Sydney Institute of Criminology
CrimNet
18 May 2022
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The CrimNet newsletter is sponsored by the Sydney Institute of Criminology. CrimNet provides regular communication between criminal justice professionals, practitioners, academics and students in Australia and overseas. Share CrimNet with your peers and help grow the network.
We acknowledge the tradition of custodianship and law of the Country on which the University of Sydney campuses stand. We pay our respects to elders, past, present, and emerging who have cared and continue to care for Country.
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If you are not already subscribed and would like to receive these fortnightly updates, please follow the link here or email law.criminology@sydney.edu.au.
If you would like to contribute a relevant piece, or post news and opportunities of interest to our audiences, please contact law.criminology@sydney.edu.au.
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Institute Events and Activities
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Pandemic Policing
Sydney Institute of Criminology Panel Discussion Date: 18 May, 2022Time: 6.30 – 8pm
Location: University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus
With the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, emergency health orders were introduced to contain the spreading contagion. Central to this aim was the restriction of social movement and gatherings enforced via new criminal offences and expanded police powers.
At the same time, assumed civil rights, such as freedom of movement, eroded with state-sanctioned lockdowns of borders, places of work, study and socialisation as well as targeted communities.
Opposition developed initially in relation to the lockdowns, morphing into anti-vax/anti-mask protests that has seen the increasing influence of conspiracy theorists, right-wing extremists and sovereign citizens.
This panel of diverse experts examines the complexities of policing a pandemic in a democratic society.
Invited guest speakers:
Jane Sanders, Principal Solicitor, The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre
Mick Willing, former Deputy Commissioner NSW Police
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CALL-OUT for Higher Degree Research Conference Submissions:
Crime Stories: HDR adventures in criminal law, justice and criminological research
Abstract submissions close on 20 May 2022
The conference will be held on 19-20 July 2022 at The University of Sydney Law School
Much of the research which we do in relation to criminal justice, crime research and criminology, centres on stories. What are today’s stories in interdisciplinary disciplines? What are the lenses and filters through which we see stories in criminal justice today? Do we see stories from the past as useful in interpreting today’s research?
Stories about crime, criminal justice and criminology are generated through:
- court transcripts and judgments
- qualitative methodologies such as surveys and interviews
- quantitative methodologies that generate interpretative stories
- images, sounds and digital technologies
- legal history and archives.
Finally, thinking about stories is not limited to narratives arising from research – researchers tell themselves stories about the work they are doing and why they are doing it, and they become the protagonists in their own career stories.
Limited travel bursaries for interstate and regional HDR candidates may be applied for here. Contact: lawcrim.events@sydney.edu.au
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Current Issues in Criminal Justice Australia’s major journal on criminal justice
Current Issues in Criminal Justice (CICJ) provides detailed analysis of national and international issues by a range of outstanding contributors. It includes contemporary comments, with discussion at the cutting edge of the crime and justice debate, as well as reviews of recently released books.
CICJ accepts submissions on a rolling basis.
You can access current and previous issues of Current Issues in Criminal Justice here.
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Australian Bar Association Responds To Prime Minister’s Attack On Barristers
The Australian Bar Association is deeply concerned by the Prime Minister’s attack today on the barristers of Australia, stating that he “didn’t care if [they] disagree with me” and that “I’ve never had much truck with them over the course of my entire political career.”
ABA President Dr Matt Collins AM QC said, “Australia’s more than 6,000 hardworking barristers are committed to promoting the administration of justice. They abide by a cab rank rule, which requires them to accept briefs within their area of expertise and ensures that all Australians have an entitlement to representation. Every year, they provide countless hours of pro bono and poorly remunerated assistance to people from Australia’s most disadvantaged communities. They frequently stand between the individual and the State, and provide a bulwark for the rule of law. Any person who has no truck with barristers cannot have made a conscientious effort to understand their indispensable contribution to civic society.”
The Prime Minister’s comments were made in the context of the ongoing debate about the need for a federal anti-corruption commission. Dr Collins said, “While there is room for debate about the design, powers and mode of operation of anti-corruption bodies, it is neither correct nor constructive to characterise the NSW ICAC as a kangaroo court. A kangaroo court is a body that operates with disregard for or perversion of legal procedure. The ICAC Commissioners are highly experienced and respected jurists who preside over investigations conducted according to law and the powers given to them by the NSW Parliament.”
10 May 2022
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“I’ll leave them to what they do and all the rest of it. I’ll focus on what I think is the right model for Australia.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison
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Australian Bar Association National Conference
The conference took place in April in Melbourne
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Federal Attorney-General, Sen. the Hon. Michaelia Cash
Federal Attorney-General, Sen. the Hon. Michaelia Cash speaks about the challenges of Covid-19, Commonwealth funding for legal services, online courts, judicial appointments and gender parity in the Courts.
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Watch the address from the Federal Attorney-General, Sen. the Hon. Michaelia Cash
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Shadow Attorney-General, the Hon. Mark Dreyfus MP QC
Shadow Attorney-General, the Hon. Mark Dreyfus MP QC speaks to the ABA about the rule of law, the Human Rights Commission, AAT appointments and Law Reform
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Watch the address from the Shadow Attorney-General, the Hon. Mark Dreyfus MP QC.
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NSW Custody Statistics March 2022 released
Date: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Link to report summary - NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update March 2022
The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research have today released adult prison and youth custody statistics up to March 2022. Key results:
Adult Prison: From December 2021 to March 2022 the adult prison population grew by 1.5% to 12,352 (up 184 inmates). This growth was due entirely to an increase in the remand population, which increased 4.8% (212 people). The adult prison population is still approximately 1,600 people lower than before the pandemic.
Youth Detention: From December 2021 to March 2022 the youth detention population increased by 14.4% to 183 young people (up 23 detainees). The number of Aboriginal young people in custody increased by 25 detainees or 36% over the same period. In March 2022, Aboriginal young people made up 51.4% of the total youth detention population, the largest proportion observed since January 2019.
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Publications
All open access unless indicated.
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Estimating the costs of serious and organised crime in Australia, 2020–21
Smith R & Hickman A
Abstract: This report estimates the cost of serious and organised crime in Australia in 2020–21 to be between $24.8b and $60.1b. This is the third in a series of reports undertaken for the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission estimating the cost of serious and organised crime. It updates and improves on the methodology used in the previous report, which estimated the cost of organised crime in 2016–17. As with the previous research, this report considers the direct and consequential costs of serious and organised crime in Australia, as well as the costs to government entities, businesses and individuals associated with preventing and responding to serious and organised crime. While the current estimates were undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic and may reflect changes in criminality resulting from the pandemic, the full economic impact of serious and organised criminal offending committed during the pandemic will not be known for some time. It is clear, however, that the impact of serious and organised crime on the Australian economy is substantial.
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Investigating the role of social media abuse in gender-based violence: The experiences of women police officers
Watson S
Abstract: Online abuse communicated via social networking sites has increased considerably in recent years, with a significant amount of pejorative communication targeted at women. This mixed methods research study investigates the online abuse received by women police officers in the course of their work. The study considers how the abuse received in the online space echoes other forms of gender-based violence, drawing upon evidence gathered from semi-structured interviews with serving senior police officers in England and Wales. The research has devised a seven-element framework to demonstrate that the online abuse directed at women is misogynistic, frequently includes violent threats and dismisses female contributions to online discussions. The study also reveals that the abuse directed at women varies significantly, depending on occupation, with women police officers more likely to receive abuse that questions their ability or criticises their appearance.
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Streamlining out-of-court disposals: Assessing the impact on reoffending and police practice
Rowe M, Amankwaa A, Biddle P, & Bengtsson L
Abstract: Police services in England and Wales have developed varied approaches to the use of conditional cautions, and this study examines the effectiveness of one set of reforms: a Revised Conditional Caution Framework. With an overall aim of diverting offenders from the Criminal Justice System and addressing offenders’ criminogenic needs, various programmes of meaningful activity were mandated for offenders. The Revised Conditional Caution Framework refers offenders to a relevant ‘pathway’, to address their offending behaviour(s). If an offender fails to complete the activity within the relevant pathway, without good reason, they revert back through the court system. The aim of the Revised Conditional Caution Framework was to apply meaningful conditions to the conditional caution (e.g. alcohol educational intervention), to focus upon addressing the root cause of the offending behaviour. In this study, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of the Revised Conditional Caution Framework in reducing reoffending. The research was conducted between January 2018 and May 2019 and adopted a mixed methodology of qualitative and quantitative research; notably, focus groups with police officers, semi-structured interviews with offenders and pathway providers and an analysis of police data on offender compliance levels. We found that the Revised Conditional Caution Framework is perceived by many professionals and offenders to provide a platform for tackling the root cause of recidivism and thereby reducing reoffending. It is argued that the premise of Revised Conditional Caution Framework is one that conceives of offending in individualistic terms that pay insufficient attention to the social and economic context in which offending is situated. The article also raises questions about the impact of the Revised Conditional Caution Framework on police professionalism and argues that it might be understood as a restriction on the exercise of discretion since it further restricts officers’ scope to respond to offenders and criminal behaviour.
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Specialized knowledge: Understanding crime analyst’s roles and responsibilities and the impact of their work
Emma Brown and Dale Ballucci
Abstract: Using qualitative interview data, this article examines the role of crime analysts in producing knowledge, as well as the challenges they face. Through the collection and organization of data outlining pertinent information about specific districts, analysts aid in the implementation of policing practices. As such, analysts regard themselves as possessing a specialized form of knowledge, which they incorporate and draw on in the outputs they produce. We conclude that analysts do not always employ rigorous, scientific methodologies, while producing their intelligence outputs, suggesting rather that they rely on their familiarity and specialized knowledge of offenders and crimes in their district. Our findings are important to evaluate and understand how ‘data-driven’ policing is occurring and identifying ways to improve and utilize crime analysis approaches within policing.
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Seeing the forest and the trees: Examining the impact of aggregate measures of recidivism on meta-analytic conclusions of intervention effects
Bouchard J & Wong J.S
Abstract: Recidivism is a multidimensional construct that is operationalized in a variety of ways. We explored the impact of using aggregated measures of recidivism (i.e. multiple measures combined) versus disaggregated measures (i.e. defined specifically as parole violation, arrest, conviction, incarceration) in meta-analytic analyses of correctional intervention effectiveness. Using a sample of 20 meta-analyses, we compared within-study findings between aggregated and disaggregated measures. Over half (60%) of the studies differed with respect to the statistical significance of their aggregated versus disaggregated findings, suggesting that aggregated measures of recidivism may give an incomplete picture of treatment effectiveness. Disaggregating measures of recidivism in meta-analysis is recommended for a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of intervention approaches. Policy implications are discussed.
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New steps towards a Norwegian drug reform? Three recent Supreme Court cases concerning sentencing for drug crimes
Jacobsen J & Westrum VAbstract: Our previous article ‘Status report: A Norwegian decriminalisation of use and pos- session of drugs?’ in Volume 9 no. 1 of Bergen Journal of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice described the situation of the drug reform as of June 2021. At that time, of our last report, it was hard to predict the future development within this area. The Parlia- ment’s deliberations did not result in any on decriminalistion of use and possession of drugs, nor on any threshold values for differentiating the sentencing. Two of the three political parties that rejected the proposed reform, the Labour Party and the Centre Party, are now in power. A more restricted reform has been suggested, but not (yet, at least) proposed for the Parliament. A much-debated issue is to what extent section 98 of the Norwegian Constitution, stating that ‘[a]ll people are equal under the law’ and ‘[n]o human being must be subject to unfair or disproportionate differential treat- ment’, allows for decriminalisation only for specific groups, that is; for drug addicts....
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The External Dimension of the EU Immigration and Asylum Policies Before the Court of Justice García Andrade PAbstract: This article analyses the case-law of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) relating to the external dimension of the EU immigration and asylum policies. Its aim is to search for the rationale behind the figures and types of actions brought before the Court in this field, as well as to infer from this case-law the inputs provided by Luxembourg to the design, development and implementation of EU external action on immigration and asylum. The role played by the ECJ in this external dimension will therefore be assessed, by verifying whether it can be ascribed to its usual role within the internal dimension of EU immigration and asylum policies or is rather closer to its case-law on EU external relations in general.
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Addressing Wrongful Convictions or Miscarriages of Justice in the BRICS Nations
Ddamulira Mujuzi J
Abstract: For many decades, international human rights law has recognised the danger of wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice. It is against this background that measures have been taken to prevent or combat wrongful convictions. Thus, Article14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides for the right to a fair trial as well as compensation in the case of amiscarriage of justice. The BRICS nations have implemented measures at the national level to prevent or combat wrongful convictions before and during trial as well as after conviction. These have included constitutional protection of the right to a fair trial, the establishment of a system to review convictions after the appeals process has been exhausted, should the offender exercise his or her right of appeal, and compensation for wrongful conviction in some countries. The purpose of this article is to highlight these measures and where needed, suggest ways in which these countries can learn from one another to prevent or minimise cases of wrongful convictions.
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Domestic Violence and the Legal System
Dates:
Session 1: 26 May 2022 Family Violence and Family Law Keeping Families Safe
Session 2: 9 June 2022 Domestic Violence and the Criminal Implications
Session 3: 23 June 2022: Domestic Violence and the Media
Online
In this in-depth 3-part series on domestic violence you will examine the latest developments in family law, understand the recent changes in the federal court, ensure your knowledge of media law and its implications are watertight, and consider the interaction of family and criminal law and the implications for your clients.
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
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Online Panel Event: Gender, Sex and Sexualities Thematic Group
Yes means yes? Consent and sex educationWhat role does sexual consent education play in preventing sexual violence and promoting ethical consent?
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When: 1st June, 6pm – 7.30pm AEST
Where: Online Event
Panellists: Deanne Carson (Sexuality Educator), Sophie Hindes (University of Melbourne), Katrina Marson (Swinburne University), and Sharon O’Mara (La Trobe University), moderated by Dr Bianca Fileborn (University of Melbourne) Contact: biancaf@unimelb.edu.au
In this panel, we draw together expert practitioners and scholars who work on the issue of sexual consent. We will examine the possibilities and limitations of current consent discourse – what is sexual consent, and is the concept of enthusiastic consent a promising avenue for generating ethical sex? How do we teach consent effectively? Are there other issues we should be foregrounding in our prevention efforts? Join us for this panel event hosted by the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Gender, Sex, and Sexualities Thematic Group, as we examine these questions and more!
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AIFS 2022 Conference: Putting Families at the Centre
Pre conference workshops: 14 June 2022,
Conference dates: 15 - 17 June 2022
Time: 9am to 5pm
Location: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf VIC
Paid Event
Join thought-leaders, researchers, policy makers, practitioners and change-makers for three days of insights, inquiry and thought-provoking discussion about putting families at the centre. The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) 2022 Conference will imagine a future where putting families at the centre drives the work of researchers, policy makers, and service providers.
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International Conference on International Criminal Law and Criminal Justice June 27-28, 2022Online
The International Research Conference is a federated organization dedicated to bringing together a significant number of diverse scholarly events for presentation within the conference program. Events will run over a span of time during the conference depending on the number and length of the presentations. With its high quality, it provides an exceptional value for students, academics and industry researchers.
International Conference on International Criminal Law and Criminal Justice aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of International Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of International Criminal Law and Criminal Justice.
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Legal Aid NSW - Criminal Law Conference 2022
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2022, 9:00 AM – Thu, 2 Jun 2022, 5:00 PM AEST
Online event: Staged and broadcast from the Novotel Darling Square
The conference will include a keynote address from The Honourable Justice Andrew Bell, Chief Justice of New South Wales. It will cover practical topics of assistance to criminal practitioners who predominantly practice in Local Courts, as well as sessions on:
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow/ Research Fellow in Contemporary Threats to Australian Security (x3 Positions), Charles Sturt University
Deadline: 20 May 2022, 11pm
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Postdoctoral Fellowship, Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto
Closing date: Complete applications received by May 23, 2022 will be given priority; however, the position will remain open until filled. Any additional inquiries may be addressed to the Centre Administrator at ethics@utoronto.ca.
Area of Research: We welcome candidates from diverse disciplinary backgrounds including, but not limited to, philosophy, law, political science, the social sciences, the humanities, computer science, engineering, and technology studies, to conduct research that furthers C4E’s mission as an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined, by bringing together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life.
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John O'Brien Memorial Coursework Scholarships
Deadline: 31 May 2022
The John O'Brien Memorial Coursework Scholarships in Criminal Law and Criminology was established in 2008 by a bequest for a memorial fund in perpetuity named the John O'Brien Memorial Fund. It provides support for students studying criminal law and criminology at the University of Sydney Law School.
The scholarship is valued at $10,000 per year if you are enrolled full-time (24 credit points per semester)
You must:
- have an unconditional offer of admission for the Master of Criminology at the University of Sydney Law School
- have achieved a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of 70 or equivalent in your previous tertiary studies.
Note: Students who have already commenced their Master of Criminology, or students transferring from other postgraduate programs are not eligible to apply.
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Call for Papers for 2022 Special Issue ‘COVID-19 AND TRUST IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS’ open for submissions, Criminal Justice Review
Deadline: 1 June 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic shaped the public’s trust in authority, such as the police, corrections and the government. While pandemics are not common, they cause significant mortality, social and economic disruption, widespread fear, and panic (Potter, 2001).
- Contributions are invited to engage with the following questions:
- How has the fear of COVID-19 impacted the public’s trust in police, corrections or courts?
- How has the fear of COVID-19 impacted the public’s trust in the government? •
- How has COVID-19 illuminated mistrust of CJ systems?
- How has COVID-19 put a spotlight on social justice issues?
- How has COVID-19 put strains on disenfranchised populations and how does this intersect with CJ systems
To encourage inquiry in this area, the Editors of Criminal Justice Review seek studies that examine how COVID-19 impacted and highlighted trust in criminal justice systems and the government. Accepted papers will appear in a special issue to be published in 2023. Accepted papers will be published ahead of print in OnlineFirst.
This special issue is now open for submissions. All abstracts must be emailed to the guest editors at joselyne_nkogo@uml.edu and amber_ruf@uml.edu
For questions about this call for papers, please contact the Special Guest Editors, below. JOSELYNE CHENANE NKOGO AND AMBER HORNING RUF University of Massachusetts, Lowell, School of Criminology and Justice joselyne_nkogo@uml.edu amber_ruf@uml.edu
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Nominations for the 2022 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA) are now open!
Dealine: 14 June 2022
The annual Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA) recognise and reward programs that reduce crime and violence in Australia. The awards encourage public initiatives, and assist governments in identifying and developing practical projects which will reduce violence and other types of crime in the community.
Any government agency, not-for-profit organisation or individual person making a significant contribution to a project in Australia can be nominated for an award. Projects may address specific groups such as rural and remote communities, women, children, youth, family, migrant, ethnic or Indigenous communities, or specific problems such as alcohol-related violence.
For more information on the awards, please visit the ACVPA website.
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Call for Submissions: Safer Communities youth justice special issue
Deadline: 29 August 2022
This special issue focuses on “theory and practice of co-production and co-creation in youth justice” settings. This is timely, given the noticeable shift towards a participation culture as part of the Youth Justice Board’s Child First agenda in England and Wales (YJB, 2021) and recommendations for pursuing increased participatory rights-based practices to facilitate children’s meaningful involvement in the design, delivery, and evaluation of youth justice services (Peer Power/YJB 2021).
The editors anticipate the articles in this special issue will present evidence and research both nationally and internationally, on how to reverse unequal power dynamics by utilising children’s knowledge and expertise, while also gaining trust and empathy through the sharing of lived experiences. More specifically, this involves discussion on how principles of co-production can be utilised in the field of youth justice with those under supervision.
Essentially, the purpose of this special issue is to offer a critical perspective on the facilitators and barriers to the theory and practice of co-production and co-creation in youth justice.
Potential areas of interest include (but are not limited to):
- How Child First, restorative, trauma informed, and desistance-based models can be co-produced/co-created.
- Typologies, theories and models of participation and co-production.
- Arts-based programmes and interventions
- Experiential peer support and mentorship
- Co-producing resources to address access problems and to enhance engagement
- Perspectives from practitioners and those with lived experience
- Educational development projects and collaborative approaches to curriculum design and delivery
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Indigenous Academic (All levels), University of Melbourne
Deadline: 24 Oct 2022, 11:55 PM
Only Indigenous Australians are eligible to apply as this position is exempt under the Special Measure Provision, Section 12 (1) of the Equal Opportunity Act 2011 (Vic).
This call for Expressions of Interest seeks talented First Nations scholars to join the Faculty of Arts, at any level and in any of the Faculty’s disciplinary fields.
They invite the submission of a CV and a cover letter outlining (1) your research agenda, (2) your teaching experience, (3) relevant partnerships and community engagement, and (4) your interest in the Faculty of Arts. On review of the EOI, they may choose to invite a more detailed application encompassing key selection criteria at a level commensurate to experience. Reviews of EOI will take place three times a year, at the end of February, June and October.
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In this episode, authors Caroline Gorden and Christopher Birkbeck speak with Jess Miles about thier new textbook Case Studies of Famous Trials and the Construction of Guilt and Innocence. They discuss the social construction of guilt and innocence, people’s morbid fascination with violent crime and why a single explanation of a trial verdict is always likely to be insufficient.
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