Sydney Institute of Criminology
CrimNet
5 August 2020
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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 those who have cared and continue to care for Country.
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Justice targets added to Closing the Gap
Last week the Australian Government released a new National Agreement on Closing the Gap, signed by all state and territory Premiers and Chief Ministers, the Lead convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, and the President of the Australian Local Government Association. The Coalition of Peaks comprises over 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations, formed for the purpose of negotiating with governments to develop the National Agreement.
The number of Closing the Gap targets have increased from six to 16 under the National Agreement and, for the first time, include justice targets:
Target 10: Adults are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system
By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in incarceration by at least 15 per cent.
Target 11: Young people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system
By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10-17 years) in detention by 30 per cent.
Target 13: Families and households are safe
A significant and sustained reduction in violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children towards zero.
Commenting on the new targets, Associate Professor Megan Williams, the Assistant Director and Research Lead for the National Centre for Cultural Competence, said the Closing the Gap targets are no longer about achieving equity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and others in Australia.
"These are targets to reduce negative experiences, but not achieve equity. We still seek equity,” Associate Professor Williams said.
“The justice and child protection targets are depressing. Reducing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in prison by 15% by 2031 does not wind back the growth we have seen in the last 20 years, during which prison rates have more than doubled. No new resourcing or Indigenous-led plans have been made to achieve even this small wind-back.
The target trajectory published is a visual – there are no details about how it will be achieved. And it is nowhere near achieving equity. Australia will still have one of the highest rates of incarceration of a population in the world. The Australian public deserves to see computations on funding arrangements to achieve the 15% reductions in adult incarceration. It is too easy to just reproduce government data about the problem. We need data planning for the solution,” Associate Professor Williams said.
Under the National Agreement, each jurisdiction will report annually on their progress and contribution towards Closing the Gap.
“I was working in health services and research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners before the first Closing the Gap targets were developed. We knew then that they were not developed from evidence – literally, the maths had not been done to estimate resources required to achieve equity, especially in terms of workforce development. Data from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s perspectives was not collected.
Fast forward 15 years and most Closing the Gap targets have not been met, with ‘the gap’ considered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be government workforces who have little experience with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, nor opportunities for training and engagement.
Non-Indigenous people still control a majority of decisions on policy, resource allocation, delivery and determining success. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health, legal and child support sectors have been eroded, in terms of funding, legislation and workforce.
Responsibility for meeting Closing the Gap targets falls largely on non-Indigenous government workforce, and the tertiary sector who train them. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people frequently experience racism in government services, jobs and education. There is growing evidence for that.
Unless underlying work on anti-racism is in place, and mainstream workforce training and partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled services are resourced, Closing the Gap targets will always be hampered,” Associate Professor Williams said.
Associate Professor Megan Williams is the Assistant Director and Research Lead for the National Centre for Cultural Competence at the University of Sydney. Associate Professor Williams is a member of the Sydney Institute of Criminology and its Advisory Committee.
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5 reasons why the age of criminal responsibility should be raised now
As Australia’s Council of Attorneys-General defers making a decision until 2021, Professor Judith Cashmore of the Sydney Institute of Criminology outlines five urgent reasons why we must raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 now. "It's time to make the change," she says.
1. It should be a public health (not a criminal justice) response
The vast majority of children involved in offending behaviour from age 10 to 14 are either children who will ‘grow out of it’ with proper support and without being brought into the juvenile justice system, or those who have a difficult personal, family or community background who need a public health response, not a criminal justice response.
2. The younger the child enters the criminal justice system the more likely they will reoffend
Bringing children into the juvenile justice system has a criminogenic effect; that is the younger a child is at their first contact with the criminal justice system, the greater their chances of future offending.
3. Indigenous children are disproportionately affected
Most importantly, Aboriginal and Indigenous children are highly over-represented in this group of children so positive, culturally and age-appropriate responses are critical for these children to reduce this over-representation.
4. It is expensive
It is extremely costly to bring children into juvenile detention – that money urgently needs to go into therapeutic justice re-investment.
5. It would be in line with the rest of world
Raising the age to 14 would bring Australia in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UN Committee has repeatedly recommended and most recently expressed its regrets at Australia’s lack of implementation of its previous recommendations, and remains seriously concerned about the very low age of criminal responsibility and the enduring over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their parents/carers in the justice system.
Professor Judith Cashmore is Professor of Socio-Legal Research and Policy in the University of Sydney Law School and joint Professorial Research Fellow in the School of Education and Social Work.
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When missing persons return – new research
National Missing Persons Week 2020 runs from 2 – 8 August and places a spotlight on the almost 40,000 reports made each year to the police about the safety and wellbeing of an individual whose whereabouts are unknown.
Dr Sarah Wayland is a missing persons researcher with the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney and a new member of the Sydney Institute of Criminology. Speaking about missing persons research, Dr Sarah Wayland explains, “ One of the significant challenges surrounding the incidence and impact of missing people relates to the lack of inclusion about returned missing persons narratives, given 98% of people return.
Reasons for going missing primarily relate to family disconnection, escaping from violence or trauma, complex mental health conditions and a small percentage are victims of crime. It is not a crime to go missing in Australia, meaning that police, being the primary interventionists with this vulnerable population, require new and innovative ways of reducing the financial, social and economic costs of going missing, “ Dr Wayland said.
In research led Dr Wayland, the University of Sydney is conducting an anonymous online survey that seeks to understand the experiences of people who go missing and then return.
“50 people have already shared their story, but more stories are needed to develop policy and support services that provide reintegration care for when people come back - given one third will go missing again. Of those that shared their stories so far, half had gone missing only once, with the remainder going missing between two and four times. Some made the decision to return after a short period, but many were located by the police.
We asked people to share what would have been most helpful to them when they came back, and the answers were meaningful and emotional. ‘I just wanted someone to ask if I was OK,’ said one participant. Another said they just wanted safe accommodation so that they could look after themselves, some wanted the love of family, and some felt that no one had even noticed they were missing. People who returned from going missing wanted to be met with emotions other than anger or hurt, they wanted to have their reasons for going missing understood and they wanted referrals to get the support that could help them find connection.
In order to develop better understanding about the role of police working alongside health professionals, the hidden stories of returned missing people are integral to ensure their voice is heard,” Dr Wayland said.
The survey can be accessed online and shared.
To coincide with National Missing Persons Week, the Missing Persons Advocacy Network has released the first episode of a new podcast series, What’s Missing, in partnership with Casefile True Crime. The podcast series seeks to provide a voice for family and friends of missing loved ones. What’s Missing is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Changes in the Children’s Court
The Children’s Court of NSW has reviewed practices in response to the COVID-19 advice of health authorities and Youth Justice. The following changes to practice commenced on 3 August 2020:
1. Any young person who is in custody in a Youth Detention Centre is to appear before the Children’s Court by audio visual link (AVL).
2. Where a case is listed for hearing and the young person is in custody the case is to be re-listed for a further readiness hearing as soon as possible unless a readiness hearing date is already listed in the future.
3. If, at the readiness hearing it is determined that the hearing cannot proceed with the young person appearing by AVL, the hearing is to be vacated and adjourned for further hearing in approximately three months. A further readiness hearing is to be listed approximately two weeks prior to the hearing.
4. All other arrangements specified in earlier Public Notices issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to operate. 5. Please note that these arrangements are subject to change at short notice.
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Significant rise in domestic violence calls during COVID-19
Legal Aid NSW has reported a significant increase in domestic violence related calls received in NSW since the start of the pandemic.
Legal Aid NSW’s Domestic Violence Unit has received more calls for help in the past four months than it typically receives in a year, with an unprecedented 1,600 people ringing in since March 4, compared to an annual average of 1,000.
The unit has also received 1,100 email referrals for assistance since March 23, when Sydney went into its coronavirus lockdown.
"We've had to increase our telephone advice services and change the way that we work with clients," Solicitor in Charge of Legal Aid NSW’s Domestic Violence Unit Anna Baltins said.
“We have helped callers with plans to leave violent households, which is much more difficult if both people are at home. You don’t have that window when the perpetrator of violence is at work or out at the football or whatever it might be, and you might have a very short window on the phone.”
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Open letter to Australian governments on divesting from police and prisons
The UNSW Centre for Crime, Law and Justice has released an open letter to Australian governments on divesting from police and prisons.
The letter seeks urgent action to implement the recommendations outlined in the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Pathways to Justice report and previous government inquiries and Royal Commissions.
The letter calls for specific investment in effective diversion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people caught in criminal justice cycles; raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years of age; an end to ever-increasing police and corrections budgets; investment in community services and structural initiatives led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and real government support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ calls for self-determination, control and voice, and for significant social and economic investment in their communities.
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Submissions open to review of sentencing - assaults on emergency workers
The NSW Attorney General has asked the NSW Sentencing Council to review the sentencing for offences involving assaults on police officers, correctional staff, youth justice officers, emergency services workers and health workers.
In conducting this review, the NSW Sentencing Council is to consider: recent trends in assaults on these workers and in sentencing decisions; characteristics of offenders, including characteristics of reoffending offenders; sentencing options to deter this behaviour; sentencing options to reduce reoffending; a comparison of NSW sentencing decisions for assaults on these workers with equivalent sentencing decisions in other Australian jurisdictions; a comparison of NSW sentencing decisions for assaults on these workers with equivalent sentencing decisions for assaults generally; sentencing principles applied by NSW courts; and any other matter the Council considers relevant.
Preliminary submissions to the review close on 30 September 2020.
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New toolkit to combat online abuse at universities
The eSafety Commissioner has partnered with Universities Australia (UA) to combat online abuse and its impact on students and staff at universities.
A new Toolkit for Universities released by eSafety aims to help university communities be safer online by building greater awareness of online safety risks, providing guidance on how to prevent, prepare for and respond to online safety incidents, and supporting student and staff wellbeing. The Toolkit contains 14 resources offering targeted advice to three key audiences, universities (institutional policy makers and non-academic staff), academics and other teaching staff, and students.
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Public confidence in the NSW criminal justice system
NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
In a study released on 28 July 2020, the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) reports that many NSW residents hold mistaken beliefs about crime and the criminal justice system. BOCSAR reports that 62% of survey respondents believe that violent crime is on the rise (it is stable) and 44% believe that property crime is increasing (it is falling). Survey respondents also frequently underestimate the proportion of offenders who are convicted and imprisoned.
The findings are drawn from a representative survey of 2,000 NSW residents in May and June 2019. The study also found that the majority of those surveyed in 2019 are confident that the criminal justice system (CJS) respects the rights of the accused (74%), treats accused people fairly (74%) and brings people to justice (60%). However, two out of every three (66%) believe sentences handed down by the courts are ‘too lenient’, only 44% expressed confidence that the CJS meets the needs of victims and only one in three (31%) NSW residents were confident that the CJS deals with cases promptly.
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NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update June 2020
NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has released new figures showing a remarkable decline in the NSW prison population over eight weeks from mid-March 2020. From 15 March to 10 May the prison population decreased by 10.7% or 1,508 people.
BOCSAR reports that the fall coincided with the ramp-up of COVID-19 mitigation strategies in the community and within the justice system. The majority of the fall was due to a reduction in the number of people on remand waiting for their court cases. Remand entries fell and remand exits increased due to: a dip in the number of charges laid by police; more favourable bail decisions by both police and courts; and an increase in people released from remand to wait for their court case in the community.
The sentenced prisoner population also declined after the courts reduced hearings and, accordingly, fewer people were sentenced to prison. The youth detention population also showed a large decline, falling by 27% or 73 detainees from February to June 2020 (from 268 detainees at the end of February to 195 at the end of June).
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| The mental health impacts of violence against women
Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety
The latest issue of the Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) Notepad includes a synthesis paper bringing together ANROWS research on violence against women and mental health. It examines the way that mental health intersects with aspects of the experience of violence, including trauma, complex trauma, disability, coercive control, access to justice and parenting.
The synthesis is designed for professionals developing policy and practice frameworks or directly engaging with women affected by violence who are also experiencing mental health issues.
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Webinar: From Monstrous to Ghostly Imaginaries: The Spectral and Haunting Threat of Paroled Sex Offenders
11:00am – 12:00pm, Friday 14 August 2020
This free UNSW Law webinar will feature the research of Dr Robert Werth of Rice University.
Abstract: This talk explores how the figure of the dangerous sex offender is understood and governed by parole personnel. It is widely observed that sex offenders are perceived as monsters beyond repair or redemption. This talk proposes that in addition to monstrosity, we can and should consider the ghostly and haunting characteristics of sex offending. While not effacing the role of monstrosity, I suggest that much of the power of sex offenders to incite affect and actions stems from their perceived spectrality. Specifically, I contend that sex offenders’ potential reoffending represents a spectral threat – an apparition-like absent presence – that troubles temporal, spatial and epistemological boundaries. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork, this talk traces the ways in which the specter of sexual recidivism becomes an intolerable, haunting threat for parole personnel that legitimizes the extremely punitive and exclusionary ways in which they govern sex offenders.
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Webinar: Risk, Race and the Challenge of Inclusive Policing
2.00pm - 3.30pm, Tuesday 18 August 2020
This free webinar, hosted by Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre, will use findings from research on policing and belonging in south eastern Melbourne to initiate a discussion about police reform. Based on the reported experiences of sections of the Pasifika and South Sudanese Australian communities with police, the panellists will discuss the translation of those findings into practical measures to promote more inclusive forms of policing. The event will be of interest to anyone concerned about police accountability, settlement processes and the acceptance of racial and cultural diversity in our communities. The webinar will be hosted by Associate Professor Rebecca Wickes, Director, Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre.
Associate Professor Leanne Weber will present findings from her reports on policing and belonging. This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring community members, Victoria Police and experts in police accountability, with opportunities for audience-led Q & A.
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Call for papers: Criminal Justice in an Age of Populism
Archives of Criminology (Archiwum Kyminologii) is the leading Polish criminological journal, published by the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences. This special issue examines the rise of populism in the 21st century, the variations it takes and its implications for criminal justice and penal policy in modern society. It will address matters such as defences against populism; the circumstances under which populism may take positive and productive forms; the attempts of would-be autocrats to usurp and extend special powers in place to control COVID-19; and the implications of the rise of populism for the way in which issues of rights and the rule of law are now understood.
All papers should be prepared and submitted online in English. Abstracts are due by 30 August 2020 and papers are due by 31 March 2021.
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Associate Editor, Correction: Policy, Practice and Research
Correction: Policy, Practice and Research is currently seeking applications for the role of Associate Editor. The chosen applicant will serve as associate editor for the journal for a three-year term from January 2021 through December 2023. The Journal is a peer-reviewed journal with a broad correctional focus encompassing a wide range of relevant topics and innovative approaches from new theoretical perspectives and research findings to their implications for improving policy and practice. Questions about the role of associate editor and/or transition to editor should be directed to current Editor, Dr Cathy Marcum at marcumcm@appstate.edu or current Associate Editor, Dr Tina Freiburger at freiburg@uwm.edu. Applications close on 1 September 2020.
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2020 Criminology Research Grants
The Australian Institute of Criminology has determined that projects funded by the Criminology Research Grants program are procurements. This means the AIC will publish its criminology research requirements on AusTender via an approach to market. Interested parties can register to receive alerts when the AIC advertises on AusTender. The projects will be advertised as Criminology Research Grants.
The AIC encourages applications from organisations or collaborative teams with a demonstrated capacity to deliver high quality criminological research outcomes. Applications will be assessed against the criteria prescribed in the approach to market advertised on AusTender.
Applications closed at 12pm (ACT Local Time) on 8 September 2020.
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Contribute to new journal, Urban Crime
Published by the Laboratory of Urban Criminology of Panteion University with Chief Editor Professor Christina Zarafonitou, this new online journal will present a composite of analyses and syntheses of theory and research on the intersections between crime and the urban environment. It will publish peer-reviewed, original research articles in English, French and Greek. The content of the journal will also include reviews of important new books, analyses and commentaries on current issues in urban crime as well as new releases and presentation of research projects. The journal will occasionally publish thematic/special issues on specific topics related to urban crime with the participation of guest editors. Submissions are open for the second issue and close 30 September 2020.
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Call for paper: Policing in a Pandemic Policing: An International Journal invites submissions for a special issue, 'Policing in a Pandemic', that report on empirical assessments of the effects of Covid-19 on a wide range of issues facing law enforcement. Manuscripts will cover themes such as (list not exhaustive): changes in recruitment and training efforts; adjustments to the provision of public services, including what services are offered and how they are provided; law enforcement readiness for public health crises; short- and long-term effects on health and wellness of sworn and civilian personnel; police problem-solving during a public health crisis; and how the situation is perceived by personnel at all levels. Authors interested in submitting a manuscript should submit an abstract to the guest editor, Janne E. Gaub, by 1 November 2020. Manuscripts should be received no later than 6 June 2021.
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Call for papers: Covid and Conflict
The International Journal of Conflict and Violence is calling for submissions documenting the impact of COVID-19 across key topics related to conflict and violence. This encompasses the tracing of local problems linked to the outbreak and their range of intended and unintended consequences, as well as the critical assessment of global questions emerging in a post COVID-19 world. Topics of particular interest include: the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations (refugees, displaced persons, people incarcerated, first-responders, elderly people); and the impact of social-distance measures on recorded levels of crime, including for example homicide and domestic violence, policing practices (staffing levels, deployments), and criminal sanctions (pre-trial detention, community-based sanctions). Empirically grounded submissions from social sciences, human rights, law, and health/public health research and related fields are encouraged. Papers are due by 31 May 2021.
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