NCJ Number
82885
Date Published
1981
Length
31 pages
Annotation
The Director of the Australian Institute of Criminology examines the extent and nature of crime among Aboriginals in Australia, the Aboriginal approach to crime problems, and potential solutions to the problem of Aboriginal crime.
Abstract
Aboriginals constitute 1 percent of the Australian population but have provided nearly 30 percent of the prison population. Drunkenness offenses are prominent among the offenses for which Aboriginals are incarcerated, as are more serious assaults and property damage prompted by drunkenness. Aboriginal concepts of crime and justice are different from those of Western cultures. For example, tribal Aboriginals use customary law, which employs compensation and damages rather than punishment as a way of correcting wrongs and which enforces conformity by public opinion, ridicule, and shame. However, most Aboriginals are no longer totally tribal. Proponents of recognition of custom must recognize both the importance and influence of custom and the effects over time of exposure to Western culture and law. Criminologists in Australia are aware that Aboriginal imprisonment rates cannot be explained by genetic or cultural factors but rather reflect defects in the criminal justice system itself. A distinct Aboriginal criminology should be developed to apply the general principles of criminology to the Aboriginals' own basic concepts, norms of social behavior, and methods of tolerating or dealing with deviation. Among the more immediate reforms needed are the reduction in the use of imprisonment, the acceptance of customary law and traditional courts in tribal areas, and research and experimentation on methods of dealing with the drinking problem among Aboriginals. Twelve references and appendixes presenting data tables are provided.