Punishment

Gender and age-appropriate punishments should serve to deter, rehabilitate and provide retribution and incapacitation.
Criminologist AU | Prison Support | Women and Juveniles

Prison support

Criminologist AU provides prison support services to women, especially those who identify as LGBTIQ+, in the correctional system.

These support services are invaluable to individuals who already face societal stigma and discrimination.  It is believed by supporting these individuals through their corrections experiences lower rates of recidivism can be achieved.

Prison visits

Prison visits are important to people as they provide psychological comfort and a connection to the outside world.

Criminologist AU visits women in prison at their request.  If you know someone who would like a visit please ask them to contact Criminologist AU.

Court

Criminologist AU can attend court hearings upon request.  This service is intended to provide support to those who might otherwise have no-one at their hearings.

If you know someone who would like some support when attending court please contact Criminologist AU or the Women's Justice Network.

Advocacy

Criminologist AU advocates for women in the criminal justice system by actively encouraging stakeholders to collaborate on solutions which reduce their risk of harm and improves their conditions.

Please contact Criminologist AU if you are aware of an issue in the criminal justice system affecting LGBTIQ+ women that should be addressed.

Transition

Criminologist AU supports alternative punishments for minority demographic offenders who would be placed at risk in the prison system, such as transgenders.  Criminologist AU also supports greater community awareness and education of barriers facing LGBTIQ+ individuals in and upon release from corrections. 

Community

Community based punishments include community corrections orders, parole, and other activities such as circle sentencing.

Corrections

Prisons in Australia are either publicly or privately operated.  Australia has increasingly adopted private prison management over the last twenty years.  This has led to issues both within private prisons, and of accountability and legitimacy in society.

  • Parole

    Parole is commonly used throughout Australia for a number of reasons.  Those on parole are often under strict conditions to report to an authority on a regular basis. 

  • Community corrections
  • Circle sentencing
  • Public prisons

    Public prisons are those that are owned and operated by state.  These prisons are often poorly maintained and lack suitably qualified staff due to government financial constraints which are influenced by public reticence to spending in the prison system.

  • Private prisons
Punishment in Australia is increasingly being delivered by third-party providers.  The political environment in Australia is such that when a 'tough on crime' approach is promoted what this translates to is more severe punishments being handed out to more individuals.  This is counter-intuitive in a society which embraces plural policing.