Annual report 2002-2003
ISSN 0311-449X
Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2003
Learning & Knowledge Development
Objective
To develop crime prevention specialists for the modern world through the provision of training courses, seminars and workshops on a range of crime prevention and justice issues.
Description
In February 2002 the L&KD, formerly known as Training, recommenced after a long hiatus. It was staffed with one full-time person and part-time assistance as required. From late 2002, that is, well into this financial year, L&KD activities were very much concerned with establishing this operation on a sound footing.
However, this occurred almost 'after the event', with L&KD having already seized the market opportunity to conduct around Australia, training courses and briefing breakfasts in identity-related fraud prevention during the previous seven months.
Then the bombing in Bali occurred. This signalled an immediate cessation of the conduct of these activities as the acknowledged experts who conducted the training courses for AIC were pulled off-line, many to assist in the investigation of the bombing itself.
Once the training activity in this area was postponed, L&KD was then able to start on training needs identification, and analysis of what constituted appropriate skill sets that not only community crime prevention practitioners would benefit from mastering, but also law enforcement specialists and staff of a wide variety of agencies in Australia and overseas. This was tantamount to establishing the foundations of L&KD's operations, whereby short courses would act as the vehicle for delivery of the latest crime information, prevention techniques and crime policy analysis. These skill sets would be directed at people seeking some skills in the area of crime prevention rather than people seeking formal qualifications. They should not be confused with the Crime Prevention Competencies being developed by the Attorney-General's Department.
The training needs and analysis exercise identified the skill sets required for designing, developing and implementing crime prevention projects and as such, a large proportion of the time has been invested in developing appropriate materials for delivery across Australia in the new financial year. In addition, courseware has been developed in the area of restorative justice. It is expected that additional courses will be added to this initial program.
The conduct of the identity-related fraud prevention courses will resume in the new financial year. The content of this course will continue to be developed and refined to ensure that it is correctly pitched at its intended market, with leading-edge content.
A significant event was the conduct by L&KD of a Strategic Anti-Money Laundering symposium at the Reserve Bank of Australia late in 2002. Endorsed by the Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable John Howard, MP with attendance by invitation only, participants came from major financial institutions, federal and state agencies and industry groups. The conduct of such an event illustrated that L&KD was not just about training. A learning resource based on the symposium will be developed - a CD-ROM containing a purpose-written booklength commentary and related AIC papers published in recent years.
L&KD also participated in the Reference Group for the National Crime Prevention Competencies being developed under the auspices of the Attorney- General's Department. This set of standards, which will reflect the various roles and tasks undertaken by crime prevention officers around Australia, will hopefully be accredited by the Australian National Training Authority by the end of the year.