Community Development Approach to Crime Prevention in Aboriginal Communities (From Aboriginal Justice Issues, P 17-23, 1993, Sandra McKillop, ed. -- See NCJ-148980)

• NCJ Number: 148981
• Author(s): B Miller
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This is a case study of a North Queensland (Australia) Aboriginal community that is trying to address threats to its social order.

Abstract

In response to growing community violence, the Aboriginal Coordinating Council (ACC) and the government agreed to an independent task force of three people, which was asked to develop recommendations for dealing with the situation. The author of this paper was a member of the task force. The task force determined that the township of Aurukun has residents from a large number of clan groups with strong, distinctive cultures, so the settlement cannot be managed as a single community. Residents' allegiances are to family, clan, and regional ceremonial associations. The church, with government support, attempted to create an artificial community, thus contributing to current tensions in the settlement. The task force conducted discussions with all the major clan groups, families in the settlement, and community organizations. Based on the task force's analysis of community characteristics, the ACC mounted an integrated community development approach to crime prevention that addressed personal, social, and political factors; prevention; treatment; and rehabilitation. One of the important components of this approach was the use of mediation or alternative dispute resolution training for local Aboriginal people. There is general agreement among the residents of Aurukun that the most promising long-term approach for social order is government support for the Aboriginal homeland movement. There are already 12 main out stations or homelands and another nine that are occupied from time to time. The homelands are governed by clan leaders. Traditional social groupings and social controls have been effective in preventing crime in the homelands. Crime prevention policies in Aurukun must focus on the development of a broad range of health, education, housing, and infrastructure services in consultation with the various clan leaders. 8 references