Academic Staff Completing Research
Douglas Allan  Title of Research: Fraud and corruption prevention: options and influences for Australian companies. In accessing new markets, companies are often confronted by a myriad of prominent risk factors ranging from substantial financial outlay to uncertainty over local business practices, all of which can increase business vulnerability. Such companies, with their capacity to cut across multiple international boundaries create interesting and novel dynamics when considering the commission of fraud and corruption. In such a complex and shifting global environment, where ideas, practices and technologies continually evolve, preventative strategies employed to protect against such crimes must be equally dynamic in their evolution and application. In an effort to develop effective prevention approaches, this research proposal seeks to identify how Australian companies operating in a transnational setting select and implement strategies to limit their exposure too, and harm from, fraud and corruption. |
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David Aspland Abstract: This research aims to identify and construct a theoretical framework that may assist the interaction of the two sectors in formal and informal public-private partnerships in policing. As social pressures increase on government to deliver more security to the community in the face of financial and resource constraints, the closer cooperation, collaboration and possible integration of the public and private sectors in policing is increasing in level and scope. In the increasingly fragmented and pluralised policing environment in Australia and overseas, that has seen a blurring of the public/private divide, many policing methodologies have become common to both sectors. At present most research is centred on the size and rapidity of the growth of the private sector in this field with additional consideration given to the regulation, contractual issues and overall governance of this interaction. Little research has been conducted into the day to day organisational, cultural and individual ethics of such interaction in policing ethics such as integrity, neutrality, independency and equity and these are reflected in the areas of privacy, authority, accountability and cooperation. This is particularly important given that this interaction is now no longer just between organisations as a whole working in a parallel environment but now occurs on an individual basis in increasingly combined workplaces. |
Dr Anna Corbo Crehan  I am involved in a number of areas of research this year: Experiences of the police complaints system in NSW (with Professor Jane Delahunty) I am analysing the answers to a series of open-ended questions that were part of a questionnaire completed by legal advocates about what factors impact on people’s decision-making about using the NSW police complaints system. A key aim of the project is to provide police with feedback about what is, and what isn’t, working well. Longitudinal comparative study of police in Australia, Canada and China: experiences of the first five years in the job The elements I am focussing on are: The recruitment and retention of Indigenous police officers (with Mr Mark McDonald and Senior Constable Aaron Fletcher) Racial and linguistic diversity (with Ms Kim Willer) Police culture: Ethics (with Dr Susan Robinson) Police Culture: Obedience to Authority (with Mr John Nixon and Dr Ken Wooden) Police culture: Cynicism (with Ms Kim Willer) Education and training (with Senior Constable Aaron Fletcher) Exploring the teaching of ethics to the profession (with A/Prof Wendy Bowles (H&SS, CSU), Prof Lindy McAllister (USyd) and Matthew Campbell (Griffith Uni)) This project aims to determine the considerations that should inform best pedagogical practice in the area of professional ethics in light of the interdisciplinary context of professional practice. Such a context creates a number of questions, which need to be addressed in the teaching of professional ethics. To this end, the teaching of professional ethics across the various disciplines at Charles Sturt University has been explored using qualitative methodologies to capture current practice and the views of practitioners about both the current position of professional ethics within their respective curriculum and future opportunities for interdisciplinary subject development. In 2013, the project is focussing on producing a number of curriculum resources for teachers of professional ethics. Study on implications of social networking for police education (with Mr Andrew Kelly and Ms Kim Willer) The project will source data collected for the project Study on Implications of Social Networking for Covert Operations (O’Brien, Keelty), and analyse it to determine implications it might have for the teaching of police recruits. |
Amanda Davies  The advances in media technologies have afforded new opportunities for simulation based learning which have been readily adopted by professions training for high risk, high stakes environments. The ever present reality of risk to personal and public safety coupled with financial considerations predicates the impracticality and untenable nature of practicing decision making by police officers in use of force and public order management in the real world. Whilst there is a developing understanding by educators of the potential for technology assisted simulations to provide authentic situated learning environments and their influence on the transfer of learning there remains much that research can contribute to this body of knowledge. The literature suggests educators in this area concentrate on the capacity for simulations to provide a conduit for confirming a learners cognitive competencies. There has been limited focus on the influence of simulation based learning on the development of a learner's professional identity and on their place within a community of practice. The aim of the study therefore was two-fold, firstly to develop a response to: What is the influence of simulation exercises in developing professional identity in policing? In this research the work of Bourdieu (1990b) in providing a framework of socio cultural development and practice has aided the identification of the relationship between participation in a technology assisted simulation and development of a participant’s professional identity. Extending the understanding this learning experience has on situating the learner in their community of practice has drawn on the community of practice concepts as proffered by Lave and Wenger (1991). Underpinning the response to this question necessitated understanding the learners' perception of how closely the technology assisted simulation environment replicates reality and enables transfer of learning. The second aim of the study was to provide insight into: What characteristics of a simulation exercise are required to enable transfer of learning from the training environment to operational policing? Two technology assisted simulation learning exercises conducted by the New South Wales Police Force the central tenant of which is decision making for high risk and high stakes situations were selected for this study. The VirTra use of force simulation exercise in which novice student police officers at the NSW Police Force Academy participate and the Hydra/Minerva simulation exercise for public order management in which experienced senior police participate. As a mixed method study, data gathering involved pre and post simulation exercise questionnaires followed by post simulation field based interviews. |
Mark McDonald  My research is 'Missing Persons' and my focus will be on 'Risk assessments' regarding Missing Persons. |
John Nixon  I am involved in three areas of research this year: Firstly, last year in conjunction with Ken Wooden and Anna Corbo Crehan I submitted a paper called “Policing Students’ Understanding of Obedience to Authority” to Policing: a Journal Of Policy And Practice. We are now preparing a second article based on our original research on ‘Obedience to Authority’. Secondly, Li Yongtao (William) and I submitted an article “Case study multi-dimensional teaching method: Using real criminal cases in Chinese criminal police cadets training” was submitted to the International Police Training Journal and we are now looking at editing it for possible publication. Thirdly, I am part of the Collaborative Research Project. Andrew and I will be looking at the data about conflict management and writing an article about it. Ken Wooden, Anna Corbo Crehan and I will be looking at the data about obedience to authority and writing an article about it. |
Dr Sue Robinson "Longitudinal Comparative Study of Police in Australia, Canada and China: Experiences of the First Five years in the Job" This is a comparative longitudinal study spanning five years that looks at race, gender, lifestyle factors, development of ethics and use of power and control. Chief Researcher: Dr Susan Robinson. Research Assistants: Rachel MacCulloch and Wendy Zhang. Co-researchers: Dr Anna Corbo Crehan; Dr Ken Wooden; David Aspland; Virginia Arentsen; John Nixon; Mark MacDonald. International Collaborators: Professor Xaoping Shang (China) and Janice Mokanski (Canada). This project commenced in January 2012. http://redwalljanehall.com/a-pilot-study-of-women-in-the-new-south-wales-police-force-1979-to-2008-have-thirty-years-really-made-any-difference/ |
Kim Willer  I'm currently researching 'Factors Effecting Firearms Results' and 'Gender based choices in specialist policing roles'. |
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Ken Wooden The second paper will look at challenges faced by police organisations in trying to implement community policing strategies in disadvantaged communities. |
