring through a telecommunications style carriage service. There was more conjecture around the definition of intimate images, but ultimately consensus emerged in relation to capturing nude, semi-nude and images of a sexual nature, in instances where one would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Requirement of intent and proof of harm In keeping with current Australian legislative provisions (but differing from some international laws), participants overwhelmingly agreed that IBSA laws should not require the prosecutor to prove either that the perpetrator intended to cause harm or distress, or that the victim did in fact experience harm or serious emotional distress. 'Morph porn' -- All but three of the 52 stakeholder participants expressed support for the inclusion of digitally manipulated images (otherwise known as 'morph porn' or 'deepfakes') in IBSA legislation. Those that did not support this requirement (which is captured in the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory laws introduced in 2017) argued that the harm caused to victims was not as significant, therefore it did not require legislative intervention. Non-sexual forms While expressing concern regarding the cultural harms experienced by victims through the creation, distribution, or threat of distribution, of an intimate but not sexual image, the majority of participants rejected calls to include cultural standards (e.g. the non-consensual distribution of an image showing a Muslim woman without her hijab) in IBSA legislation at the current time. Barriers to victim-reporting -- Participants identified a range of challenges that hindered victims from reporting to police. Prominent on this list was a victim-blaming and harm minimisation mentality among law enforcement personnel. In addition to supporting better training for law enforcement in responding to victims, there was also majority support for introducing victim anonymity protections similar to those in place for other sexual offences to safeguard the privacy of victims and encourage increased levels of reporting. Penalties -- Participants supported a range of penalties for those found guilty of IBSA offences that included imprisonment, on the provision that this was not the first resort for young people. There was also support expressed for greater penalties for website hosts and organisations involved in profiting from IBSA. Law enforcement challenges -- There were a number of law enforcement challenges that were identified by stakeholders. These included: blurred jurisdictional boundaries; procuring sufficient evidence to mount a case; resource restrictions; a lack of technical knowledge; and/or awareness of applicable legislation. The challenges of implementing effective IBSA law are further reflected in low prosecution rates in Australia. In Victoria, for example, police data reveals that between 1 January 2015 and 18 July 2017, there have been 53 cases (28 arrests) of intentionally observing another person's genital or anal region (Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) s41A); 415 cases (62 arrests) of the non-consensual distribution of an intimate image (Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) 41DA); and 144 cases (52 arrests) of threatening to distribute an intimate image (Summary Offences Act 1966 (Vic) 41DB). These low reporting figures are in contrast to the survey finding that 1 in 5 Australian respondents have experienced IBSA victimisation, suggestive of a level of ineffectiveness in the existing Victorian legislation - which is likely connected to challenges in policing. Recommendations This report makes key recommendation concerning strengthened legal options, working collaboratively with key stakeholders (such as law enforcement, companies, website moderators and support services), knowledge sharing, extending victim support services, developing primary prevention education directed at perpetrators, and further research. Details: Canberra: Criminology Research Advisory Council, 2019. 129p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2019 at: http://crg.aic.gov.au/reports/1819/08-1516-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Image-Based Abuse Shelf Number: 155355

Author: Larkin, Ashleigh Title: An empirical investigation into how young women engage in and upload female-to-female fights on social media Summary: This thesis is an exploratory study of young women's everyday engagement in physical violence with other young women. It also examines the role that the proliferation of online fight videos and social media engagement plays in this phenomenon. It proposes a new theoretical framework of embodying violence be used to explain this. In taking this approach the thesis moves away from considering how young women are breaching gendered norms in order to engage in violence. Instead it focuses on understanding how young women engage in physical violence as a bodily practice with implications for future research and policy responses. Details: Brisbane: Queensland University of Technology, 2017. 240p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 12, 2019 at: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/118350/2/Ashleigh%20Larkin%20Thesis.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Female Aggression Shelf Number: 155380

Author: Dowling, Christopher Title: How do police use CCTV footage in criminal investigations? Summary: This study examines how police use CCTV footage in criminal investigations. Structured interviews were conducted with 146 sworn members of the NSW Police Force who had recently requested footage from the NSW rail system's network of CCTV cameras. Footage is highly valued by investigators. Nine in 10 investigators reported using the footage when it was available, and two-thirds were able to use it for the reason they had requested it. One in three investigators encountered issues related to image quality or coverage; however, two-thirds of investigators were provided with footage of a suspect and one-third with footage of the incident under investigation. Consistent with prior research, the use and usefulness varied between offence types, with the most positive results observed for assault offences. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 57: Accessed April 12, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi575 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Cameras Shelf Number: 155383

Author: Ball, Matthew Title: How much fentanyl is available on the darknet? Summary: This bulletin provides a snapshot of the sale and distribution of fentanyl and its analogues across several popular illicit darknet markets. Data collected daily from six darknet markets between 2 January and 23 February 2019 reveal the amount, types and physical forms of fentanyl available. Of more than 123,000 unique drug listings identified, nearly 7,400 were opioids, of which 439 (0.347% of all drugs listed) were fentanyl products. Between 15 and 22 kilograms of fentanyl was available on any day and the average price per gram varied between A$30 and A$301, depending on the physical form. The data also reveal the shipping methods, crossmarket operations and product specialisation of the 102 active fentanyl vendors on these six darknet markets. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin 18: Accessed April 13, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb18 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Dark Web Shelf Number: 155393

Author: Ball, Matthew Title: Data Capture and Analysis of Darknet Markets Summary: Darknet markets have been studied to varying degrees of success for several years (since the original Silk Road was launched in 2011), but many obstacles are involved which prevent a complete and systematic survey. The Australian National University's Cybercrime Observatory has developed tools to collect and analyse data captured from the darknet (illicit cryptomarkets). This report describes, at the high level, a method for collecting, and analysing, data from specific darknet marketplaces. Examples of typical results that may be obtained from darknet markets and current limitations to the automation of data capture are briefly outlined. While the proposed solution is not error-free, it is a significant step in the direction of providing a comprehensive solution tailored for data scientists, social scientists, and anyone interested in analysing trends from darknet markets. Details: Canberra: Australian National University (ANU); ANU Cybercrime Observatory, 2019. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2019 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3344936 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Cryptomarkets Shelf Number: 155400

Author: Emami, Catherine Title: Predicting Online Fraud Victimisation in Australia Summary: The pervasiveness of the internet and society's reliance on it for personal and business use has brought with it many benefits. However, for those who seek to defraud others, it has also provided new ways of identifying and targeting potential victims. Online consumer fraud can take a variety of forms and can target anyone. It comes with substantial costs. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) estimates that more than $90m was lost as a result of fraudulent activity in 2017 (ACCC 2018). This report presents the findings of a study conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) with the support and cooperation of the ACCC's Scamwatch staff. The study sought to determine and quantify the factors that make individuals vulnerable to consumer fraud and that lead to their victimisation. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 577: Accessed April 13, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi577 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Computer Crimes Shelf Number: 155394

Author: Morgan, Anthony Title: Does CCTV help police solve crime? Summary: This study examines the impact of CCTV footage on clearance rates for crimes occurring on the rail network in New South Wales. Nearest neighbour matching was used to compare criminal matters with and without camera footage. Cases were matched on principal offence type, spatial and temporal characteristics and offence severity. Overall, 24.8 percent of matters where footage was requested were solved by police, compared with 21.0 percent of matters where footage was not requested�an 18 percent increase in clearance rates. Footage was provided to police for nine out of 10 requests and was associated with an estimated 20 percent increase in clearance rates. Results varied by offence type, with larger increases observed for theft and property damage than for assault, and for offences at night. Timely access to CCTV footage for criminal investigations is associated with increased clearance rates for crimes on the rail network. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice No. 576: Accessed April 13, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi576 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: CCTV Shelf Number: 155396

Author: Cavanough, Edward Title: The Economic Impact of Wage Theft in South Australia Summary: This report explores the economic impact of wage theft in South Australia. Wage theft is widespread and likely growing, impacting up to 170,000 South Australian workers to varying degrees, and almost certainly costing South Australian workers, collectively, more than $500 million a year. Part 1 of this report defines wage theft, drawing distinctions between wage theft - the unlawful non-compliance of wage laws by employers - and wage suppression which, while impactful in its own right, is not technically illegal, before Part 2 looks at the victims of wage theft. While workers in certain industries are more susceptible to wage theft than others, this report reiterates the growing evidence that wage theft occurs in a wide range of industries throughout the economy. It affects workers directly, but also the economy more broadly, with wage thefts significantly impacting workers' ability to consumer, and therefore constraining aggregate demand. Part 3 explores the abrogation of oversight of wage laws by the Federal Government in recent years. Since 2013, the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has seen a dramatic decline in its resources, constraining its capacity to conduct its work. The FWO is the national entity through which wage laws are enforced, and where workers can report incidents of lost and stolen wages. That the FWO has been so dramatically under resourced has meant that most perpetrators of wage theft are unlikely to ever be identified. In each of FWO's audits, however, consistently high levels of noncompliance have been unearthed. Parts 4 and 5 assess the economic impact of wage theft and the underpayment and non-payment of superannuation in South Australia. It is likely that up to 170,000 South Australian workers are victims of wage theft to varying degrees. Around 1/3 workers entitled to superannuation are not being paid their full entitlements. Such high rates of non-compliance have enormous economic impacts: this report's most conservative estimate of the combined loss of superannuation and income in South Australia due to wage theft is around $360 million. Medium estimates in this report see this figure rise to $560 million. This constrains consumer spending and likely costs the State Government between $31-60 million in forgone GST revenue each year, as noted in Part 6. Part 7 then contextualises these findings, noting that wage theft costs considerably more than the theft of material goods in South Australia, before Part 8 offers a series of reform recommendations for the State Government. While many of the levers for addressing wage theft are available to the Federal Government, State Governments have options available to them, too. This report puts forward 6 recommendations: ensuring best-practice labour-hire licensing within the state, tightening State procurement policy to ensure wage theft is eradicated from supply chains, actively collaborate on wage theft responses with other jurisdictions, consider ways to reform how superannuation is paid by the State government to set an example of best practice, invest in more education and training programs, and criminalising wage theft in the state while implementing strict financial penalties for noncompliance within SA. Wage theft is one of the most significant public policy issues of our time - but there are tools available to governments, both Federal and State, to help eradicate the costly scourge of wage theft from the workplace. Details: World Square NSW: McKell Institute, 2019. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 15, 2019 at: https://mckellinstitute.org.au/app/uploads/McKell-Wage-theft-in-South-Australia.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Economic Crimes Shelf Number: 155419

Author: Di Nicola, Kathryn Title: Out of the shadows - domestic and family violence: a leading cause of homelessness in Australia Summary: Domestic and family violence is a major driver of homelessness in Australia - particularly for women and their children. This position paper draws attention to the intersections between these issues, considers the evidence and puts forward recommendations for change. The best way of preventing homelessness as a result of domestic and family violence is to prevent the violence from occurring in the first place. This requires cultural and systemic change to change individual and community attitudes on gender and violence. When domestic and family violence does occur, it is important that the safety, recovery and well-being of those who have experienced domestic and family violence is supported and repeat violence is prevented through integrated services. Responses that seek to prevent homelessness or intervene early for those who have experienced domestic and family violence are also required. This includes the expansion of safe at home programs and rapid rehousing options through a housing first model for victim-survivors who cannot or choose not to stay at home. There are also different risks and experiences for different groups of people that experience domestic and family violence that require tailored policy responses. This includes children, young people; older women; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people; culturally and linguistically diverse women including those on temporary visas; people living in rural, regional and remote communities; people with disabilities; and male victim-survivors of violence. There is not one simple answer and we need to work across sectors and silos, fund adequately and holistically and sustain the light of public attention to ensure that we prevent and address both violence and homelessness in the future. Details: s.l.: Mission Australia, 2019. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/04/apo-nid229806-1350976.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 155435

Author: Palmer, Hayley Title: Illegal Export of e-Waste from Australia: A Story Told by GPS Trackers Summary: In September and October of 2017 BAN deployed 35 pieces of non-functional electronic waste equipment including CRT monitors, LCD monitors and printers with GPS trackers imbedded within them across Australia. All of the equipment qualified under the Basel Convention as hazardous waste. 14 units of equipment were deployed in the Brisbane area, 13 in the Sydney area, 3 in Adelaide, and 5 in Perth. Out of these 35 trackers 2 were exported (5.71%), 1 moved to a seaport and was likely exported (2.86%), 11 moved to a Recycler (31.4%), 4 moved to a landfill (11.4%), 7 never moved, (20%), 6 had no signal after delivery (17.1%) and 2 moved to an unknown location (5.71%). 2 are still reporting regularly and the rest have gone quiet, meaning they could be bulldozed into a landfill, buried deep in a warehouse, or shredded or disassembled by a recycler. Exports from OfficeWorks -- Three of the devices appear to have been exported, with two definitely going to Hong Kong's New Territories area. Both of these were LCDs monitors from the Brisbane area and one of these was later re-exported to an e-waste processing facility in Thailand. The two exported LCDs were deployed at different OfficeWorks stores in the Brisbane area. Officeworks' "Bring I.T Back" as a "Drop Zone" location is an official Australian Government public drop-off location that the public is encouraged to use for their electronic recycling. Officeworks, according to their website, considers itself to be a very sustainable company. The third device, another LCD left at Endeavor Foundation Industries, another government approved e-waste dropoff location, last signaled at a container dock at the port of Brisbane and was likely exported- though it has yet to signal again. Site Visits BAN traveled to the two locations in Asia where the two exported LCDs ended up. Both of these, without showing any other stopping points after their respective OfficeWorks deliveries, were joined in one intermodal container and shipped to the Ping Che area of New Territories, Hong Kong. Ping Che is an infamous area of Hong Kong for e-waste trafficking where most commonly undocumented laborers are involved in the crude and harmful breakdown of the equipment, often exposing them to dangerous toner dust, and, in the case of LCDs -- the toxic metal mercury. However, when we visited the location a few months after the arrival of the LCDs, there was no trace of e-waste in the facility - apparently, it had been cleaned out and one of the tracked devices stopped signaling. The other one, however, we visited its second location in Thailand. In Thailand that LCD monitor arrived at a location that was involved in crude smelting of circuit boards, creating deadly dioxins and furans, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Illegal Exportation There can be little doubt that these exports were illegal due to the fact that all three countries concerned, Australia, China (including Hong Kong), and Thailand are all parties to the Basel Convention. Due to the presence of mercury in the backlights of these LCD monitors and the lead in the circuit boards of the monitors, and because the equipment was rendered non-functional, the equipment was clearly a hazardous waste under the definitions of the Basel Convention. As such, all exports would require that they be notified prior to export by the government of Australia and consented to by the initially receiving government of Hong Kong. Thailand, in recent weeks, has made it abundantly clear that they are not happy receiving e-waste imported illegally en masse to primitive processing facilities that have been springing up all over their territory following China's own importation ban (see Current Trends in the e-Waste Trade). Details: Seattle, Washington: Basel Action Network, 2018. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2019 at: http://wiki.ban.org/images/7/7c/Australian_e-Waste_Report_-_2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 155489

Author: Hammerle, Mara Title: Stopping the Spread: The Issue of Death by Plastic in Commonwealth Marine Areas and the Great Barrier Reef Summary: Plastic pollution, both land-based and in our oceans, is one of the most significant environmental challenges the world faces. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has even called it a critical problem, comparable to climate change. While plastic pollution is not the only type of marine litter, it is the most abundant form and poses a worldwide threat to marine environments. Mass production of plastic materials, coupled with inefficient disposal systems and widespread limited environmental awareness, exacerbate the issue. Marine litter is "any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of, or abandoned in, the marine and coastal environment". It is found across the planet, including in remote regions far from civilisation - such as Antarctica, remote mountain-tops and the deep-sea ocean floor. In marine environments, the litter accumulates in high densities posing detrimental consequences for marine life. Many species either accidentally swallow or become entangled in the litter, resulting in injury and sometimes death. It also has economic consequences, for example by limiting fishery productivity. There is an urgent need to address marine litter both through the strengthening of existing strategies and through new innovations and technology. As marine litter is rooted in production and consumption patterns and the disposal and management of waste, it is these areas where interventions are necessary. The aim of the report is to look at what could be done at the federal level to reduce marine litter in our oceans by examining lessons from international case studies. The strategies are categorised in five themes: prevention (preventing the production of plastic and other litter in the first place), mitigation (minimising the amount of litter entering water sources), removal (removing litter from marine environments), education (educating the public and other key stakeholders) and research (understanding the extent and impact of marine litter). It is however important that the potential negative impacts of any policy recommendations are assessed before adoption. However, the Constitution prescribes no specific environmental regulatory powers to the Federal Government and those powers that the Federal Government does have through the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 are limited and weak. As stressed by numerous environmental organisations, including the Boomerang Alliance, Places You Love and Environmental Defenders Offices, there is an urgent need for national leadership both on marine litter and on environmental matters more generally. Details: Queensland, Australia: McKell Institute, 2018. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2019 at: https://mckellinstitute.org.au/app/uploads/Stopping-the-Spread-1.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 155492

Author: Day, Andrew Title: Evaluation readiness, program quality and outcomes in men's behaviour change programs Summary: This research aimed to identify how to improve the quality of men's behaviour change programs, how to measure outcomes, and how to develop standards and accreditation processes that will improve quality and consistency of practice. The research involved three elements: A review of the published literature. A jurisdictional scan of the MBCP landscape, comprising a review of grey literature and contact with a representative from each jurisdiction (i.e. state/territory). Focus groups and in-depth interviews with - correctional staff from South Australia and Victoria; community providers from Western Australia and Victoria; and female partners of program participants. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2019. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: (Research report, 01/2019): Accessed May 2, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/29225748/Day-et-al-Evaluation-readiness-MBCPs-Research-report-01.2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 155607

Author: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS) Title: Men�s behaviour change programs: Measuring outcomes and improving program quality. Key findings and future directions Summary: Governments, domestic and family violence (DFV) services, and victim/survivor advocates in Australia are calling for an increased focus on perpetrator accountability. The question they are asking is "why doesn't he stop using violence?", rather than the victim-blaming question of "why doesn't she leave?" This focus is consistent with the Council of Australian Governments' National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan), which includes the desired national outcome "perpetrators stop their violence and are held to account". Men's behaviour change programs (MBCPs) are one of many approaches to addressing the source of the problem - how men coercively control, entrap, frighten and terrorise adult women and child victims/survivors. MBCPs primarily aim to achieve a change in perpetrators' violent behaviour. Other aims include enhancing women and children's safety, and monitoring participants' use of violence and the risks they present to their (ex-)partners and/or children. Despite a 30-plus year history in Australia, MBCPs remain contentious. Debates are ongoing about how MBCPs should be delivered, and the extent to which they are effective in improving the safety and freedom of victims/survivors. A range of MBCPs are presently delivered in Australia. These are primarily funded on a state/territory basis through departments of justice or departments of community/human services. Participation in MBCPs may be voluntary or mandated, and MBCPs are run in both community and correctional settings. Programs typically run over a period of 3 to 6 months, and usually comprise initial assessment, followed by weekly group sessions for men. Some program providers have the capacity to offer supplementary individual sessions and case management when required. Programs also usually entail partner support for women, comprising such elements as information, support, referral, safety planning, counselling and/ or case management. Increasingly, MBCPs are being encouraged to tailor their interventions to each individual participant. MBCPs in some jurisdictions are being required or encouraged to adapt the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) framework (originally developed for use in the corrective services context) for use within a gender-based understanding of DFV. The RNR framework provides guidance about how to tailor interventions towards individual risk profiles and to individuals' varying motivation to participate in the intervention. Around Australia, a range of minimum standards for MBCPs have been developed. However, documentation of detailed practice guidance and frameworks for accreditation remain less common. At the time of writing, minimum standards in several jurisdictions were undergoing (or had recently undergone) review. Details: Sydney: Author, 2019. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: (Research to policy and practice, Issue 01/2019): Accessed May 2, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/29225707/Day-MBCPs-Measuring-outcomes-and-improving-program-quality-RtPP-01.2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 155608

Author: Gannoni, Alexandra Title: Indigenous deaths in custody: 25 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Summary: Twenty-five years has passed since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC). This paper examines the trends and characteristics of Indigenous deaths in custody since 1991-92, using data obtained through the National Deaths in Custody Program (NDICP). NDICP data show Indigenous people are now less likely than non-Indigenous people to die in prison custody, largely due to a decrease in the death rate of Indigenous prisoners from 1999-2000 to 2005-06. Coinciding with this decrease in the death rate of Indigenous prisoners is a decrease in the hanging death rate of Indigenous prisoners. Monitoring trends and characteristics of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous deaths in custody supports the development of proactive strategies addressing this important issue. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Bulletin 17: Accessed May 7, 1029 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sb/sb17 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Aboriginals Shelf Number: 155676

Author: Yeong, Steve Title: The effect of police on crime and arrests: Are police deterring or incapacitating criminals? Summary: Aim: To estimate the causal effect of police numbers on rates of crime and arrests. Method: The data used in the present study consists of monthly Local Area Command (LAC) level counts of police officers and selected violent and property crimes for the period July 2000 - April 2003. These crimes include: break and enter, theft, motor vehicle theft, robbery and homicide. Using these data I exploit variation in police numbers driven by a massive recruitment campaign in the lead up to the 2003 New South Wales (NSW) State election to estimate the causal effect of police numbers on rates of crime and arrests. Results: I find that a one per cent increase in the size of the police force generates a 0.8 per cent reduction in theft and a 1.1 per cent reduction in motor vehicle theft. This roughly equates to one additional police officer preventing 17 thefts and four motor vehicle thefts each year. My estimates are too imprecise to draw any definitive conclusions with respect to other types of crime. I do not find evidence that an increase in police numbers generates any significant change to the arrest rate. This indicates that police reduce theft and motor vehicle theft through deterrence rather than incapacitation. Conclusion: The implications of the present study are threefold. First, an increase in police numbers generates a substantial reduction in property crime. Second, an increase in police numbers has no significant effect on the arrest rate for property crime. Finally, the cost of an additional police officer is almost definitely offset by the benefit she provides to society in the form of crime reduction. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2019. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice , No. 223: Accessed May 8, 2019 at: https://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2019-Report-The-effect-of-police-on-crime-and-arrests-CJB223.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Arrests Shelf Number: 155684

Author: Patterson, Eileen Title: Drug use monitoring in Australia: Drug use among police detainees, 2017 Summary: Established in 1999, the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program is funded by the Australian Government and is the nation's longest-running ongoing survey of police detainees across the country. DUMA comprises two core components: a self-report survey on drug use, criminal justice history and demographic information; and voluntary urinalysis, which provides an objective measure for corroborating reported recent drug use. This report describes drug use, drug market participation and the extent to which detainees' alleged offences were related to drug or alcohol use. Data were collected between January and December 2017 at five sites: Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Bankstown and Surry Hills. Since police detainees are more likely than the general population to have been in recent contact with the illicit drug market, understanding their drug use and offending habits is valuable in the formulation of policy and programs. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 51p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Reports No. 14: Accessed May 8, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr14 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Shelf Number: 155685

Author: Mission Australia Title: Alternate approaches to reducing illicit drug use and its effects on the community 2018 Summary: Our submission to the Inquiry into alternative approaches to reducing illicit drug use and its effects on the community highlighted a range of services that are effective in supporting people with alcohol and drug issues in WA. We also highlighted Mission Australia service examples from other states and territories. The submission made a series of recommendations including providing additional support and funding for youth specific services and supports targeted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Details: Aydney: Author, 2019. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 13, 2019 at: https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/publications/submissions-and-reports/alcohol-and-other-drugs Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Abuse Shelf Number: 155751

Author: Toivonen, Cherie Title: National Risk Assessment principles for Domestic and Family Violence Summary: The National Risk Assessment Principles for domestic and family violence provide an overarching conceptual understanding of risk and managing risk in the area of family and domestic violence, with the intention of keeping women and children safe. The principles do not replace existing state and territory frameworks; instead they provide a guide for policy makers and practitioners to develop risk assessment tools and resources. The National Risk Assessment Principles form an evidence-based risk assessment and risk management framework that can underpin multi-agency or integrated service system responses to domestic and family violence. Along with the National Risk Assessment principles, two accompanying resources are also available: the Companion resource: A summary of the evidence-base supporting the development and implementation of the National Risk Assessment Principles for domestic and family violence; and a Quick reference guide for practitioners. The National Risk Assessment Principles that ANROWS developed are : relevant to, and appropriate for, frontline workers/first responders assisting victims of domestic and family violence (DFV) who operate at different levels in multiple sectors and from multiple disciplines; reflective of best practice and be informed by the latest national and international practitioner and academic research; built on and complement the work undertaken in other jurisdictions and/or by ANROWS the result of consultation and testing with key stakeholders; and adaptable for use in different service environments (including face-to-face, telephone, internet). Project Background -- The Third Action Plan under the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan) commits the Australian Government to developing and implementing National Risk Assessment and Safety Management Principles for victims and perpetrators of violence, based on evidence, including the risks that are present for children and other family members who experience or are exposed to violence (National Priority Area 3, Action Item 3.1). ANROWS has been funded by the Commonwealth to produce the National Risk Assessment and Safety Management Principles for Family and Domestic Violence. The National Risk Assessment Principles project was based on a consultation methodology, the key feature of which was input from the sector, other stakeholders and communities. The project approach and methodology are outlined in the project information sheet, and a full Project report, which details the project methodology and stakeholder engagement is also available by request. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women�s Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2018. 23p., companion volume. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/19030421/ANROWS_NRAP_National-Risk-Assessment-Principles.1.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 155832

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Animal Cruelty Offences in Victoria Summary: Criminal proceedings involving animal cruelty offences tend to attract considerable attention from both the media and the general community. To date, however, very little research has been published on the sentencing outcomes of those offences in Victoria, or in Australia generally. This report aims to fill that gap by providing an overview of sentencing outcomes for animal cruelty offences heard in Victorian courts in the 10 years from 2008 to 2017 (inclusive), using data provided by courts and prosecuting agencies. In doing so, this report includes an analysis of which animal cruelty offences people and corporations were sentenced for, the sentences that were imposed for those offences and who committed those offences. This report also identifies whether animal cruelty offenders were sentenced for other offences in the same case (co-sentenced offences), whether their offending occurred in the context of family violence and whether those offenders were sentenced for other offending in the four years before and after their sentence for animal cruelty (prior and subsequent offending). Details: Melbourne: Author, 2019. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2019 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Animal_Cruelty_Offences_in_Victoria.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Animal Abuse Shelf Number: 155890

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Firearms Offences: Current Sentencing Practices Summary: Firearms Offences: Current Sentencing Practices examines trends in the prevalence and sentencing of firearms offences in Victoria. The report considers 132 firearms offences provisions sentenced between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2017. It looks at outcomes in the Magistrates' Court, the higher courts (the Supreme and County Courts) and the Children's Court. It explores a range of issues, including offences sentenced alongside firearms offences and cumulation of sentences on firearms charges in the higher courts. Details: Melbourne: Author, 2019. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 17, 2019 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Firearms_Offences_Current_Sentencing_Practices.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Firearms and Weapons Shelf Number: 155891

Author: Smyth, Chris Title: The Threat to Australia's Oceans from Supertrawlers Summary: Since the 1950s industrial-scale factory fishing fleets have roamed the world's oceans looking for fish, spurred on by demand, government subsidies and advances in technology. Overfishing, illegal fishing, decimated local coastal economies and illegal activities have followed in their wake. In the early 1980s Australia took control of its waters, limiting access by foreign fishing fleets that had been exploiting Australia's fish stocks including tuna and prawn for decades. Access thereafter was via agreement only. There was a lot at stake - Australian waters are particularly vulnerable to overfishing due to their low biological productivity and the difficulty in detection over such remote and vast areas. In the following decades Australia was able to develop a reputation for being one of the better managed fishing nations. The contrast between fishing intensity inside and outside Australia's waters is stark. Fishing fleets on the high seas operate right up to Australia's borders (see Figure 1, opposite). It is becoming apparent that Australia's reputation is increasingly a beacon drawing in the industrial fishing capacity that has depleted oceans elsewhere. The unprecedented approval for two European supertrawlers (industrial fishing boats that catch, process, freeze and store on a grand scale) to fish in Australian waters in recent years - the Margiris and the Dirk Dirk - is an indicator of this. The Australian public roundly rejected the notion of supertrawlers operating in our fisheries, but weak domestic regulation allows them to slip through into Australian waters. The two supertrawlers that have received regulatory approval to operate in Australian waters were hounded out by local communities. In response to high levels of concern, the federal government put in place a permanent ban on supertrawlers in Australian waters, but the research has found this to be 'tip of the iceberg regulation' - banning only a tiny subset (just six) of the world's supertrawler fleet. The research has also found that there have been moves for at least the last two years to bring other foreign fishing vessels into Australian waters. Australia's fishing fleet is relatively small, with limited capital and high operating costs given the vastness and limited productivity of our oceans. Ready-to-go foreign fishing vessels with far greater capacity appear to be an attractive option for significantly increasing catch in Australian waters. This report details what is known to this point including new information that has come to light as a result of questioning in the Federal Parliament and background research. At the time of going to print, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request lodged with the Federal Government earlier this year remains outstanding. Regulator transparency is limited in this area. Even with the limited information available, this report has found that there is both motive and opportunity - there is a push for increased commercial fishing effort in Australian waters, the industrial capacity found in foreign fishing fleets is necessary to achieve this aim, and Australia's legal loopholes and regulatory opaqueness make this possible. Further, this report finds that the prospect of industrial scale foreign fishing vessels becoming established in Australian waters poses an unacceptable risk to Australia's unique and diverse marine life, its fishing sustainability, its recreational fishing lifestyle and associated tourism ventures, its ability to uphold human rights and environmental safeguards, and its international reputation. This report makes two key recommendations - that a formal independent inquiry is now needed to investigate moves to bring foreign fishing vessels into Australian waters, and that the Federal Government must make good on its claim that supertrawlers are banned in Australia's vulnerable fisheries. Details: West End, Queensland, Australia: Australian Marine Conservation Society, 2019. 58p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2019 at: https://www.marineconservation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/AMCS-SOML-supertrawler-overseas-fleets-report-2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 155939

Author: Politoff, Violeta Title: Young Australians' Attitudes to Violence Against Women and Gender Equality: Findings from the 2017 National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS) Summary: Violence against young women: Intimate partner violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking are prevalent problems with serious consequences for women, their children and wider society (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2014; Webster, 2016). This violence affects women across the life cycle, but is more prevalent among, and has a particular and far-reaching impact upon, young women (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2017a; Brown et al., 2009; Cox, 2015; Dillon, Hussain, & Loxton, 2015; Hooker, Theobald, Anderson, Billet, & Baron, 2017). - Young women in the 18-24 year age group are the most likely to have experienced violence in the 12 months prior to the 2016 Personal Safety Survey (PSS), which measures experiences of violence (ABS, 2017b). - The number of young women (18-24) who experienced sexual violence in the year previous to the 2013 PSS was twice the national average (Cox, 2015). - An estimated 38 percent of women aged 18-24 years experienced sexual harassment in the 12 months prior to the 2016 PSS, compared to 16 percent of men aged 18-24 and 15 percent of women aged 45-54 (ABS, 2017b). Young women are also particularly affected by sexual harassment taking place on the streets and in other public places (Johnson & Bennett, 2015; Plan International Australia, 2018), through technology and social media (Henry, Powell, and Flynn, 2017), and in schools and universities (Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), 2017). In addition, young people may be exposed to domestic violence perpetrated against their mothers (Heinze, Stoddard, Aiyer, Eisman, and Zimmerman, 2017). Perpetration of violence is understood to be more likely when men are young (Fulu, Jewkes, Roselli, and Garcia-Moreno, 2013). Many factors contribute to this violence and arise at the individual, relationship, community, organisational and societal levels. Gender inequality and the disrespect of women increase the likelihood of this violence occurring (Council of Australian Governments (COAG), 2011; Garcia-Moreno et al., 2015). There is evidence that violence against women can be prevented before it occurs by addressing the underlying factors that cause the problem. Prevention action complements, but is separate from, responses after violence has occurred. However, both forms of action are required to reduce the prevalence of violence over time. Young people have been identified as a particular focus in both The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan) (COAG, 2011) and Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia (Change the story) (Our Watch, ANROWS & VicHealth, 2015). Further, there has been increased government effort to establish respectful relationships curriculum in all schools across the country, as well as heightened attention at universities (AHRC, 2017). This is due in part to the higher prevalence and particular impact of violence on young women as discussed above. More positively, since adolescence and young adulthood are life cycle stages when gender identities, roles and relationships are being formed, supporting young men and women to establish positive gender expressions and relationship practices has many benefits. It can help to reduce the risk of violence and abuse in the present, prevent future harm and maximise the prospects of a violence-free environment for future generations. Attitudes towards gender inequality and violence against women are among the many factors that contribute to this violence. Indirectly, they can influence the responses of service providers, as well as those of family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues of those affected. Attitudes can also influence perpetrators and women subject to violence. Since attitudes reflect the world around us, measuring these over time is one way to monitor progress towards addressing the problem. The NCAS: The National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) is a periodic telephone survey (mobile and landline) of a representative sample. In 2017 more than 17,500 Australians aged 16 years and over were surveyed about their:- knowledge of violence against women;- attitudes towards this violence and gender equality; and- intentions if they were to witness abuse or disrespect towards women. The NCAS is one of the main mechanisms for measuring progress against the six National Outcomes outlined in the National Plan (COAG, 2011), another is the PSS (ABS, 2017b). Previous waves of the NCAS were conducted in 1995, 2009 and 2013. The 2017 NCAS Although as many questions as possible from the 2013 questionnaire were retained, a substantial redevelopment was undertaken for the 2017 NCAS, with key outcomes being:- the capacity to measure and understand the ways Australians think about violence against women and gender equality, recognising that attitudinal support for these concepts can take many different forms;- the use of composite measures (made up of groups of questions) to gauge understanding, attitudes and people's intention to act as overall concepts;- new measures used to increase understanding of factors shaping knowledge, attitudes and intention to act, including measures of (a) the gender composition of a person's social network, (b) prejudice on the basis of disability, sexuality, ethnicity, and Aboriginality, and (c) attitudes towards violence in general; and- better alignment with the National Plan (COAG, 2011) and Change the story (Our Watch et al., 2015). Details: Sydney, Australia: ANROWS, 2019. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2019 at: https://ncas.anrows.org.au/findings/youth-report-findings/ Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 156032

Author: Cripps, Kyllie Title: Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women and Gender Equality among Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders: Findings from the 2017 National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) Summary: Intimate partner violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment and stalking are prevalent problems with serious consequences for women, their children and wider society (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2014; Webster, 2016). While affecting women across the population, this violence is more prevalent among, and has a particular and far-reaching impact upon, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls, their families and their communities. Such violence may be perpetrated by non-Indigenous men, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. Violence taking place within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is seen as part of a broader issue of family violence. Many factors contribute to this violence and arise at the individual, relationship, community, organisational and societal levels. Some of these factors particularly affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Discussed in greater detail in this report, these include: influences associated with being a colonised people (e.g. the intergenerational impacts of the forced removal of children); exposure to other forms of violence in the community and institutional environments (e.g. prisons); and economic and social marginalisation. Gender inequality and the disrespect of women increase the likelihood of this violence occurring (Council of Australian Governments (COAG), 2011; Garcia-Moreno et al., 2015). There is evidence that violence against women can be prevented before it occurs by addressing the underlying factors that cause the problem. Prevention action complements, but is separate from, responses after violence has occurred. However, both forms of action are required to reduce the prevalence of violence over time. Violence affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls has been identified as a particular focus in both The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010�2022 (the National Plan) (COAG, 2011), and Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia (Change the story) (OurWatch, ANROWS, and VicHealth, 2015). Specific approaches for prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are outlined in Changing the picture: A national resource to support the prevention of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children (Changing the picture) (Our Watch, 2018), developed by Our Watch in partnership with key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders. Attitudes towards gender inequality and violence against women are among the many factors that contribute to this violence. Indirectly, they can influence the responses of service providers, as well as those of family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues of those affected. Attitudes can also influence perpetrators and women subject to violence. Since attitudes reflect the world around us, measuring these over time is one way to monitor progress towards addressing the problem. The NCAS: The National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) is a periodic telephone survey (mobile and landline) of a representative sample. In 2017 more than 17,500 Australians aged 16 years and over, 342 of whom identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, were surveyed about their: knowledge of violence against women; attitudes towards this violence and gender equality; and intentions if they were to witness abuse or disrespect towards women. The NCAS is one of the main mechanisms for measuring progress against the six National Outcomes outlined in the National Plan (COAG, 2011). Another is the Personal Safety Survey (PSS), which measures experiences of violence (Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2017). Previous waves of the NCAS were conducted in 1995, 2009 and 2013. The 2017 NCAS: Although as many questions as possible from the 2013 questionnaire were retained, a substantial redevelopment was undertaken for the 2017 NCAS, with key outcomes being: the capacity to measure and understand the ways Australians think about violence against women and gender equality, recognising that attitudinal support for these concepts can take many different forms; the use of composite measures (made up of groups of questions) to gauge understanding, attitudes and people's intention to act as overall concepts; new measures used to increase understanding of factors shaping knowledge, attitudes and intention to act, including measures of (a) the gender composition of a person's social network, (b) prejudice on the basis of disability, sexuality, ethnicity, and Aboriginality, and (c) attitudes towards violence in general; and better alignment with the National Plan (COAG, 2011) and Change the story (Our Watch et al., 2015). Details: Sydney, Australia: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, 2019. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 23, 2019 at: https://ncas.anrows.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2017-NCAS-ATSI-Sub-Report.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 156033

Author: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Title: Proud, Visible, Safe: Responding to Workplace Harm Experienced by LGBTI Employees in Victoria Police Summary: Victoria Police have been increasingly visible in their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) Victorians and meeting the policing needs of Victorians with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. It is clear that Victoria Police is committed to building an organisational culture of acceptance and inclusion for its LGBTI employees. The purpose of this report is to propel the work of Victoria Police toward a workplace culture that is inclusive of LGBTI employees. This report recognises and acknowledges the current and historical experiences of LGBTI employees in Victoria Police and aims to contribute insights that can further inform the positive work Victoria Police is already undertaking in line with its LGBTI Inclusion Strategy. In our research we heard about a range of experiences, both positive and negative. The experiences documented in this report are presented to Victoria Police to illuminate LGBTI employees' experiences of workplace harm. These experiences shed light on why some employees are not willing or able to report workplace harm to their organisation, they identify the barriers that currently prevent them from reporting harm to managers, and they also provide insight into why bystanders do not feel motivated or empowered to stand up for their colleagues when they see harm. The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (the Commission) was told by many participants about their desire to see changes to Victoria Police's workplace culture and the organisation's response to workplace harm. Participants told the Commission that in coming forward with their experiences, they hoped there would be action in their organisation to make it a safer and more inclusive one where workplace harm was not tolerated. The Commission heard that current initiatives such as workplace harm training had improved the culture in their workplaces. Over the last 12 months I have seen an improvement in VicPol of members being respectful of each other and with the LGBTI awareness training occurring it should continue to improve. The Commission also heard about workplaces that were known to be inclusive of their LGBTI employees. The Commission heard that a key factor in setting this workplace culture was strong leadership. Strong leadership meant managers who were inclusive of their LGBTI colleagues, such as supporting days of LGBTI significance in their stations, who wore rainbow lanyards or had rainbow flags and stickers in their offices. They also lead by example, modelling appropriate behaviour and intervening when they observed inappropriate behaviour occurring. Details: Victoria, Australia: Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, 2019. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2019 at: https://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/images/reports/Report-Proud-Visible-safe-%20Victoria-Police.PDF Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156034

Author: Struthers, Karen Title: Young People as Agents of Change in Preventing Violence against Women Summary: This research begins with a broad hypothesis that gender-based respectful relationships education among young people is an essential element in preventing domestic violence. The existing literature and evidence reveals that respectful relationships programs can impact positively on awareness of domestic and family violence, however there is limited evidence of influence on behaviours and actions (Flood & Kendrick, 2012; the National Plan; Stanley et al, 2016). This project will adopt an innovative action-research approach that engages young people actively in the design, implementation, and critical reflection on the peer-to-peer R4Respect violence prevention program. The research will evaluate the impact of one peer-to-peer respectful relationships program, R4Respect, on influencing the views of young people and the actions they may pursue to build more respectful relationships. This research aims to inform ways young people can effectively engage in positive change that promotes gender equality and reduces the prevalence of violence against women following participation in the program. Young people aged 17-25 years will be included as participants and/or researchers through a Youth Research Group. This positions young people as both learners and agents of change. This is a cross-jurisdictional collaborative research project between Griffith University, Qld, Ruby Gaea Sexual Assault Service, Darwin, NT, and YFS Ltd., Logan, Qld. The research team will collect data from young people and adult stakeholders in Darwin, NT and Logan, Queensland.This project will measure both: The views and actions of the young participants (YPs) on what constitutes harm and respect in relationships; and The views of the young participants and educators (stakeholders) on the utility of the peer-to-peer respectful relationships education model. The primary aims of this research are: To improve the understanding young people have of respectful relationships and gender equality in order to reduce the prevalence of violence against women and girls. To expand the evidence-base about how to engage in understanding and advocating for respectful relationships with young people. To position young people at the centre of the research process as experts in order to focus on their perspectives, skills development, and future actions. Details: Victoria, New South Wales, Australia: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, 2019. 114p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2019 at: https://www.anrows.org.au/project/young-people-as-agents-of-change-in-preventing-violence-against-women/ Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156064

Author: PriceWaterhouseCoopers Title: Our Watch, Our Journey: Independent Summative Evaluation of Our Watch Summary: Our Watch engaged PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to evaluate the overall impact of the organisation from its launch to the present. In 2013, Our Watch was established to drive nationwide change in the culture, behaviours and power imbalances that lead to violence against women and their children. This report presents the results of the summative evaluation and honours a commitment to evaluation made by Our Watch in its Five Year Strategic Plan: Before the end of our first strategic cycle in [mid] 2019, in the interest of public accountability and to inform priorities of the next strategic plan, we will publish an evaluation of the effectiveness of our program and activities measured against our strategic outcomes. This report serves as an accountability measure for Our Watch and provides evidence-based recommendations to inform its future strategic decisions. Details: Melbourne, Australia: PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2018. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2019 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/6b181253-4bfa-4a8c-9400-cc9f95aa96f7/Our-Watch-Our-Journey-Independent-summative-evaluation-of-Our-Watch_1.pdf.aspx Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156066

Author: Standards Australia Title: Supply Chain Standards to Reduce the Black Economy: Discussion Paper Summary: Standards Australia is seeking public feedback in relation to a discussion paper released today titled Supply chain standards to reduce the black economy. The black economy, also known as the shadow economy or cash economy, refers to a range of activities that have an impact across the economy and society. This may include under-reporting or not reporting income, paying for work cash-in-hand, committing visa fraud, hiding behind or misquoting an Australian Business Number (ABN), or excise evasion. In Australia, it has been estimated that the black economy today could be as large as 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This number is up to 50% larger than the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2012 estimates. In response to growing concerns about the black economy domestically, the Australian Government established a taskforce which released the Black Economy Taskforce Report. In May 2018, the Australian Government responded to the recommendations of the report, committing itself to a range of measures, including the development of standards to support supply chain integrity. Standards Australia is consulting with the Australian community to examine how standards and other guidance materials can support the taskforce's recommendation. The consultation process will be shaped by online responses to this discussion paper and face-to-face consultation sessions held in November and December 2018 in six capital cities. Details on the dates and locations of consultation sessions as well as instructions on how to submit feedback online can be found in the discussion paper. All feedback will shape a final report to be released in March 2019 providing clear options to Treasury on next steps. Details: Sydney, Australia: Standards Australia, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2019 at: https://www.standards.org.au/getmedia/5f797bed-28a2-4cad-871b-92d9d8a609f6/Black-Economy-Discussion-Paper.pdf.aspx Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156168

Author: AUSTRAC Title: On-Course Bookmakers: Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment Summary: The overall money laundering/terrorism financing (ML/TF) risk for Australia's on-course bookmaking sector is assessed as low. The services provided by on-course bookmakers are likely to facilitate low levels of money laundering and tax evasion. No terrorism financing through the sector was observed during the development of this report. The declining nature of the sector and a range of other factors limit the vulnerability of the sector to money laundering and other criminal misuse. On-course bookmakers with relatively large turnovers, including those that provide online betting accounts, are more vulnerable to criminal misuse than other entities. This risk assessment provides detailed information to help the sector understand and respond to the risks associated with the services provided by on-course bookmakers. Details: Sydney, Australia: AUSTRAC, 2018. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2019 at: http://www.austrac.gov.au/sites/default/files/on-course-bookmakers-risk-assessment.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156177

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: The Health of Australia's Prisoners 2018 Summary: The health and well-being of people in prison are also those of the community. People in contact with the criminal justice system have higher rates of homelessness and unemployment and often come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. People leaving prison are members of society needing employment, housing, health care, and other support services in the community to maintain and improve health and well-being, and reduce the likelihood of returning to prison. On 30 June 2018, there were about 43,000 people in Australia's prisons. Most people in prison were either on remand (32%), or serving sentences under 5 years in length (62%), and thousands of people cycle through the prison system each year (ABS 2018a). People in prison have significant and complex health needs, which are often long-term or chronic in nature. They have higher rates of mental health conditions, chronic disease, communicable disease, acquired brain injury, tobacco smoking, high-risk alcohol consumption, recent illicit drug use, and recent injecting drug use, than the general population (AIHW 2015). Improving the health and well-being of people in prison, and maintaining those improvements after prison, benefits the entire community. This report presents the results of the 5th National Prisoner Health Data Collection (NPHDC), which was conducted in 2018. 3 in 4 prison entrants had previously been in prison - Most people (73%) entering prison had been in prison before, and almost half (45%) of prison entrants had been in prison within the previous 12 months. Male prison entrants were more likely to have extensive prison histories than female entrants. More than one-third (35%) of male entrants had been in prison 5 or more times, compared with 15% of female entrants. Indigenous prison entrants were more likely than non-Indigenous entrants to have an extensive prison history. Almost half (43%) of Indigenous entrants had been in prison at least 5 times before, compared with 25% of non-Indigenous entrants. 2 in 5 prison entrants had been told they had a mental health condition, with almost 1 in 4 currently taking mental health-related medication - About 2 in 5 prison entrants (40%) and prison dischargees (37%) reported a previous diagnosis of a mental health condition, including alcohol and other drug use disorders. Women were more likely than men to report: - a history of a mental health condition (65% compared with 36%); - taking medication for a mental health condition (40% compared with 21%). Non-Indigenous prison entrants (26%) were more likely than Indigenous entrants (19%) to report currently taking medication for a mental health condition. 3 in 4 deaths in prison custody were due to natural causes - Between 2013-14 and 2014-15, 115 people died in prison. Almost 3 in 4 (71%) of these deaths were from natural causes, and 1 in 4 (25%) were due to suicide or self-inflicted causes. 1 in 5 prison entrants reported a history of self-harm - More than 1 in 5 (21%) prison entrants reported a history of self-harm. Women entering prison (31%) were 1.5 times as likely as men (20%) to report a history of self-harm. More than 1 in 4 (26%) younger prison entrants (aged 18-24) reported a history of self-harm, higher than any other age group. Almost 3 in 10 younger prison entrants had a family history of incarceration - Almost 1 in 5 (18%) prison entrants reported that one or more parents or carers had been in prison when they were a child. This was more likely among Indigenous entrants (31%) than non-Indigenous entrants (11%). Younger prison entrants (27% of those aged 18-24) were almost 3 times as likely as older entrants (10% of those aged 45 and over) to have had a parent or carer in prison during their childhood. 3 in 4 prison entrants were current smokers - Most (75%) prison entrants said they were current smokers. Indigenous prison entrants (80%) were more likely than non-Indigenous entrants (73%), and women (86%) were more likely than men (73%) to be current smokers. More than 2 in 5 (41%) prison entrants who were current smokers said that they would like to quit. Almost 2 in 3 prison entrants reported using illicit drugs in the previous year Almost two-thirds (65%) of prison entrants reported using illicit drugs during the previous 12 months. Female prison entrants (74%) were more likely to report recent illicit drug use than male entrants (64%), and non-Indigenous entrants (66%) were more likely than Indigenous entrants (63%). Methamphetamine was the most common illicit drug used, followed by cannabis. Almost 1 in 6 (16%) prison dischargees reported using illicit drugs in prison, and 1 in 12 (8%) said they had injected drugs in prison. About 1 in 3 prison entrants had a high-school education level of Year 9 or under - Prison entrants were asked about the highest level of schooling that they had completed - one-third (33%) said Year 9 or under, and 17% said Year 8 or under. About 1 in 4 (25%) Indigenous prison entrants had completed Year 11 or 12 at school, compared with 41% of non-Indigenous entrants. Indigenous entrants (24%) were more likely than non-Indigenous entrants (10%) to report that their highest level of completed schooling was Year 8 or under. Almost 1 in 3 (30%) prison entrants had a chronic physical health condition Almost one-third (30%) of prison entrants said they had a history of at least 1 of the following chronic physical health conditions - arthritis, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. Asthma (22%) was the most common chronic physical health condition reported. Almost half (45%) of female entrants had a history of a chronic condition, compared with almost 3 in 10 (28%) male entrants. Of the prison entrants tested for blood-borne viruses, 1 in 5 tested positive for hepatitis C - In 2016, more than 1 in 5 (22%) prison entrants tested positive for hepatitis C antibodies - about 1 in 5 (21%) male prison entrants and more than 1 in 4 (28%) female prison entrants (Butler & Simpson 2017). About half (50%) of the prison entrants who had previously injected drugs had positive hepatitis C antibody tests - 52% of males, and 45% of females. More than 1 in 2 prison dischargees expected they would be homeless on release Homelessness is far more common among people in contact with the prison system than among people in the general community. About one-third (33%) of prison entrants said they were homeless in the 4 weeks before prison - 28% were in short-term or emergency accommodation, and 5% were in unconventional housing or sleeping rough. More than half (54%) of prison dischargees expected to be homeless on release from prison, with 44% planning to sleep in short term or emergency accommodation, 2% planning to sleep rough, and 8% did not know where they would sleep. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018. 203p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 5, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/node/238771 Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Correctional Health Shelf Number: 156209

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence in Australia: Continuing the National Story Summary: Family, domestic and sexual violence is a major national health and welfare issue that can have lifelong impacts for victims and perpetrators. It affects people of all ages and from all backgrounds, but predominantly affects women and children. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2016 Personal Safety Survey (PSS) estimated that 2.2 million adults have been victims of physical and/or sexual violence from a partner since the age of 15 (ABS 2017c). This report builds on the AIHW's inaugural Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia 2018 report (AIHW 2018b). It presents new information on vulnerable groups, such as children and young women. It examines elder abuse in the context of family, domestic and sexual violence, and includes new data on telephone and web-based support services, community attitudes, sexual harassment and stalking. It also includes the latest data on homicides, child protection, hospitals and specialist homelessness services. Family violence refers to violence between family members, typically where the perpetrator exercises power and control over another person. The most common and pervasive instances occur in intimate (current or previous) partner relationships and are usually referred to as domestic violence. Sexual violence refers to behaviours of a sexual nature carried out against a person's will. It can be perpetrated by a current or previous partner, other people known to the victim, or strangers. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2019. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June, 6, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/06/apo-nid239821-1363766.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 156250

Author: Coumarelos, Christine Title: Quantifying the legal and broader life impacts of domestic and family violence Summary: The last decade has seen increased policy reform in Australia to reduce domestic and family violence (DFV) and provide appropriate services for victims, who are predominantly women and their children. This paper provides the first quantitative assessment based on representative Australian population data of the legal and related problems that often coincide with DFV. Regression and bivariate analyses of the Legal Australia-Wide (LAW) Survey underlined the serious nature of DFV victimisation and revealed the gamut of severe legal problems and adverse life impacts that often result from, or accompany, DFV. Survey respondents who had experienced DFV in the previous 12 months ('DFV respondents') were 10 times more likely than others to experience other legal problems, including a wide range of family, civil and criminal law issues. Their odds of experiencing family law problems were especially elevated - a massive 16 times higher than for other respondents. They were also at least three times more likely to experience 10 of the other 11 legal problem types examined, including criminal law problems and civil law problems related to employment, financial, government payment, health, housing, personal injury and rights issues. Not only was DFV linked to a myriad of legal problems, but these legal problems were also more severe with greater adverse impacts on broad life circumstances. Four in five DFV respondents rated at least one of their legal problems as having a 'severe' impact on their everyday life, compared to fewer than one-quarter of others. Their legal problems were more likely to lead to stress-related illness, physical ill health, relationship breakdown, loss of income or financial strain, and moving home. They were more likely to require assistance from professionals, particularly lawyers and health and welfare professionals, and to require recourse to formal legal processes to achieve resolution. These findings demonstrating the 'compounding effect' of DFV victimisation on legal and human service needs, together with the relatively disadvantaged profile of people experiencing DFV, reinforce the importance of accessible public legal assistance services for DFV remaining a government policy priority. Holistic, joined-up legal and broader human services are often necessary to address the complex legal and related needs of people experiencing DFV. The results highlight the importance of ongoing funding to support initiatives that provide wrap-around assistance for DFV such as Domestic Violence Units (DVUs) and the Family Advocacy Support Services (FASS) scheme in the Local and Family Courts, as well as initiatives that link victims to legal and human services outside the court system. In addition, they indicate the potential utility of further expanding joined-up DFV services to better address the wide range of criminal and civil law problems, as well as family law problems, that are often tied up with DFV, which often span across Commonwealth and state/territory jurisdictions. Details: Sydney: Law and Justice Foundation, 2019. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Justice Issues Paper 32: Accessed June 7, 2019 at: http://www.lawfoundation.net.au/ljf/site/articleIDs/61BD5751775FA93B852584090007B5B9/$file/JI_32_DFV_legal_needs.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Shelf Number: 156323

Author: Coumarelos, Christine Title: Legal Aid NSW Domestic Violence Unit Process: evaluation of the first nine months Summary: The Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) of Legal Aid New South Wales (Legal Aid NSW) began operation in January 2016. It was established in response to an identified need for a more integrated and intensive response to the complex legal and non-legal needs of people experiencing or at serious risk of domestic and/or family violence (DFV). The DVU includes both lawyers and dedicated social workers and provides free legal advice, assistance, advocacy, ongoing litigation casework and social work support to help people experiencing DFV to stay safe and rebuild their lives. The DVU operates duty lawyer services at four local courts, two legal advice clinics, a telephone/email/webcam legal advice line and social work support services, and provides grants of legal aid. Working with other Legal Aid NSW and human services, the DVU aims to provide accessible services to people experiencing DFV, as well as appropriate and proportionate assistance to clients according to their level of legal and non-legal need, vulnerability and capability, including holistic services and case management as needed. The present evaluation -- The Law and Justice Foundation of NSW (the Foundation) was engaged by Legal Aid NSW to articulate a program logic for the DVU that would detail the DVU's aims, nature and desired outputs and outcomes. Using this program logic as a basis, the Foundation was engaged to conduct a process evaluation of the DVU's first nine months of operation, to examine its early implementation and inform any refinements to improve its operation. The Foundation also developed an evaluation framework that included a plan for the ongoing monitoring of the DVU, as well as a broad plan for an outcome evaluation to assess the DVU's impact on client outcomes, which was to be conducted at a later date. This report focuses on the process evaluation of the DVU, but also presents the program logic and broad evaluation framework. Details: Sydney: Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales, 2018. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2019 at: http://www.lawfoundation.net.au/ljf/site/articleIDs/2F51E86CB837FB128525822700048FB6/$file/DVU_eval_Legal_Aid_NSW.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Children Exposed to Violence Shelf Number: 156324

Author: McDonald, Hugh M. Title: In summary: Evaluation of the appropriateness and sustainability of Victoria Legal Aid's Summary Crime Program Summary: In 2012�2013 Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) changed eligibility for adult summary crime services, among others, to remain financially sustainable in a context of rising community demand for legal assistance services. Eligibility for summary crime grants of legal assistance was increased to those accused at risk of imprisonment. An assessment and triage model, incorporating an income test, was introduced into the Duty Lawyer Service. Overall the changes prioritised higher levels of service to priority clients and more serious matters. This study has found that these changes substantially reshaped provision of adult summary crime services, initially substantially reducing the number of grants of legal assistance. The Duty Lawyer Service also changed to provide: more services overall, more in-custody services, more in-court advocacy services, more services for more serious matters and more services for priority client groups. As the volume and complexity of the matters and clients coming into the summary crime system has increased following the service eligibility changes, so too have the workload pressures faced by the Duty Lawyer Service. While it was intended that accused ineligible for grants would access the Duty Lawyer Service, wider changes in Victorian community safety policies have subsequently overtaken and driven up demand for summary crime services, together with the overall summary crime workload of VLA, Victoria Police and the Magistrates' Court of Victoria. Key drivers of this include the increase in the number of police deployed to frontline duties, as well as change in the way in which family violence matters are policed and prosecuted. Increased service demand and caseload appears to have stressed the efficient and effective operation of the summary crime system, with it described as 'approaching crisis' if not already in crisis, due to being 'overloaded, under-resourced and overborne'. There are clear indications that the summary crime system is operating under escalating workload pressure, and that practices and stakeholder relationships are breaking or have broken down at some locations. Increased demand for summary crime services, in a constrained funding and resource context, threatens the appropriateness and sustainability of VLA summary crime services. VLA's summary crime services were characterised as vital to both the access to justice of Victorians, particularly those socially and economically disadvantaged, and the effective and efficient operation of the justice system. However, the wellbeing of Duty Lawyer Service staff is jeopardised by increased service demand, as is the willingness and financial viability of private practitioners doing VLA funded work. Analyses indicated that, within the current service eligibility settings, demand for grants and duty lawyer services can be expected to continue to increase. The report sets out the analyses and findings, discusses their implications and recommends repairs and innovations to improve the appropriateness and sustainability of VLA summary crime services. Details: Sydney: Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales, 2017. 305p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 7, 2019 at: https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/sites/www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/files/vla-evaluation-of-the-appropriateness-and-sustainability-of-victoria-legal-aids-summary-crime-program-report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia Keywords: Court System Shelf Number: 156325

Author: New South Wales Auditor-General Title: Managing Growth in the NSW Prison Population Summary: At the time of this audit, the NSW Department of Justice (DOJ) was responsible for delivering custodial corrections services in New South Wales through its Corrective Services NSW division (Corrective Services NSW). From 1 July 2019, the Department of Family and Community Services and Justice will be responsible for these functions. Within DOJ, Corrective Services NSW is responsible for administering sentences and legal orders through custodial and community-based management of adult offenders. Its key priorities are: providing safe, secure and humane management of prisoners reducing reoffending improving community safety and confidence in the justice system. The prison population in New South Wales grew by around 40 per cent between 2012 to 2018, from 9,602 to 13,630 inmates. This rate of growth was higher than experienced prior to 2012. DOJ forecasts growth to continue over the short and longer-term. DOJ has responded to inmate population growth by doubling-up and tripling-up the number of prison beds in cells, reactivating previously closed prisons, and a $3.8 billion program of new prison capacity. DOJ has also developed a long-term prison infrastructure strategy that projects long-term needs and recommended investments to meet these needs. This audit assessed how efficiently and effectively DOJ is responding to growth in the NSW prison population. In this report, we have not analysed the sources of demand or recommended ways that custody may be avoided. These are largely government policy issues. Details: Sydney, Australia: Audit Office of New South Wales, 2019. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 8, 2019 at: https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/our-work/reports/managing-growth-in-the-nsw-prison-population Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156252

Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth Justice in Australia: 2017-18 Summary: Of the 5,513 young people under youth justice supervision on an average day in 2017�18, most were male (81%) and supervised in the community (83%). Overall rates of supervision varied among the states and territories, from 12 per 10,000 in Victoria to 59 per 10,000 in the Northern Territory. Supervision fell over the 5 years from 2013�14 to 2017�18 for community-based supervision, but rose for detention. Indigenous over-representation also continued to rise. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2019. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 10, 2019 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/youth-justice/youth-justice-australia-2017-18/contents/table-of-contents Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156358

Author: Salter, Michael Title: "Sorting it Out: Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer" (GBTIQ) Men's Attitudes and Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault Summary: This report presents data from an IPV and SA survey with 895 GBTIQ men who currently live in Australia. The primary focus of the survey was on IPV in same-sex relationships. The survey included questions about SA, and some men included additional information on SA via open-ended questions. The survey did not seek to measure the prevalence of criminal victimisation or perpetration in relationships but instead focused on men's views and experiences of healthy and unhealthy relationships. The report begins with a brief literature review summarising current knowledge of violence and abuse in GBTIQ men's relationships and their experiences of services and support, before presenting key findings from a national online survey on GBTIQ men's: -Personal experiences of abuse and violence; -Attitudes and understandings of what constitutes abusive or unethical behaviour in relationships; -Awareness of abuse and violence in their social networks; and, -Willingness to intervene as bystanders. The data outlined in this report offer a unique insight into the ways IPV and SA are constructed by GBTIQ men. The men's understandings are informed by their own lived experience but also by increasing public awareness of the impact of violence and abuse in intimate relationships. The project findings presented here are intended to inform ongoing community conversations and program development to support GBTIQ men's safe and healthy relationships and provide GBTIQ men with the messages and skills they are looking for to intervene in abusive or unethical behaviours and attitudes in their own communities. Details: Sydney: Western Sydney University, Sexualities and Gender Research and ACON, 2019. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 10, 2019 at: https://www.academia.edu/Documents/in/Sexual_Assault Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 156142

Author: Dean, Adam Title: Elder Abuse: Key Issues and Emerging Evidence Summary: Elder abuse is a multifaceted and often hidden form of abuse. There is currently no national data on the prevalence of elder abuse in Australia. Based on international studies, it is estimated that between 2% and 14% of older people in high- or middle-income countries experience elder abuse every year. The term 'elder abuse' covers a range of harmful behaviours, including physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse and neglect. This paper provides an overview of elder abuse in Australia. It discusses key issues involved in how elder abuse is defined and examines its prevalence, impact and associated risk factors, with a focus on implications of recent research for policy and practice. Key messages: -Elder abuse is a complex phenomenon that takes many forms, including physical, psychological, sexual and financial abuse and neglect. -An estimated 2�14% of older people in high- or middle-income countries are victims of abuse or neglect every year. Prevalence rates are likely to be much higher in institutional care settings than in community settings. -A range of factors associated with older people, perpetrators, relationships and broader contextual factors contribute to older people's risk of abuse and neglect. Emerging evidence suggests that social isolation and poor quality relationships are among the main risk factors associated with elder abuse in community settings. -Social support and healthy relationships with family members are key protective factors for older people at risk of abuse or neglect. -Research and evaluation on specific prevention and intervention strategies are needed to give a clearer understanding of what works to protect and promote the dignity of older Australians. Details: Southbank, Australia: Australian Institute of Family Studies and Child Family Community Australia, 2019. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2019 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/51_elder_abuse.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Elder Abuse Shelf Number: 156491

Author: Bushnell, Andrew Title: Skewed Priorities: Comparing the Growth of Prison Spending with Police Spending Summary: Australia has seen rapid, unsustainable growth in its incarceration rate. Over the past ten years, the proportion of Australian residents who are incarcerated has risen by 30 percent, from 167 per 100,000 adults to 217 per 100,000 adults. This rise has led to taxpayers carrying a heavier burden for incarceration. Across the country, state and territory governments now spend more than $4.4 billion annually on prison operations, out of more than $17 billion total justice costs. Over the past five years, the average annual growth of prison spending has been 6.6 percent, with a 29 percent total increase over that period. The purpose of this paper is to show what this increase means in real terms. Every extra dollar committed to incarceration is a dollar that might have been spent elsewhere in the criminal justice system, on some other government service, or returned to taxpayers. To illustrate this point, this paper compares operational prison spending with spending on police services. This comparison is valid for two main reasons: the first is that policing and incarceration share the common purpose of reducing crime through incapacitating and deterring criminals, and so it is legitimate to consider whether governments' criminal justice spending is efficiently ordered towards that end; and secondly, studies have shown that policing is more effective in deterring crime than increasing the severity of punishment, and so maximising value for money in criminal justice may involve redirecting spending from prisons to policing. Given Australia's already high level of policing, this comparison might also suggest that a reduction in incarceration will not diminish the overall deterrent effect of Australia's criminal justice system. The IPA supports a sensible and safe reduction in Australia's level of incarceration through the reform of punishment for nonviolent offenders, including the expansion of community service, home detention, and fines and restitution orders. These punishments can capture the severity of many types of offending, while at the same time being cheaper to administer than prison and more strongly correlated with preventing reoffending and lowering crime. In this paper, references to reducing incarceration mean this kind of reform. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Institute of Public Affairs, 2019. 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/06/apo-nid240451-1364636.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Incarceration Shelf Number: 156492

Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: Risk Management in Immigration Detention Summary: This report examines risk management practices in immigration detention to determine whether they are compliant with Australia's international human rights obligations. It is based on information gathered during inspections of immigration detention facilities conducted during 2018. The report also draws on the Commission's previous work in monitoring conditions and treatment in immigration detention. Changes in the composition of the immigration detention population in recent years - specifically the increase in the number of people in detention who have had visas cancelled on character grounds - have led to a significant shift in how the risks that arise in immigration detention are assessed and managed. Detention, by its very nature, limits the human rights of those detained. In addition, some risk management practices can themselves further limit the enjoyment of human rights in a manner that is not necessary, reasonable or proportionate in the circumstances. The Commission acknowledges the assistance provided by the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) in facilitating the Commission's detention inspections. The Commission is grateful to the staff of Home Affairs, the ABF and detention service providers who assisted the Commission team during the inspections. A draft of this report was shared with Home Affairs in advance of its publication, to provide an opportunity for Home Affairs to respond to the identified issues. Details: Sydney, Australia: Australian Human Rights Commission, 2019. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/06/apo-nid242316-1366901.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Detention Centers Shelf Number: 156551

Author: Martin, Chris Title: Social Housing Legal Responses to Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour: Impacts on Vulnerable Families Summary: Key findings: Residential tenancies law in all Australian jurisdictions affords legal means for landlords to respond to crime and non-criminal anti-social behaviour ('misconduct') by tenants, other occupiers and visitors. The quantitative data, while patchy, indicate that social housing landlordsare heavy users of termination proceedings, including in relation to misconduct. Australian social housing landlords have developed distinctive policies and practices for responding to misconduct. For example, the public housing landlords in almost all Australian states and territories have adopted, at least for a time, 'three strikes' policies to guide their use of termination proceedings. In some jurisdictions, special legislative provisions have been introduced to facilitate termination proceedings for misconduct. Drug offences are a particular target of these provisions, but a wide range of types of misconduct are also within the scope of the provisions and social landlords' legal proceedings. At the same time, social housing policy has consolidated its longer-term trend towards targeting assistance to households with low incomes and complex support needs. Responding to misconduct in social housing is plainly a very challenging area of practice. Many of the cases we reviewed, and discussed in interviews with stakeholders, involve highly conflictual, destructive and distressing behaviour. However, termination proceedings are not always taken as a matter of urgency, nor as a last resort when all other approaches to sustain the tenancy have failed. It appears that in most cases a single substantial contact between the social housing landlord and the tenant is sufficient to address a minor problem. However, where problematic behaviour continues, the usual course of action - a combination of escalating threats to the tenancy and pushing the tenant to 'engage' with the landlord and support services - does not work for many. Escalating threats often drive 'engagement' that is last-minute and short-lived, and sometimes so unsatisfactory that it can drive an escalation in threats. In many cases, social housing landlords' legal responses frustrate other more ameliorative and preventative ways of addressing misconduct and related support needs, and result in the eviction and homelessness of vulnerable persons and families. In particular, there are aspects of law, policy and practice that do not appropriately address vulnerable persons and families: women who have experienced domestic and family violence, children, Indigenous persons and families, and persons and families with members who problematically use alcohol or other drugs. These aspects of social housing law, policy and practice insufficiently reflect, or are contrary to, leading policy principles and frameworks regarding those vulnerable types of persons and families. Women: The evidence shows a significant gender dimension to social housing legal responses to misconduct. Social housing landlords are generally strongly committed to assisting women affected by domestic violence into safe housing, but this commitment may falter during a social housing tenancy. Tenancy obligations and extended liability - and social housing landlords' use of them - impose hard expectations that women will control the misconduct of male partners and children. Even violence becomes framed as a 'nuisance' in tenancy legal proceedings, some women are evicted because of violence against them. Children: Children are sometimes the instigators of misconduct, but more often are innocent bystanders to misconduct by others. Where termination proceedings would affect children, social housing landlords typically make additional efforts at alternatives, but the interests of children are a marginal consideration in the determination of proceedings. Indigenous persons and families: There is strong Indigenous representation in the cases involving women and children. More specifically, Indigenous persons and families often present complex personal histories, institutional contacts and interpersonal relationships, shaped by past and present institutional racism and colonialism. This makes 'engagement' even more problematic. Persons who problematically use alcohol and other drugs: Responses to misconduct relating to alcohol and other drug use are not expressly guided by harm minimisation. Criminal offences, especially, elicit punitive termination proceedings, with social housing landlords, police, and sometimes courts and tribunals, operating in a condemnatory, exclusionary mode. Even where overt condemnation or punitiveness is absent, termination proceedings may be taken that disrupt treatment and rehabilitation, including where this has been sanctioned by the criminal justice system. Policy development options: Policy development options to better integrate social housing policy with support for vulnerable persons and families include: -moving support out of the shadow of tenancy termination; -giving tenants more certainty through commitments that no-one will be evicted into homelessness; -ensuring proper scrutiny is applied to termination decisions and proceedings, and to sector practice; -reforming the law regarding tenants' extended and vicarious liability for other persons. More specific policy development options for each of our four types of vulnerable persons and families include: -reviewing social housing policies and practice for gender impacts, and sponsoring the cultivation of respectful relationships; -adopting 'the best interests of the child' as the paramount factor in decisions about termination affecting children; -establishing specific Indigenous housing organisations, officers and advocates; -adopting harm minimisation as the guiding principle for responses to alcohol and other drug use, including where there is criminal offending. The study: The study comprises a number of elements: -a review of available quantitative data about social housing termination proceedings; -a review of high-level policy principles and frameworks regarding women affected by domestic violence, children, Indigenous persons and families, and alcohol and other drug users; -a review of residential tenancies law and social housing policies regarding misconduct by tenants and occupiers; -analysis of 95 cases of social housing legal proceedings in response to misconduct; -analysis of interviews with representatives of 11 stakeholder organisations. The research makes a new contribution through the breadth of its review of Australian legal and policy settings regarding social housing terminations for misconduct, the depth of its examination of social housing termination practice, and its focus on problematic outcomes for specific categories of vulnerable persons and families living at the intersection of social housing and other areas of governmental practice. Details: Melbourne, Australia: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, 2019. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2019 at: https://www.ahuri.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/42147/AHURI-Final-Report-314-Social-housing-legal-responses-to-crime-and-anti-social-behaviour-impacts-on-vulnerable-families.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 156552

Author: Deloitte Access Economics Title: The economic cost of violence against children and young people Summary: In 2016-17, there were an estimated 154,302 cases of violence against children and young people aged 0-24 years in NSW costing a total of $11.2 billion. Of this total, approximately $2.3 billion was borne by NSW state government departments, $600 million by the Federal government and $8.2 billion by individuals and the broader NSW community. Violence against children and young people aged 0-24 years are pervasive child protection, public health and human rights issues. According to the World Health Organization, for infants and younger children, violence mainly involves child abuse and maltreatment (i.e. physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect), and usually by parents, caregivers or other authority figures. In recent years, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse found that tens of thousands of children have been sexually abused in many Australian institutions, including where they reside or attend for educational, recreational, sporting, religious or cultural activities. As children reach adolescence, violence usually takes the form of peer violence (including bullying and gang violence) and intimate partner violence in addition to child maltreatment. There has also been an increasing awareness of other types of emotional abuse such as cyberbullying, witnessing of acts of violence or living in a home where violence is inflicted upon others. Research suggests that these all potentially have long-lasting impacts on a child or young person�s social development, physical health and mental wellbeing. In July 2016, the NSW Government launched the inaugural legislated whole-of-government Strategic Plan for Children and Young People. The aim is to ensure children and young people in NSW have opportunities to thrive, get the services they need and have their voice heard. The Plan contains six key priorities including ensuring children and young people are safe, connected, treated with respect, have relevant skills for life, are healthy and well, and are empowered to be involved in the decisions that affect them. As part of the keeping children and young people safe priority, the objective is to ensure they are free from abuse, neglect, violence and serious injury. This includes children and young people that experience domestic and family violence, and who are in or at risk of entering the child protection system. Details: Strawberry Hills, NSW: Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People, State of NSW, 2019. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 26, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/06/apo-nid242911-1367481.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 156633

Author: Dragiewicz, Molly Title: Domestic violence and community technology: Survivor experiences of intrusion, surveillance, and identity crime Summary: The research investigated how domestic violence perpetrators intrude on victim's lives via unwanted contact, unauthorised access to telecommunications accounts and devices, and identity theft in Australia. Domestic violence (DV) victims comprise a large group of vulnerable consumers whose rights, privacy, and security are compromised when telecommunication services and devices are misused. Access to safe and secure information communication services are essential for victims' social engagement and information and help-seeking. This research addresses a knowledge deficit in this area and identifies future industry, platform, and state research, regulation, and prevention initiatives to improve telecommunication outcomes for victims. Details: Queensland University of Technology; Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, 2019. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2019 at: https://accan.org.au/files/Grants/Domestic%20violence%20and%20communication%20technology%20Survivor%20experience%20of%20intrusion%20surveillance%20and%20identity%20crime.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Communication Services Shelf Number: 156715

Author: Law Enforcement Conduct Commission Title: Review of 29 NSW Police Forced Critical Incident Investigations Summary: A critical incident is an incident involving a police operation that results in death or serious injury to a person. The NSW Police Force is required to investigate the actions of its members involved in a critical incident. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission ('the Commission') monitors the investigation of critical incidents from the time of the incident until the completion of the investigation by police, to provide assurance to the public that police investigations into critical incidents are conducted in a competent, thorough and objective manner. The NSW Police Force has guidelines in place which set out how police are to conduct critical incident investigations, including how the investigations should be documented. When the Commission commenced operations in July 2017, the NSW Police Force already had a number of critical incident investigations on foot. We decided to review 29 of those critical incident investigations (also known as strike forces). The purpose of our review was to - (1) measure and benchmark compliance by the NSW Police Force with their critical incident guidelines; (2) establish whether the finalisation of certain critical incident investigations has been unreasonably delayed by the NSW Police Force; (3) identify whether there had been any agency maladministration in relation to compliance and delay issues; and (4) make recommendations to the NSW Police Force to increase compliance with critical incident guidelines, reduce delays in finalising matters, and prevent misconduct and maladministration. One of the first issues we identified was that some key investigation records could not be located in the NSW Police Force investigations management system. This system is where police are required to keep all documents created as a result of critical incident investigations. The absence of records impacted on our ability to properly assess compliance of the NSW Police Force with some of the procedural requirements set out in its critical incident guidelines. Clearly it would also inhibit the NSW Police Force�s own capacity to ensure the critical incident guidelines are being followed. Our review also identified very low levels of compliance by the NSW Police Force in relation to two key procedural requirements of the guidelines. These were the requirement to conduct mandatory alcohol testing within desired timeframes of two hours and the requirement to prepare an interim report prior to the completion of a coronial inquest. The Commission also identified a number of investigations where it appeared that there may have been unreasonable delays on the part of the NSW Police Force in finalising these investigations. These deficiencies are significant because they impact on the consistency and quality of the critical incident investigations that police undertake. We are particularly concerned by the inadequacy of the conflict of interest form currently being used to identify and keep account of the way that conflicts of interest are managed in critical incident investigations, as outlined in Part 3.1 of this report. We are also concerned that a number of critical incident investigations remain open without any or adequate reasons being provided. This is discussed in Part 4 of this report. We have made three recommendations to assist the NSW Police Force to improve its compliance with the critical incident guidelines - (1) It is recommended that the NSW Police Force revises the current P1103 Critical incident - conflict of interest declaration form to be more similar in form and content to the MARA Part B - Disclosure of conflict by Investigator/Resolution Manager form. (2) It is recommended that NSW Police Force Critical Incident Guidelines include a hyperlink and/or reference to NSW Police Force Procedures for Managing Conflicts of Interest. (3) It is recommended that NSW Police Force Critical Incident Guidelines require the senior critical incident investigator to record reasons explaining why any mandatory testing event occurred outside the desired two hour timeframe. In its response to the Commission's draft report the NSW Police Force indicated that it supports these recommendations and has implemented recommendation 2. To this end, they informed us that - the current P1103 form has been amended to incorporate the Commission's recommendation. Each member of the critical incident investigation team must complete the amended Conflict of Interest Declaration Form on e@gle.i.6 -the critical incident guidelines will include a hyperlink to the NSW Police Force Procedures for Managing Conflicts of Interest, and -the NSW Police Force has taken action to ensure that senior critical incident investigators are provided with instructions about the need to make records of the reasons for any delays associated with the completion of tests. Our draft report also contained a preliminary recommendation that the critical incident guidelines should clarify the requirements relating to the completion of interim reports, including the role and purpose of interim reports, when interim reports should be completed, what should be contained in the interim reports and who is expected to complete them. The NSW Police Force advised us that police are now required to provide a preliminary report to the Senior Coroner and Crown Solicitor no later than eight weeks after a senior coroner has determined jurisdiction under section 23 of the Coroners Act 2009 concerning deaths in custody or as a result of police operations. The critical incident guidelines will include details of the requirement. As the preliminary report to the Coroner will contain essentially the same information that we would have expected to see in an interim report, we have withdrawn the preliminary recommendation. While the NSW Police Force has undertaken to address the above issues in its revised critical incident guidelines, it is worth noting that the NSW Police Force has been reviewing the 2016 Critical Incident Guidelines for nearly two years. At the time of publication of this report, the Commission has not yet seen the finalised version. Details: Sydney, Australia: Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, 2019. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2019 at: https://www.lecc.nsw.gov.au/news-and-publications/publications/review-of-29-nswpf-critical-incident-investigations-june-2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156572

Author: Chadderton, Paula Title: Public-Private Partnerships to Disrupt Financial Crime: An Exploratory Study of Australia's Fintel Alliance Summary: The 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States and the 2014 Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney demonstrated the importance of timely, relevant and complete information sharing. While there is broad support for information sharing, it has proved challenging to implement and is regarded as 'one of the most deleterious obstacles to combating major and serious criminal conspiracies'. This paper examines whether a partnership comprising public and private sector organisations (PPP) can improve information sharing between those sectors and be effective in combating money laundering and terrorism financing-related crimes, using Australia's Fintel Alliance as a case study. The Fintel Alliance is a PPP led by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Australia's financial intelligence unit and anti-money laundering/counter-terrorism financing regulator. The Fintel Alliance brings together 22 public and private sector organisations with the goal of combatting money laundering and terrorism financing-related crimes and is regarded as 'the first true public-private partnership of its kind in the world' in its co-location of participants and sharing of information. Drawing on the results of semi-structured interviews and a focus group with analysts, managers and senior managers of Fintel Alliance member and non-member organisations, this paper examines whether and why PPPs have improved information sharing between public and private sector organisations, and the factors that have contributed to the success (or otherwise) of those arrangements. The paper also makes recommendations on changes needed to improve information sharing using PPPs. Although the Fintel Alliance is still maturing as an organisation, its experiences are a useful guide for others contemplating developing or enhancing existing PPPs that target financial crime. For most interviewees, Fintel Alliance membership is viewed positively and provides opportunities to understand the challenges faced by counterparts. However, for some members concerns remain about their potential exposure to regulatory non-compliance action or the possibility that their commercial competitiveness could be reduced through participation in PPP activities. Notwithstanding such concerns, Fintel Alliance members consider the opportunity to develop greater awareness of financial crime risks, collaborate on projects that could benefit them, industry and the community, and potentially influence AML/CTF regulation, mean involvement in the PPP is valuable and worthwhile. This paper considers that for PPPs to benefit their members, industry and ultimately the community, it is imperative that they undertake projects or other activities that maximise members' participation, incorporate a preventative focus, and align with the PPP's strategic goals. Projects that incorporate these attributes are more likely to be valued by members and consequently attract support and resources. This paper finds that inviting non-members to participate in projects, particularly if their information could be crucial to a project, could also enhance a PPP's effectiveness and broaden the value of PPP projects to industry. In the Fintel Alliance case, members recognised the need to involve non-members in projects, particularly if they did not hold all the information pertinent to a project's success. However, the challenges of implementing a PPP are not only legislative, technical or datadriven, they also relate to relationships, trust and risk appetite. Consequently, PPPs can play a critical role in overcoming reticence to sharing information between the public and private sectors, building trust and in expanding our knowledge of financial crime. With this in mind, we make the following recommendations for others considering establishing or enhancing a PPP targeting financial crime: -Recommendation 1: Start small and grow over time. -Recommendation 2: Consider involving members from other organisations or sectors. -Recommendation 3: Start within existing legislative and technological parameters.-Recommendation 4: Provide clarity on PPP roles and responsibilities. -Recommendation 5: Consider projects that maximise PPP members' participation and incorporate a preventative focus. -Recommendation 6: Engage, and if possible co-locate, the most appropriate staff to work on projects. -Recommendation 7: Communicate timely and meaningful information about PPP projects and activities to industry, government and the community. -Recommendation 8: Review laws to support information sharing to fight financial crime. Details: London, United Kingdom: Swift Institute, 2019. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2019 at: https://swiftinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SIWP-2017-003-Information-Sharing_FINTEL_Alliance_FINAL.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Anti-Money Laundering Shelf Number: 156573

Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: 'Crossover Kids': Vulnerable children in the youth justice system: Report 1: Children who are known to Child Protection among sentenced and diverted children in the Victorian Children�s Court Summary: This is the first of two reports by the Sentencing Advisory Council looking at the child protection backgrounds of children who received a sentence or diversion in the Victorian Children's Court in 2016 or 2017. The project aims to explore the pathways that lead children as young as 10 into the criminal justice system and better understand the vulnerable backgrounds of children who are sentenced in the Children's Court. Research questions -- The report answers the following questions: 1. Prevalence of 'crossover kids' in the youth justice system: What proportion of children sentenced or diverted in the Children's Court in 2016 and 2017 (the 'study group') were known to the child protection service? Specifically, in the period from 18 June 1996 to 3 September 2018, what proportion of children: (a) were the subject of a child protection report? (b) were the subject of a child protection report that was investigated? (c) were the subject of a child protection report that was substantiated? (d) were the subject of a child protection order made in the Children's Court? (e) experienced out-of-home care, including residential care? 2. Over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children: What proportion of sentenced and diverted children known to the child protection service were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children? 3. Sentence type and child protection involvement: What proportion of children sentenced to specific sentence types were known to the child protection service? 4. Age at first sentence and child protection involvement: Are children first sentenced at a young age more likely than older children to be known to the child protection service? Details: Melbourne: Author, 2019. 138p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 5, 2019 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Crossover_Kids_Report_1_1.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: At-Risk Youth Shelf Number: 156850

Author: University of New South Wales Human Rights Clinic Title: No Place Like Home: Addressing Exploitation of International Students in Sydney�s Housing Market Summary: In 2018, there were a record 548,000 international students at universities, vocational colleges, English colleges and schools in Australia -- nearly double the number in 2013. Education providers, government agencies and others are concerned about unscrupulous conduct by landlords and others that leave many international students living in poor housing conditions. These conditions seriously undermine international students' physical, emotional and financial wellbeing, and in many cases, their basic human right to adequate housing. Sydney (and other major Australian cities) has very limited dedicated student accommodation on campus or within commercial Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). As a result, most international students in Sydney rely on private rentals. Cost and other barriers render the formal rental market inaccessible to most international students. Instead, most live in share houses, boarding houses and other insecure arrangements in the marginal rental sector, which they find online. International students are therefore highly vulnerable to deceptive and exploitative conduct both when finding a place to live, and as tenants. Most international students living in share house arrangements do not have a formal tenancy agreement, leaving them without tenancy rights and other protections under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) ('RTA') or other laws. They are therefore significantly more vulnerable to unscrupulous conduct and unfair evictions because in the face of unfair housing practices, they will generally be unable to access the legal remedies that are available to tenants through the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal ('NCAT'). This includes access NCAT to recover a bond. When international students are unable to recover their bond or obtain remedies for other unscrupulous landlord conduct, leaving accommodation becomes financially stressful or impossible, forcing some to stay in housing that is inadequate or unsafe. Students' lack of access to NCAT to address unscrupulous landlord conduct provides those landlords with impunity and enables them to repeat the conduct with other international students. International students under 18 also encounter a range of problems in unregulated home-stay arrangements. This report focuses on Sydney because of the large number of international students in the city, and the particular challenges to housing affordability in general. It concentrates on problems international students encounter in the marginal rental market. Though some of these problems are experienced by other disadvantaged groups, their implications are particularly acute for international students who are especially vulnerable to deceptive and unscrupulous practices and have limited family or community support in Australia when problems emerge. Details: Sydney: Author, 2019. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2019 at: https://www.law.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/imce/files/No-Place-Like-Home-UNSW-Human-Rights-Clinic-report.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Colleges and Universities Shelf Number: 156854

Author: Tarrant, Stella Title: Transforming Legal Understandings of Intimate Partner Violence Summary: This report examines how and why changes to the law of self-defence have not had their intended effects. It explores how legal professionals and experts understand IPV, influencing which facts are selected and presented as relevant in the criminal process and the meaning made of those facts. This report demonstrates that the model of IPV relied on by prosecutors, expert witnesses, judges and others can have the effect either of revealing the violence a woman claims to have acted in self-defence against, or of undercutting that claim. It suggests that the current models of IPV used in the criminal justice system prepackage a defendant's defensive actions in response to IPV as unreasonable. This report has been written to be an educational and training resource for law students, police, prosecution and defence lawyers, expert witnesses, and judges. Details: Sydney, Australia: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, 2019. 124p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 14, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/26035202/RP.17.10_Tarrant_RR_Transforming-Legal-Understandings-of-IPV.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Abuse Shelf Number: 156801

Author: Devilly, Grant James Title: A big night out getting bigger: Alcohol consumption, arrests and crowd numbers, before and after legislative change Summary: Restrictive practices on alcohol sales in entertainment districts have been introduced to reduce alcohol-related violence in youth. On 1st July 2016, the Queensland State Government (Australia) imposed a 2-hour reduction in trading hours for alcohol sales in venues within specific night-time entertainment districts (NEDS; from 5am to 3am), a reduction in maximum trading hours for venues outside NEDs (with a maximum 2am closing time), the banning of 'rapid intoxication drinks' (e.g. shots) after 12am, and no new approvals for trading hours beyond 10pm for the sale of takeaway alcohol. No independent study has evaluated general levels of intoxication, crowd numbers, fear of violence, and illicit substance use as people enter and exit NEDS, both before and after the introduction of restrictive legislation. Further, no study has assessed the impact using matched times of the year in a controlled study and also assessed actual assault rates as recorded by the police. Details: e. PLoS ONE 14(6): e0218161. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0218161 - 22p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2019 at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218161&type=printable Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Alcohol Legislation Shelf Number: 156858

Author: Jorna, Penny Title: Commonwealth fraud investigations 2016-17 Summary: Fraud against the Commonwealth is a serious matter for all Australian Commonwealth entities and the Australian public. It prevents taxpayer dollars from reaching intended targets and affects the government's ability to deliver key services. In accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth) and s 10 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014, all non-corporate Commonwealth entities are required to provide the AIC with information concerning their experience of fraud during the preceding year and the fraud control measures that they employ. This report presents information gathered in respect of the 2016-17 financial year. The Australian government is committed to tackling fraud against the Commonwealth by supporting research into the extent of the problem and promoting the development and use of fraud control practices to reduce risks and to detect and deal with fraud in a timely and effective manner. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 88p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Statistical Report 15: Accessed July 16, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr15 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 156862

Author: Broadhurst, Roderic Title: Restorative Justice Evaluation: An Observational Outcome Evaluation of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Program Summary: The Australian National University and Australian Institute of Criminology were commissioned by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Justice and Community Safety Directorate to undertake an impact evaluation of the restorative justice conferencing program. There were two components to this evaluation. The first involved the analysis of surveys of offenders, victims and their support persons conducted by the Restorative Justice (RJ) Unit following each conference. The second involved using criminal history data provided by ACT Policing to conduct an analysis of reoffending among the 1,143 participants in restorative justice conferencing (RJC) compared with 4,668 young offenders dealt with at the same time through the normal process, whose criminal history had been tracked until September 2016. Analysis of the surveys completed by conference participants show that the majority of victims, victim support persons, offenders and offender support persons were satisfied with the conference process and outcome of the conference. Overall, 93% of all conference participants (victims, offenders, and supporters) reported being pleased with the outcome of their conference, and between 97 and 99% of all participants and felt treated with respect, able to say what they wanted as part of the process, that the process was fair for them and the offender, and that their rights had been respected. To measure the impact RJC on reoffending, various statistical methods were used to estimate recidivism. These methods compared the proportion of RJC participants who re-offended with a comparison group of young offenders who had not been referred to the program. Apart from estimating the proportion of offenders who re-offended (defined here as re-arrest), and the time taken to reoffend, the frequency of reoffending (i.e. the number of charges or offences) was also measured. The RJC participants were more likely to be male, younger, charged with a violent or property offence, and with a more extensive criminal history than non-participants-factors known to increase the risk of reoffending. The raw percent re-arrested by the cut-off date (September 2016) was 55.9% of the RJC participants and 45.4% of the non-RJC group. After adjusting for differences in follow up time (i.e. a maximum follow up of 12 years and a median follow-up of approximately 7 years) an estimated 61% of RJC participants and 49% of non-participants would be expected to be re-apprehended for at least one offence. However, RJC participants are less likely to reoffend or to reoffend as often as non-participants when differences between them were controlled in either a conventional multivariate model or a matched case analysis. Both approaches produced similar results overall. The multivariate method estimated a 23% reduction and the matched case method a 30% reduction in the frequency of re-offending. The multivariate regression showed RJC participants were significantly less likely to reoffend after the reference episode, although the positive impact of the RJC process appears to decay over time. An intervention effect is also evident when matched groups of juvenile offenders are compared-RJC participants take significantly longer to reoffend and accumulate fewer offences. The proportion estimated to reoffend after 12 months was 20% for RJC participants and 29% for the matched comparison group, after five years about 47% of both RJ and non-RJ had re-offended, but after ten years, 54% of RJC participants compared to 64% of non-participants would be expected to be re-apprehended for at least one offence. The frequency of offending in the follow-up period was also more pronounced at 30% lower for offenders who participated in a RJC compared with a matched group of offenders dealt with by a court or by police using another disposition. The positive RJC intervention effect is further confirmed in a factorial analysis of the risks of recidivism, with lower risks of recidivism identified for specific sub-groups of offenders engaged in the RJC process: for example, property offenders with a prior record had significantly lower recidivism and took longer to re-offend after participation in RJC than those that did not. First time violent offenders also had significantly lower recidivism risks post RJC than those who did not. This observational study of the effects of RJC has limitations because the comparison group was not randomly assigned but matched post hoc using statistical methods or controls. Thus, some selection factors may be overlooked or unaccounted for. However, after applying a variety of analytical methods to describe this large sample of juvenile offenders we conclude that the RJC program has a positive impact on reoffending. It was not possible to draw any conclusions as to whether victims who participate in RJC are more satisfied than those whose matter is dealt with by a court or another disposition, there are very few participants who are dissatisfied with the process and outcome. The victim-centric program delivered by the Restorative Justice Unit is thus successful in delivering a generally positive experience for victims, and other conference participants. Details: Canberra: Australian National University (ANU); ANU Cybercrime Observatory; School of Regulation & Global Governance (RegNet), 2019. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2019 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3414715 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Juvenile Offenders Shelf Number: 156899

Author: Ninnes, Peter, ed. Title: Preventing domestic and family violence: Action research reports from five Australian local government councils Summary: The purpose of this volume is to document the use of action research in evaluating domestic and family violence (DFV) prevention activities in local government authorities (LGAs) around Australia. The volume is intended for DFV prevention practitioners in local government and other community services. It provides insights into DFV prevention work in the local government context. It also demonstrates the use of action research as a means of integrating evaluation processes and continuous improvement into everyday DFV prevention work. The reports in this volume arose from the work of five LGAs around Australia that trialled the draft Local council domestic and family violence prevention toolkit ("the toolkit"). The toolkit was developed by Palladium under contract to the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS). The reports cover work undertaken both within council organisations and with the community, including: Creative arts activities undertaken in the City of Charles Sturt (South Australia) to raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of domestic and family violence; Community engagement activities initiated by Latrobe City Council (Victoria) to promote understanding of the drivers of domestic and family violence and preventative actions; A staff training program run by Mackay Regional Council (Queensland) to build the knowledge and understanding of DFV and bystander action among staff members and community leaders; A staff gender equality survey developed and administered by the City of Mandurah (Western Australia), which focused on understanding attitudes among staff; and A gender audit of theatre programs offered by Riverside Theatre, a council facility in the City of Parramatta (NSW). Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2019. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Anrows Institute Issue 3: Accessed July 16, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/24000208/Preventing_DFV_AR_from_5_LGC_IN6.19.1.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 156903

Author: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS) Title: Women Who Kill Abusive Partners: Understandings of Intimate Partner Violence in the Context of Self-Defence. Summary: The ANROWS research examines homicide trials in which self-defence is raised by women who have killed an abusive intimate partner. It explores how legal professionals and experts understand intimate partner violence (IPV), including which facts are selected and presented as relevant to understanding the homicide, the language used to frame those facts and the conclusions drawn from them. The project involved a close analysis of the case of The State of Western Australia v. Liyanage, a case that demonstrates the way in which women's claims to have acted in self-defence against an abusive partner have been systematically rejected. In brief: The use of outdated understandings of intimate partner violence within the legal system automatically renders the use of defensive force against an abusive partner "unreasonable". Despite attempts to reform self-defence laws, in practice self-defence is not easily raised by women who kill abusive partners. A proposed way to address this issue is to use a "social entrapment" framework to understand intimate partner violence. Key to this framework is a recognition, in line with current research, that the primary victim's/survivor's ability to resist abuse is constrained by the abuser's behaviour, the safety options available and broader structural inequities in the victim's/survivor�s life. Key recommendations: All those involved in investigating, charging, prosecuting, defending or trying a woman who has killed her violent/abusive intimate partner should be using a social entrapment framework (including consideration of sexual violence) to understand the facts. Evidence of the availability of alternative avenues to safety should be considered by all those involved in the justice process. This should occur before charges are laid, in advance of a trial, during a trial, and at the end of a trial. Education on the social entrapment. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, 2019. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/26034237/RP.17.10_RtPP_Women-who-kill-abusive-partners.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Abused Women Shelf Number: 156802

Author: New South Wales Auditor-General Title: Firearms Regulation Summary: Firearms used by the general public in NSW are regulated through the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) (the Act) and the Firearms Regulation 2017 (NSW) (Regulation). In October 2018, there were over 237,500 firearm licence holders and just over one million registered firearms in NSW. The Act and Regulation reflect the National Firearms Agreement reached by all Australian jurisdictions in 1996 and confirmed in 2017. This Agreement sets out the minimum requirements for regulating firearms. The Act recognises that possessing and using firearms are privileges conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety. The NSW Police Force (NSW Police), which includes the Firearms Registry (the Registry), is responsible for administering the Act and Regulation, and for operating the NSW firearms licensing and registration scheme. Relevant third parties such as approved clubs, firearms dealers and shooting ranges also carry some administrative and oversight responsibilities under the Act and Regulation. The role of the Registry includes administering the following requirements under the Act and Regulation that are relevant to this audit: -licence conditions; -licence suspensions and revocations; -initiating seizure of firearms assessing permits to acquire firearms; -administering the good reason test; -maintaining the register of firearms; -approving alternative safe storage arrangements. The Registry's other activities identified in this report support its regulatory responsibilities under the NSW Government framework for better regulation. This audit assessed how well the Registry administers the requirements of the Act and Regulation for existing firearms licence holders. To effectively administer these requirements, the Registry should have: a reliable database that supports the firearms licensing and registration scheme appropriate risk-based policies and procedures for the Registry's operation that are consistent with the Act and Regulation. We did not assess the Registry's processes in assessing and issuing firearms licences to new applicants or renewing licences of existing licence holders. We also did not examine the administrative actions conducted by police officers who are not part of the Registry. Details: Sydney, Australia: Audit Office of New South Wales, 2019. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 19, 2019 at: https://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdf-downloads/Firearms%20regulation%20final%20report_0.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Audit Shelf Number: 156910

Author: Treloar, Carla Title: The Prison Economy of Needles and Syringes: What Opportunities Exist for Blood Borne Virus Risk Reduction When Prices are so High? Summary: Abstract: AIM: A formal Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) is not provided in Australian prisons. Injecting equipment circulates in prisons as part of an informal and illegal economy. This paper examined how this economy generates blood-borne virus (BBV) risk and risk mitigation opportunities for inmates. METHOD: The HITS-p cohort recruited New South Wales inmates who had reported ever injecting drugs and who had a negative HCV serological test within 12 months prior to enrolment. For this study, qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 participants enrolled in HITS-p. Participants included 10 women and were incarcerated in 12 prisons. RESULTS: A needle/syringe was nominated as being typically priced in the 'inside' prison economy at $100-$150, with a range of $50-$350. Purchase or hire of equipment was paid for in cash (including transactions that occurred outside prison) and in exchange for drugs and other commodities. A range of other resources was required to enable successful needle/syringe economies, especially relationships with visitors and other prisoners, and violence to ensure payment of debts. Strategies to mitigate BBV risk included retaining one needle/syringe for personal use while hiring out others, keeping drug use (and ownership of equipment) "quiet", stealing used equipment from the prison health clinic, and manufacture of syringes from other items available in the prison. CONCLUSIONS: The provision of prison NSP would disrupt the inside economies built around contraband needles/syringes, as well as minimise BBV risk. However, any model of prison NSP should be interrogated for any unanticipated markets that could be generated as a result of its regulatory practices. Details: San Francisco, California: Plos One, 2016. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2019 at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5017673/pdf/pone.0162399.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia Keywords: Australia Shelf Number: 156935

Author: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing Spotlight on Choking, Suffocation or Strangulation in a Domestic Setting Summary: This Sentencing Spotlight examines sentencing outcomes for choking, suffocation or strangulation in a domestic setting offences under s 315A of the Criminal Code (Qld) finalised in Queensland courts between 2016-17 and 2017-18. Details: Brisbane, Australia: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council, 2019. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 15, 2019 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/614749/sentencing-spotlight-on-choking-suffocating-or-strangulation-in-a-domestic-setting.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Choking Shelf Number: 157009

Author: Rahman, Sara Title: The Marginal Effect of Bail Decisions on Imprisonment, Failure to Appear, and Crime Summary: Aim: To estimate the effect of bail decisions on the likelihood of receiving a prison sentence, failure to appear and offending on bail. Method: A dataset of 42,362 first bail hearings taking place after the 'show cause' amendments to the Bail Act (2013) was constructed and linked to final case outcomes and offending data. Quasi-random assignment of bail magistrates with differing propensities to grant bail was used to address problems of selection bias and partial observability. Further analyses were undertaken to determine the proportion and characteristics of defendants who were sensitive to magistrate leniency. Robustness checks were conducted to determine the sensitivity of estimates to different specifications. Results: The marginal effect of additional releases is an increase in the rate of offending from 13.2 per cent to 29.2 per cent, a decrease in the rate of imprisonment from 59.0 to 49.0 per cent and an increase in the rate of failure to appear from 2.1 per cent to 11.1 per cent for those defendants. Thus, remanding ten additional defendants increases the number imprisoned by one, and reduces the number of offending and failing to appear by 1.6 and 0.9 on average. These estimates are causal and net of differences in observed characteristics and selection bias, but applicable only to a subset of defendants whose bail status is sensitive to magistrate leniency. The likelihood of failing to appear and of offending on bail for these defendants does not exceed the general rate among those released on bail. Conclusion: Taken together, the results show that bail refusal has a significant incapacitation effect on crime and failure to appear. These benefits should, however, be considered alongside the considerable cost to the correctional system and the individual arising from increased imprisonment rates. There is limited evidence for the influence of selection bias in regards to imprisonment but not in relation to crime or failure to appear. Details: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2019. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 15, 2019 at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/09de/32bda100a34f597eebd0388bae0855b2db22.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Bail Shelf Number: 157010

Author: Sleep, Lyndal Title: Domestic Violence, Social Security and the Couple Rule Summary: Access to social security resources is vital to many women who are attempting to be free of an abusive relationship. When it is unclear to the Department of Social Security if the victim/survivor is still in a relationship with the perpetrator, the "couple rule" is used to decide her access to social security payments. The couple rule in social security law (Social Security Act 1991 (Cth), s. 4(3)) ties women's access to social security payments to the income and assets of the perpetrator in circumstances where she is determined to be in a relationship with him. Therefore, if an applicant is assessed as being a member of a couple, her own and the perpetrator's income and assets will be assessed jointly. This may lead to the victim/survivor being denied payment or, if it is later determined that she has not declared her relationship, could result in an overpayment debt and/or criminal prosecution for social security fraud. In the application of this rule, domestic violence is rarely treated as an exception. This can financially entrap victims/survivors in a violent relationship, as they are denied independent social security support at the vulnerable time when they are attempting to permanently separate from the perpetrator. Research has shown that women who experience domestic violence are more likely to go on to experience poverty and disability after the abusive behaviour has ended (Cortis & Bullen, 2015; 2016). The couple rule may increase the risk of victims/survivors experiencing poverty. Further, the rule is used by perpetrators to intimidate victims/survivors by perpetuating economic dependence, ingraining financial and systems abuse, and also by threatening to separate them from their children through imprisonment for social security fraud. Details: Victoria, Australia: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, 2019. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 24, 2019 at: https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2019/07/apo-nid249076-1374776.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 157048

Author: Brown, Rick Title: The Opioid Epidemic in North America: Implications for Australia Summary: The opioid epidemic in North America has attracted considerable international concern because of the scale of the problem and the high rate of overdose deaths. This paper explores the factors that have contributed to the opioid epidemic in the United States and Canada, and reviews the current situation in Australia. There is little evidence that Australia is on the same trajectory as the United States or Canada, or that fentanyl, particularly illicit fentanyl, has penetrated the Australian drug market as it has overseas. There is, however, evidence of an increase in harm associated with pharmaceutical opioids and heroin, despite a fall in heroin use. This paper highlights the importance of being vigilant about the potential for similar problems in Australia, and continuing to monitor key indicators of opioid availability, use and harm. Responses to opioid misuse and overdose must be relevant to the Australian context. Details: Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2019 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi578 Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Drug Abuse Shelf Number: 157060

Author: Jesuit Social Services and Effective Change Pty Ltd Title: The Harsh Reality of Onshore Immigration Detention in Australia Summary: Three recent suicides in just over six months at immigration detention facilities in Sydney and in Western Australia are yet another painful illustration of the human toll that prolonged immigration detention has caused people in Australia, including children and people seeking asylum. Numerous independent reports over many years have documented shocking levels of mental health problems, cases of self-harm, hunger strikes, deaths and mistreatment in detention. While the number of people in onshore immigration detention has decreased in recent years, visitors, organisations and people formerly detained all describe conditions that have grown increasingly harsh. In parallel, the rules and regulations pertaining to visiting people in detention have also been widely criticised as opaque, constantly changing and overly restrictive. In 2017, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) documented some of the challenges faced by visitors to immigration detention facilities, including arbitrary and inconsistently applied rules, invasive searches and drug tests, and other intensified security conditions that made visits less sociable. Information provided to Jesuit Social Services by regular visitors to immigration detention centres in Melbourne, Sydney and Western Australia suggests that little has changed since RCOA's report. In some respects, the situation is getting worse. In a system where people feel forgotten, where they are desperate enough to forgo food, to self-harm, and worse, the important role of visitors to detention should not be overlooked. Unnecessary restrictions on visits that may deter or inhibit people providing valuable friendship and support to those detained across the country should be opposed. Drawing on the voices of visitors, this brief sets out key facts on the current situation in onshore immigration detention in Australia; the conditions and impacts of prolonged detention; the important role of visitors and the nature of restrictive rules and regulations on visiting detention centres. Details: S.L.: Jesuit Social Services, 2019. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2019 at: https://jss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Onshore-Detention-paper_FINAL_July2019-002.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia Keywords: Asylum Seekers Shelf Number: 158123