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The systemic failure of the NSW police to fully investigate acts of violence against members of the homosexual and LGBT community from the 1980’s onwards, including limited police reviews of homicide, prompted the establishment of the NSW Sackar Judicial Commission into such violence. The independent inquiry has been operating since mid 2022 and its final report is due in mid 2023. Its operation follows several coronial inquests, inquiries and commissioned research into such failures. The 1988 killing of Scott Johnson and the recently appealed prosecution of Scott White for that killing are an important part of the backdrop to this history and the work of the Commission. 

It is hoped the inquiry develops a roadmap to better reporting and policing regarding any future violence toward the LGBT community, to overcome the significant distrust and underreporting of such violence by LGBT victims of crime.

Research conducted by Sydney Institute of Criminology members and affiliates Prof. Stephen Tomsen (Criminology, WSU) and A/Prof. Tyrone Kirchengast (Law, Sydney) outlines the need for rights recognition for LGBT victims, and for an apology from NSW police for systemic justice failings and inaction over decades of anti-homosexual violence. A recent article focuses on the failure of NSW police to properly investigate the death of Scott Johnson – describing it initially as a suicide, when in fact an accused man is likely to face trial in the Supreme Court of NSW for his murder, in 2023. The recent sentencing of Scott White and his successful appeal leading to his new trial has arguably raised troubling judicial discourse as to anti-homosexual violence that potentially devalues the vulnerability of victims of this violence. These issues, Tomsen and Kirchengast argue, ought to be considered by the 2023 judicial inquiry.

Prof. Stephen Tomsen’s research is internationally renowned for nightlife and crime ethnographies, pioneering queer criminology, and crime and masculinity studies, including LGBT policing and access to justice. He is the author of the ground-breaking Australian Institute of Criminology report Hatred, murder and male honour: anti-homosexual homicides in New South Wales, 1980-2000, which examined 74 anti-homosexual homicides. 

This current research by Tomsen and Kirchengast builds on the work of the Sydney Institute of Criminology which has a proud history of promoting the need for prejudice-based crime research and law reform. Since the early 1990’s, Institute staff and members have had a longstanding and pioneering involvement in hate crime research and prevention advocacy. Prof. Chris Cunneen (Jumbunna Inst for Indigenous Education & Research, UTS) was a key figure developing hate crime studies in his years at Sydney Law School, and Prof. Gail Mason (Law, Sydney) is known for decades of research on hate crime and related legal developments. In 1997, Cunneen, Fraser and Tomsen co-edited the first Australian collection of essays concerning aspects of hate crime (Faces of Hate: Hate Crime in Australia, Federation Press).

Tomsen and Kirchengast article on the Scott Johnson case

Tomsen and Kirchengast article on LGBT rights recognition

In Australia, psychiatric and psychological clinical assessments have seen an increased digitalisation process. Researcher Carolyn McKay examines how digitalisation processes in the criminal justice system are altering modes of conducting clinical assessments of a vulnerable population: people-in-prison. Despite the growing ubiquity of remote clinical assessments of people-in-prison, McKay also finds some reservations regarding the remote mode.

The use of public space for recreation and protest remains hotly contested, as reactions to anti-protest legislation in NSW and other Australian jurisdictions show. 2023 marks a decade since a case of police excessive force at the 2013 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras went viral on YouTube. That case marked a watershed moment in police-LGBTQ community relations in NSW, and was part of a global awakening about the power of bystander video distributed through social media. Dr Justin Ellis’ 2021 monograph Policing Legitimacy: Social media, scandal and sexual citizenship critically engages with that case and considers the relationship between digital media, LGBTQ identity-based rights claims and police accountability. This book launch and panel discussion provide a timely opportunity to consider how LGBTQ individuals and communities will organise in the face of increased penalties for peaceful public protest in NSW, and unease about police use of platform biometrics and related issues of privacy and consent. The launch of Dr Ellis’ monograph will be followed by a discussion on these issues chaired by Institute of Criminology co-director Dr Carolyn McKay, and between Professor Kane Race, Dr Justin Ellis and Mr Josh Pallas – president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties. Please join us for this timely and important discussion.

Dr Justin Ellis is a senior lecturer in criminology at the Newcastle Law School and the editor-in-chief of Current Issues in Criminal Justice, the journal of the Institute of Criminology at the Sydney Law School. His research examines the relationship between digital media technologies, institutional trust and politically vulnerable populations, LGBTQ in particular. His scholarship on these issues is regularly published in high-ranking internationally peer-reviewed journals and in media commentary.

As Sydney hosts World Pride and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival in the coming weeks, Current Issues in Criminal Justice has put together a collection of articles on queer criminology as a resource for practitioners, policy makers and academics. The collection is free to access for February and March 2023. 

LGBTIQ+ individuals and communities continue to face a range of challenges from criminal justice institutions. Queer criminology is a growing area of research that seeks to enhance and evaluate efforts to address the inequalities and discrimination faced by LGBTIQ+ people in the criminal justice context. This collection brings together articles on this topic over the last decade as a resource that helps to explain the current socio-legal context in Australian jurisdictions for LGBTIQ+ peoples.

Main aims of services within the sector
The justice sector services aim to contribute to a safe and secure community and promote a law abiding way of life.

Services included in the sector
Police services
Deliver services relating to preserving public order, investigating crime and apprehending offenders, improving road safety and supporting the judicial process.

Courts
Arbitrate on criminal and civil justice matters. This Report focuses on administrative support functions for the courts, such as management of court facilities, services and staffing and the provision of case management services. Judicial decisions and outcomes are not included.

Corrective services
Administer correctional sanctions imposed by courts and orders of the adult parole boards through the management of adult custodial facilities and community corrections orders, and the provision of programs and services to prisoners and offenders.

Legal aid, public prosecutions and tribunals are not included as service-specific sections in this Report. Justice services for children and young offenders (predominately related to youth community corrections and detention) are covered under youth justice in section 17 of the Report.

Amid the growing threat of far-right extremism in Australia, Victoria recently became the first state to ban the Nazi swastika, (known as the Hakenkreuz). Publicly displaying the symbol is now a criminal offence and carries a penalty of up to $22,000, or 12 months of imprisonment.

Other states and territories, including NSW, Queensland, the ACT, Tasmania and most recently, Western Australia, are now taking similar steps.

These moves have been praised as a critical step toward depriving far-right extremists the use of a potent symbol associated with hatred, racism and the horrors of the Holocaust to intimidate and spread fear.

Far-right groups in Australia have also sought to leverage the swastika as a recruitment tool, pulling in young men (in particular) who are attracted to its association with hatred and violence.

But these laws banning Nazi symbols do not (yet) cover the other way far-right extremists espouse their hateful ideology in public spaces and online: the Nazi or “fascist” salute.  

Since colonisation, “interventions” to curb Aboriginal “crime” and alcohol have been deployed to control and harm First Nations communities and people. Nowhere is this more true than in the Northern Territory.

When these moral panics reach the national media and political stage, the response has typically been top-down policies by federal and territory governments to disempower First Nations people and deny equal rights. 

All open access unless indicated.

Abstract: As tens of thousands swarmed the US Capitol Grounds on January 6th, 2021, to oppose the election of Joe Biden as President, thousands among them assaulted officers and breached the building to stop the certification of the election results, leading to nine deaths and hundreds of injuries. Despite being an act of terrorism and evidence that far-right extremists planned to take over the government, some dismiss January 6th as legitimate political discourse. This divisive response starkly contrasts with the unifying response to the jihadi attacks on September 11th two decades earlier, raising the question as to why the country has not also united against far-right extremism. This review argues that the Bush administration misused deterrence in response to the September 11th attacks. While unifying the country, it also disproportionately punished innocent Muslims and legitimized anti-Muslim ideals, giving rise to anti-Muslim hate crimes and backlash by jihadi extremists and emboldening violence from far-right extremists. This review combines research on deterrence, counterterrorism, anti-Muslim ideals, and far-right organizations with data on terrorism and hate crimes within the United States to delineate this argument and assess its alignment with the empirical progression of violence between September 11th and January 6th.

Abstract: Despite an increase in the reporting of rape, convictions in England and Wales have fallen significantly in recent years. Previous research has found high rape myth acceptance among police officers. Given that the police act as gatekeepers to the criminal justice system, subscribing to rape myths may have significant effects upon victim attrition and conviction rates. This study explores police officers’ use of rape myths and how these may impact investigations and prosecutions. A total of 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with police officers from a large English police force. The interview data were analysed using the qualitative method of thematic analysis. Although there were instances where officers demonstrated some awareness of the need to dispel or counter rape myths, rape myths were employed by most officers, with the most common relating to (1) victim fabrication (‘women lie’) and (2) victim precipitation (‘women ask for it’). Recommendations are made around screening and training for police officers.

Abstract: Objective: Not all exonerees are perceived equally. Attitudes toward exonerees are negatively impacted by social characteristics, such as race and criminal history; providing significant challenges for exonerees attempting to reintegrate into the community. The present study examined whether exoneree race, gender and criminal history influenced ratings of desired social distance. Method: A community sample of 1043 females and males completed an online survey. Participants were asked to read a vignette of a mock news article that described a wrongful conviction, then complete a desired social distance scale. Exoneree gender, race and criminal history were manipulated in the news article, with a minimum of 120 participants randomised to eight vignette conditions. Results: Exoneree race and the presence of a prior criminal history had significant main effects on participant attitudes regarding desired social distance. There were no interactions between exoneree gender, race and priors, but differences did emerge suggesting differential views of desired social distance for females and older participants when the exoneree had a prior offence. Conclusion: Social characteristics, demographics and individual differences may be particularly important in forming community attitudes toward wrongful conviction. This holds important implications for exoneree reintegration and community attitudes toward the Australian criminal justice system.

After three years of online and hybrid congresses, the German Crime Prevention Congress 2023 will return with its full presence and a broad range of prevention offers. The congress will take place on 12 & 13 June in Mannheim, Germany, and we cordially invite you to join us and visit the world's largest networking event in the field of crime prevention.

International experts from all areas of crime prevention are welcome to introduce, share and discuss their ideas, goals, outcomes, projects, and speeches with other experts on the DPT 2023. You can apply with a lecture, information stand at the exhibition, or poster. Deadline: January 31, 2023

The main topic of the 28th German Crime Prevention Congress is “Crises & Prevention”. In short, this year´s DPT is dedicated to topics such as perception, impact, handling, and preventive approaches to solving current crises.

What to expect? We are very pleased to provide the English-speaking audience and our international friends and colleagues with a particularly exciting and broad range of events this year. The DPT will offer several lectures and panels in its Annual International Forum (AIF) – the English-language part of the congress. In addition, both the congress opening and the congress closing as well as some other German-language sessions will be simultaneously translated into English for you.

Further information on the congress can be found on the German or English DPT website. Registration for the international audience opens in February. The congress programme will be published in March.

Please note: Until March 31st, congress tickets are available at the Early Bird Rate (215€).

In collaboration with the recently launched NSW Chapter of Pride in Law – a national association of lawyers, academics and other legal professionals dedicated to enhancing the lives of the LGBTIQ+ community – the Law Society is hosting an informal cocktail and canape function for LGBTQIA+ members of the legal profession and their allies.

Come along for drinks, nibbles, music and networking as we welcome lawyers from across Australia and the world.

Date: Friday 3 March 2023
Time: 7.30am - 9.30am
Venue: Law Society of New South Wales

The Law Society's Diversity and Inclusion Committee invites you to hear from one of the global legal profession's most passionate advocates for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people.

South Africa's former justice Edwin Cameron served as a Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa and is renowned for his HIV/AIDS and gay-rights activism, with Nelson Mandela declaring him "one of South Africa's new heroes".

With coffee and breakfast in hand, listen to former justice Cameron discuss his experience as a gay rights activist and share stories from his life and career in South Africa.

QLS Symposium is the premier professional development event for generalist legal practitioners and other interested professionals in Queensland. It has been designed to equip practitioners with up-to-date knowledge, key strategies and practical tools needed to thrive in the complexity of legal practice.

The 2023 Symposium celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Society and will explore the evolution of the legal profession – reflecting on history, celebrating the present and looking to the future. In 2023 we will be returning to a fully in person event with opening and closing plenaries and six tracks of substantive law sessions across Family, Succession, Criminal, Property, Personal Injuries, and Commercial Law. Hear from leading industry presenters as they discuss planning for, embracing and thriving in Queensland’s emerging legal landscape. Following the day of learning, you will then have the opportunity to mingle with peers and presenters alike at our networking drinks. 

12 February 2023

The Strategic Intelligence team are uniquely placed within the Strategic Intelligence and Capability Command, State Intelligence to provide high level intelligence that is future focused. Strategic Intelligence works on a wide variety of crime types across the organisation from serious and organised crime to crimes that impact the community.

Senior Strategic Intelligence Analysts are required to liaise with stakeholders across specialist commands and the field. They will take the lead on intelligence products from inception to finish and be expected to work independently with self-direction. The Senior Strategic Intelligence Analysts will also play a key role in mentoring new intelligence analysts providing insight and advice on critical thinking and strategic writing.

The position is rostered weekdays with 9 working days a fortnight. There is also occasional opportunity to work on special operations for which shifts may vary. 

The Strategic Intelligence team are located within Police Headquarters, central to Parramatta Central Business District and public transport hubs.                              

Applications close: 13 February 2023

The Director, Advisings and Community Protection, Legal, will lead a team providing advice and support services to the Attorney General, other Ministers within the Stronger Communities Cluster, the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) executives and various Divisions of DCJ. The Director also assists the General Counsel in respect of all operations of the Branch including the provision of legal services and the implementation of strategies for change, reform and best practice. Positions in Legal are highly sought after.

As Director you will be a member of Legal’s executive team and lead a team of staff involved in the provision of frank, timely, expert, customer focussed, efficient and ethical legal services to the Branch’s stakeholders and in particular the Attorney General, as first Law Officer. You will provide advice in respect of their statutory and common law responsibilities, including work in respect of legislation relating to the safety and protection of the community and contributing to maintaining public confidence in the criminal justice system.

The Government is seeking stakeholder views on 2 draft proposals to allow victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to access the superannuation of their offender for unpaid compensation orders. These proposals seek to support victims and survivors in accessing redress by preventing child sexual abuse offenders from shielding their assets in the superannuation system.

The first proposal would allow victims and survivors to release ‘additional’ contributions from an offender or spouse’s superannuation to satisfy an unpaid compensation order.

The second proposal aims to improve transparency and reduce the cost and complexity of pursuing compensation by providing visibility of superannuation accounts to ascertain the value of the ‘additional’ contributions made by an offender.

Duties at this level will include teaching in undergraduate Law or Criminology subjects, providing a high-quality experience that engages students through the conduct of tutorials in online, blended or face-to-face modes; grading assessment tasks and providing constructive, fair and timely feedback on learning to students.

You require a qualification of LLB (Hons) or BCrim (Hons) or higher.

Position Enquiries: Deputy Dean of Law and Associate Dean, Academic and Partnerships L.Neudorf@latrobe.edu.au