Welcome to the Department of Justice and Attorney General's Crime Prevention Division website. This website provides information on the crime prevention projects, activities and initiatives we're undertaking to reduce crime in NSW.

Latest additions

This bulletin reports the findings of a survey conducted to address the information gap that exits in relation to graffiti vandalism, the public polices on its management and the attendant social and monetary costs to the community. The survey also identified issues in relation to recording mechanisms that warrant urgent attention as well as further areas in need of research. Crime Prevention Issues Bulletin No 3: Graffiti Vandalism in New South Wales( PDF 875KB).

This bulletin provides an analysis of female participation in the MERIT program. Significant differences between men and women were observed in terms of program activity (such as completion rates). Men and women’s program outcomes (including recidivism, sentencing and health outcomes) are also explored. Crime Prevention Issues Bulletin No 5: Women and the MERIT program ( PDF 2020KB)






This bulletin provides an analysis of Aboriginal participation in the MERIT program. Significant differences were observed between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants in terms of program activity (such as completion rates). Differences in outcomes for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people who complete the program are also explored. Crime Prevention Issues Bulletin No 6: Aboriginal participation in MERIT ( PDF 1984KB)






This bulletin provides an analysis of defendants’ participation in the MERIT program, based on their principal drug of concern (cannabis, alcohol and ‘other illicit’ drugs). Significant differences between these groups of participants were observed in terms of program activity (such as completion rates) and outcomes (including recidivism). Crime Prevention Issues No 7: Principal drug of concern: An analysis of MERIT and RAD client characteristics and outcomes ( PDF 1914KB)






Court Referral of Eligible Defendants into Treatment (CREDIT)

On 24 August 2009 a two-year trial of the Court Referral of Eligible Defendants into Treatment (CREDIT) program commenced at Tamworth and Burwood Local Courts.

CREDIT is a key initiative of the NSW Government to reduce re-offending rates. It is a 'cross agency' collaboration with the Crime Prevention Division of the Department of Justice and Attorney General as the lead agency.

The program targets adult defendants at local courts who are motivated to address issues that relate either directly or indirectly to the offending behaviour. Participants are offered facilitated access and support to a broad range of available services providing education or training, treatment, rehabilitation or other social welfare assistance. This includes:

• Accommodation
• Financial counselling
• Counselling for gambling
• Mental health assessment or support
• Suicide counselling
• Domestic violence or sexual assault support
• Drug assessment, treatment or support
• Alcohol misuse and treatment
• Education, training or employment
• Disability services

The design of the program draws on aspects of ‘problem-solving courts’ that use therapeutic jurisprudence principles as an important component of their processes. These courts use a collaborative problem-solving approach to address underlying issues that contribute to an offender’s behaviour in order to reduce their likelihood of re-offending.

Minimum standards for domestic violence behaviour change programs: issues paper now available for public comment

NSW Cabinet has agreed that a government interagency working group should further progress the work on minimum standards for domestic violence behaviour change programs by developing minimum standards and best practice guidelines in consultation with key stakeholders. The minimum standards will inform decisions about the funding of behaviour change programs and will inform referrals made by government agencies to these programs.

An Issues Paper has been released that relates to a discrete aspect of the development of the minimum standards, the broad processes of a two-tier regulatory framework to encourage compliance to the standards, the scope and definition of programs to which minimum standards will apply, and key aspects of the minimum standards.

Responses to this paper and ensuing consultations will assist in developing the content of the minimum standards as well as the scope and definition of programs to which the minimum standards will apply. Responses will also assist in further developing the regulatory framework including procedures for compliance and monitoring practice.

Written submissions to the Issues Paper should be emailed to the Crime Prevention Division: cpd_unit@agd.nsw.gov.au or posted to the Manager, Domestic and Family Violence Team, Department of Justice and Attorney General, Locked Bag 5111, Parramatta NSW 2124, by 25 September 2009. Enquiries can be directed to telephone: (02) 8688 6761.

Targeted consultations will be held throughout September 2009.

Minimum Standards Issues Paper

Aboriginal Child Sexual Assault Multimedia Awareness Campaign

The Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG) is working with Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Service to develop this multimedia campaign.

In order to consider the best way to develop the campaign a significant amount of information was sourced including; current statistical data, an inventory of current resources, what information, the community required and through what mediums. To source the community information a survey tool was developed and a number of face-to-face consultations were undertaken. This report outlines the results of this work.

ACSA Campaign Consultation Report (PDF 650Kb)

For information on our other crime prevention projects, activities and initiatives, visit our Projects webpage. If you have a crime prevention related enquiry, please refer to the Contact us page.