An Exploration of the Impact of the Family Court Process on \u27Invisible\u27 Stepparents

The increase of divorce in Australia is creating a social phenomenon for family researchers. Many families resolve disputes regarding children in the Family Courts, however due to the protracted litigation process many partners will have repartnered. Little is understood about how bureaucratic systems impact upon the experience of stepparents. These decisions might very well impact on the stepparents own new lifestyle and relationship, placing an additional burden on themselves and the stepfamily. The purpose of this review is to explore the literature pertaining to the issues surrounding repartnering and the Family Court process in order to illustrate how this invisibility is created

Amphetamine users and crime in Western Australia, 1999–2009

This current study aims to examine the relationship between amphetamine use and crime among police detainees in Western Australia. Further, the study provides a brief profile of detainee amphetamine users and compares this with the profile of a non-user. Amphetamines have been increasingly available on Australian drug markets since the early 1990s (National Drug Research Institute 2007). Clandestine laboratory detections increased from 50 in 1996 to 250 in 2002 (Ministerial Council on Drugs Strategy 2004), although use decreased slightly in the general population between 2004 (3.2%) and 2007 (2.3%) (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2008). There has also been an increase in the amount of high-grade amphetamine detected by Customs and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Amphetamine use has been associated with psychological, physical and social harm, criminal behaviour and violence (Dyer & Cruickshank 2005; Lynch, Kemp, Krenske, Conroy & Webster 2003; Wickes 1993). The Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) project has collected data since 1999. This current study aims to examine the relationship between amphetamine use and crime among police detainees in Western Australia. Further, the study provides a brief profile of detainee amphetamine users and compares this with the profile of a non-user

The ‘oldest tricks in the book’ don’t work! Reports of burglary by DUMA detainees in Western Australia

Explores the methods and motivations of those actively involved in committing burglaries. Foreword Research investigating the methods and motivations of burglars has typically focused on incarcerated offenders. The Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program provided an opportunity for the authors to explore the methods and motivations of those actively involved in committing burglaries, whether or not they had actually been caught or detained for that offence. The findings support Routine Activity Theory, indicating that offenders consider a number of factors in determining whether a property will be targeted for a break and enter offence. As might be expected, opportunistic burglars choose easy to access properties, stay a minimum length of time and take goods that can be disposed of easily. It was concluded that simple prevention strategies could minimise the risk of becoming a victim of opportunistic burglary, which also has implications for law enforcement, the security industry and insurance agencies

Drug use monitoring in Australia: An expansion into the Pilbara

The relationship between alcohol, illicit drugs and offending is complex and dynamic. Substance misuse both nationally and internationally has been found to be prevalent in detained populations (Bennett & Holloway 2007, Pernanen, Cousineau, Brochu & Sun 2002, Sweeney & Payne 2012). With the cost of crime in Australia estimated to be $36 billion per annum (AIC 2009), it is important to establish some of the links that, if addressed, may reduce the level of commissions of crime and increase the wellbeing of Australians

Prescription drug use among detainees: Prevalence, sources and links to crime

Concern regarding the diversion and non-medical use of prescription pharmaceuticals continues to grow as anecdotal evidence and other research points to a sizeable increase in the illegal market for such drugs. Estimating the prevalence of illegal use and understanding how pharmaceutical drugs come to be traded in the illegal drug market remain key research priorities for policymakers and practitioners in both the public health and law enforcement sectors. This report is the first of its kind in Australia to examine the self-reported use of illicit pharmaceuticals among a sample of police detainees surveyed as part of the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. In all, 986 detainees were interviewed, of which 19 percent reported having recently used pharmaceutical drugs for non-medical purposes in the past 12 months—nearly five times as high as reported by the general Australian population, once again highlighting the value of conducting drug use research among criminal justice populations. In addition, this paper provides policymakers with valuable information about the reasons for use and the methods by which pharmaceuticals are typically accessed for non-medical purposes

Creating HoPE: Mental Health in Western Australian Maximum Security Prisons

The status of prisoners’ mental health has wide-reaching implications for prison inmates, prison authorities and institutions, and the general community. This paper presents the mental health findings from the 2008 Health of Prisoner Evaluation (HoPE) pilot project in which 146 maximum security prisoners were interviewed across two prisons in Western Australia. Results revealed significant discrepancies across gender and Indigenous status regarding the history and treatment of mental health complaints, use of prescribed psychiatric medication, and experience of psychosocial distress. Illicit drug use and dependency, as well as patterns of self-harm and suicide are also reported. These findings highlight that imprisonment is an opportune time to screen for mental health problems and provide appropriate evidence-based treatment. Although this process may initially increase government costs, it will reduce overall expenditure by improving prisoners’ ability to cope with prison to community transitions, and reduce the high rate of recidivism

HoPE (Health of Prisoner Evaluation): pilot study of prisoner physical health and psychological wellbeing

Prisons offer a unique opportunity to make positive interventions not only in relation to health issues but also to address the social determinants of ill health. Even with the limited knowledge we have had in regard to the health of WA\u27s prisoners it is apparent that prisons concentrate patients with significantly greater levels of morbidity than most other environments. It is also apparent that this concentration of morbidity parallels deficits in housing, nutrition, employment, education and family structure and is multiplied dramatically by the blight of mental illness and drug and alcohol abuse. Western Australia is unequalled in the Western World in its incarceration rates of Aboriginal Australians, where inevitably these deficits are manifestly greater than for other Australians. The HoPE study will bring an acknowledgement and greater understanding of the state of health not only of Western Australia\u27s prisoners but also of the challenges facing those who are most likely to be incarcerated due to socio-economic and health factors. Armed with that knowledge and understanding, progress to address the issues prior to offending must be a priority beside the creation of greater capacity within Prisoner Health Services

Some of My Children Are Worth More Than Others : Perceptions of Nonresidential Fathers with Second Families as to the Fairness of the Australian Child Support Agency\u27s Handling of First Family Child Support Financial Arrangements

One in three Australian marriages end in divorce, and over half of such divorces involve children. Research indicates that men tend to repartner within 1 to 2 years of a divorce and women within 3 to 5 years. A significant issue for repartnered men is the provision of financial support for children from both their first and second families. Although only 6% of all Australian first family children spend near/equal time (shared care) after divorce with both parents, fathers in Australia are mandated under child support legislation to provide financial support for their first family children, whether they reside with them or not. However, it is argued by this study\u27s nonresidential fathers that the Child Support Agency, when considering the level of financial support for first family children, tends to overlook the needs of second family children, thus creating an advantaged and disadvantaged set of siblings. This finding is reviewed through a distributive justice theory lens. Finally, some future directions for research aimed at exploring the impact of Child Support Legislation on second families are suggested

The \u27Oldest Tricks In The Book\u27 Do Not Work! Reports Of Burglary By DUMA Detainees In Western Australia

Foreword : Research investigating the methods and motivations of burglars has typically focused on incarcerated offenders. The Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program provided an opportunity for the authors to explore the methods and motivations of those actively involved in committing burglaries, whether or not they had actually been caught or detained for that offence. The findings support Routine Activity Theory, indicating that offenders consider a number of factors in determining whether a property will be targeted for a break and enter offence. As might be expected, opportunistic burglars choose easy to access properties, stay a minimum length of time and take goods that can be disposed of easily. It was concluded that simple prevention strategies could minimise the risk of becoming a victim of opportunistic burglary, which also has implications for law enforcement, the security industry and insurance agencies

Give them a chance: public attitudes to sentencing young offenders in Western Australia

Public opinion is often reported as punitive towards sentencing young people. Attitudes remain important to investigate given their potential to influence policy within the criminal justice system. Therefore, it is important to understand the formation of these attitudes and their consistency with sentencing principles. Semi-structured interviews (n = 72) and surveys (n = 502) were used to gauge opinions of sentencing young people under different scenario manipulations (age, weapon, drug treatment, prior record). The findings revealed the public expected punishment, but favoured rehabilitation with an opportunity to repent, suggesting the public are open to alternatives to ‘tough on crime’ approaches