The University of Sydney Justice Collaboration unites researchers, students, and partners to enhance justice systems and outcomes, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches.
This initiative spans research projects, publications, and events that engage with issues in criminal justice, youth justice, and rehabilitation.
The University of Sydney's Justice Collaboration aims to improve justice outcomes and to improve outcomes for all involved in criminal justice systems.
The University of Sydney has numerous strengths in this area and has a track record of work across disciplines, faculties and research centres directly and indirectly relevant to crime justice systems and those in conflict with the law.
Through a whole-of-university approach, the University of Sydney can have a significant positive impact on justice systems and outcomes.
We are a Sydney Policy Lab node. You can find out more about the Sydney Policy Lab here.
We engage and interact with the following centres from across the University:
The juvenile justice system is under constant critique. But in this, LLB student Julia Jacobson talks to Associate Professor Garner Clancy about why there is reason to have hope in the future of youth justice in Australia. With an emphasis on the need for innovation and interdisciplinarity in the study of law, this episode reflects on the relationship between theory and practice.
We run events throughout the year. Check back regularly or subscribe to our newsletter for the latest seminars, tours and more.
26 November 2025: Australia’s disciplinary regimes: how carcerality is enacted and resisted in the ‘helping’ professions.
Hosted by Collaboration member , along with Collaboration affiliate and A/Prof , the final part of this 3-part seminar series offers a timely critique of the role of human services, and the carceral and risk logics that they deploy. Speakers from across the human services will be presenting on this topic, from schooling and education, the social work profession, child protection services, mental health and prisons. Due to the decolonial aspirations of this series, it will employ a relational and dialogical approach, to invite an intimate ‘Jam3a’ or gathering. Afternoon tea (Arab style!) will be provided. This is a free event however booking is essential.
Speakers and Topics:
Keynote by Associate Professor Jessica Russ-Smith, Wiradyuri Wambuul woman
From Care to Control: The White Carceral Logic Embedded in Human Services
Dr Sacha Jamieson
Anti-carceral feminist social work: resisting social work complicity in the incarceration of women
Dr Lobna Yassine
“The risk was put on me from the beginning”: Racial inequality and youth justice
Kimberly Chiswell
Carceral policies and practices in child protection
Dr Aniqa Farwa
Carceral responses to children and young people with behavioural plans
Dr Mareese Terare, Bundjalung Goenpul Descendant
ma ngara: caring for our gudjagang (children)
Dr Sophie Rudolph
Carceral logics and education
Lesli Kirwan, Ngarabal Yugambal woman and Associate Professor Emma Tseris
Culture Guiding Resistance to Carceral logics in mental health.
Professor Susan Goodwin
Anti-carceral research
Details:
Date: Wednesday 26 November 2025
Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm
You can find out more about the event and register .
Numerous University of Sydney staff have direct or indirect interest or experience in justice systems; a small number have come together to establish the Justice Collaboration.
Internal Affiliates
External Affiliates
Brenda Lin
PhD candidate, The University of Sydney Law School
Operationalisation of the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) approach to rehabilitation in NSW Youth Justice Centres through the exploration of a staff induction training course.
Laura Metcalfe
PhD candidate, The University of Sydney Law School
The Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility in NSW: Examining the operation of doli incapax and implications of reform.
Luke Strong
PhD candidate, Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning
Restorative sound environments in adult and youth correctional facilities: Architectural considerations for the design of prisons.
Susan Morley
Master of Design candidate, Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning
Improving rehabilitation outcomes: Using gamification as an effective intervention approach for young offenders in NSW.
Gabriel McGuire is a fourth-year law student at the University of Sydney. He has recently completed an honours in philosophy, writing his thesis on the justifiability of juvenile incarceration:.
The Justice Collaboration was recently shortlisted for an AFR Higher Education Award for our community engagement work. This is a testament to the great work by hundreds of staff and students over the last few years. More about the category and our nomination can be found.
Some of the many justice-related projects currently running at the University of Sydney:
Associate Professor Garner Clancey, Associate Professor Jonathon Hutchinson and Dr Justine Humphry are currently working on an funded project looking at the effect of social media on youth crime. The project explores the increasing trend of performance crime. It involves an analysis of material depicting criminal conduct on social media, a consideration of the potential effects this material has on young people’s offending and an investigation of the evolving legal responses to this phenomenon.
We have received funding from the Sydney Policy Labto explore diversion and early intervention for young people. As part of this project, we are investigating the history of diversion in NSW. We are also mapping resources produced by the University that may be of assistance to those working with young people at risk of engaging in crime.
We have also received funding from Sydney Law School to investigate judicial attitudes towards bail support and the implications of extending current Youth Justice NSW bail supervision policy.
A small team from the University of Sydney in partnership with colleagues in industry, has come together to explore the role of Accredited Exercise Physiologists in criminal justice settings. With significant levels of mental illness, disabilities and diverse health needs, inmates and detainees are likely to benefit greatly from services provided Accredited Exercise Physiologists within their scope of practice and as part of multidisciplinary approach to health care. The team has facilitated two student projects as part of the Discipline of Exercise and Sport Science’s Project-Based Learning Initiative in youth justice settings focusing on exercise delivery within high-risk youth while another group focused on presenting a value analysis of Exercise Physiology within justice system more broadly. Other groups of students have engaged with a forensic hospital where students designed exercise-focused education and activities with Indigenous consumers within the hospital. Through experiences gained via these placements, it is clear that Accredited Exercise Physiologists could play an important role in the growing work of Allied Health Professionals in criminal justice settings.The team is led byDr Timothy Daviesand includesProfessor Jeanette Thom,Associate Professor Gillian Nisbet,,Amanda Semaan, andAssociate Professor Garner Clancey.
Bridges Inside,an initiative ofCollaborationmembers Dr Jedidiah Evans and Dr Sam Shpall — in partnership with HDR students Lily Patchett and Amie Doan - returns for 2025.Bridges Insideis a forum for students, community members, and academics interested in examining prisonjusticealongside philosophy and literature.From August to November 2025, Bridges Inside are exploring “Prison and Health.” Together, participants will discuss how conceptions of health shape and are shaped by the prison. Each session examines an aspect of health within the carceral space to unsettle ideas of “embodiment,” “wellbeing,” and “autonomy.” More information can be found on the Bridges Inside . Subscribe to the Bridges Inside newsletter .
In addition to these student placements, students have worked on various voluntary or for-credit projects. Some have included:
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