RMIT University Centre for Innovative Justice

Main Navigation Menu

Research + Projects

The CIJ undertakes research and makes submissions on the themes of restorative justice, family violence, women's decarceration and systemic reform. We work in partnership with the justice sector, government and justice system users, as well as independently.

Submission
Disability Justice

Submission to Australian Attorney General’s Department Review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992

In November 2025, the CIJ and Voices for Change provided a submission to the Australian Attorney General’s Department Review of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1992.

Read more Download publication
Submission
Systemic Reform

Submission into the Legislative Scrutiny Committee’s inquiry into the Care and Protection of Children Legislation Amendment (Every Child Matters) Bill 2026

In May, the CIJ provided a submission to the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory in response to the proposed Care and Protection of Children Legislation Amendment (Every Child Matters) Bill 2026.

Read more Download publication
Project

Online Courts Research Project

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020 accelerated the use of online hearings in courts in Victoria, Australia and around the world.

Read more Download publication
Project
Disability Justice

Leaving Prison Disability Support: Examining the Links Between Disability, Risk and Release from Custody – Desktop review summary

In 2024, the CIJ was engaged by the National Disability Insurance Agency to examine the links between disability supports, risk and release from custody. This research project looks at people with disability who commit serious violent or sexual offences. It aims to better understand the relationships between these factors and explore models of support for this group of people.

Read more Download publication
Unsafe and Unseen: Spotlighting the needs and experiences of unaccompanied young people seeking shelter
Project
Family Violence

Unsafe and Unseen: Spotlighting the needs and experiences of unaccompanied young people seeking shelter

'Unsafe and Unseen: Spotlighting the needs and experiences of unaccompanied young people seeking shelter' builds on an important evidence base that engages directly with young people, situating them as the both the experts of their own lived experiences and the most vital voices in advocating for change.

Read more Download publication
Report
Systemic Reform

Ensuring that Aboriginal perspectives inform responses to Aboriginal victims

On Thursday 12 December, the CIJ, in partnership with the Aboriginal Justice Caucus and Djirra released the "Ensuring that Aboriginal Perspectives Inform Responses to Aboriginal Victims of Crime" report.  

Read more Download publication
All publications
All

Download our publications here

You can access all CIJ publications as PDFs for download using the links below.

Read more
All submissions
All

Download our submissions here

You can access all CIJ submissions as PDFs for download using the links below.

Read more
Project
Family Violence

IVY Study: Towards an Australian response to the use of intimate partner Violence by Young People

The CIJ is proud to announce that we will be leading the IVY Study: Towards an Australian response to the use of Intimate partner Violence by Young People.

Read more
Project
Family Violence, Women’s Decarceration

The misidentification of First Nations women as family violence perpetrators   

The CIJ is excited to be working with Djirra, Victoria’s statewide Aboriginal family violence prevention and legal service, on a new, community-led project investigating a highly damaging trend in the justice system.

Read more
Project

Victoria Legal Aid Remand Review

The CIJ was commissioned for an independent review of VLA’s legal and non-legal services to people on remand.

Read more Download publication
Project
All

Supporting Africause and the African-Australian community in designing an innovative alternative justice response   

Following several months of consultation with the African Australian community in Melbourne’s inner west, the CIJ has assisted in the design of an innovative, community led justice model to support young African Australians stay out of the criminal justice system. 

Read more
Project
Women’s Decarceration

Evaluation of the Women’s SupPORT Pathways Project

The CIJ’s independent evaluation of the Women’s SupPORT Pathways project, delivered by the Law and Advocacy Centre for Women (LACW), has found evidence of a range of positive impacts from this innovative, gender-based sports program.

Read more Download publication
Project
Systemic Reform

Interview Study: Exploring justice system experiences of complainants in sexual offence matters

Commissioned by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, this project aims to address a critical gap in understanding experiences of complainants of sexual offences in the NSW criminal justice system.

Read more Download publication
Project
Systemic Reform

Parkville College Understanding Pathways Project

Understanding Pathways for transition from detention to education and employment

Read more
Project
Systemic Reform

Understanding Experiences of Online Courts and Tribunals

This project will focus on developing practical approaches that enhance the delivery of online hearings so that these remain a positive and critical innovation in Victorian courts and tribunals.

Read more
Project
Family Violence

Evaluating the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria’s Expansion of the Remote Hearing Support Service

This service offers support and safety to people seeking the protection of a Family Violence Intervention Order by connecting them with specialist practitioners prior to, during and following the hearing, as well as offering the opportunity to participate in the hearing from a remote location, rather than attending court in person.

Read more
Project
Family Violence

Future-proofing Safety – A major project examining family violence in Victoria during COVID-19

The CIJ are proud to partner with Drummond Street’s Centre for Family Research and Evaluation (CFRE) and the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) on the Futureproofing Safety – COVID-19 and family violence in Victoria project.

Read more Download publication
Project
Women’s Decarceration

Feasibility Study – residential facility for Aboriginal women in contact with the criminal justice system

Developing a model and plan for implementation for a residential program for Aboriginal women in Victoria.

Read more
Project
Disability Justice

Forensic Disability Lived Experience Framework

The framework will be for Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)’s forensic disability and complex needs services and will provide the department with a roadmap on engaging people with lived experience of intellectual disability and the criminal justice system in policy and service design work.

Read more
Project
Family Violence

Evaluation of Victoria Legal Aid’s Legal Practice Model

The CIJ have been commissioned to conduct what emerged as a developmental evaluation – working alongside VLA to support the continuous generation of learnings as the Model becomes bedded down.

Read more Download publication
Project
Family Violence

Young people’s MARAM Practice Guidance – Evidence Review

In 2022 the CIJ was commissioned as a subject matter expert to contribute to a Practice Guidance regarding the use of family violence by young people. The project included facilitating consultations and then developing content for Family Safety Victoria to incorporate into a Practice Guidance which will accompany the children and young people focused Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) tools, to be released in 2023. 

Read more Download publication
Project
Systemic Reform

The Yallum Yallum Project: Developing a self-determined justice model

This project aims to support the design of an independent self-determined justice model incorporating an ‘Elders and Respected Persons Council’, to be known as Yallum Yallum.

Read more
Project
Family Violence

Evaluation of Youthlaw’s Pre-court support for adolescents using violence in the home

The Report highlights that early, specialist legal and non-legal support and pre-court negotiations, often results in timely and effective outcomes for young people, reduces harmful contact with the justice system and improved safety for their families.

Read more Download publication

Join our mailing list to receive the Centre's newsletter

View previous newsletters

Centre for Innovative Justice

RMIT Building 13
405 Russell St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
Wurundjeri Country

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

Acknowledgment of country

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.

Privacy Collection Notice

Your information will be used to subscribe you to the RMIT Centre for Innovative Justice newsletter mailing list. We use MailChimp to issue our newsletters. This means your information will be transmitted to and stored by MailChimp on servers located outside of Australia. By subscribing, you consent to your information being collected, used and disclosed as set out in the RMIT Privacy Statement, and in MailChimp’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can request to amend your information or unsubscribe at any time by contacting cij@rmit.edu.au.

Copyright © RMIT University

ABN 49 781 030 034
CRICOS provider number: 00122A
RTO Code: 3046
Open Universities Australia

Connect with us