Theme 4: Offender prevention and intervention
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The language we use has also changed from the initial terminology in the National Strategy. For a full list of the terminology we use, see our Glossary of terms page.
Offender prevention and intervention measures are critical to reducing the risk and extent of child sexual abuse. In Australia, there is a lack of early intervention services for people who have sexual thoughts about children or young people. Further, access to psychological services is affected by location, availability and cost.
Preventing offending from ever happening is the best way to protect children. Programs that intervene before a child or young person has been harmed also mean law enforcement can focus resources on particularly harmful or high-risk offending – where a strong criminal justice response will always be needed.
The focus of Australian Government measures
We will balance community prevention and intervention programs against new and stronger law enforcement and intelligence responses to fight child sexual abuse.
Measures under this theme will:
- focus on programs that prevent offending, intervene before offending occurs and reduce repeat offending
- enhance law enforcement and intelligence resources and activities to identify victims and offenders
- make sure Commonwealth offences for child sexual abuse stay current
- work with international counterparts and with the digital industry to improve global responses to child sexual abuse, particularly online abuse
- work with communities, states and territories on programs to raise awareness around offending and stop offending
- strengthen the Australian Government’s ability to prosecute offenders.
The measures
13. Strengthen Commonwealth child sexual abuse offences
Overview
The Attorney-General's Department will review existing Commonwealth child sexual abuse offences. It may look at legislative reforms to make sure offences remain current and reflect emerging trends.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 85 from the Criminal Justice Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Attorney-General's Department
14. Conduct a scoping study and pilot service to prevent child sexual abuse re-offending
Overview
The National Office for Child Safety will manage a scoping study and pilot service to build safer communities. The service will work with child sexual abuse offenders to promote accountability and prevent further harms.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.3 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
National Office for Child Safety
15. Stop child abuse material and offenders at the Australian border
Overview
The Australian Border Force will enhance its operational capacity to respond to the growing amount of child abuse material (including child-like sex dolls) being detected and seized at Australia’s border.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Overall intent of the Criminal Justice Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Department of Home Affairs
16. Improve ways to find unknown child sex offenders at the border
Overview
The Department of Home Affairs will expand its Child Exploitation Border Targeting Team. This will improve the team’s ability to gather information and increase referrals for investigation.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Overall intent of the Criminal Justice Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Department of Home Affairs
17. Strengthen financial intelligence efforts to disrupt the cash flow behind child sexual abuse
Overview
Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre will set up a dedicated child sexual abuse disruption team. This team will increase information sharing and data collection. It will also use and enhance financial intelligence capabilities to counter child sexual abuse by targeting the money that funds this crime.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre
18. Build in-roads with United States-based digital industry stakeholders and decision-makers
Overview
The Department of Home Affairs will embed a dedicated officer in the United States. This officer will strengthen support for law enforcement by having on-the-ground engagement with:
- large multi-national technology companies
- non-government organisations
- industry
- civil society.
This approach will help to better protect children and improve cooperative law enforcement responses.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Overall intent of the Criminal Justice Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Department of Home Affairs
19. Drive domestic engagement with industry on online harms
Overview
The Attorney-General's Department will have a dedicated locally based officer who will work across the Australian Government and support the work of the United States-based officer outlined in measure 18.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Attorney-General's Department
20. Expand Australian Federal Police international operations
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will expand its contribution to support law enforcement efforts in the Philippines to combat online child sexual abuse. This will include holding Australians overseas accountable for their child sexual abuse crimes.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
21. Strengthen law and justice frameworks in the Indo-Pacific and South-East Asia regions
Overview
The Attorney-General's Department will work with agencies in the IndoPacific and South-East Asia regions to provide capacity-building support. This will include:
- technical and peer-to-peer assistance focused on policy reform
- assistance with law reform to improve ability to deal with child sexual abuse.
Royal Commission recommendation
N/A
Lead Australian Government Department
Attorney-General's Department
22. Create a network of ThinkUKnow community officers
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will form a network of ThinkUKnow community officers to target online child sexual abuse issues. This will include embedding officers with the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Teams. The network will have a specific focus on working in regional Australia, including with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
23. Enhance child protection investigation in the Northern Territory
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will enhance investigation resources in the Northern Territory Child Abuse Team and Joint Anti Child Exploitation Teams.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
24. Develop a technology detection dog program
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will train dogs to detect hidden technical devices containing illicit content, such as child abuse material, when officers are executing warrants.
This will improve the impact of frontline operations and assist in victim identification.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
25. Strengthen Australia’s partnership with INTERPOL and the United States Homeland Security Investigations. Participate in the International Child Sexual Exploitation database
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will work together with international policing organisations to enhance operational collaboration. This will include using specialised tools and datasets to identify victims of online child sexual abuse.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
26. Improve national ability to triage online child sexual abuse reports through the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will work with state and territory partners to enhance the triaging of reports about online child sexual abuse into the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation.
This will boost Australia’s response to the increasing number of online child sexual abuse reports.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
27. Look at options for an Australian Federal Police law enforcement database of online child sexual abuse offenders
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will look at options for a new law enforcement database. The database would collate Australian Federal Police data holdings relating to online child sexual abuse offenders. It would help to identify typologies and trends. It would also aim to provide intelligence and inform strategies to deter child sexual abuse offending.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
28. Set up dedicated strike surge teams
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will set up dedicated strike surge teams to target the parts of organised crime that profit from online child sexual abuse. These teams will enhance investigation capability around Australia. They will also help Joint Anti Child Exploitation Teams on major operations.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
29. Enhance national technological capabilities concerning child sexual abuse
Overview
The Australian Federal Police will work with state and territory partners to enhance technology support. This will make sure law enforcement agencies can respond to investigation challenges caused by changes in technology.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Australian Federal Police
30. Enhance the Commonwealth’s capacity to prosecute perpetrators
Overview
The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney-General’s Department will invest in additional Australian Government-funded legal assistance and prosecutorial services. This will enable more child sexual abuse matters to be prosecuted.
Royal Commission recommendation
Recommendation 6.24 from the Final Report
Recommendation 72 from the Criminal Justice Report
Lead Australian Government Department
Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and Attorney-General’s Department