NCJ Number
82186
Editor(s)
D Biles
Date Published
1981
Length
113 pages
Annotation
This report discusses the current status of Australian criminological research and includes summaries of 40 papers on various aspects of criminal justice research, including crime victims, drug offenders, and the court systems.
Abstract
Systematic criminological research is a comparatively recent development in Australia. In the 1970's, Government interest in criminology increased and in 1971, a Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research was established in New South Wales. In 1978, the South Australian Government established an Office of Crime Statistics, and other States have considered establishing similar offices. The Australian Institute of Criminology has become recognized as the major center for criminological research in Australia. Summarized papers focus on paradigms of court research, young Aboriginal offenders, legal representation and delays in magistrates courts, crimes against retailers, police unionism, police management information systems, entomological timing of death, glass analysis in crime investigations, robbery incidents, defensible space concepts, and other topics. Also discussed are the sentencing of Federal offenders and drunk drivers, women homicide offenders, community service orders, sentencing mentally disordered offenders, sanctions against corporations, and battered husbands. Edited group discussions on additional research concerns conclude the report. Tables and notes are included in some of the papers. A list of seminar participants and an evaluation questionnaire of the seminar are appended.