Justice Research Group - Research Projects

Research Projects

Current

Just Spaces: security without prejudice in the wireless courtroom

Criminal defendants around the world are increasingly being placed in glass-framed docks, or even cages in the courtroom. Courts in Australia, Europe and the US have found that the right to a fair trial can be jeopardised by this practice. This project, for the first time, tests this important claim under experimental conditions. It develops protocols for human rights compliant courtrooms, taking advantage of new wireless technologies that permit flexible furniture arrangements and customised security measures.

This project is funded by the Australian Research Council as a Linkage project.  Lead Chief Investigator Professor David Tait and Chief Investigator Dr Meredith Rossner.

Industry Partners

  • University of Queensland
  • University of South Australia
  • University of Texas, Austin
  • PTW Architects
  • Hassell Pty Ltd
  • Katsieris Origami
  • Western Australian Department of the Attorney General
  • NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice
  • ICE Design Australia
  • Graham Turnbull

 Press: Jury prejudice in court put in the dock (opens in a new window)by Geesche Jacobsen, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 July 2012

Towards Cyberjustice

Using Tablet Technology to Enhance Justice Processes

With the development of cloud computing and wireless technology, information and communication devices used in court and tribunal hearings no longer need to be anchored to particular positions. Information can be shared and displayed - within a secure environment - across a range of platforms and portable computing devices, such as Ipads, or other tablets. Judicial officers, tribunal members, prosecutors, and lawyers are already turning to these devices to support their work.

These technologies may offer enormous benefits for simplifying justices processes, reducing delays and costs, and increasing access to justice. But, like any technology, there are likely to be teething problems, and there is a risk of wasting time and money if the procurement and adoption of such technology continues without adequate planning supported by carefully-designed protocols. This project will develop strategies to support the use of tablets to carry out selected tasks in court or tribunal hearing, simply, efficiently and effectively, with high user satisfaction. These strategies are likely to include protocols, training and modified procedures as well as technological choices.

Industry Partner

This project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Canada) via the University of Montreal.

For more information, please see University of Montreal - Project Presentation (opens in a new window)

Associated Universities

  • Professor Anne Wallace, Edith Cowan University
  • Dr Vivienne Farrell, Swinburne University of Technology

Australian Research Participants

  • Mr Phil Farrelly, Auscript Technology Solutions
  • Mr Rudy Monteleone, Magistrates Court Melbourne
  • ICE Design

Forum Sentencing

Forum sentencing brings together victims, offenders and other stakeholders in a crime to collectively address the harm caused by an incident. It is a type of of restorative justice, a recent innovation in crimnal justice.

This project documents the emotional and ritual dynamics of forums, identifying the features that result in successful justice processes. It will develop best practice guidelines to train facilitators in running forums.

Industry Partner

This project is funded by the New South Wales Department of Attorney General and Justice.

Interpreters in Court

Criminal trials often hinge on the credibility of witnesses, whether they are victims, defendants or experts. Witnesses who testify through an interpreter may face an extra challenge - the credibility of the interpreter. This study will show how changing the social and technological conditions of interpereters affects the way witnesses are perceived by judges and juries. It measures the impact of providing interpreters with wireless technology, improving their status, and changing their position in the courtroom. It provides a model for introducing new technologies to improve access to services for justice users, using experimental simulations in realistic settings.

This project is funded by the Australian Research Council as a Linkage Project. Chief Investigators, Professor David Tait and Dr Meredith Rossner.

Industry Partners

  • Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration (AIJA)
  • PTW Architects
  • Department of Justice, Victoria
  • Department of Justice and Attorney General, Queensland
  • Department of Justice and Attorney General, NSW
  • ICE Design
  • Sign Language Communications
  • ONCALL Interpreters and Translation Agency

Juror Confidence

The experience of being on a jury can contribute to increased confidence in justice processes, institutions and staff. There are two apparently contradictory explanations for this: either jurors get a taste for democracy as they participate in collective decision-making or they develop increased respect for judicial authority. Knowing how these factors work is key to building confidence in justice. Using a case developed with police and prosecutors, this study measures the impact of democratic participation and deference to authority on jurors under experimental conditions in a court environment. The findings will enable courts to improve the jury experience and enhance juror confidence in justice. 

This project is funded by the Australian Research Council as a Discovery project. The lead investigator is Professor David Tait.

Fortress or Sanctuary? Enhancing court safety by managing people, places and processes

Courts, like other public buildings, are increasingly becoming fortresses as public anxieties about security are translated into barriers, electronic screening systems and enhanced surveillance.  At the same time court administrations are trying to create environments that reduce stress, avoid intimidation, and respect cultural diversity. Restorative and therapeutic styles of justice have emerged to provide greater cultural and psychological safety.  The project provides a comparative analysis of safety processes, practices and designs in four jurisdictions, documents the safety experience and expectations of stakeholders, and develops best practice guidelines for providing safer court environments.

This project is funded by the Australian Research Council as a Linkage project.  Lead investigator is Professor David Tait.

Industry Partners

•    Western Australian Department of the Attorney-General
•    Family Court of Australia
•    South Australian Courts Administration Authority
•    Myriad Consultants
•    PTW Architects
•    Connleywalker Pty Ltd
•    Magistrates Court of Victoria
•    Lyons Architects


Recent

Gateways to Justice: improving video-mediated communications for justice participants

Justice hearings are increasingly likely to employ video communication facilities to provide access for remote participants. This project brings together a critical mass of researchers from seven disciplines together with courts, prosecutors, police and technology companies to develop best practice guidelines for introducing new video technologies. The project tests the impact of technological change on participants’ sense of presence and the effectiveness of communication; the impact of social and environmental changes; and their combined effects. Real courtroom environments are modified, based on the results of the experiments, and impacts of the changes on users are measured and analysed.

This project was funded by the Australian Research Council as a Linkage project.  Lead investigator, Professor David Tait.

Collaborating Organisations

  • Australian Federal Police
  • PTW Architects   
  • Department of Justice Victoria
  • Department of the Attorney-General Western Australia
  • Production Audio Services Pty Ltd
  • Jumbo Vision International Pty Ltd
  • Director of Public Prosecutions ACT
  • ICE Design Australia Pty Ltd
  • Hanson Associates


Juries and Interactive Visual Evidence (JIVE)

This project measures the impact of interactive displays on the trial processes, specifically how computer simulations and 360 degree crime scene reconstructions may better inform juries, but potentially increase prejudice against defendants.
The project brings in the key players as industry partners - police, prosecutors and judges - working alongside academic experts in law, architecture, media studies, psychology and criminology. Blending observation and experimental approaches, the study tracks how jurors in simulated court settings use visual evidence in making decisions, and identifies ways of using interactive technologies most effectively, while minimizing negative impacts.

This project was funded by the Australian Research Council as a Linkage project.  Lead investigator, Professor David Tait.

Industry Partners

•    The Australian Federal Police
•    The ACT Department of Public Prosecutions
•    Integrated Media
•    Hanson & Associates
•    PTW Architects
•    Lyons Architects
•    Australian Institute of Judicial Administration

Mental Health Tribunals - ACT, Victoria and NSW

In determining treatment options for people with mental illness, Mental Health Tribunals balance the person's right to treatment with other rights such as their right to safety, justice and freedom from coercion. Professor Terry Carney, School of Law, University of Sydney, led this study which looked at how Mental Health Tribunals manage this complex juggling act. The study used field observations, interviews and file reviews to assess the actual perceived fairness of hearings, and the therapeutic outcomes for patients. It mapped the diversity of approaches between tribunals in NSW, Victoria and the ACT, with a view to identifying best practice in the way resources are used, hearings organised and information managed. It has made a significant contribution to our understanding of how mental health tribunals work to ensure 'fairness' for people with a mental illness and will inform legislative reform and tribunal practices.