Responding to substance abuse and offending in Indigenous communities: review of diversion programs
Responding to substance abuse and offending in Indigenous communities: review of diversion programs Report
Research and Public Policy Series
- Author(s): Joudo, J
- Published: 2008
- Publisher: Australian Institute of Criminology
Abstract: • The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) was contracted by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) to examine the way that Australian governments had sought to address Indigenous substance use and related offending. • The study was planned over two stages, with Stage 1 involving a comprehensive summary of the diversion programs currently operating across Australia and the issues relating to Indigenous offending and access to diversion programs. The extent to which Indigenous offenders are diverted, the outcomes of their participation and the barriers to their ability to both access and successfully complete programs will be examined in Stage 2 of the study. This report presents the findings of Stage 1. • Stage 1 was qualitative in nature and involved the examination of a range of reference materials, including the research literature, legislation and policy. Consultations were also conducted in all states and territories with relevant justice, corrections, police, health and other program personnel. Thirty-six interviews, primarily conducted face-to-face, took place across the states and territories with approximately 55 stakeholders. Those consulted ranged from program staff to policy practitioners who were directly involved with diversion programs. • Various tasks designed to inform the direction of Stage 2 of the study were undertaken, including an audit of the available data sources regarding the extent of Indigenous contact with the criminal justice system and the distribution of a questionnaire to gather consistent information regarding the variables contained within various program datasets. The results of these tasks are listed in appendixes A and B.
- Urls: https://web.archive.org/web/20150327061111/http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/1/8/0/%7b1807C117-551B-4D5A-B30C-CF07EF532F7D%7drpp88.pdf
- Publisher Location: Canberra