Library Resources for Criminology & Justice: News and Events

The stories listed on this bulletin are provided for information purposes only. They are included to reflect current events and community opinion relating to issues studied by students at ACAP. They do not reflect the views of ACAP.

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Supporting incarcerated mothers: A mixed methods evaluation of the NSW Co-Located Caseworker Program By A. Gibson, M. Remond, P. MacGillivray, E. Baldry, E. Sullivan
Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 709. Australian Institute of Criminology, 21/01/25
The NSW Co-Located Caseworker Program was established to support women in custody who have children involved in the child protection system. Under the program, child protection caseworkers are ‘co-located’ in NSW correctional centres. We undertook a mixed-methods evaluation of the program by analysing data from Corrective Service NSW’s Offender Integrated Management System and conducting 48 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, including 25 women in custody. 

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Don’t rely on social media users for fact-checking. Many don’t care much about the common good By Mark Andrejevic
The Conversation, 21/01/25
In the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg fired the fact-checking team for his company’s social media platforms. At the same time, he reversed Facebook’s turn away from political content. The decision is widely viewed as placating an incoming president with a known penchant for mangling the truth. 

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The Human Rights Commission has handed down a report on racism at Australian universities. Here’s why it fails By Chelsea Watego, Alissa Macoun, David Singh, Elizabeth Strakosch & Kevin Yow Yeh
The Conversation, 16/01/25
In May, the government tasked the Human Rights Commission with investigating antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and the experiences of First Nations people at Australian universities. 

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Safety and accountability: Stakeholder referrals to restorative justice for domestic, family and sexual violence By S. Lawler
Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 707. Australian Institute of Criminology, 16/01/25
This article draws on interviews with 47 stakeholders in an RJ program for DFV and sexual violence in the Australian Capital Territory to better understand stakeholder decision-making about referrals. 
Findings show stakeholders’ decisions around which matters to refer to RJ centre on assessments of victim‑survivors’ safety and offender accountability. Many stakeholders are risk averse when deciding whether to make a referral, which may inadvertently reduce opportunities for victim-survivors to benefit and achieve their justice goals. 

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Restorative justice conferencing for domestic and family violence and sexual violence: Evaluation of Phase Three of the ACT Restorative Justice Scheme By S. Lawler, H. Boxall, C. Dowling
Research Report no. 33. Australian Institute of Criminology, 14/01/25
Research evaluating restorative justice programs for domestic and family violence and sexual violence is limited in Australia and internationally. In 2019 the AIC was commissioned to evaluate the Australian Capital Territory’s Restorative Justice Scheme for domestic and family violence and sexual violence (‘Phase Three’).

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An eye for an eye: People agree about the values of body parts across cultures and eras By Yunsuh Nike Wee 
The Conversation, 10/01/25
The Bible’s lex talionis – “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:24-27) – has captured the human imagination for millennia. This idea of fairness has been a model for ensuring justice when bodily harm is inflicted. Our new study explored a different possibility – that laws about bodily damage are rooted in something universal about human nature: shared intuitions about the value of body parts. 

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Meth research triggers warning to prospective second-hand car buyers
ABC, 09/01/25
A study conducted by Flinders University researchers involved analysis of two cars in Melbourne linked to the illicit drug trade. Methamphetamine was detected in 85 per cent of surface wipe samples and in all six air samples.

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Even the much lauded Nordic prisons are facing overcrowding and understaffing By Kaigan Carrie
The Conversation, 08/01/25
In Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland, life in prison resembles the outside world as much as possible.
However, like any prison system, they aren’t perfect. Criminal policies in these countries are more punitive than they were 40 years ago.
https://theconversation.com/even-the-much-lauded-nordic-prisons-are-facing-overcrowding-and-understaffing-246695

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The New Orleans attack and Las Vegas Tesla explosion are examples of the US military’s violent extremism problem By Mia Martin Hobbs
The Conversation, 07/01/25
Experts of mass violence agree that mental illness tends to be incidental to attacks, rather than a motivating force behind them. However, perpetrators of mass violence do have something else in common. They hold certain groups, or society at large, responsible for their suffering.

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Estimating the costs of serious and organised crime in Australia, 2022–23 By R. Smith
Statistical Report no. 50. Australian Institute of Criminology, 19/12/24
This report estimates the cost of serious and organised crime in Australia in 2022–23 to be between $30.4b and $68.7b. This is the fourth in a series of reports undertaken for the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission estimating the cost of serious and organised crime. 

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Deaths in custody in Australia 2023–24 By H. Miles, M. McAlister, S. Bricknell
Statistical Report no. 49. Australian Institute of Criminology, 17/12/24
In 2023–24, there were 104 deaths in custody: 76 in prison custody, 27 in police custody or custody-related operations and one in youth detention. In total, there were 24 Indigenous deaths and 80 non-Indigenous deaths in custody. This report contains detailed information on these deaths and compares the findings with longer term trends.

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How much does crime spike over the holidays? The relationship between public holidays and assault By  Nicholas Chan & Alana Cook
BOCSAR, 12/24
This paper shows the daily number of domestic violence (DV) and non-DV assaults recorded by the NSW Police Force on each date of the year to observe the extent to which violence increases on public holidays and other significant dates. Assaults recorded by NSW Police spike dramatically on certain days of the year in line with key public holidays. 

Alcohol, tobacco & other drugs in Australia
AIHW, 13/12/24
Alcohol, tobacco and other drug use is a major cause of preventable disease, illness and death in Australia. This report consolidates recent information on the availability and consumption of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in Australia, and related impacts, harms and treatment.

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From ‘ghost guns’ to gangs, 5 lessons from Canada for NZ firearms reform By Alexander Gillespie
The Conversation, 13/12/24
Canada and New Zealand share an important approach to gun control: both countries view firearms as a privilege, not a right.

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New factsheets identify how many people commit serious offences on a community correction order
Sentencing Council, 12/12/24
The Sentencing Advisory Council has today published two new factsheets examining the number of people who commit serious violent or sexual offences while serving a community correction order (CCO).
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The overlap between viewing child sexual abuse material and fringe or radical content online By T. Cubitt, A.  Morgan, & R. Brown
Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 708. Australian Institute of Criminology, 11/12/24
Drawing on a survey of 13,302 online Australians, this study examines the characteristics and behaviours of respondents who viewed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and fringe or radical content online, or both.

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Comic book killer Leonard Lawson's art to be covered up at old Grafton Gaol By Elloise Farrow-Smith, Hannah Ross and Julie Ray
ABC, 10/12/24
New South Wales Health intends to cover up murals painted by convicted murderer and rapist Leonard Lawson on the walls of the old Grafton Gaol.

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Preschool intervention can reduce youth crime, Queensland study finds By James Taylor
ABC, 10/12/24
A new study has found early interventions targeting preschoolers can halve the rate of juvenile offending.
The researchers say if the findings are implemented it could "transform the social landscape in Queensland within a decade".

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Exposure to and sharing of fringe or radical content online By T. Cubitt, A. Morgan
Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 705. Australian Institute of Criminology, 10/12/24
Using a large, national survey of online Australians, we measured unintentional and intentional exposure to fringe or radical content and groups online. Efforts to restrict access to radical content and groups online, especially on mainstream platforms, may help reduce intentional and unintentional exposure to and sharing of that content.

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Mental health of people in Australia's prisons
AIHW, 10/12/24
51% of prison entrants reported being told at some point in their lives that they had a mental health condition.
More than 2 in 5 prison entrants (43%) reported high or very high levels of psychological distress.