This report outlines activities required to expedite Australia’s approach to implementing the United Nations' Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). Informed by a recent national OPCAT symposium, the publication provides a clear pathway for...

This document outlines an evidence-based, alternative vision for a more effective and connected youth justice system in Western Australia. The report articulates a whole-of-system approach that responds to the underlying causes of offending to reduce crime, ensures the wellbeing of children and young people, and...

Australia’s prison population is growing and ageing, which is placing an increasing burden on the provision of healthcare in prison. This paper highlights the significant gap in national data about all elements of palliative care need and provision in prisons, and describes how data collection...

This report shines a light on harmful practices in women’s prisons in New Zealand. It finds that while there have been some encouraging policy developments in recent years, deep challenges still remain.

IBAC performs an important role in exposing, investigating and preventing corruption across the public sector, including the corrections sector. This report focuses on four investigations – Operations Rous, Caparra, Nisidia and Molara – outlining the corruption issues involved, factors that may contribute to these issues...

This research has found high use of seclusion and restraint in prisons, children and young people’s residences and health and disability units, particularly of Māori and Pacific Peoples, prompting calls from the NZ Human Rights Commission for detention agencies to shift their practices. This report...

This report was prepared for the Justice Reform Initiative, which is a collaboration of some of Australia’s most respected experts on criminal justice. The report looks at the dimensions of the nation's rising prison population, the key drivers of that growth and the communities most...

This thematic inspection provides insight into the current treatment of, and conditions experienced by, older prisoners. It provides the Department of Corrections with an early warning of the risks and challenges associated with managing older prisoners.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) aims to improve how people’s human rights are protected when they are detained. The Australian Human Rights Commission believes that there needs to be greater momentum in...

The Keeping Women out of Prison (KWOOP) Coalition commissioned this baseline study to address this gap in the availability of consolidated evidence on the status of women in prison in NSW and the services available to them.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS) presented this report to the United Nations Subcommittee Prevention of Torture informed by experience and knowledge of the treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in places of detention around Australia.

This inquiry examined ways to reduce the number of people flowing through Queensland’s prison system, whilst improving outcomes for the broader community. This final report outlines the Queensland Productivity Commission's findings.

This discussion paper presents strong evidence of the over-representation of people in the criminal justice system who have had brain injuries, shedding new light on the impact of such injuries and developmental differences on both victims and offenders.

This report was originally released in June 2019. The author has released this updated version to correct some errors in the underlying data.

In this report, the authors summarise research they have undertaken to understand how experts understand and frame criminal justice, how the public also does so, and where the opportunities for building new, more effective narratives may lie.

This design guide outlines a scheme for a new architectural model for youth justice facilities in Victoria. It aims to make good design principles concrete, so that the designs of future facilities might have the benefit of a best-practice evidence base.

This report addresses three claims that seek repeal of section 80(1)(d) of the Electoral Act 1993. It looks at the level of advice provided to Parliament and the Law and Order Select Committee and the consequent ongoing effects of the legislation on Māori, including the...

Australia has seen rapid, unsustainable growth in its incarceration rate. Over the past ten years, the proportion of Australian residents who are incarcerated has risen by 30 percent. The purpose of this paper is to show what this increase means in real terms. Every extra...

This audit assessed how efficiently and effectively the NSW Department of Justice is responding to growth in the NSW prison population. This report does not analyse the sources of demand or recommended ways that custody may be avoided. These are largely government policy issues.

This paper provides Members of the 57th Parliament of New South Wales with an authoritative overview of 45 key issues affecting the state in 2019. It presents the latest evidence on key areas for the NSW community such as health, education, crime and justice, housing...

This chapter reports on prison custody and a range of community corrections orders and programs for adult offenders which are delivered separately by the eight states and territories.

This paper collates recent statistical information on crime rates, victims, offenders, policing, juvenile justice, criminal courts and corrections in New South Wales. It is designed to provide an evidence base to inform public discussion and policy development.

This paper draws conclusions from the available evidence, much of it international. This report is not an attack on single mothers. Strong parental attachment generally mitigates the many disadvantages their children face.

In this short report, the Health Performance Council has taken a brief look at some of the systemic issues affecting the health of people in prisons in South Australia and how this might be affecting their health outcomes compared to the rest of the population.

This report presents data on the number of deaths in custody that occurred during 2013–14 and 2014–15, and trend data on deaths in prison custody (from 1979–80) and police custody and custody-related operations (from 1989–90).