28th annual report of the Australian Institute of Criminology, 2000

ISSN 0311-449X
Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2000

Year in review

In 1999-2000 the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) delivered a large volume of quality product for our stakeholders; research findings and information services were disseminated via thirty-seven papers in our Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice Series, twelve monographs in our Research and Public Policy Series, thirty-two other published works in Australia and overseas, and through _twenty-four AIC seminars and seven national conferences as well as through our extensive library services and expanding web site. Staff also communicated our work in over 120 presentations and public speeches, while thirteen written submissions were made to government inquiries and parliamentary committees. Commonwealth and State Government agencies sought AIC information, advice and input across a wide range of policy areas.

The work undertaken by the AIC was chosen for its policy relevance and intrinsic value; it is challenging and rigorous, and feedback has been most positive. This strong result reflects the longer-term investments in new research activities, and is a consequence of research that has taken several years to come to fruition. There were twelve monographs published this year, and with that number likely again next year this demonstrates the return on investment.

The AIC has some long-term projects that have resulted in unique material now being available to the Australian community. For example, our monograph Homicidal Encounters brings together extensive data on every homicide in Australia over the past decade. To our knowledge, no other country has material of this nature and detail. Not only does this report document homicide, it concludes with a chapter outlining a systematic set of preventive activities-policies and programs involving primary, secondary and tertiary interventions. Other reports also explore, describe and explain phenomena, and offer suggestions for prevention.

Our web site, which contains research text and data as well as crime prevention materials and links to other justice sites, achieved 5000 visits per day. It is highly regarded in Australia and internationally for its high quality. This has led to it being the site for one of the most important criminal justice information initiatives. The Campbell Collaboration, an international consortium whose work involves documenting and disseminating evidence-based social science interventions, has asked the AIC to host, on its web site, crime prevention materials. This will bring to the world a catalogue of crime prevention programs that work and have been demonstrated to work. This is consistent with the AIC's commitment to producing research product, and making sure it is of use to stakeholders.

The J. V. Barry Library, which manages the web site, has now exceeded 40,000 records on its CINCH database.

During the year significant progress was made in other innovative areas. The Drug-Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) project published its first annual report, examining the relationship between drugs and crime. The value of a project such as this is that it will monitor patterns of drug use across time and will help in assessing the need for drug treatment in the offender population.

The Crime Analysis and Modelling program is completing for publication the Atlas of Crime in Australia. This program has also developed a means of analysing concentrations of crime in local areas, and has extended the work of the AIC into local government. Work is also being undertaken on crime in rural and regional Australia, as well as on the conduct of the Australian component of the International Crime Victimisation Survey.

The AIC is pleased to be taking a lead in trying to reduce crime against small business. Late in 1999 a large survey was conducted of small business, and the results will inform good collaborative work with that section. In addition, a second edition of the path breaking Promise of Crime Prevention has been completed, as well as work in areas such as preventing environmental crime and fraud. These and many other activities are listed in the body of this report

I would like to express my thanks to all staff, who have produced admirably and supported my leadership during 1999-2000, and to the Chair of the AIC Board of Management, Professor Richard Fox, for his wise counsel.

Adam Graycar
Director