Professional stakeholders’ views of the Family Violence Act 2016 (ACT) : Has law reform achieved its primary aims?

Journal article

Easteal, Patricia, Bartels, Lorana and Dodd, Shannon. (2021). Professional stakeholders’ views of the Family Violence Act 2016 (ACT) : Has law reform achieved its primary aims? Monash University Law Review. 47(3), pp. 175-208.
AuthorsEasteal, Patricia, Bartels, Lorana and Dodd, Shannon
Abstract

The Family Violence Act 2016 (ACT) represents the Australian Capital Territory government's legislative response to issues offamily violence ('FV'). While the Act aimed to better safeguard those experiencing FV, it is yet to be seen whether those amendments are effective and/or operating as intended. Through interviews with a range ofprofessional stakeholders working at the coalface of FV issues, this paper shows that, while some improvements have been made, there remain issues with the ambiguity ofprovisions, the scope of the people and abusive behaviours protected under the Act, the lack of police enforcement, informationsharing and inter-agency communication, and adequate resourcing. Suggestions are made for improving the Act and its implementation.

Year2021
JournalMonash University Law Review
Journal citation47 (3), pp. 175-208
PublisherFaculty of Law, Monash University
ISSN0311-3140
Web address (URL)https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/monash47&i=648
Publisher's version
License
All rights reserved
File Access Level
Controlled
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online2021
Publication process dates
Deposited06 Mar 2025
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8z15x/professional-stakeholders-views-of-the-family-violence-act-2016-act-has-law-reform-achieved-its-primary-aims

Log in to edit

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 7
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 7
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Police Use of Force in Mental Health Crises: An Analysis of Coronial Inquest Findings from Australia
Dodd, Shannon, Morgan, Matthew, Weir, Bridget and Bowyer, Jordan. (2024). Police Use of Force in Mental Health Crises: An Analysis of Coronial Inquest Findings from Australia. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. https://doi.org/10.5204/ijcjsd.3560
Joyriding Among Young First Nations Australians : Assessing Police Trust and Confidence Through the Lens of Youth and Key Stakeholders
Morgan, Matthew and Dodd, Shannon. (2024). Joyriding Among Young First Nations Australians : Assessing Police Trust and Confidence Through the Lens of Youth and Key Stakeholders. Youth Justice. pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/14732254241260603
Freedom Waived : A Systematic Review of Research on People in Prison Who Forgo the Opportunity for Release on Parole
Dodd, Shannon and Sydes, Michelle. (2024). Freedom Waived : A Systematic Review of Research on People in Prison Who Forgo the Opportunity for Release on Parole. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. pp. 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-024-09596-8
“Most people don’t like a client group that tell you to get fucked” : Choice and control in Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme for formerly incarcerated people
Dickinson, Helen, Yates, Sophie, Dodd, Shannon, Buick, Fiona and Doyle, Caroline. (2024). “Most people don’t like a client group that tell you to get fucked” : Choice and control in Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme for formerly incarcerated people. Public Administration and Policy. 39(1), pp. 87-105. https://doi.org/10.1177/09520767221134320
“They are kids, they’re making bad choices, but they are not bad kids” : Motivations and deterrents for joyriding amongst Australian youth
Dodd, Shannon and Morgan, Matthew. (2023). “They are kids, they’re making bad choices, but they are not bad kids” : Motivations and deterrents for joyriding amongst Australian youth. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. 28(1), pp. 733-746. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2023.2282725
Deterring drivers : An initiative to reduce car theft and joyriding by young people in Townsville
Dodd, Shannon, Morgan, Morgan, Dillon, Anthony, Lawton, Luke and Harfield, Clive. (2023). Deterring drivers : An initiative to reduce car theft and joyriding by young people in Townsville Brisbane, Australia: Australian Catholic University. https://doi.org/10.26199/acu.8z9v6
Body-worn camera activation in prisons : Understanding correctional officers’ decision-making and use of discretion
Dodd, Shannon, Antrobus, Emma and Sydes, Michelle. (2023). Body-worn camera activation in prisons : Understanding correctional officers’ decision-making and use of discretion. Security Journal. pp. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41284-023-00380-7
Parole on probation : Parole decision-making, public opinion and public confidence
Fitzgerald, Robin, Freiberg, Arie, Dodd, Shannon and Bartels, Lorana. (2023). Parole on probation : Parole decision-making, public opinion and public confidence Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19385-9
Building public confidence in parole boards : Findings from a four-country study
Fitzgerald, Robin, Freiberg, Arie, Dodd, Shannon and Bartels, Lorana. (2022). Building public confidence in parole boards : Findings from a four-country study. The British Journal of Criminology. 62(6), pp. 1395-1413. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azab097
Where specialist and mainstream service systems collide : The National Disability Insurance Scheme in prisons
Yates, Sophie, Dodd, Shannon, Doyle, Caroline, Buick, Fiona and Dickinson, Helen. (2022). Where specialist and mainstream service systems collide : The National Disability Insurance Scheme in prisons. Australian Journal of Public Administration. 81(4), pp. 611-628. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12555
At the heart of sentencing : Exploring whether more compassionate delivery of sentencing remarks increases public concern for people who offend
Hopkins, Anthony, Dodd, Shannon, Nolan, Mark and Bartels, Lorana. (2022). At the heart of sentencing : Exploring whether more compassionate delivery of sentencing remarks increases public concern for people who offend. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law. 30(4), pp. 459-485. https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2022.2040398
The forgotten prisoners : Exploring the impact of imprisonment on people with disability in Australia
Dodd, Shannon, Doyle, Caroline, Dickinson, Helen, Buick, Fiona and Yates, Sophie. (2022). The forgotten prisoners : Exploring the impact of imprisonment on people with disability in Australia. Criminology and Criminal Justice. pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958221120895
Body cameras behind bars : Exploring correctional officers’ feelings of safety with body-worn cameras
Sydes, Michelle, Dodd, Shannon and Antrobus, Emma. (2022). Body cameras behind bars : Exploring correctional officers’ feelings of safety with body-worn cameras. Criminology and Criminal Justice. 22(2), pp. 323-342. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895820959125
A jurisdictional collision? Responses to family violence and family law in the ACT
Easteal, Patricia, Bartels, Lorana, Dodd, Shannon and White, Jessica. (2022). A jurisdictional collision? Responses to family violence and family law in the ACT. Alternative Law Journal. 47(1), pp. 23-29. https://doi.org/10.1177/1037969X211054217
Do survivors feel protected by family violence legislation? Reflections on the Family Violence Act 2016 (ACT) from those with lived experience
Easteal, Patricia, Bartels, Lorana, Dodd, Shannon and White, Jessica. (2021). Do survivors feel protected by family violence legislation? Reflections on the Family Violence Act 2016 (ACT) from those with lived experience. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. pp. 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605211035885
Angry women and empathic men : How individuals "do gender" in a criminal justice context through conformity or resistance to gendered feeling rules
Dodd, Shannon. (2020). Angry women and empathic men : How individuals "do gender" in a criminal justice context through conformity or resistance to gendered feeling rules. The Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice and Criminology. 8(4), pp. 2-30. https://doi.org/10.21428/88de04a1.c32f0300
Cameras in corrections : Exploring the views of correctional officers on the introduction of body-worn cameras in prisons
Dodd, Shannon, Antrobus, Emma and Sydes, Michelle. (2020). Cameras in corrections : Exploring the views of correctional officers on the introduction of body-worn cameras in prisons. Criminal Justice and Behavior. 47(9), pp. 1190-1208. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854820942288
Parole, politics and penal policy
Freiberg, Arie, Bartels, Lorana, Fitzgerald, Robin and Dodd, Shannon. (2018). Parole, politics and penal policy. QUT Law Review. 18(1), pp. 191-215. https://doi.org/10.5204/qutlr.v18i1.680
Bail, risk and law reform : A review of bail legislation across Australia
Bartels, Lorana, Gelb, Karen, Spiranovic, Caroline, Sarre, Rick and Dodd, Shannon. (2018). Bail, risk and law reform : A review of bail legislation across Australia. Criminal Law Journal. 42(2), pp. 91-107.
The punitive woman? Gender differences in public attitudes toward parole among an Australian sample
Dodd, Shannon. (2018). The punitive woman? Gender differences in public attitudes toward parole among an Australian sample. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. 62(10), pp. 3006-3022. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X17739560
Anti-social or intensively sociable? The local context of neighbour disputes and complaints among social housing tenants
Cheshire, Lynda and Dodd, Shannon. (2016). Anti-social or intensively sociable? The local context of neighbour disputes and complaints among social housing tenants. Housing Studies. 31(6), pp. 729-748. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2015.1122743
The ‘focal concerns’ of parole board decision-making : A thematic analysis
Dodd, Shannon. (2016). The ‘focal concerns’ of parole board decision-making : A thematic analysis. Current Issues in Criminal Justice. 27(3), pp. 285-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/10345329.2016.12036047
How does the Australian public view parole? Results from a national survey on public attitudes towards parole and re-entry
Fitzgerald, Robin, Bartels, Lorana, Freiberg, Arie, Cherney, Adrian and Buglar, Shannon. (2016). How does the Australian public view parole? Results from a national survey on public attitudes towards parole and re-entry. Criminal Law Journal. 40(6), pp. 307-324.