Community Justice Project

Too often government, social and criminal justice policy focuses on the symptoms rather than the causes of ongoing injustice in society. This subject partners with community agencies to work on a research problem identified by the agencies themselves. The agencies come in and discuss areas of their work that would benefit from criminological research. The subject coordinator works with you on developing a project, doing research, preparing a response and presenting this to the agency in conversation with them. Past agency partners have included the Human Rights Law Centre, Fitzroy Legal Service, WEstjustice, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Consumer Action Law Centre, Australian African Foundation for Retention and Opportunity (AAFRO) and Banksia Gardens Community Service. This subject introduces you to the concepts of structural injustice and structural justice that help us to better recognise and address underlying causes of harm to people and their communities. It explores best practice in community-engaged research and the translation of research into policy and practice. Community Justice Project gives you the opportunity to use the conceptual frameworks and research skills developed through your degree to create practical outcomes in community justice.

• 1Appraise a range of theoretical approaches to understanding structural justice and injustice
• 2Apply this knowledge to real-life social and socio-legal problems
• 3Develop collaborative and practical responses to community justice problems
• 4Engage effectively and reflexively with community partners
• 5Demonstrate critical understanding of the role of research in social and structural change.