Criminology Research Unit (CRU)

The Criminology Research Unit (CRU) promotes criminology as a critical field of study and research leading to improved policy evaluation and development. To achieve this, the CRU proudly collaborates with local Tasmanian communities, as well as Australian and international governmental and non-governmental stakeholders.

The CRU was first established in 2000; it is being expanded and re-launched in 2021. It operates within the School of Social Sciences, College of Arts, Law and Education at the University of Tasmania. The CRU offers research and consultancies undertaken by professionals with diverse interests and broad skill sets. Current areas of expertise within the CRU include:

• incarceration and prison issues affecting men and women, community corrections, and working with offenders
• environmental criminology, harm, and ecological justice
• forensic studies, and communication in the criminal justice system by police and other professionals
• crime prevention, social programmes, local government and evaluation research
• historical criminology, and archival research
• sexual violence against adults and children, victim therapeutic needs, and perpetrator prevention
• youth studies, juvenile justice, children's courts, and youth gangs

If you would like us to lend our expertise to one of your projects or are looking to collaborate please contact the Co-Directors, Dr Loene Howes or Dr Vicky Nagy