Justice Collaboration 

Monthly Update 

14th Edition, September 2025

Welcome to the 14th edition of our newsletter!

The University of Sydney's Justice Collaboration aims to improve justice outcomes and to ultimately prevent crime.

The University of Sydney has numerous strengths in this area and has a track record of work across disciplines, faculties and research centres directly and indirectly relevant to justice systems and people in conflict with the law. 

In this edition we showcase news from across the university, exciting upcoming events and opportunities, and some helpful resources!

The University of Sydney’s central campus sits on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and has campuses as well as teaching and research facilities situated on the ancestral lands of the Wangal, Deerubbin, Tharawal, Ngunnawal, Wiradjuri, Gamilaroi, Bundjulong, Wiljali and Gereng Gureng peoples. We pay our respects to elders, past, present, and emerging who have cared and continue to care for Country.

Recruiting young people for PTSD and substance use treatment trial 

The University of Sydney is conducting a trial of a psychological treatment delivered in person compared to via telehealth for adolescents and young adults (aged 12-25 years) who are having difficulties after experiencing a traumatic event and have drunk alcohol or used drugs in the past month. Participation includes 16 free therapy sessions.

For further information please visit https://copea.org.au/ or call the research team on 0494 394 093.

All information provided will remain anonymous and confidential.

Sydney Children's Hospitals Network HREC approval: 2024/ETH01050

Criminal Justice and Criminology Careers Night

Over 50 students attended a Criminal Justice and Criminology Careers Night hosted by the Careers Centre and the Justice Collaboration last week. Students heard from a dynamic panel featuring professionals from Corrective Services NSW, the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, and the Intellectual Disability Rights Service. Panellists spoke about their career journeys and experiences working in the criminal justice system. They also shared tips for success. Attendees then participated in informal networking and discussions with the panel. 

Students gave very positive feedback on the event and shared that the insights from the panel were incredibly useful. 

Centre of Research Excellence in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Known as FASD-CRE, the Centre of Research Excellence in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder has been awarded $3,000,000 over five years and will be led by Professor Elizabeth Elliott at the University of Sydney. 

With collaborators across Australia and internationally, the FASD-CRE team are committed to supporting children and families through innovations in diagnosis, treatment, prevention and a better understanding of the burden of disease. 

Collaborating organisations include the University of Sydney, the University of Newcastle, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Canada) the Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, NOFASD, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, and Deakin University. 

You can find out more about the NHMRC funding here. 

We are currently conducting a review of resources created by the University of Sydney that may be useful when working with young people. 

Over the next few newsletters we will highlight some great resources created across the University. These resources cover a broad range of areas including alcohol and other drug use, mental health, communication and parenting. We hope these resources will assist those working with young people at risk of engaging in criminal activity. 

Social Brain Toolkit 

Created by the ABI Communication Lab, the Social Brain Toolkit is an evidence-based suite of free interventions that aim to improve communication after acquired brain injury. 

Some of the interventions are self-guided and are designed for people with an acquired brain injury, their family and support network. 

Heart-Led Planning 

Created by the Centre for Disability Research and Policy (CDRP), Heart-Led Planning is a collection of training modules to educate the disability workforce about a more relational process to inform planning. The training focuses on how to work with people with disability.

CDRP co-designed a series of training modules with people with disability, local Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, allied health workers, the NDIA, and disability service providers. The training modules incorporate the Head, Heart, Hand holistic principles that captures the importance of THINKING, HEART, and DOING.

Guidelines for the Treatment of Alcohol Problems 

Created by the specialty of Addiction Medicine these guidelines aim to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to clinicians on available treatments for people with alcohol problems.

The guidelines are largely directed towards individual clinicians in practice, such as primary care physicians (general practitioners, nursing staff), specialist medical practitioners, psychologists, counsellors, and other health professionals.

Job Opportunity: APS6 Senior Research Analyst/EL1 Principal Research Analyst, Canberra at the Australian Institute of Criminology 

The AIC is recruiting Senior Research Analysts (Cybercrime) and Principal Research Analysts (Transnational Serious and Organised Crime & Violent Extremism). 

Applications close at 11:30pm on 17 September 2025. 

Senior Research Analysts:

- Undertake research projects;

- Produce and supervise research output;

- Disseminate research findings in a variety of forums;

- Demonstrate expertise in particular areas.

Principal Research Analysts: 

- Manage and undertake research projects;

- Produce and supervise research output;

- Disseminate research findings in a variety of forums;

- Demonstrate expertise in particular areas;

- Provide leadership across the AIC.

You can find out more about both the roles and apply here. 

Webinar: Ethical, impactful research starts with listening. 

Hosted by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS). Join for a conversation on working ethically and respectfully with experts by experience in domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) research.

Coinciding with the learnings from the Australian National Research Agenda, this event will emphasise the valuable contribution people with lived experience can bring in all stages of research on DFSV.

It will spotlight the knowledge and leadership of people with lived experience, and offer practical insights into survivor–researcher collaboration.

This webinar will be of interest to anyone involved or interested in research practices, including researchers, funders, practitioners, service providers and data custodians.

Date: Tuesday 30 September 2025 

Time: 12:00pm

For enquiries, email events@anrows.org.au

24 September: Australia’s disciplinary regimes: how carcerality is enacted and resisted in the ‘helping’ professions.

Hosted by Collaboration member Dr Lobna Yassine, along with Collaboration affiliate Dr Sacha Jamieson and A/Prof Dr Emma Tseris, this 3-part seminar series offers a timely critique of the role of human services, and the carceral and risk logics that they deploy. Speakers from across the human services will be presenting on this topic, from schooling and education, the social work profession, child protection services, mental health and prisons. Due to the decolonial aspirations of this series, it will employ a relational and dialogical approach, to invite an intimate ‘Jam3a’ or gathering. Afternoon tea (Arab style!) will be provided. This is a free event however booking is essential.

Part 1: Setting the scene - Dr Lobna Yassine, Dr Sacha Jamieson, A/Prof Emma Tseris 

Date: Wednesday 24 September 2025

Time: 4:00 - 5:30pm

You can find out more about the event and register here.

Part 2:

‘Variation of the use of Community Treatment Orders and the role of coercion in Australia’s mental health system’ - Professor Lis Brophy 

‘Coercion and carceral practices in child protection’ - Dr Amelia Wheeler and Aisha Akkawi

Date: 22 October 2025 

Time: 4:00 - 5:30pm 

You can find out more about the event and register here.

Copyright © 2025

The University of Sydney 

Please add justice.law@sydney.edu.au to your address book or senders safe list to make sure you continue to see our emails in the future.

Cricos Code 00026A  TEQSA PRV12057
Disclaimer | Privacy statement |