Access to safe justice in Australian courts: Some reflections upon intelligence, design and process

Abstract

There have been great strides taken in Australia recently to make our courts safer, principally through an emphasis on risk management. After all, governments have a responsibility to protect those who work in, or who visit, court precincts. A greater understanding of how court safety can be enhanced by managing people, curial processes and the court environment requires assessing the physical mechanisms of risk management alongside a 'needs-focus' of stakeholders' safety considerations. At the same time there must be a focus on enabling participation and well-being in justice processes. By examining the way in which courts now operate around Australia and the developments in security intelligence, court design and processes, this paper seeks to outline how access to safe justice is possible.