Indigenous lands and waters

 

Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s connection to and responsibility for Country is necessary when conducting research. 

 

This might be Country to which bloodlines, family and identity are connected, or for Country that people live on in current times. 

 

Recognising the right to maintain, control, protect and develop cultural knowledges and expressions associated with Country is relevant to most criminology and criminal justice research and evaluations. 

 

This includes the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to design research that reflects local needs and protocols, and takes into account the holistic concept of health and wellbeing and its determinants, including the environment. 

 

Ongoing Indigenous governance

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people also have the right to manage and have input into the way data about cultural information is stored, accessed and used. 

 

Careful management of data makes an important contribution to the continuity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s knowledges and its availability to others for ongoing use and sustainability. 

 

Respecting and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s governance protocols can occur by developing a collaboration agreement or memorandum of understanding (MoU), and/or by engaging with an advisory group. 

 

An agreement or MoU provides an opportunity to clarify and identify processes that will be followed in data collection and analysis, and in data storage and feedback of findings. 

 

This helps ensure data and other research-related materials are provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island participants and collaborators, and collaboration occurs about how the materials will assist in meeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s rights to self-determination.

 

Reporting and compliance

 

There are many informative and creative opportunities for research reporting and compliance (research translation) available to researchers and communities. These enable research and evaluation results to be conveyed in ways that are relevant to the range of stakeholders, so that they can access, understand and use findings in timely ways. This means working well beyond simply producing a report in lay language for research participants.

 

Opportunities for research translation must be planned at the time that the research is planned (Australian Insititute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and The Lowitja Institute, 2017). If, for example, NHMRC’s Ethical Conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities: Guidelines for researchers and stakeholders 2018 are followed, the benefits of research and evaluations will already be clearly identified at the outset. Use of research and evaluation findings must not be left to ‘the end’ or to other unknown parties. 

 

Funding must be allocated for research translation.

 

Research and evaluations are of little value unless they influence institutions and systems, as well as individuals (World Health Organization, 2019). Supportive partnerships with key stakeholders work well, with end-users informing how research and evaluations are best to be conveyed to shape legislation, policy, practice, education and resource allocation. End-users often enjoy being included in overall research and evaluation committees and governance, or forming separate working groups.