For the most part, government ‘justice’ promises are narrowly focused, centred on lifting levels of intensive and intrusive policing (“we will put more police on the streets with zero tolerance for crime”), meting out heavier sentences (“we will rack ’em and stack ’em”) and placing less discretion in the hands of those charged with the responsibility of delivering sentences (“we promise mandatory sentencing for those convicted of certain offences”). In academic parlance, this has become known as the ‘law and order’ response.
At the same time, criminological researchers the world over are producing some excellent recommendations for reform. Some are implemented and others are ignored. Some work well and others struggle to get results. What is working? What could work better? What have we not tried, but should? Drawing on the evidence from recent research, this talk will count down and present the presenter’s ‘top ten’ most affordable and workable law reform and justice initiatives that promise to reduce crime, violence and disorder in Australian society today. Come and find out what he has selected. Come and see whether these initiatives are the sorts of things that governments tout in their quest to establish their crime prevention credentials.
