RMIT University Centre for Innovative Justice

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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.

Project
Women’s Decarceration

Submission to Legal and Social Issues Committee Inquiry into Children Affected by Parental Incarceration

Women in prison are more likely than men to be the primary carer of dependent children or other family members. The increased use of incarceration against women – a global trend – amounts to ‘double punishment’ both for the women, and for the children and fractured families left behind. These children are the growing and largely invisible collateral damage of Victoria’s escalating female imprisonment rate.

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Submission
Systemic Reform

Submission to the Cultural Review of the Adult Custodial Corrections System

The CIJ made a submission to the Victorian Government's independent cultural review of the adult custodial corrections system. It offers insights into the experiences and needs of people in custodial corrections, in particular people with disability and women in prisons.

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Submission
Disability Justice

Submission to the Review of the Victorian Disability Act 2006 (the Act)

The CIJ recently made a submission to the Review of the Victorian Disability Act 2006 (the Act). The second stage of the Review is aimed at tackling inequality and promoting inclusion, following the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

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Submission
Systemic Reform

Submission to the Victorian Ministerial Taskforce on Workplace Sexual Harassment

Our submission to this review highlighted opportunities to improve prevention and survivor-focussed responses to workplace sexual harassment by providing restorative options.

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Submission
Systemic Reform

Submissions to the Review to Improve Victim’s Experiences of Summary Criminal Proceedings

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Submission
Systemic Reform

Submission to Legal and Social Issues Committee Inquiry into Victoria’s Criminal Justice System

To further our work advocating for better criminal justice responses for women, the CIJ recently made a submission to the Victorian Parliament Legal and Social Issues Committee’s Inquiry into the criminal justice system.

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Project
Disability Justice

Submission to the ‘Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability’ – NDIS interface with criminal justice

The CIJ has made a further submission to the Disability Royal Commission. Our submission highlights some of the issues, barriers and challenges for people in custody accessing and maintaining an NDIS package, including transitions in and out of custody.

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illustration of three people
Submission
Disability Justice

Submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability

The CIJ has made a joint submission with the Voices for Change self-advocacy group to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.

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Submission
Restorative Justice

Submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission’s Inquiry into Improving the Response of the Justice System to Sexual Offences

The CIJ’s submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission advocates for the use of victim/survivor focused restorative justice processes in response to sexual harm.

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Report
Family Violence

Behind closed doors: Adolescent Violence in the Home (AVITH) during COVID & challenges to come

CIJ has partnered with the Centre for Family Research and Evaluation at drummond street services on this Issues Paper which examined the issue of adolescent violence in the home during COVID-19 lockdowns.

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Report
Family Violence

The PIPA project: Positive Interventions for Perpetrators of Adolescent violence in the home

This report contributes to an understanding of adolescent violence in the home (AVITH) and explores the development of a considered systemic response.

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Evaluation
Women’s Decarceration

Women Transforming Justice

The CIJ is conducting an ongoing evaluation of Women Transforming Justice (WTJ), a collaboration between the Fitzroy Legal Service (incorporating Darebin Community Legal Centre), the Law and Advocacy Centre for Women (LACW) and Flat Out.

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Project
Systemic Reform

Victim Service Review

The Victorian Department of Justice & Community Safety has asked the CIJ to review the state's service and support system for victims of crime.

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Project
Systemic Reform

Child Witness Service Review

As part of the wider review of Victoria’s victim’s services, the CIJ was commissioned by the Department of Justice and Community Safety to conduct a separate review of the Child Witness Service (CWS) in 2019.

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Project
Disability Justice

Supporting Justice Website Resource

Supporting Justice is aimed at improving the justice system's responses to mental health and disability.

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System Map
Project
Disability Justice

Supporting Justice System Map

The Supporting Justice System Map is a visualisation of some of the factors that impact on people with disability in contact with the criminal justice system. The map was developed by the Centre for Innovative Justice, together with Paper Giant, as part of the early design work to create supportingjustice.net. Stakeholders from across the justice, disability and social service sectors contributed their time to consult on the creation of this resource.

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Project
Disability Justice

Voices for Justice

The Voices for Justice program supports people with disability and lived experience of the criminal justice system to be self-advocates.

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Report
Systemic Reform

Unstacking the odds: Towards positive interventions at the intersection of gambling and crime

The purpose of this Issues Paper is to build on the CIJ’s, 2017 report 'Compulsion, convergence or crime', by highlighting relevant literature and case law which has emerged since this 2017 work was conducted.

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Report
Women’s Decarceration

Financial Counselling Practice Guidance: Integrating financial counselling in a legal setting for effective collaborative practice

The CIJ delivered a ground breaking financial counselling service pilot to women in Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.

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Project
Family Violence

Improved accountability – the role of perpetrator intervention systems

This multi-jurisdictional research project is looking at the existence or otherwise of perpetrator intervention systems across Australia.

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Submission
Systemic Reform

Submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Homelessness in Victoria

The CIJ recently made a joint submission with the Law and Advocacy Centre for Women to the Victorian Parliament Legal and Social Issues Committee’s Inquiry into Homelessness in Victoria. We support the initiative of the Victorian Government in recognising that homelessness is an ongoing and complex issue.

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Submission
Systemic Reform

Review of Age of Criminal Responsibility

The CIJ recently made a submission to the Council of Attorneys-General as part of their review of the age of criminal responsibility in Australia.

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Submission
Systemic Reform

Submission to the Crime Statistics Agency Measuring crime harm − the reality behind the statistics

The CIJ supports the development of a Crime Harm Index that reflects the experience of victims and the wider harms that flow from crime.

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Project
Criminal Record Discrimination

Criminal Record Discrimination Project

The CIJ has been working with Woor-Dungin on this award-winning project that has achieved legislative change for those with historic criminal records in Victoria.

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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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