Deborah's law:The effects of naming and shaming on sex offenders n Australia

Arts, Education & Law Group, School of Criminology and Criminal JusticeNo Full Tex

What do victim/survivors of sexual violence think about Circles of Support and Accountability?

Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) are a feature of the criminal justice landscape in Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, parts of Western Europe, and South Australia. Prior research indicates that members of the public may oppose CoSA due to a belief that by supporting perpetrators, CoSA undermine the interests of survivors of sexual violence. However, no research has considered the views of survivors of sexual violence themselves. The current study addressed this gap by conducting semi-structured, qualitative interviews (n = 33) with adult female survivors of sexual violence on their views about CoSA. Participants’ perspectives were diverse, although in the main indicated broad support (albeit often cautious and/or contingent support) for CoSA. Understanding the views of survivors will enable CoSA programs across the globe to develop and deliver CoSA in ways that better meet the needs of survivors, as well as to address public resistance toward CoSA. Implications and future research priorities that emerge from the findings are discussed.</p

Inside an innovative program helping sex offenders reintegrate into society - and why it works

In recent years, the biggest increases in Australia’s prison population have come from people convicted of sexual offences. From 2017-18, this segment of the prison population increased by 10%. The following year, it was up again by 7%.As a corollary, more and more sexual offenders are being released from prisons back to our communities. Understandably, a great deal of public concern often accompanies the release of sexual offenders, especially those who have committed offences against children.Despite this, very few programs exist to support sexual offenders as they reintegrate into the community, thereby making society safer by reducing their risk of reoffending

Submission to Victorian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry into Improving Response of the Justice System to Sexual Offences

Submission to Victorian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry into Improving Response of the Justice System to Sexual Offence