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 podcast episode, 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.
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: Locked Up & Locked Out: Incarceration & Children's Interests.
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 here.
Some of the many justice-related projects currently running at the University of Sydney:
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 by Dr Timothy Davies and includes Professor Jeanette Thom, Associate Professor Gillian Nisbet, Dr Jennifer Fleeton, Amanda Semaan, and Associate Professor Garner Clancey.
Bridges Inside, an initiative of Collaboration members Dr Jedidiah Evans and Dr Sam Shpall — in partnership with HDR students Lily Patchett and Amie Doan — will return in 2026. Bridges Inside is a forum for students, community members, and academics interested in examining prison justice alongside philosophy and literature. From August to November 2025, Bridges Inside explored “Prison and Health.” Together, participants discussed how conceptions of health shape and are shaped by the prison. Each session examined an aspect of health within the carceral space to unsettle ideas of “embodiment,” “wellbeing,” and “autonomy.” Stay tuned to find out this year's theme. More information can be found on the Bridges Inside website. Subscribe to the Bridges Inside newsletter here.
In addition to these student placements, students have worked on various voluntary or for-credit projects. Some have included:
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