Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Criminology Australia'

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1

Riordan, Kathryn. "The connection between drug use and crime in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2017. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1973.

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Despite decades of research, there is no consensus as to the factors that explain the association between drug use and criminal behaviour. While the evolving sophistication in research methodology has identified factors that are associated with involvement in both drug use and crime, exploration of the idiosyncratic factors that contribute to initiation, maintenance and desistence in drug use and criminal behaviour over time, across culture and social context remains unknown. In this research a grounded theory approach was used to develop an explanatory model based on the reported experiences of 22 non-Aboriginal and 11 Aboriginal adult male offenders, incarcerated in Western Australian prisons all of who have a history of involvement in drug use and crime . Using thematic text analysis, two distinct models emerged from the two cultural groups. While both models depicted involvement in both drug use and crime as a lifestyle based within a biopsycho- social framework, each pathway described a combination of person centred and context specific constructs as influential in the aetiology, persistence, desistence and re-engagement of the drugs-crime lifestyle. Specifically, each pathway differed with respect to the identified family, cultural and social factors that delay or influence early entry into the drugs-crime lifestyle, and those which continue to influence over the life course. The models were applied to case studies to compare and contrast the applicability of the pathway model to existing theories within the literature. The research showed that the connection between drug use and criminal behaviour comprises complex personal, cultural and social factors that underpin the drugs-crime lifestyle, rather than a simplistic causal model. Furthermore, existing theoretical models interact to partially account for individual’s experiences at discrete periods during their involvement in the drugcrime lifestyle. The bio-psycho-social model proposed found common underlying psychological vulnerabilities across the two cultural samples that contribute to involvement in the drug-crime lifestyle; however, disparate social, family, cultural and community factors influence the association across the life course. This complexity underscores the necessity for multi-faceted and systemic treatment modalities that involve family and culture, and the need for psycho-social support services that are linked to the treatment provided in custody for prisoners being re-integrated into the community.
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2

Trigg, Lisa. "Improving the quality of residential care for older people : a study of government approaches in England and Australia." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2018. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3772/.

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Improving the quality of residential care for older people is a priority for many governments, but the relationship between government actions and high-quality provision is unclear. This qualitative research study uses the cases of England and Australia to examine and compare regulatory regimes for raising provider quality. It examines how understandings of quality in each country are linked to differences in the respective regulatory regimes; how and why these regimes have developed; how information on quality is used by each government to influence quality improvement; and how regulatory regimes influence providers to deliver quality. The study develops a new typology of three provider quality orientations (organisation-focused, consumer-directed, relationship-centred) to examine differences between the two regulatory regimes. The research draws on interviews conducted between January 2015 and April 2017 with 79 individuals from different stakeholder groups in England and Australia, and interviews with 24 individuals from five provider organisations in each country. These interviews highlighted greater differences between the two regimes than previous research suggests. For example, while each system includes a government role for inspecting or reviewing provider quality, there are differences around how quality is formally defined, the role and transparency of quality information, and how some provider quality behaviour is influenced by different policy interventions. Two important findings emerge from the study for policymakers and researchers. First, the importance of considering the broader historical and institutional context of the care sector overall, not simply the regulatory environment, as shown by the more welfare-oriented approach in England when compared to Australia’s highly consumerist approach. Second, the importance of considering the overall ‘regulatory space’ when designing policy interventions for quality. Policymakers should consider the effects and interaction of multiple policy interventions, the impact of funding mechanisms and the activity of multiple stakeholders, and not restrict attention to those policy interventions explicitly developed for quality improvement goals.
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3

Burner-Fernie, Deborah. "Risk assessment and Western Australian male aboriginal sexual and violent offenders." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2015. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1584.

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The prediction of risk of violent and sexual reoffending is very important for the mental health and correctional practitioners making treatment decisions and providing opinions to the courts. Currently, Australian practitioners use risk assessments that were developed in other countries despite little evidence that they can be validly used locally, especially with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Both scholars and the courts have expressed concern about the use of data generated with these assessments to make important decisions about risk and risk management. The purpose of the current study was to develop a risk assessment for West Australian male Aboriginal violent and sexual offenders. During the first stage of the study, focus groups were used to identify risk factors that Aboriginal correctional workers believed could be unique to Aboriginal men in differing Western Australian geographical regions. The researcher then compiled a list of these predictors; those routinely used in existing risk measures; and others identified in the research literature to compile a list of possible predictors of reoffending. During three subsequent quantitative studies the researcher used retrospective file data of 1838 male Aboriginal participants obtained from the Western Australian Department of Corrective Services to examine the predictive accuracy of the identified predictors. The predictors that most accurately distinguished reoffenders from non-reoffenders were then used to develop a risk assessment. It was not possible to develop an assessment for violent offenders, but one was developed specifically for sexual offenders. This assessment was comprised of three risk items. They were unrealistic long-term goals, unfeasible release plans and poor coping skills (the 3-Predictor Model). The predictive accuracy of recidivism (sensitivity) of themodel was 92.3%, while the predictive accuracy of desisting (specificity) was 94.3%. The model also outperformed the Western Australian Community Corrections case needs model and adult actuarial risk instrument, the level of service need inventory, and the rapid risk assessment for sexual offence recidivism. Given the relative accuracy and the ability of the 3-Predictor model to outperform other risk assessments, further validation appears warranted.
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4

Timms, Catherine Analise. "Young people who fireset in Western Australia: Peer group influences and impulsiveness trump consequences." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2018. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2083.

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The paradoxical character of fire is perfectly captured by the juxtaposition between the initial ease and excitement of lighting fires, and fire’s destructive and uncontrollable nature. Australia is fire prone with its hot, dry climate, volatile vegetation and urban sprawl surrounded by bushland. Since an estimated 50% of fires lit in Australia are deliberate (Stanley & Read, 2016) the problem of intentional firesetting cannot be overstated. This thesis argues that youth firesetting requires both macro- and microlevel approaches to appreciate the complexities of the problem, and aims to identify applicable and directed responses to minimise youth firesetting. Study one analysed data collected by the Western Australia Police to gain an understanding of characteristics associated with 20 medium to high-risk adult firesetters, such as proximal and developmental vulnerabilities. This study determined macro and microlevel theories are essential to explain firesetting. In study two, seven child and adolescent firesetters were interviewed to explore why they chose to light a fire. This qualitative research examined firesetting through the personal stories of young people who have set fires in Western Australia. Findings suggest that peer influence and impulsiveness outweigh a child’s capacity to anticipate the consequences of their firesetting. Supported also is the relevance of fire-specific and antisocial activity in the development of firesetting behaviour. Family function presented as both an influencing factor, and as a moderating factor for firesetting behaviour. This thesis found that social factors contribute a proximal and antecedent role in firesetting behaviour. Consequently, findings confirmed the need for the development of a micro-level theory to explain youth firesetting.
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5

Wright, Kara. "Mid West–Gascoyne District police officers’ experience with the Cannabis Infringement Notice Scheme." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2012. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/473.

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Cannabis is currently the most frequently used illicit drug in Australia. Research has revealed a range of health, economic, criminal and social consequences associated with the drug. The widespread use of cannabis and the consequences associated with its use has ignited strong political and social debate as to what response should be taken to minimise the harmful effects of the drug. In order to reduce the harms associated with cannabis, and in line with the national harm minimisation framework, the Western Australia (WA) Cannabis Infringement Notice (CIN) scheme commenced in 2004. The introduction of the CIN scheme as part of the Cannabis Control Act 2003 (WA) aimed to divert minor, first-time cannabis offenders into cannabis education sessions. As police are gatekeepers to the criminal justice system they play an important role in the diversion of cannabis offenders away from the justice system. As such, police officers’ experience with the CIN scheme is a valuable source of information to guide well informed cannabis related policy and legislation. Despite the significance of research related to police officers’ experiences with cannabis policy and legislation, a review of the literature reveals that the existing body of research has neglected regional police officers’ understanding of and experience with cannabis legislation. As a result, this qualitative research seeks to explore regional police officers’ perceptions towards, and experience with, the WA CIN scheme. Developing an understanding of the CIN scheme from the perspective and experience of police officers is essential if we are to begin developing and implementing more effective cannabis policies. This research is focused on Mid West–Gascoyne District police officers’ experience with the CIN scheme. A phenomenological approach has been adopted so the focus remains on police officers’ lived experience. Data was collected through semistructured interviews with ten operational police officers. Analysis reveals that police officers’ experience with the CIN scheme centres around three key themes: their knowledge of the scheme, the surrounding circumstances they are faced with when implementing the scheme, and their perceptions of cannabis as a drug and of cannabis users.
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6

Cockram, Judith. "Justice or differential treatment? : Adult offenders with an intellectual disability in the criminal justice system." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2000. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1532.

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The purpose of the study was to present a thorough examination of the extent of participation of adult offenders with an intellectual disability within all levels of the criminal justice system in Western Australia, that is, from arrest to charge, to court appearance and finally to conviction. Western Australia provides a unique opportunity to examine the operations of the criminal justice system, because it possesses comprehensive computerised data sources on offenders, and by utilising the State central register on people with disabilities; it was possible to include in the study a significant proportion of those people with an intellectual disability in Western Australia. The study was a longitudinal study over a ten-year period where it was possible to examine all levels of the criminal justice system, that is, from arrest to court appearance and finally to conviction and possible detention. In examining the different outcomes, it was also possible to control for the number and types of offences committed by first time offenders. In addition, the available data provided the opportunity to study the rate of recidivism of people with an intellectual disability compared with other offenders. Eight hundred and forty three individuals with an intellectual disability were tracked through the justice system and their experiences were compared with two thousand four hundred and forty two other offenders. At the first stage of the justice process, namely arrest, the study found that people with an intellectual disability were no more likely to be arrested and charged with a criminal offence than others within the general population. However, once they entered the system, they were subsequently rearrested at nearly double the rate compared with the non-disabled sample. In addition, it was found that there was substantial disparity in the offending profiles, at arrest, between the two groups. A notable finding was the difference in the charge pattern over time. Not only were people with an intellectual disability charged more often, they were charged at a far greater rate over the latter part of the study period, while arrests for the non-disabled sample were about the same over the two five year periods. It is suggested that the higher incidence of arrests during the period 1990-1994, may offer support for the view that the rise of arrests of people with an intellectual disability within the criminal justice system, has corresponded with the deinstitutionialisation of state facilities. At the next stage of the justice process, formal prosecution in the court, it was found that people with an intellectual disability appear to be treated differently in the types of penalties imposed, and the different penalties imposed for similar offences. It was also found that differing uses were made of alternatives to imprisonment. An important aspect of the study of offenders with an intellectual disability is the prevalence of recidivism. A considerably higher probability of re-arrest was found for offenders with an intellectual disability compared with other offenders, and the study canvassed several explanations for this higher recidivism rate. The conclusion of this study is that explanations of psychological and sociological disadvantage or the susceptibility hypothesis which have been put forward as possible reasons for people with an intellectual disability being over-represented in prison populations are not sufficient to account for the findings of this study. The fact that different outcomes were experienced by people with an intellectual disability as they proceeded through the criminal justice system is not inconsistent with the different treatment hypothesis. In addition there is strong evidence to suggest that the equality of services is a critical factor relevant to the rate of recidivism. A service model is recommended to assist in reducing the high rate of re-arrest of people with an intellectual disability.
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7

Kruy, Sokunthea. "An investigation of mobile phone use while driving: An application of the theory of planned behavior." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2018. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2050.

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Mobile phone use while driving has been an emerging issue for road safety in recent years. The development of new technology has meant that users are more connected to their devices than ever before. This has led to use while driving despite the illegality of this behaviour. In this research, three mobile phone use behaviours were investigated: making/receiving calls; creating/sending text messages, and accessing social media. Through application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), an online survey was developed. Five hundred and fifty-nine university students including 193 young respondents (aged 17 – 25) responded to investigate attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and intentions towards using a mobile phone while driving. Knowledge of legislation, attitudes towards the law, penalties, and police enforcement was also explored. Chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and hierarchical multiple regression analysed the influence of the TPB components relative to demographic variables, crash, and enforcement history. Results confirm the relevance of TPB to investigate mobile phone use while driving in Western Australia. High occurrences of mobile phone use while driving were found despite respondents expressing negative attitudes, social norms (subjective norms) and low perceived control towards the behaviours as 76.16% of young respondents had used a mobile phone while driving at least once. Through hierarchical multiple regression, the TPB components predicted low intention to engage in mobile phone use while driving to make/receive calls, create/send text messages and access social media in the next week. In addition, most respondents had not suffered social (road crashes or hospitalisation from road crashes) and legal (receiving a caution or infringement) consequences as a result of using a mobile phone while driving. Road safety stakeholders and the research field will benefit from this research as it fills the gap of knowledge in a Western Australian context, particularly on the use of social media while driving.
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8

Harris, Kira Jada. "One percent motorcycle clubs: Has the media constructed a moral panic in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia?" Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2009. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1881.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate an instrument designed to assess the influence of the media on opinions regarding the one percent motorcycle clubs in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, establishing whether the media had incited a moral panic towards the clubs. The concept of the moral panic, developed by Stanley Cohen iii ( 1972), is the widespread fear towards a social group by events that are overrepresented and exaggerated. Exploring the concept of a moral panic towards the one percent sub-culture, this study compares the perceptions from two groups of non-members in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. One group of participants had interacted with club members (n =13); the other had no direct contact with club members and identified themselves as basing their opinions towards the clubs on information from the media (n =13). It was hypothesised that the two patticipant groups would differ on their opinions regarding the clubs' autonomy, brotherhood, the righteous biker model, and the perceived image of one percent members. Participants were requested to complete the Perception of the One Percent Motorcycle Sub-culture Questionnaire. Quantitative data were analysed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. The findings suggest little differences between the groups, indicating a moral panic towards one percent motorcycle clubs has not been identified by the instrument. Recommendations for improvement in the research design for a comprehensive study include modification to sampling techniques, Likert scales and analysis techniques. Further research is required to validate the present findings.
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9

Garforth, Tayne. "Serial robbery: An investigation into the variations of offence behaviour and implications for inferring offender characteristics." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2007. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/252.

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This research investigates whether and to what extent the thematic structure of robbery offence behaviours identified in L. Alison, W. Rockett, S. Deprez & S. Watts, 2000 is replicated for an Australian sample of serial robbers. Offence variables representing variations in the degree of planning (proactive-reactive) and self-control (rational-impulsive) were examined from a sample of offences obtained from 91 serial robbery offenders using data obtained from police Offence Reports in Western Australia. A Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) tended to support the relevance of these psychological processes to robbery behaviour and considered to offer a meaningful basis for distinguishing between robbery offences according to three narrative themes. However, the thematic structure of the "Amateur" robber (identified in previous research as "Bandits") differed in some respects from that proposed by Alison et al. (2000). This research further aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that proposes the consistency of these themes as a function of narrative roles. Overall, a total of 78 cases (85. 7%) were found to exhibit the same 'pure' or hybrid theme across at least two of the three offences committed in the series and considered to provide some support to the hypothesis that the SSA structure represents the dominant themes underlying robbery behaviour and the utility of narrative theory as a useful framework in explaining variations in offence behaviour. Whilst results indicated that offence behaviour of individual robbers were consistent with the themes underlying differences in robber styles, the examination of specific offence variables using Cochran' s Q tests and frequency analysis suggests that some caution must be incorporated into investigative strategies involving the use of single behavioural indicators in the identification of serial offenders and offence linking. Whilst these results have implications for research methods that focus on identifying clusters of behaviours that reflect meaningful aspects of "personality", the nature of behavioural consistency suggests that this robber typology may be improved with further investigation of situational factors influencing crime scene behaviour in order to achieve the development of a more productive model for contemporary offender profiling.
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Finney, James. "The characteristics and effectiveness of treatment for young sex offenders in Australia and New Zealand: A systematic review." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2021. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2406.

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Sexual offending by young people presents a serious and devastating issue effecting victims, families, and wider society. This has led investigative efforts to understand the efficacy of treatment programs to cease or at minimum reduce sexual recidivism. Evaluations examining treatment efficacy have predominately been conducted in the United States and Canada, with limited research focused exclusively on young sex offenders in Australia and New Zealand. To address the paucity of information, a systematic review of young sex offender treatment research in Australia and New Zealand was conducted. The systematic review employed a comprehensive search strategy and rigorous vetting procedure, which resulted in a summary of data from eight studies of 10 treatment programs. Average across those studies, the sexual recidivism rate was lower for the treatment groups (n = 75, 5.97%), compared to dropouts (n = 25, 10.92%) and treatment refusers (n = 39, 6.93%). Similar results were obtained for studies providing information on non-sexual recidivism. Efficacy however was difficult to ascertain as most evaluations did not report all required data. Therefore, gaps in knowledge and the associated methodological issues of the included studies are outlined. The outcome of this review details recommendations for treatment evaluations in criminology which will allow for more detailed and nuanced information on treatment efficacy. It is anticipated that results and recommendations will guide future efforts to evaluate treatment for young sex offenders, particularly regarding young Indigenous sex offenders
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11

Turnley, Jennifer Anne. "Education and Training of Specialist Sexual Offence Investigators in Victoria, Australia from 2009 to 2011." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1481.

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The topic of training specifically designed for investigators of sexual offences has received little attention from academic researchers to date. Previous studies have not described training provided to police investigators of sexual offences in Australia. This thesis developed Turnley’s Framework for the Examination of Police Training in Sexual Assault Investigation, to examine and describe a Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigative Teams (SOCIT) Course, provided to Victorian Police from 2009 to 2011. This entailed triangulation of findings from non-participant observations of one SOCIT Course, with quantitative and qualitative data sourced though an in-depth interview with course trainers; feedback sheets voluntarily completed by trainees who undertook the course and responses from an online survey of 44 police who completed a course between 2009 and 2011. A description of the course design, resourcing, content, delivery, individual and organisational outcomes are presented as findings. Trainees reported the SOCIT course to be highly relevant for the work of specialist sexual assault investigators, with 80% of survey respondents self-reporting a change in their attitudes towards victims of sexual offences as a result of the SOCIT training. Despite these self-reports, findings from the survey indicate the maintenance of negative attitudes by some police in relation victims. The findings of this thesis concur and support findings of the Policing Just Outcomes Project with regard to the need for police to focus on, and refine the process of selection and recruitment, for this specialised area of police work.
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12

McKillop, Dianne R. "Principles in public reasoning about criminal justice : victim vulnerability, trust, and offender status." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2001. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1035.

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It is popularly assumed that the public is highly punitive toward criminal offenders and that its reasoning about criminal offences is emotionally and morally based. This assumption has been challenged by social scientists who cite influences of news media and methodological flaws in empirical studies as contributing causes. Public sentiment is a basis for law and the increasing responsiveness of legislator to what is perceived to be public opinion on crime means that accurate information on enduring principles in the public's intuitive reasoning about criminal justice is vital. An initial exploratory study (N = 34) presented members of the public with descriptions of emotionally and morally provocative offences, morally indignant reactions and the assignment of punishments that were disproportionate to the objective harm caused by the offences indicated aspects of offences and associated reasoning principles that were worthy of further, experimental investigation. Important principles appeared to be breach of trust by an offender in a position of trust and the vulnerability of victims. A second study (N = 348) examined the influence of these two variables in a 3 x 3 (offender position of trust x victim vulnerability) between-subjects experiment. Findings confirmed that victim vulnerability exacerbates the public's condemnation of offences in a more prosaic offence. However the results also showed that an offender who occupied a highly trusted position in society was not more highly condemned than offenders in less trusted positions. In addition to the finding that the highly trusted offender was perceived to be significantly less in need of a punishment aimed at individual deterrence, this finding led to a hypothesis that his high status may have protected him from public sanction. It was also concluded that the type of trust whose violation the participants of the initial study strongly condemned may have been the trust that is inherent in relationships, rather than in social positions. Survey research (N1 = 192, N2 = 237) provided an empirical basis for unconfounded representations of status and trust in further investigations. Doctors, lawyers and police officers were selected as exemplars of various levels of trust and status. A subsequent experimental study (N = 122) manipulated offenders' trust and status, and the existence of a professional relationship between the offender and victim in a 3 x 2 between-subject design. Results indicated that the existence of a professional trust relationship interacted with the status and position of trust of an offender in their effect on public condemnation. The high status of an offender became a liability in terms of condemnation when that offender also had a professional relationship with his victim, but only when the offender occupied a trusted position in society. The same study indicated that, in an offence where no professional relationship with the victim existed, high status offered a significant degree of protection from a punishment aimed at general deterrence. It was concluded that, although concerns for victim vulnerability are ubiquitous in the public's reasoning about criminal justice, trust is a principle that is applied complexly and which interacts with offender status and offender-victim relationship. The public's responses to criminal offences are both more complex and more rational than is widely believed. The variability found in the data collected for this series of studies indicated that criminal justice researchers must be cautious in assuming consensus in public evaluations of offences and its reasoning about deserved punishment.
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Wright, Jodie S. "Sentencing decisions : the public view of the effects of consequences of crime, offender remorse and type of crime." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2001. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1069.

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The Australian justice system is based in a conventional model of justice with the aim of uniformity in sentencing. It is important to ascertain public opinion on the relevance of different factors to be taken into account at sentencing as accurately as possible, in order to provide informed public opinion which may assist policy makers in making legislation or educating the public on these matters. The current study examined the impact of varying levels of victim harm (high or low) and offender remorse (high or low) for both person and property crimes on sentencing decisions made by both male (n = 99) and female (n = 94) members of the Western Australian public. The design was a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 between subjects factorial, with dependent variables of length of sentence assigned (0-10 years jail), rated influence of four sentencing goals (retribution, rehabilitation, incapacitation and deterrence) on sentence choice, and responses to an open-ended question about the reasons for the sentence chosen. The main findings were that demonstrations of offender remorse and the level of harm caused to the victim appeared to be factors in public participants' sentencing. There was no difference in sentences assigned by male and female participants. Although the majority of participants believed they sentenced for rehabilitative reasons. Retribution appeared to be the major factor in the sentences assigned an outcome which reflects the focus of the Western Australian sentencing legislation. Implications arising from the results include the need for more public education in the areas of the functions or the courts, legal principles and theories, and options for victims of crime. Overall, the current study added to the body of research examining public opinions about the potential relevance of various victim and offender factors at the sentencing phase in the search for uniformity in sentencing.
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Fullam, Michelle. "Drug users’ experiences of a residential rehabilitation program in Western Australia: A thematic analysis of drug users lived experiences." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2020. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2361.

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In the last decade, there has been a marked increase in the awareness of drug use and drug-related crime in Australia. As a result, the demand for drug treatment services has increased and 14 recognised government-funded services are now available in Western Australia (WA). The goal of these services is to reduce drug use through full-time intensive programs that are usually residential. This type of drug treatment has been shown to be effective in reducing drug use and promoting pro-social lives post-treatment. However, little is known of the experiences of participants in this type of treatment in WA. As such, this study examined the lived experiences of individuals engaged in a Christian residential rehabilitation program in WA. Semi-structured interviews were utilised to examine 14 participants’ perceptions of their behaviours, links between drug use and criminal behaviour, motivations for treatment and life after rehabilitation. A thematic analysis of the data revealed that drug users have extensive insight into their lived experiences, including an awareness of normalised behaviours that catalysed their subsequent drug use and criminal behaviours. Themes that emerged from the findings include: the lived experience of dysfunction; embodying dysfunction and escaping dysfunction. Additionally, the participants demonstrated strong support for treatment provided by residential rehabilitation, commenting that that recovery from extensive drug use is a lengthy process involving more than simple abstinence from drugs. This research provides support for residential treatment of drug users who previously committed crime, supporting assertions that drug use must be treated to address criminality.
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Hancock, Kate. "Women's perceptions of safety : CCTV in an inner city setting." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2004. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/801.

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To date, most research on closed circuit television (CCTV) has come out of the United Kingdom (UK) where the growth of CCTV has reached immense proportions with wide support and funding from the Home Office. There are 33 systems operating in Australia, with the focus of this research on the first system installed in Perth, Western Australia in 1991. There is a dearth of information on CCTV in Australia, and little research looking at the link between CCTV, women’s safety and fear of crime. The literature on fear of crime shows that women are more fearful than men even though they are less likely to be offended against. Many reasons are proposed in the literature including vulnerability, victimisation and past experience of crime, environmental factors, and psychological factors to explain women’s fear. Many methodological problems are presented in the fear of crime literature. The core aim of this research was to collect information attitudes, knowledge and opinions about closed circuit television (CCTV) and women’s safety. Six qualitative interviews were conducted with women who work in the fields related to CCTV and women’s safety or who have a keen interest in the field. A further 295 women in the community were surveyed about issues relating to the purpose and effectiveness of CCTV, attitudes about CCTV and general feelings towards crime and safety. The findings show that women are overwhelmingly supportive of CCTV in public spaces and believe CCTV reduces crime and increases feelings of safety. However, women consider the current level of surveillance to be sufficient, and would like to see more police officers, women police and improved street lighting. Women are fearful for their safety at night and are afraid of personal crimes more than property crimes. Women are fearful at the railway station, when they are alone, in car parks and walkways and when waiting for taxis. Older women are more supportive of CCTV than younger women and all women would like to be made more aware the CCTV system.
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Cannon, Jonathan. "Reading between the crimes: Online media’s representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s interaction with the criminal justice system in post-apology Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2018. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2140.

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Australian research confirms that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience high levels of social inequality, racism and injustice. Evidence of discrimination and inequality is most obvious within the criminal justice system where they are seriously over-represented. The Australian news media plays a large part in reinforcing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inequality, stereotypes and racist ideology within specific situations such as the Northern Territory Emergency Response and the Redfern riots. This study widens the scope from how the media reports a single criminal justice event to how the media reports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s interaction with the criminal justice system. The study relies on Norman Fairclough’s (2003) theory of critical discourse analysis to analyse critically 25 Australian online news media articles featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Specifically, the study applies Fairclough’s (2003) three assumptive categories (existential, propositional and value). It identifies discourse reinforcing dominance and inequality within those media articles and reveals two major findings. The first significant finding is the unwillingness of any article to challenge or question the power structures that reinforce or lead to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inequality. The second major finding involves three ideologies within the text communicating racism and inequality: neo-colonial, neo-liberal assimilation and paternalistic ideologies. The concern is that although the twenty-five news media articles appear neutral, the critical analysis reveals racist ideologies being communicated and an unwillingness to challenge the power structures that create these. This position suggests that racism is not just a problem of a bygone era—it is a contemporary issue continuing at a deeper level nestled in the underlying assumptions and ideologies found within news media discourse. These findings would bring awareness to the media’s discursive practices and generate further discussion and research to address the discursive structures responsible for perpetuating the systemic harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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McCue, James. "The responsibility of young people and the vicarious responsibility of their parents: A vignette study investigating the influence of perpetrator age and victim harm on public attributions of criminal and general responsibility." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2016. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1767.

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Following the notorious James Bulger murder and several subsequent cases, the media has increasingly reported on children under the age of 10 engaging in serious and violent criminal behaviour. The media have reported claims that children understand crime, and its consequences, at a younger age compared to previous generations due to revolutionary advances in technology and education. Consequently, there has been a tendency for the media to report punitive public reactions to youth crime, focused on harsher penalties at younger ages. Under Australian law children under the age of 10 fall below the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR), and are considered doli incapax (i.e., they lack the capacity to form criminal intent). Recent developmental psychological research indicates that children understand concepts of right and wrong from approximately six years of age. However, they do not fully develop the ability to manage the emotional aspects of decision making until approximately 25 years of age, placing them at risk of engaging in impulsive and ill-considered decision making without considering the possible consequences of their actions. Accordingly, there is a fundamental gap between media/public attributions and psychological research. Another related and contentious policy issue regarding the MACR, is the degree of vicarious responsibility parents should assume for their child(ren)’s criminal behaviour. Utilising an attribution theoretical perspective and Hart’s (1968) construct of responsibility, the current research project investigated public attributions (n = 274) regarding the criminal and general responsibility of young people, the vicarious criminal and general responsibility of parents. A 3 x 3 factorial experimental design was employed to measure the influence of perpetrator age (7, 11 or 14 years) and level of harm caused to the victim (low, moderate, high) on attributions of the criminal responsibility of young people and their parents (i.e., the child/parent being processed and punished by the criminal justice system), as well as the general responsibility of young people and their parents (i.e., the child/parent being held accountable for the harm caused via civil remedies and alternatives to justice). Attributions were measured using quantitative and qualitative methods. The results indicated that attributions of criminal responsibility are significantly predicted by the level of harm caused to the victim, and demonstrated that the public are prepared to attribute criminal responsibility to children as young as seven years of age when a high level of harm is caused. It was found that the public support the use of restorative and diversionary justice measures to deal with young people. Whilst they are willing to hold children responsible, the public do not support holding parents ‘criminally’ responsible for their children’s actions. Instead, the public favour civil remedies such as the victim and their parents paying compensation. As well as being consistent with existing literature regarding attributions of responsibility, the findings contribute new insights regarding the ability of the public to differentiate between concepts of criminal responsibility and general responsibility when forming attributions. When provided with information regarding a specific example of youth crime, the public support efforts to intervene with young people and their family to reduce the risk of reoffending. The public do not necessarily desire punitive responses to youth crime, such as a lower MACR or vicarious parental criminal responsibility.
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18

Foster, Karen L. "Amphetamines and Western Australian detainees: A social profile." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2012. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/487.

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The current study utilised data collected from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s project known as Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA). The DUMA project examined detainees’ social demographics and past and present drug use, at various Australian sites. The current study examined secondary data as a subset of the DUMA data collected from the East Perth lockup in Western Australia. Three sections of the DUMA data were analysed in this study (i) changes in amphetamine use by detainees (ii) demographic profile of detained amphetamine users and (iii) offences for which they have been detained. Analyses included chi-square tests, Kendall’s tau_b, ANOVA, and descriptive statistics, which were used in order to ascertain if a change between the three main sections had occurred overtime (1999-2006). Results showed detainees’ amphetamine use increased during the ‘heroin drought’. The profile demographic of detainee amphetamine users showed some significant changes overtime; a majority were male, aged between 18 to 34 years, and most likely to be unemployed. The study also showed detainee amphetamine users were most likely to commit offences against property, rather than offences against a person. Recommendations include detainees be offered drug counselling where appropriate and have access to resources assisting with gaining long-term employment.
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19

Hovane, Victoria Elizabeth. "Aboriginal perspectives about child sexual abuse: Informing the cultural dimension in sex offending theories for use with Aboriginal offenders." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2015. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1754.

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Child sexual abuse (CSA) and its consequences constitute a serious social issue in Aboriginal and other communities throughout the world. As a result, a number of influential psychological theories about sexual offending have been developed. These theories suggest that the early socialisation and developmental experiences of offenders are implicated in the onset, development and maintenance of sexual offending behaviour. While these theories suggest that culture is important for understanding such behaviour, their specific role has largely been ignored in the literature. Given the paucity of research in this area the aim of this study was to understand the perspectives of an Aboriginal community in Western Australia about the role of culture in CSA in their community, how this could inform the cultural dimension in existing psychological theories of sexual offending, and the implications of this for applying these theories with such sex offenders. During the first stage the researcher undertook semi-structured, in-depth interviews to collect data from 11 Aboriginal adult female and four adult male members from the community. A thematic analysis of the transcribed interview data identified five primary themes: Misusing Power; Surviving the System; Evolving Culture; Fear of Repercussions; and Avoiding Exposure. During the second stage the researcher presented her results to six people at a local Aboriginal community forum for their feedback, insights and refinement of the results. The same, but refined, themes were then presented to a group of five non-Aboriginal people who work with Aboriginal people in child protection and family counselling, for their feedback and insights. On the basis of all the feedback a sixth theme, Holding Aboriginal Law, was added. Aboriginal Law provides specific information, and sets out rules and expectations about Aboriginal people’s lives, kinship structures, cultural traditions, spiritual beliefs, and restricted ceremonial practices, traditional medicine, education and specialised training. Taken together the results of this study suggest the themes Misusing Power; Surviving the System and Holding Aboriginal Law are relevant to understanding the onset, development, maintenance and response to CSA, that Evolving Culture is relevant to understanding the development and maintenance of CSA, and Fear of Repercussions and Avoiding Exposure make an important contribution to understanding factors that maintain the commission of CSA in this community. An important finding of this study is that, whilst the misinterpretation of Aboriginal Law plays a role in the onset, development and maintenance of CSA, a sound knowledge of Aboriginal Law can be used to prevent CSA and to respond to it. Policy developers should therefore have a sound knowledge of Aboriginal Law and take it into account when developing policies. They should also consider developing policies that will create opportunities for Aboriginal people to connect with and enhance their understanding of Aboriginal Law. Assessors and professionals working with Aboriginal CSA offenders should likewise have a solid understanding of Aboriginal Law, and consider developing treatment modalities which will challenge Aboriginal offenders’ misconceptions about Aboriginal Law, and provide them with opportunities to develop a sound understanding of its values, principles and practices.
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20

Landwehr, Ebonnie. "Perceptions of stalking: The influence of perpetrator mental disorder diagnosis, target-perpetrator gender, and perpetrator persistence." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2016. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1917.

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Stalking is a complex phenomenon that results in significant harm to victims. For this reason, it is vital that knowledge and understanding of the behaviour be continually advanced. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of perpetrator mental disorder diagnosis, target-perpetrator gender, and persistence on perceptions of stalking. Although psychiatric diagnoses are prevalent among clinical stalker populations, little is known about how the presence of a perpetrator mental disorder may influence perceptions of stalking. Both target-perpetrator gender and persistence have been found to have an effect on perceptions of stalking, however it is not understood if or how the presence of mental disorder may interact with these factors. An experimental 2 × 2 × 2 independent factorial design was used to examine the influence of perpetrator mental disorder diagnosis, target-perpetrator gender, and perpetrator persistence on ascriptions of a stalking label, perceptions of behaviour seriousness and perceptions of responsibility. Two-hundred and eighty participants read one of eight vignettes and responded to one categorical item, five scale items, and an open-ended question pertaining to the behaviour described in the scenario. Overall, the majority of participants perceived the behaviour as stalking. Thematic analysis revealed that the repeated and unwanted nature of the behaviour and specific behaviours such as communicating with and following the target were of importance. Only mental disorder influenced ascriptions of a stalking label, with a chi-square analysis indicating that participants were significantly less likely to ascribe a stalking label in the presence of perpetrator mental disorder. Participants who did not ascribe a stalking label in the presence of mental disorder had concerns regarding the perpetrator’s responsibility for the behaviour. With regard to perceptions of behaviour seriousness and perceptions of responsibility, a MANOVA found significant main effects for mental disorder and target-perpetrator gender. A mentally disordered perpetrator was perceived as less responsible for their behaviour than a non-disordered perpetrator. Furthermore, in the presence of mental disorder, the target was perceived to be more responsible for encouraging the perpetrator’s behaviour. In regard to target-perpetrator gender, the behaviour was perceived to be more likely to result in violence and anxiety for the target when the vignette described a man pursuing a woman in comparison to a woman pursuing a man. When no psychiatric history was provided in the vignette, participants were asked to indicate how likely it was that the perpetrator had a mental disorder diagnosis. A MANCOVA including this covariate indicated that when mental disorder was assumed as opposed to stated, responsibility was not significant but behaviour seriousness was. The influence of a perpetrator’s mental disorder diagnosis and targetperpetrator gender on perceptions of stalking have implications for the treatment of perpetrators and victims, both informally and within the criminal justice system. It should be acknowledged that the discrepancy in findings between an explicitly stated and an assumed mental disorder diagnosis may be due to participants imagining different mental disorders, therefore future research should include the manipulation of diagnosis type.
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21

Downe, Kristy. "Exploration of perceptions of justice amongst secondary victims of sexual crime." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2007. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/256.

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Justice is a key concept upon which society is built. Different interpretations of justice, and disagreements over what it demands, continue to complicate its meaning and application. Though academic and public discourse has added to knowledge as to what justice represents, developing an understanding of justice from the view of "everyday people" has important empirical and clinical implications. It is argued here that research grounded in people's lived experience yields a more comprehensive picture of justice in terms of how the concept is structured and secondly, how its meaning varies between individuals. Such knowledge can be used to develop judicial and community policies/services better suited to community needs. This research focused on perceptions of justice amongst family and friends of victims (secondary victims) of sexual assault or abuse. Evidence suggests that secondary victims are affected by victimisation similar to direct victims and furthermore, are important to direct victims' recovery. Sexual crime also represents an important form of crime in that it constitutes a particularly serious violation of personal boundaries. A grounded theory approach to empirical inquiry was adopted in this research in keeping with the emphasis on exploration and lived experience. Data was collected over 2 interrelated studies. In Study 1, 20 participants completed a pen-and-paper questionnaire. In Study 2, which constituted the main study, 29 participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Analysis revealed that a sense of justice emerged out of themes/concepts covering two major areas: the experience of victimisation and secondly, beliefs about justice per se. Victimisation impacted on participants similar to how contact with traumatised individuals results in secondary trauma in some carers, health professionals, and similar support figures. Justice themes/concepts relevant to participants overlapped with elements represented in procedural and retributive theories of justice, as well as centring on concepts, such as healing and recognition, which fall outside of traditional justice theory. Participants sought "good enough" rather than absolute justice and relatively few participants believed good enough justice had been achieved in their situation. Overall, findings indicated that justice is expressed and realised in different ways between individuals despite clustering around common themes/concepts.
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22

Bycroft, Debra. "Probative value of pre-sentence reports for juvenile matters." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2020. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2291.

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The research reported in this thesis was designed to identify the methodology required for the pre-sentence evaluation of a juvenile, the skills and knowledge that inform this methodology, and the report content that should be communicated to the court. Four sources of data were used: the available literature in the area, a Delphi study of psychologists with expertise in the area who conduct the evaluations and prepare the reports, a survey of judicial officers who receive the reports, and a reference group of psychologists to provide suggestions on how to resolve the minor discrepancies that emerged between the psychologists and the judicial officers. The results show consensus among psychologists on the skills and knowledge required for a pre-sentence report and content of a report. There was agreement on most aspects of methodology except for the need for a formal risk assessment (e.g., using scientific valid assessment tools) and the use of a model to guide the evaluation. In these areas, psychologists are out of step with recommendations in the professional literature. Judicial officers agreed that most content provided in a psychological pre-sentence report was helpful. However, they identified a number of areas where reports could be improved: methodology, transparency, relevance of content, comprehensiveness, and conciseness. Judicial officers provided clarification on a number of other areas: that scientifically based information on risk was always helpful and is mandatory for some offence types; that it was not appropriate for the court to provide feedback on the helpfulness of individual reports; that when addressing physical health or sentencing options in a report, psychologists should take care not to step outside their own competency and psychologists should make transparent the relevance to their data to the legal issue being addressed. The data highlight the need for steps to be taken to improve the standard and consistency of reports. As the first step to improving standards and consistency, a decision-making model for pre-sentence evaluations is proposed. Having produced this model, researchers now need to test it in the field to determine if applying the model has a positive impact on the helpfulness of reports and if the model can be used in other countries to improve the validity and helpfulness of psychological reports for juvenile sentencing matters.
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23

Rhodes, Patricia Joan. "Older indigent women’s economic crimes: Subsuming feminism in favour of a human rights explanation." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2017. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2024.

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Many people today believe the concept of gender inequality is outmoded, irrelevant and unnecessary in Western societies that are deemed egalitarian. As a consequence, feminism as a movement with gender equality at its core has often been proclaimed ‘dead’,a relic of the past. Feminist perspectives, nevertheless, have produced differing points of view about the sources of gender inequality affecting crime rates and criminal behaviour. For the last 50 years or so, women and girls have been the subject of criminological research that has largely evolved from sociological perspectives and specifically from feminism. Although gender intersects with other social realities and disadvantages, it is a crucial factor in relation to offending behaviour. A substantial body of feminist literature confirmed that marginality and poverty are factors leading to female criminality. Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, this research explores the consequences of gender inequalities affecting older indigent Australian women convicted of acquisitive crimes. This thesis argues that the term ‘feminism’, and feminist discourse and communications, ought to be abandoned in favour of advancing the human rights framework in the 21st century. Stigma associated with the feminist label has been detrimental. The most significant finding in this research is that financial need rather than greed was a precursor to older women’s involvement in acquisitive crimes. Having primary custody of children after divorce and relying on welfare support were factors contributing to their impoverished status. The feminisation of poverty, the segregation of women into low-paid feminine occupations and an accumulation of disadvantages over the life course often contribute to women’s impoverishment in their later years. Potentially, law-abiding older women are put at risk of transgressing the law for the first time later in their lives to alleviate their poverty. From a human rights perspective, violations of the women’s rights were factors contributing to their offending behaviour. Gender inequality, a condition that disadvantages women, however, is alive and well in Australia as confirmed here and is an unrelenting feature of many male-dominated social structures throughout the world today. Since a great deal of negativity surrounds the feminist label, it would be more pragmatic to abandon the feminist label and adopt a human rights approach.
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24

Phillips, Catharine. "Prisoner, prison and situational characteristics and their relationship with the prevalence, incidence and type of prison offending recorded by a sample of prisoners within Western Australian prisons." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2019. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2163.

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The importance that researchers and prison administrators have placed on ensuring that the good governance, security and safety of prisons are maintained has generated a number of studies of prison offending. Previous studies have identified several prisoner, prison and situational characteristics as relevant in regard to their relationship with the prevalence, incidence and type of prison offences committed. However, no studies have been conducted in Australia, and therefore no studies have included Aboriginal prisoners in their prisoner samples. In addition, the differences in regard to legislation pertaining to prison offending between jurisdictions is also of importance when considering the generalisability of the body of research available on the subject. The present study involved the examination of the relationship between several prisoner and prison characteristics and the prevalence and incidence of prison offending, and several prisoner, prison and situational characteristics and the types of prison offences committed by male, female, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal prisoner samples. The prevalence, incidence and type of prison offences were examined within and across all adult prison facilities in Western Australia, and included all adult prisoners who had spent the full 12-month study period in prison within Western Australia. Logistic regression and multiple regression analyses revealed that several prisoner and prison characteristics were significantly related to with the prevalence and incidence of prison offending, while logistic regression analyses revealed that several prisoner, prison and situational characteristics were significantly related to the type of prison offences committed by male, female, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal prisoners included in the prisoner sample. The present study provides a useful addition to the existing body of research due to it being the first of its kind to include Aboriginal prisoners in an Australian context. The present study also provides generalisable findings to other Australian prisoner populations, and may prove to be of practical importance to other Australian jurisdictions, particularly those where the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people is of an extent similar to that of Western Australia. Practical interventions informed by the findings of the present study may help to reduce the prevalence and incidence of prison offending, and the severity of such offending, which may subsequently improve the security of prisons, the safety of staff, prisoners and visitors, and reduce the financial implications for prison systems, governments and taxpayers in respect of compensation for injured prison staff, prisoners or visitors, costs associated with the rectification of damage caused by prisoners, and costs associated with the administrative processes relating to the progression of formal prison charges.
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25

Sullivan, Paul John. "Australian attitudes towards computer crime." Thesis, 1995. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15266/.

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This investigation compares the responses of university staff and students of a Faculty of Business with those of the staff and students at the New South Wales Police Academy, in Goulburn. The research tested the attitudes of the respondents to computer fraud, credit card fraud, copying software and hacking into computer systems. The research found, from questionnaire responses, that computer crimes are considered to be insignificant compared with other crimes which have far less impact on society in financial terms. Hacking, in particular, which costs Australian society an increasing amount each year, was ranked at a very low level of significance. Further, the research found a significant difference between the university and police responses to whether or not hacking and copying software are considered to be criminal activities.
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26

Killey, Ian David. "Police and the Executive." Thesis, 2017. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/37859/.

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This thesis examines the legal relationship between police and government in Australia to ascertain the extent to which the statutory forms and the understanding of those forms allow Australian police forces to be subject to direct or indirect government direction. The thesis also proposes areas of law reform to establish a constitutionally and legally coherent relationship. The methodology for the thesis is doctrinal and documentary. It involves examination of the statutory, parliamentary, judicial and historical record in Australia and comparable jurisdictions (predominantly United Kingdom and Canada) to ascertain the elements of the different models, the reason for their enactment and how they have been applied and understood. The thesis finds that there are three different statutory approaches used in Australia: the No, Broad and Limited Direction Models. However, the understanding of those models and the development of the Limited Direction Model, has been confused by a supposed doctrine of police independence developed during the 20th century based on flawed legal and historical considerations. Those flawed considerations include: • Selective use of the historical record; • Ignoring expressions of parliamentary intention when interpreting legislation; • Misapplication of judicial authorities; • Inflating the significance of the office of constable; • Misunderstanding and misapplying the doctrine of separation of powers; • Applying a flawed ‘mythology’ regarding Sir Robert Peel and his intentions; and • Minimising the constitutional significance of the doctrine of ministerial responsibility. This flawed view, combined with an erroneous understanding constitutional conventions, have led to a widely held but confused understanding of the police government relationship in Australia that police are, or should be independent of government in relation to ‘operational’ matters, but with no settled view as to the meaning of that term. This is further confused by another widely held view that policy decisions are the preserve of government, even though policy and operations are related and not contradictory concepts. The thesis has also identified a further area of confusion in the relationship, being significant legislative reductions to the security of tenure of Police Commissioners. All State police Commissioners are now employed for 5 year terms and most have little or no protection from arbitrary termination of appointment. This provide a means for indirect influence in a non transparent manner over Police Commissioners. Given this confused relationship the thesis proposes elements as a basis for the development of a coherent constitutional relationship. Those elements are: • Basing the relationship on the doctrine of ministerial responsibility with government empowered to direct police on all or the majority of policing matters. The only exclusions would be matters which can be demonstrated as inappropriate for government to direct. This element is consistent with government’s responsibility for policing and recognises that the effectiveness of police, as with other statutory bodies, can require certain well defined areas of independence. • Requiring the government direction power to be exercised transparently; which will ensure that governments are subject to scrutiny for exercises of that power. • Increasing the security of tenure for Police Commissioners, so as to reduce indirect government influence over police.
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