Media Releases and Announcements
State conference to prevent crime
Media Release, 21 Nov 2005 >
Should victims of sexual assault be spared the trauma of facing their alleged attackers in court? Is evidence given via closed circuit television any less effective? These will be some of the questions considered today at a NSW crime prevention conference.
The Delivering Crime Prevention: Making the Evidence Work conference is being held by the Crime Prevention Division of the NSW Attorney General’s Department, in partnership with the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC).
In opening the conference, NSW Director General, Laurie Glanfield will highlight the value of victims testifying via closed circuit television in sexual assault trials.
Mr Glanfield will launch a report, The impact of pre-recorded video and CCTV testimony by adult sexual assault complainants on jury decision making. The report, by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) was commissioned by the NSW Attorney General’s Department.
The two-day conference will discuss innovative crime prevention programs and the research behind their development.
“We’ll be talking about a range of approaches, from helping kids get home safely or trying to protect them from domestic violence, to trying to stop adults re-offending by targeting and resolving some of the causes behind their criminal behaviour,” said Brendan Thomas, Director of the Crime Prevention and Aboriginal Programs Division, NSW Attorney General’s Department.
Other sessions include:
· Aboriginal Community Patrols, a community-based service that provide a safe transport and outreach service for Aboriginal people, who are on the streets late at night;
· Marrickville’s new Start Again Mentoring Pilot Program (StAMP) for former prisoners.
· A project aimed at preventing child victims of domestic violence becoming perpetrators later in life.
Program: www.aic.gov.au and more details: www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/cpd
Delivering Crime Prevention: Making the Evidence Work conference
21-22 November 2005, 9am-5pm (both days)
Carlton Crest Hotel, 169-179 Thomas St, Sydney
Media Contact:
Angus Huntsdale, NSW Attorney General’s Department – (02) 9228 7331
Bizsafe: Shoplifting is a crime in any language
Media Release, 17 November 2005 >
Shopkeepers from non-English speaking backgrounds in Sydney’s inner west will be better equipped to combat crime, following the release of eight multilingual business safety fact sheets and two shop signs.
The new Bizsafe fact sheets, available in Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic, contain vital information about reporting crime and preventing robbery, fraud and assault. The two shop signs carry the multilingual messages, ‘Shoplifting is a crime’ and ‘We reserve the right to inspect shopping bags’.
The multi-cultural theft reduction initiative has been developed by NSW Police and the Crime Prevention Division (CPD), NSW Attorney General’s Department, based on Bizsafe brochures produced by NRMA Business Insurance and NSW Police.
“These resources assist multi-cultural business people to adopt fraud and theft prevention strategies, and to report crime. The brochures include practical strategies that can be implemented to minimise the likelihood of victimisation,” said Mr George Blacklaws, CPD Manager of Crime Prevention Programs.
“Providing multilingual resources such as these fact sheets works toward meeting the growing need for multi-cultural approaches to crime prevention for individuals and businesses in Sydney, and across the state,” Mr Blacklaws said.
Free distribution of fact sheets businesses - 15-17 November
- to businesses in Marrickville, Burwood, Campsie, Flemington and Strathfield.
Free Seminar – 17 November, 5-6pm
52 Enmore Rd, Newtown, Level 3 - Petersham RSL@Newtown
- multi-cultural business people from Sydney’s inner west are invited to attend a free information seminar about the Bizsafe program and new fact sheets
Official Launch – 17 November, 7-8pm
52 Enmore Rd, Newtown, Petersham RSL@Newtown
- the launch is part of the Upstage Newtown biennial event, which is coordinated by the local business and arts communities to promote Newtown as an important centre for culture and commerce.
The eight fact sheet topics include Stealing From Shops, Bag Checks, Fraud and Business Scams, Emergency Contact Numbers and others - more information>>
Media Contact:
Angus Huntsdale, NSW Attorney General’s Department – (02) 9228 7331
Public announcement: Nowra Aboriginal Sentencing Program Wins Award
Nowra’s groundbreaking Circle Sentencing program has won a $10,000 prize at the 2005 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards.
Circle sentencing was introduced in Nowra in February 2002, to allow Aboriginal people to become more involved in the criminal justice system. The program aims to prevent crime, support victims and reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in courts and jails.
Circle Sentencing takes the sentencing process out of its traditional court setting and into the community. Here, Aboriginal Elders and the Magistrate sit in a circle to discuss the offence and the offender. The Circle also talks about the background and effects of the crime and develops a sentence that is more meaningful for the offender.
More than 30 Circles have been held in Nowra and early evidence suggests many offenders who participate make dramatic positive changes to their lives.
The success of the program, which is the first of its kind in Australia, has led to Circle Sentencing being adopted in other regional areas in New South Wales.
The Australian Crime and Prevention Awards, which reward best practice in the prevention or reduction of crime, were held at Parliament House, Canberra on 10 November 2005, details: www.aic.gov.au >
NSW Aboriginal Justice Plan
More >
The NSW Attorney General, Bob Debus travelled to Dubbo with the Aboriginal Justice Advisory Council (AJAC) chairperson, Lennie Frail and the Aboriginal Youth Justice Advisory Network (AYJAN) chairperson, Bobbie Cattermole on Monday May 16 to launch the NSW Government's 10 year Aboriginal Justice Plan.
Mr Debus addressed a wide audience at the Gordon Centre in West Dubbo, where he addressed the community on consultation and development of the plan, which will act as a framework to improve the justice system.
"The Aboriginal Justice Plan is intended to operate over 10 years. It aims to not only reduce the number of Aboriginal people coming into contact with the criminal justice system, but to improve the way that system deals with all Aboriginal people whether they are offenders or victims of crime," he said.
"The formulation of the plan was overseen by a taskforce of experts from government agencies and the Aboriginal community. During the two year development over 700 Aboriginal people from more that 15 communities in NSW were directly involved in shaping the Plan."
Mr Debus spoke of crime prevention strategies already running in Dubbo and announced the continued funding of the Dubbo Community Patrol Group, operated in partnership by the local Men’s Group and the Dubbo Neighbourhood Centre. In all, the Attorney announced $241,000 in new funding for innovative crime prevention and justice activities in Dubbo.
Programs funded by the Attorney General’s Department in Dubbo include:
· The Dubbo Leadership and Cultural Development program;
· Circle Sentencing
· The Dubbo Aboriginal Community Patrol; and
· The Dubbo Aboriginal Community Justice Group.
“These are all programs with practical solutions which benefit not only the Aboriginal community but the entire community,” he said.
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