About Us

Building on the strong tradition of criminal justice research and scholarship at UNSW, the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice was established in 2018. The Centre's primary goal is to support staff and higher degree researchers in the production of multi-disciplinary scholarship on important topics in criminal law, criminal justice, criminology and crime prevention that are of pressing local, national and international significance.

Core themes for the Centre's research programs are: the relationship between criminal justice administration and social justice and human rights; and the relevance of race, Aboriginality, gender, disability and socio-economic disadvantage to victimisation, criminalisation, the criminal process and punishment.

Consistent with these themes, the Centre has a strong focus on effective knowledge transfer and advocacy for policy and law reform outcomes that enhance social justice. Engagement and partnerships with NGO and government organisations is an important feature of our work.

Centre members include more than 60 staff and HDR researchers across the Faculty of Law and Justice and the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture.

Email: cclj@unsw.edu.au

Community Engagement

A high priority of the Centre is to engage in research projects that are responsive to the justice needs and priorities of diverse communities, and which have the maximum possible positive impact on social justice-oriented policy and practice, and law reform. The Centre is especially concerned to address the concerns of communities disproportionately impacted upon by crime and the criminal justice system, including victims of crime, offenders, prisoners, and persons at risk of imprisonment, with a focus on young people, Indigenous people, people with mental illness and cognitive impairment, and victims of domestic violence and sexual violence.

Our research approach includes collaboration and partnership with NGOs/community sector organisations concerned with the rights and interests of both crime victims and offenders, the legal profession, the judiciary and government. Partners in recent research projects, reform advocacy and community engagement activities have involved a large number of organisations including: Redfern Legal Centre, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT), the Criminal Law Committees of the NSW Law Society and the NSW Bar Association, Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, Just Reinvest NSW, Muslim Legal Network, Youth Justice Coalition NSW, Legal Aid Commission, Victims Services - NSW Department of Justice, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia, and Global Foundation on Justice for Child Witnesses.