Politicians often find it tempting to try and solve social and legal issues by increasing imprisonment – whether by introducing longer, harsher sentences, or by tightening bail laws.
As crime researcher Emma Russell and her colleagues report, Australia now has a higher per capita imprisonment rate than many comparable countries. As a result, the cost of running and maintaining prisons has more than doubled in the past decade.
We are building ever more prisons to house the growing list of inmates. Russell and her colleagues found 37 new facilities have been built in Australia since 2000, costing billions of dollars. But the evidence suggests these new prisons don’t reduce reoffending rates or create safer communities, and the researchers argue there are more beneficial ways to spend such large sums of money.
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Erin Cooper-Douglas
Deputy Politics + Society Editor
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Emma Russell, La Trobe University; Andrew Burridge, Macquarie University; Francis Markham, Australian National University; Naama Blatman, UNSW Sydney; Natalie Osborne, Griffith University
Research shows 37 new prisons have been built in Australia since 2000. But the evidence shows increased incarceration doesn’t help reduce crime.
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Luis Gómez Romero, University of Wollongong
Trump’s efforts to stop a so-called ‘invasion’ of migrants could imperil relations with the US’s biggest trading partner, Mexico.
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
The Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel has taken aim at the Albanese government for the second time this week.
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Bioantika, The University of Queensland; Hernandi Albeto Octaviano, The University of Queensland
The demand for sand is soaring in places like Singapore. But extracting sand from the sea is destructive. It’s worth looking at alternatives
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Christine Carson, The University of Western Australia
Antimicrobial resistance is yet another catastrophic legacy of war, threatening human health and security for generations to come.
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Rebecca Van Amber, RMIT University
In Australia, clothing doesn’t have to carry a label with its fibre contents. That means we don’t always know how flammable a garment might be.
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Samantha Vlcek, RMIT University
The start of the school year can be an anxious time. But parents can help if they talk to their kids, validate their concerns and get back into a routine.
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Tuba Degirmenci, Queensland University of Technology; Frank Mathmann, Queensland University of Technology; Gary Mortimer, Queensland University of Technology
‘Mindful’ consumers feel handmade goods contain more ‘love’ and are willing to pay more for them. For faster-paced ‘doers’, handmade marketing can actually backfire.
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Lynn Buckley, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Peter Underwood, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
There is clearly the political will to update the Companies Act. But the new reforms have gaps that could undermine the the goals of simplicity and transparency.
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Amy Hume, The University of Melbourne
Accent coaches and vocal performances are vital parts of actors creating characters – are we OK if AI gives a helping hand?
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Emma Cole, The University of Queensland
No other classic text has left such a mark on how we tell stories, create theatre, and structure film. But what does it actually say?
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Politics + Society
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Mandy Paul, University of Adelaide; Rochelle Schoff, La Trobe University
In 1939, Adelaide endured 13 straight days of extreme heat – residents’ diaries from the time reveal old-fashioned cooling strategies.
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Health + Medicine
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Nial Wheate, Macquarie University
The TGA has issued a requirement for new warnings to be provided with the drug montelukast, commonly used to treat asthma and hay fever.
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Jayashri Kulkarni, Monash University; Eveline Mu, Monash University
Treatment should focus on the underlying causes of borderline personality disorder – trauma – rather stigmatise the person.
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Science + Technology
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Carolina Quintero Rodriguez, RMIT University
The clothes tennis stars wear are much more than fashion.
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Anna Marie Brennan, University of Waikato
Meteorites offer vital clues to the mysteries of the universe. But many are being lost to private collectors, potentially creating tension between finders and scientists.
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Environment + Energy
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David Lindenmayer, Australian National University; Benjamin Scheele, Australian National University; Elle Bowd, Australian National University; Maldwyn John Evans, Australian National University
Wildlife monitoring is vital to arresting Australia’s extinction crisis. But research shows we may be getting false pictures of how species are faring.
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Education
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Tracey Muir, Australian Catholic University; Julia Hill, The University of Melbourne; Sharyn Livy, Monash University
Research shows students often start primary school feeling optimistic about maths. This can decline as students progress through school and continue into adulthood.
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Arts + Culture
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Jane Simon, Macquarie University
Carol Jerrems worked primarily with black and white photography until her early death in 1980. Over 140 of her photographs are currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
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Books + Ideas
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Oscar Davis, Bond University
We live in anxious times. But there is a long tradition of philosophical thought that addresses the problem of anxiety.
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Business + Economy
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Judy Lundy, Edith Cowan University; Uma Jogulu, Edith Cowan University
Australia has already made significant progress on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Organisations should resist the backlash and continue to focus on making workplaces safer and more respectful.
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