The development of criminology and criminal justice research in the Australian context is and must be ongoing. During the development of this web content significant, critical discussion occurred at conferences, in writing and on social media. We sought to reflect key points in this web material. 

 

Web content was developed by our team, which is itself diverse and working cross-culturally. Content was not externally peer reviewed, except for feedback on an earlier book chapter, presentations at conferences and in discussions with colleagues.

 

While the Australian guidelines for ethical research have been available to and required of researchers to follow for over two decades, our experience reviewing research proposals and on human research ethics committees indicates major gaps, including erroneous research design, and reluctance of some researchers to change research processes. 

 

We witness and/or experience interpersonal, organisational, institutional and systemic racism frequently. There are few effective strategies for addressing or preventing racism, or the many other forms of discrimination and exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and knowledges.

 

This ethics companion is one specific action – to provide practical guidance on better using existing ethical guidelines. It is not intended nor able to be all-encompassing or holistic. More strategies are needed, and from diverse perspectives.

 

We each autonomously and collectively seek to make progress in our work and our lives. We welcome constructive feedback about the topics at hand to ensure rights, values, needs and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are respected.