Welcome to the TILES Newsletter No. 2 Director's Report
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Newsletter No. 2 June 2006 Welcome to the TILES Newsletter No. 2 As the incoming Chair of the Board Tasmanian Government’s Tasmania of Directors, I’ve been very impressed Together goals. with the progress that TILES is making Another significant development in its development into a first-class law detailed elsewhere in this newsletter enforcement research facility. is the Review of TILES, which was Perhaps the most significant recent conducted in August 2005 by a panel achievement has been the partnership of very highly regarded experts. The between the Institute and the University review endorsed the strategic direction Department of Rural Health on the of the Institute and has provided a Social Norms approach to substance number of helpful recommendations to strong position in which the Institute abuse prevention. There’s more on this guide us into the future. now finds itself. project elsewhere in this newsletter. May I conclude by acknowledging Second, I’d like to congratulate our TILES takes particular pride in this some personal milestones - first, the Director, Associate Professor Roberta project because of the strong way in contribution made by two Board Julian, on assuming the presidency of which it reflects our preferred way of members who have had to relinquish the Australian Sociological Association working – in partnership with other their positions in recent months. Sir Max (TASA) for 2005-07. It is a measure of the players and in projects which support Bingham QC was the inaugural chair regard in which she, and increasingly our key theme areas: in this case, drug of the Board and was instrumental in the Institute, is held by their peers. law enforcement and youth crime setting the Institute’s strategic direction prevention. These areas themselves and Mr. Rudie Sypkes, as a Community/ Richard Bingham reflect both the Australian Government’s Business representative, who has also Chair National Research Priorities and the made a valuable contribution to the Board of Directors Director’s Report The review panel consisted of Professor • Collaborating with the DPEM and Colin Buxton (Chair), Director of responding to the needs of law Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries enforcement agencies; Institute at the University of Tasmania, • Establishing research contacts with Dr Jim Hahn, Executive Director of community groups; the Australian Institute of Police • Collaborating with the host School Management and Assoc Prof Colleen of Government, the Dean of Faculty, Lewis, Research Coordinator, Political and the PVC (Research) in further and Social Inquiry, and Co-director enhancing the research profile of the Parliamentary Studies Unit, Faculty of University; Arts at Monash University, Caulfield Campus. • Engaging in research expertise and research excellence available at the I would also like to extend my thanks The Review was established to make University; comment and recommendations on the: and that of the Management Committee • Establishing collaborative links with to the inaugural Chair, Sir Max Bingham • Strategic objectives, goals and targets other universities and research QC and Mr Rudie Sypkes for the in the context of the Memorandum of institutes with similar research focus contribution they have made to TILES. Understanding; nationally and internationally; I also extend a very warm welcome to Contact: • Structure, resources and staff • Managing the activities of the Mr Richard Bingham who has taken Associate Professor profile in the context of its strategic Institute, including the budget; and the position of Chair of the Board of objectives and goals; and Roberta Julian Directors. Mr Bingham has previously • Publicizing the activities of the Institute Director held the position of Secretary of the • Activities in the context of strategic Institute, and maintaining a high University of Tasmania Department of Justice and is currently objectives, goals and targets. profile within the University, in the Private Bag 22 fulfilling the role of Ombudsman for the The Review also focused on the success Tasmanian community and nationally. Hobart Tasmania State of Tasmania. of TILES in: The report prepared by the Review Australia 7001 Panel has made recommendations I would now like to turn to the Review • Identifying potential sources of Telephone +61 3 6226 2217 that will have a significant impact that was conducted in August, 2005 in research funding, attracting research on the future consolidation of TILES Facsimile +61 3 6226 2864 relation to the Institute. The review was funding and achieving research and its research activities. Sixteen Email [email protected] carried out in line with requirements of the targets, especially for collaborative recommendations were made including [email protected] Memorandum of Understanding between and inter-disciplinary research in the following: Website www.utas.edu.au/tiles the University and the Department of areas relevant for contemporary and ISSN: 1832-7001 Police and Emergency Management. future policing practice; • That the TILES Board hosts a Strategic Planning Workshop with all major stakeholders, including UTAS, DPEM and other relevant state TILES awarded an AERF Grant for departments, community representatives and TILES staff to clarify the strategic focus and themed areas of TILES. ‘Social Norms’ Research • That the partners increase the level of funding and extend the initial investment in TILES beyond the first term, for a further period of three A submission by Associate Professor Roberta Julian, (Director of TILES), years. Dr Clarissa Hughes, (Research Fellow, Department of Rural Health, University of Tasmania) and Inspector Matthew Richman (Research Fellow, TILES), • That TILES develops strategies to broaden its funding base, particularly to the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation Ltd (AERF) for opportunities to partner with other state departments, statutory $490 000 was successful. authorities and the private sector. • That an additional administrative position be created to support the AERF allocated $5 million for projects up to $500 000 which focused on Director as a component of the strategic investment of the partners. Prevention and Public Education and which embraced the core funding objectives of the Foundation. • That the Faculty considers mechanisms to underwrite the activities of TILES such that the unique talents of its fixed term research staff are not AERF Funding was made available, for up to three years, for the lost to the Institute during the initial investment period. implementation of innovative prevention partnerships that seek to divert • That TILES engages with Schools within the University to identify the population groups at high risk of experiencing alcohol related harm. advantages of partnership with the Institute. Background to the Social Norms project was the subject of the first TILES • That the DPEMconsiders establishing protocols whereby access to its data Briefing Paper No 1 released in June 2005. http://www.utas.edu.au/tiles/ by University researchers is provided only under the auspices of TILES. publications.html • That TILES gives increased priority to raising awareness of its role and the benefits that it is providing to the community. The recommendations are to be referred to the Board of Directors for consideration. The remainder of this newsletter addresses key reports, staff appointments and provides an overview of the projects that are currently being completed within TILES. Whilst the newsletter is later than envisaged, we have been working assiduously none the less. We anticipate returning to publication in January, May/June and September. Roberta Julian Associate Professor and Director Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies AERF ‘Social Norms’ project Chief Investigators L-R TILES Achievements Inspector Matthew Richman, Dr Clarissa Hughes, Associate Professor Roberta Julian Since June 2005, TILES has: The Chief Investigators on the project are Dr Clarissa Hughes from the University Department of Rural Health (UDRH), Associate Professor Roberta • won a significant funding grant from the Alcohol Education and Julian from the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), and Rehabilitation Foundation Ltd (AERF) to undertake a collaborative, Inspector Matthew Richman from Tasmania Police. They will be working multi-community trial of an innovative alcohol misuse prevention with personnel from the Department of Health and Human Services, the approach known as ‘Social Norms’; Department of Education and local and international experts. • completed and released a report to the National Institute of Forensic The project will be run at four regional high schools; Huonville High School Science providing an overview of the partnership projects on forensic and Geeveston District High School in the Huon, and Rosebery District High science and policing in Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria; School and Mountain Heights School on the West Coast. Local government, youth/health service providers, police and other individuals will also be • released the Final Report on the local evaluation of the U-Turn pilot in involved ‘on the ground’. Tasmania; Dr Clarissa Hughes said the project is the first major Australian trial of the • submitted a report to the National Drug Law Enforcement Research ‘Social Norms’ approach. Fund on ‘Enhancing the Implementation and Management of Drug “Research suggests that teenage perceptions of how much ‘everyone Diversion Strategies in Australian Law Enforcement