Our research centres

Family and Community Services Insights Analysis and Research (FACSIAR)

Family and Community Services Insights Analysis and Research (FACSIAR) is a centre of excellence in human services insights, analysis and research that operates within DCJ. FACSIAR’s vision is to support the NSW Government to achieve outcomes for children, families and communities through evidence-based decision making.

Our work helps us to understand the areas of child protection, domestic and family violence, out-of-home care, social housing, homelessness, disability, ageing and the human services sector’s resourcing and business operations.

We provide data and evidence to better identify:

• Who do we need to help?
• What do their lives looks like?
• What works for communities and clients?
• How can we deliver real and lasting outcomes for as many people as possible?
• Which areas should we prioritise?
• Are we being as effective and efficient as possible?

FACSIAR regularly partners with other government agencies, universities, national reporting bodies, industry peak bodies, not for profit organisations, service providers, and research organisations. We lead specific projects, data linkage, research and evaluation activities, and deliver seminars and evidence to action podcasts and events. This work helps to drive the use of human services evidence within DCJ and by external stakeholders so that the NSW Government can deliver better outcomes for citizens. FACSIAR regularly shares findings and insights to drive the use of evidence and data in policy and practice.

For more information visit FACS Insights, Analysis and Research (FACSIAR).

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR)

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) is a statistical and research agency within the Department of Communities and Justice. It was established in 1969. Jackie Fitzgerald is the Bureau's Executive Director.

Our aims are to:

• identify factors that affect the distribution and frequency of crime;
• identify factors that affect the effectiveness, efficiency or equity of the NSW criminal justice system;
• ensure that information on these factors and on crime and justice trends is available and accessible to our clients.

By meeting these objectives we can assist policy makers and administrators in the criminal justice system to develop and implement strategies which reduce crime, and provide a more efficient, effective and equitable justice system.

Our four main areas of activity are:

• developing and maintaining statistical databases on crime and criminal justice in NSW;
• conducting research on crime and criminal justice issues and problems;
• monitoring trends in crime and criminal justice;
• providing information and advice on crime and criminal justice in NSW.

For more information visit NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

Corrections Research Evaluation and Statistics (CRES)

Corrections Research Evaluation and Statistics (CRES) is the research and statistics branch of Corrective Services NSW.

What we do:

• Undertake high impact research and analysis
• Understand and evaluate correctional programs and interventions
• Inform Corrective Services NSW strategies and facilitate evidence-driven decision making
• Provide accurate and timely data
• Deliver insights and drive performance through operational and performance reporting
• Develop and deliver innovate data solutions
• Expand access to and engagement with data across Corrective Services NSW.

Through this our mission is to contribute to the positive transformation of people in prison and supervised in the community.

For more information visit Corrections Research Evaluation and Statistics (CRES).

Youth Justice NSW Research and Information Unit

The Youth Justice NSW Research and Information Unit coordinates the Youth Justice NSW research and evaluation program. This includes:

• coordinating internal and external research activities and projects;
• advising on the design and conduct of research and evaluation into juvenile offending;
• designing projects to review, monitor and improve the effectiveness of service delivery within Youth Justice NSW, and facilitating the translation of research findings into policy and practice; and
• presenting research and evaluation findings.

The Research and Information Unit is also responsible for:

• extracting, analysing and providing statistical information to key government agencies, research organisations and individual researchers; and
• developing data to support agency performance monitoring, program evaluation, reporting and research.

Youth Justice NSW views research undertaken in its community and custodial centres as a significant contributor to the development, implementation, improvement, and maintenance of evidence-based interventions for young people involved in the criminal justice system. Such interventions aim to empower young people to fulfil their potential without offending.

For more information visit Youth Justice - Research.

Office of the Senior Practitioner Practice Research

The practice research team within the Office of the Senior Practitioner is focused on using evidence to design, implement, and improve child protection and out-of-home care practice. Our evidence comes from research, the lived experience of children, young people and families and professional expertise.

Our primary research is problem solving in nature and is concerned with how our child protection and out-of-home care practice influences outcomes for children and families. We conduct original research and evaluation with and for practitioners, children and families to advance knowledge about and within practice.

We use rigorous and replicable methods to assess and synthesise a wide range of qualitative and quantitative published and unpublished research. We do this in a way that answers practice questions and helps practitioners to draw out the implications for their everyday practice.

Our Research to Practice events connect practitioners with researchers, policy makers and practice experts within Australia and from around the world via seminars and webinars. These seminars provide opportunities for practitioners to become familiar with, inspired and challenged by new evidence, ideas and practice methods and provides an opportunity to network with peers.

For more information visit Practice Live.