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The Australian Drug Law Reform Initiative (ADLaRI)Ìýis a »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ-based working group that pursues a variety of pathways towards drug law reform, education and the achievement of social justice. ADLaRI embraces the philosophy of harm minimisation and is committed to a multidisciplinary approach to drug policy and law reform which aims to:

• encourage the development of evidence-based policy, law and practice;
• contribute to public education about appropriate regulation of drugs;
• assist in the dissemination of resources for use in tertiary education about drug law reform in law, criminology, medicine and other disciplines;Ìýand
• facilitate links with other institutions for the exchange of research and teaching materials and the development of new approaches.

In addition to researchers from the »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, and theÌýÌýat the »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱÌý, ADLaRI’s members include: Nick Cowdery AM QC, Visiting Professor, »Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ Law, and former NSW Director of Public Prosecutions; and Dr Alex Wodak, President of theÌýAustralian Drug Law Reform FoundationÌýand former Director of the Alcohol and Drug Service, St Vincent's Hospital.

Obstacles to Effective Support of People Released from Prison

CCLJ members involved: Sophie RussellÌý(»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Eileen BaldryÌý(»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), David BrownÌý(»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Chris CunneenÌý(UTS), Julie StubbsÌý(»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ).

The Comparative Youth Penality Project

CCLJ members involved:ÌýProfessor Chris Cunneen (UTS),ÌýProfessor Eileen Baldry (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), EmeritusÌýProfessor David Brown (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Sophie Russell (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ).

Since the 1980s, prison expansionism has defined criminal justice policy in many western jurisdictions, particularly Australia and England and Wales. Research into this phenomenon has primarily been directed at adults rather than juveniles, with limited attention paid to comparative analysis.

The Comparative Youth Penality Project (CYPP) aims to fill a substantial gap in our knowledge about youth penal culture and practice. The CYPP will produce a comprehensive documentation and overview of changes in penal policy and practice across selected Australian states and England and Wales over the past 30 years.

CCLJ members involved: Emeritus Professor David Brown (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Professor Chris Cunneen (UTS), Professor Julie Stubbs (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Courtney Young (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Sophie Russell (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ).

Justice Reinvestment is a recent development in criminal justice enjoying a spectacular rise onto the political and policy agenda internationally. In Australia, the idea has gained traction among politicians and community advocates, with particular emphasis on its potential in the Indigenous context.ÌýThe AJR Project draws together senior researchers across the disciplines of law and criminology to examine justice reinvestment programs in other countries and analyse whether such programs can be developed in Australia.

The Australian Prisons Project

CCLJ members involved: Professor Chris Cunneen (UTS), Professor Eileen Baldry (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Emeritus Professor David Brown (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ).

The Australian Prisons Project is national research investigating the re-emergence of the prison as the primary criminal justice strategy in Australia since the 1970s.Ìý
The project draws together senior researchers across the disciplines of law, criminology and social science to explore a number of themes relating to the prison, including trends in sentencing and bail, the experience of vulnerable populations in the prison system, terrorism, ‘risk' paradigms and post-release initiatives.

The Australian Prisons Project was funded by a grant from the Australian Research Council from 2008 - 2010.

Rethinking Community Sanctions Project

CCLJ members involved: Professor Chris Cunneen (UTS), Professor Eileen Baldry (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Emeritus Professor David Brown (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Professor Julie Stubbs (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ), Sophie Russell (»Ê¹Ú²ÊƱ).

The Rethinking Community Sanctions Project is a three year (2017-2019) Australian Research Council funded project which aims to understand the place, role and purpose of community sanctions in criminal justice in three Australian jurisdictions (NSW, NT and Vic), in order to contribute to the development of theory, policy and more equitable justice outcomes especially for people who are over-represented or whose numbers are growing within the prison system, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women and people with mental health disorders and cognitive disabilities, as well as those at these intersections.

BREAKING SILENCE: Solutions from survivors of staff-perpetrated sexual violence in custody

CCLJ members involved: Survivor Leadership Group, Dr Phillipa Evans, Kelly Austin (PhD Candidate).

This survivor-led project brings critical attention to the realities and impacts of staff-perpetrated sexual violence in custody. It reveals this violence as a symptom of broader systemic harm embedded in correctional environments. The report identifies contributing factors, proposes solutions, and calls for urgent, structural change.

Findings highlight the widespread nature of abuse, cultures of silence, and the risks women face when speaking out. Incarceration often compounds existing trauma and fails to address the root causes of women’s criminalisation. Survival within custody requires navigating unsafe dynamics, while staff protectionism enables unethical conduct to persist.

Outside advocacy, independent oversight, and strong leadership are essential to uphold rights and break institutional impunity. Despite national efforts to prevent violence against women, the experiences of incarcerated women are consistently overlooked. Transparency and reform depend on external scrutiny, public awareness, and political commitment to addressing systemic abuse.