Welcome to the Australian Institute of Criminology
The Australian Institute of Criminology is Australia's national research and knowledge centre on crime and justice. We seek to promote justice and reduce crime by undertaking and communicating evidence-based research to inform policy and practice.
Latest publications
The AIC today released the analysis of the 2012 Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce online consumer fraud survey to coincide with the ACFT 2013 National Consumer Fraud Week.
In 2012, 1,593 participants completed the on-line survey on the AIC website with 95% of respondents receiving at least one scam invitation.
The median amount reported lost to scams was $500. With unusually large outliers removed, a total financial loss of $846,170 was reported.
With online shopping scams, the results showed sellers of goods over the internet were much more likely to be approached by scammers, than people experiencing scams when buying goods.
2013 survey now open: http://www.survey.aic.gov.au/anon/105.aspx
Deaths in custody in Australia to 30 June 2011
The 20th National Deaths in Custody Program Monitoring report shows both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous rates of deaths in custody have decreased over the last decade and are now some of the lowest ever seen (0.16 per 100 Indigenous prisoners and 0.22 per 100 non-Indigenous prisoners in 2010–11). For the last eight years in a row, the Indigenous rate of death in prison has been lower than the equivalent non-Indigenous rate.
While Indigenous prisoners continue to be statistically less likely to die in custody than non-Indigenous prisoners, there is a concerning trend emerging, as the actual number of Indigenous deaths in prison are rising again, with 14 in 2009-10 which is equal to the highest on record.
More concerning still is that over the 20 years since the Royal Commission, the proportion of prisoners that are Indigenous has almost doubled from 14% in 1991 to 26% in 2011.
This AIC research paper reinforced the finding that electronic vehicle immobilisation has been successful as a crime prevention innovation not only in Australia, but elsewhere in the world. Because of this factor, and some others, the trend in the number of motor vehicle theft has been coming down (although just in the past year there has been a slight up-tick in thefts).
This paper examines the lessons that can be learned as a result of the regulation of motor manufacturers to install electronic immobilisers on all new cars from July 2001.
Motor vehicle pursuit fatalities in Australia, 2000–11
The data in this T&I shows the number of pursuit-related crashes and fatalities has generally declined over the last 12 years, with an average of 15 crashes and 18 deaths each year. Nationally, the rate of fatal pursuit-related crashes fluctuated between a low of 2.1 per 1,000 pursuits in 2010 to a high of 4.6 per 1,000 in 2006.
Where speed was recorded showed in the last three years, the average speed of fatal pursuits has increased slightly, with the average of 141km/h recorded in 2011 representing the second highest point in 12 years.
Between 2000 and 2008, the average speed fluctuated between 111km/h and 144km/h each year.
Good practice lessons from Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards winners
The Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA) is a national awards program administered by the AIC that recognises innovative crime prevention projects that embody good practice.
This paper provides an assessment of six ACVPA national winners from 2009 and 2010, with a focus on determining reasons for their success and the factors that appear to play a role in sustaining effective crime prevention programs.
Police shootings of people with a mental illness
This report examines fatal police shootings that have occurred in Australia since monitoring of deaths in custody incidents began in 1989–90.
Data was collected on the prevalence of mental illness, as well as prior consumption of drugs and/or alcohol. With these data it is not possible to determine how the person shot identified to police at the time of the incident, but it is useful to better understand the prevalence of these characteristics.
Data collected in this study shows over the last 22 years in Australia (1989-90 to 2010-11), there were 105 persons fatally shot by police and that in 44 incidents (42%), the person shot had some form of mental illness.
Cloud computing for small business: Criminal and security threats and prevention measures
While providing many benefits, cloud computing also brings many risks for small business, including potential computer security and criminal, regulatory and civil liability issues.
This paper, undertaken as a collaborative partnership with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security at Griffith University, identifies these risks and offers a perspective on how they might be contained.
Associated final report by AIC & CEPS
Trafficked persons: an Indonesian sample
The AIC analysed primary data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Indonesia counter-trafficking database which holds information relating to 3701 trafficked Indonesians between January 2005 and January 2010.
These three Trends and Issues papers analyse various facets of the IOM data set.
NDLERF Research Grants
The NDLERF Board of Management invites applications from researchers for quality projects which:
- advance understanding of the operation of licit and illicit substance markets, including interactions between the markets surrounding various substances, and those factors which influence market structures and trends (e.g. the internet, social media and other emerging technologies);
- describe the specific nature, extent and impact of alcohol and drug abuse and misuse on the community and policing, including the costs to policing;
- consider the effect of interventions and strategies put in place to counteract the impact of substance misuse, especially the related costs, effectiveness, displacement effects and any unintended effects of these interventions and strategies; and
- assist in the development of innovative technologies and /or tools, techniques or methods (such as those that access, utilise and link existing data sources) which will enhance the sector's response to drug law enforcement.
ACVPA nominations now open
Do you know of a program that has reduced crime or violence in your area?
Are you involved in a project that is working towards a safer community?
The Australian Crime & Violence Prevention Awards recognise programs that reduce crime and violence in Australia. Nominations for the 2013 awards are now open.
Criminology Research Grants
The Australian Institute of Criminology invites applications from individuals or organisations seeking to undertake quality research which is relevant to both current and future criminal justice policy and makes a substantial and original contribution to criminological knowledge.
The Institute encourages applications from organisation or collaborative teams with a demonstrated capacity to deliver high quality criminology research outcomes.
The Conversation: Regular drug users don’t trust synthetic cannabis
By AIC senior research analyst Sarah Macgregor from the Violent and Serious Crime Monitoring team
Events
ISOC 2013
29-30 July 2013, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
Current and future responses to transnational crime will be discussed at the 2nd International Serious and Organised Crime (ISOC) 2013 conference, with the overarching themes of future directions for law enforcement and organised crime, organised crime risks, and, policing organised crime
Seminar: Winning hearts and minds: communicative acts of terrorism and counter terrorism
Dr Anne Aly, Wednesday 26 June 2013 | 11.00am-12.00pm
This presentation will focus on the communicative acts of terrorism and counter terrorism. Specifically it will address issues such as support for the Taliban in Afghanistan and beyond; counter propaganda; what the Western world can do better, both on the home-front and abroad; and how we might engage local communities in ways that are meaningful and relevant, to influence public perception and ultimately win support for countering violent extremism.
Student criminology forum 2013
5 July 2013, 74 Leichhardt St, Griffith, Canberra
As in previous years, the Australian Institute of Criminology Student Forum provides a day of presentations and workshops on AIC research, led by our staff. The Forum is free, and designed for students of criminology, police studies, corrections, law or a related field.
13th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
10-13th November 2013, Pullman Melbourne Albert Park
Organised by the Australian Institute of Criminology, the Conference will be held in Melbourne, Australia from the 10th to 13th of November 2013. The theme, Protecting children: New solutions to old problems, reflects the need to innovate and to enhance responses to key policy and practice issues across the sectors involved in preventing and managing child abuse and neglect.
Australasian Youth Justice Conference papers
20-22 May
The Australian Institute of Criminology and Australasian Juvenile Justice Administrators are pleased to announce their first international youth justice conference with the theme of Changing trajectories of offending and reoffending.
