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 news
Mental health, abuse, drug use and crime: does gender matter? 
Using data from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia program, this report examines the direct relationship, mediated by gender, between mental health, prior experiences of child abuse, drug use and offending.
Dr Isabelle Bartkowiak-Théron: Vulnerable People Policing
Presentation now available online
While international community policing initiatives are widely documented, many schemes targeting disadvantaged groups or vulnerable communities are studied in a fragmented manner or focused solely on individual groups. Some academics are starting to establish a new pattern that brings this colourful patchwork into a cohesive whole: that of Vulnerable People Policing. A lecturer in policing and applied criminology at Charles Sturt University, Dr Bartkowiak-Theron will discuss the actual involvement of vulnerable people in these new initiatives at an occasional seminar hosted by the AIC.
Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Conference - 22-25 November
Crime and justice challenges in the 21st century: Victims, offenders and communities is the title of this year's conference and encapsulates several enduring issues facing criminal justice researchers and practitioners in the early 21st Century. The conference brings together criminologists from around Australia and New Zealand and aims to improve the understanding of social policy and practices surrounding crime, victimisation and offending.
Current issues
White Ribbon Day - 25 November
White Ribbon Day, held on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, is a campaign aimed at promoting a change in culture around the issue of domestic violence. The campaign involves education and male leadership programs and people are encouraged to wear a white ribbon on the day to show their commitment to ending violence against women. The AIC has produced a number of recent publications on domestic violence.
Schoolies Week - November and December
Schoolies week or Leavers week (WA) is a well established youth cultural phenomenon and is now a ritual for many year 12 school leavers across Australia during November and December. The relief from end of year study pressures, combined with the presence of alcohol, drugs and the predatory behaviour of others, can make teenagers vulnerable as both victims and offenders. In many areas, government bodies have acted to host controlled venues to protect the safety and welfare of celebrating teenagers. The AIC has compiled a range of resources to assist parents and school leavers here.
Australian Crime & Violence Prevention Awards
The winners of the 2009 Australian Crime & Violence Prevention Awards were announced by the Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O'Connor, at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday, 29 October. More than 60 projects were nominated for awards this year to reward good practice in the prevention or reduction of violence and other types of crimes in Australia. More information about the ACVPA and this years winners is available here.
