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News + Views

The CIJ advocates for a better justice system through a range of forums including media articles, opinion pieces, speeches and our blog. To request media comment, please contact RMIT Central Communications on +61 439 704 077.

News

Improved accountability: The role of perpetrator intervention systems

The CIJ was thrilled to see the long awaited release of ANROWS funded research into the role of perpetrator intervention systems. This major edited collection – led by Professor Donna Chung from Curtin University – was a collaboration between researchers from multiple universities in different jurisdictions around Australia. This included a number of chapters co-authored by CIJ Associate Director, Elena Campbell, and will serve as a substantial contribution to the growing evidence base concerning perpetrator interventions. 

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Media

Curfew must involve a plan for those who have no choice but to be out

Few question the necessity of the move to stage four restrictions in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases, as tough as the coming six weeks (or longer) are likely to be.

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Media

Australian prisons

According to statistics crime rates are falling in Australia but then why are more and more people getting locked up? How do we keep our community safe and prevent people from going to jail?

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Media

Human rights under lockdown

The past week has seen Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews taking, what he calls, "extraordinary steps" to enforce at-home restrictions to try and contain the coronavirus, especially for people living in high rise public housing towers. But how far can governments go in a public health emergency before impeding on a person's individual rights and freedoms? And does access to those rights depend on where someone lives?

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Media

Lockdown returns: how far can coronavirus measures go before they infringe on human rights?

As of this morning, ten “hot spot” postcodes in Melbourne’s suburbs have gone back into Stage 3 coronavirus lockdown.

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News

Financial counselling for women in the criminal justice system – a crucial ingredient in a multidisciplinary, positive intervention

The CIJ has just concluded its ground breaking pilot delivering financial counselling services to women in Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.

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Media

Restorative Justice and Aboriginal-led Decision Making

In a week dominated by stories of the Black Lives Matter protests in the US and closer to home protests against Aboriginal deaths in custody and the overincarceration of our First Nations people, we look at promising Aboriginal-led decision-making processes that are helping protect culture and keep Aboriginal people safer through the justice system in Victoria. We're talking restorative justice, and we're also talking about a beautiful possum cloak that's keeping culture real and present in the children's court.

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Blog

Responding restoratively to Covid -19?

Although we are still confronted daily with the immediate consequences of Covid-19, at Open Circle we are beginning to turn our minds to the future. What will our daily life, work and relationships look like when this pandemic is over, and how can we respond with a restorative lens?

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Media

Removing barriers to Aboriginal employment

RMIT researchers have partnered with Aboriginal organisations on a new project to tackle barriers to employment for Aboriginal people.

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Blog

Answering your questions about restorative justice and how it can complement the justice system

The Centre for Innovative Justice recently held a live webinar during Law Week in May 2020. The webinar features Centre for Innovative Justice and Open Circle staff Renee Handsaker, Anna Howard and Stan Winford discussing restorative justice and how it can complement the justice system.

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Blog

Answering your questions about disability in the justice system

The Centre for Innovative Justice recently held two events focusing on the experience of people with disability in the criminal justice system, and their capacity to lead change.

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Students

Life as a social work student experiencing placement during COVID-19

In light of the COVID-19 restrictions, the six social work students at the Mental Health Legal Centre, Law and Advocacy Centre for Women and YouthLaw have since experienced the most unconventional placement within community legal centres to date.

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Blog

Open Circle and Restorative Justice During Covid-19

Restorative justice services around the world are being impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and are developing their responses accordingly. At Open Circle, we too are working hard to adapt to the rapidly changing circumstances, whilst continuing to provide quality restorative justice processes to our community. The safety of service users and staff is of paramount importance to us.

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Blog

Voices of adolescents should not be another casualty of this pandemic

In early March, just before the impacts of COVID-19 really started to be felt in Victoria, the CIJ was thrilled to launch the PIPA Project report. This report highlighted the way in which the current one-size-fits-all response to family violence may be doing more harm than good when it comes to adolescents who use violence in their homes.

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Blog

COVID-19 and incarcerated women: a call to action in two parts – Part Two

In this two-part series, we draw on our work with partner agencies and people with experiences of imprisonment to argue for women to be prioritised for bail or early release from Victorian jails. This is in advance of a broader CIJ Discussion Paper regarding the imperative for decarceration of women, to be released towards the middle of the year. In the second of this two-part discussion, the CIJ explores the impact on women of measures to manage viral infection in Victoria’s prisons.

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Blog

Financial Counselling help during COVID-19

During these stressful times, it can be daunting and hard to navigate financial assistance systems. Below are some resources from our Financial Counsellor, Sarah Davidson

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Blog

COVID-19 and incarcerated women: a call to action in two parts – Part One

In this two-part series, we draw on our work with partner agencies and people with experiences of imprisonment to argue for women to be prioritised for bail or early release from Victorian jails. This is in advance of a broader CIJ Discussion Paper regarding the imperative for decarceration of women, to be released towards the middle of the year. 

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Blog

New justice responses must prioritise Indigenous voices

There’s been a recent shift in the politics of Indigenous affairs. After a period of paternalism, the pendulum has begun to swing back in the direction of self-determination.

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Blog

Court Innovation during COVID-19 Crisis

Often out of adversity comes opportunity. COVID-19 is disrupting all aspects of our lives at the moment and will continue to do so for months.

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Media

COVID-19, prisons and the courts

Should prisoners be released because of the risks around coronavirus? And the case of the homeless man, just released from prison who was fined $250 for salvaging pies and iced coffees from a dumpster.

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News

A note from CIJ’s Director

We are facing unique and difficult times with the onset of the Coronavirus here in Australia. Not only will COVID-19 change the way we operate as an organisation, but it will put added stress on everyone working in, or associated with, the justice system.

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Media

The importance of financial counselling

CIJ's Financial Counsellor, Sarah Davidson, recently appeared on Saturday Night with Dr Sally Cockburn, 3AW to discuss the importance of financial counselling

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Media

‘Invisible’ victims of teenage violence are already suffering in silence. The legal system is making the problem worse

The abuse began soon after Anita's* eldest son hit his teenage years, she says, and quickly escalated from simple back-chatting to full-blown physical assaults.

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Blog

Launch of the PIPA project – Positive Interventions for Perpetrators of Adolescent violence in the home (AVITH)

The launch of the PIPA project on Tuesday 3 March was a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come in the CIJ journey – as well as how much still lies ahead.

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Centre for Innovative Justice

RMIT Building 20 – Former Magistrates’ Court
124 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Wurundjeri Country

Email: cij@rmit.edu.au
Phone: 03 9925 7249

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RMIT University acknowledges the Kulin Nations as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the University stands. The University respectfully recognises Elders both past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of lands across Australia where it conducts its business, their Elders, Ancestors, cultures and heritage.

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