This article examines the discussion paper, ‘Aboriginal customary laws’, released by the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia. The discussion paper is the result of five years of research and […]

The collection of data is essential for effective research and policy. The approved method of data collection in relation to Indigenous victims of crime is currently inconsistently adhered to across […]

The Salvation Army Crisis Services network has embarked on a number of partnership arrangements to deliver services to clients. This paper reports on one successful model used to facilitate private […]

The Koori Court first sat at Shepparton on 7 October 2002, following the passage of the Magistrates’ Court (Koori Court) Act 2002. Six months later the Broadmeadows Koori Court commenced […]

The Koori Court model that has been established in Victoria in 2002 arose as a direct consequence of the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement, which was designed to ensure, among other […]

Within the last few years there has been an increasing trend in Australia towards the recognition of what can be loosely called ‘Aboriginal courts’, more specifically called ‘Nunga courts’, ‘Murri […]

Legislative bills of rights in Australia include the Human Rights Act 2004 (ACT) (‘HRA’) and the Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) (‘Charter’). Focusing on the rights and the interpretive method set […]

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the origins of the concepts of social inclusion and exclusion and of key themes and emerging debates about social […]

These are the PowerPoint slides used as the basis of a conference paper presented at the ‘Cultural healing in criminal justice service delivery: an identification of best practice and innovation […]

This report is not justice specific but provides useful information on engaging members of the Stolen Generation. They are a high risk group for victimisation and offending as well as […]

Warringa Baiya is a facility that specialised in providing legal information, advice, casework, education and advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children who are, or have been, […]

Currently in Western Australia, there appears to be a greater level of innovation occurring in Magistrates Courts rather than the Superior Courts. This paper explores specific areas of innovation which […]

After discussing the extent of Indigenous disadvantage in many areas, this paper highlights the over representation of Indigenous youth in the criminal justice system, and the need to address Indigenous […]

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of mental disorder in a representative sample of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland prisons. Cross-sectional assessment of mental health using […]

This paper outlines the variety and scope of Indigenous sentencing practices which are in place in Australia, with a focus on the Queensland Murri Court. Many of the initiatives have […]

Indigenous Australians are proportionately over-represented in the criminal justice system and particularly the prison system. Murri Court is an initiative of the Magistracy in Queensland to sentence Indigenous offenders in […]

This paper, which was presented as the closing keynote address to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Conference held in 2007, reflects on the conference theme of ‘diversity and […]

Aboriginal interpreters in the criminal justice system perform a demanding, thankless, even dangerous job. They are essential to justice for Aboriginal victims and defendants alike, but their scarcity impedes efforts […]

This paper examines child abuse and neglect in Indigenous communities from a societal perspective, applying a community development framework to understand effective strategies for reducing risks and enhancing children’s safety […]

Despite the multiple policy and practice reforms that were initiated after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, over-representation of Indigenous young people in the juvenile criminal justice system […]

The Closing the Gap Steering Committee, which includes the Human Rights Commission and Oxfam, produces an annual ‘shadow’ report representing its assessment of Australia?s and the Federal Government?s progress against […]

The Closing the Gap Steering Committee, which includes the Human Rights Commission and Oxfam, produces an annual ‘shadow’ report representing its assessment of Australia?s and the Federal Government?s progress against […]

This is the report of the Western Australian Coroner’s inquest into the deaths of 22 Aboriginal people around Fitzroy Crossing in 2006. The inquest was held to explore the reasons […]

Twenty years after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody the report by the Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs focuses on prevention and early intervention […]

This report presents the findings of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs inquiry into Australia’s family law system, and recommendations to improve its response […]

This section of the report covers crime, safety and justice issues in Indigenous communities. The section discusses various models of cooperative justice, including the Koori Court in Victoria and circle […]

This article includes responses from Victoria Police and the New South Wales Police Force to a survey to assess how police services have responded to the recommendations of the Royal […]

This Bulletin reviews recent National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) activity to address cannabis use among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. A camp for young males from […]

The findings and recommendations of a body of Indigenous scholarship which indicated that violence and child sexual abuse had long existed within Indigenous communities, was reinforced through the release of […]

For many years high Indigenous incarceration rates in Australia have called for numerous ?solutions?, yet the percentage of Aboriginal people in custody has continued to rise, nearly doubling from 14% […]

This report, published by an independent think tank, maps the number of government and non-government Indigenous programs and potential level of duplication across jurisdictions in Australia. It identifies that many […]

Alcohol abuse has a corrosive effect on individuals and whole communities, increasing violence, abuse, unemployment, debt and ill health. This monograph starts by looking at the harms excessive alcohol consumption […]

This report identifies the barriers to ethnic equality in New Zealand through a process of research and engagement with public service agencies, researchers and affected groups and individuals. The report […]

This is the second research report by the Indigenous Community Governance Project. ICGP is exploring the nature of Indigenous community governance in Australia – to understand what works, what doesn’t […]

It is gradually being recognised by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians that getting contemporary Indigenous governance right is fundamental to improving Indigenous well-being and generating sustained socioeconomic development. This collection […]

Indigenous poverty is clearly entrenched and often different in nature to that experienced by other Australian poor. This paper examines recent evidence on Indigenous poverty and social exclusion and attempts […]

The over-representation of Indigenous Australians in prison continues to be a serious problem. It has been found that the over-representation stems initially from the higher rate of appearance at court […]

It has been argued that Indigenous people are among the most socially excluded in Australia, and that Indigenous disadvantage is multidimensional and different to other forms of poverty in Australia […]

The Repeat Offenders Database, which has been collated by the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, offers a unique opportunity to analyse data quality issues for an […]

Indigenous Australian females are under-represented in the Australian labour force and in employment. According to the population census of 2006, 49% of Indigenous females were in the labour force compared […]

The Commonwealth Crimes Amendment (Bail and Sentencing) Act 2006 was introduced following significant media attention in 2005-06 which focused on allegations of widespread family violence and child abuse in remote […]