PhD Scholarship: How Corrections can Better Support Aboriginal People on Community Sentences to Desist from Crime

Description

We are seeking an outstanding candidate for a PhD project examining how to promote desistance from crime among Australian Aboriginal people serving community-based supervision sentences.

We are seeking to appoint an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidate to this position. 

This scholarship is attached to an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) project Co-Designing and Testing a New Framework for Correctional Supervision. The DECRA project focuses on developing and testing an approach to supervision known as “assisted desistance,” which centres on supporting the social and psychological processes involved in behaviour change. The project uses mixed methods, including focus groups and surveys with people under the supervision of the Department for Correctional Services SA, as well as officers. 

In broad terms, the PhD project will explore the applicability of assisted desistance for people on community-based sentences. The specific PhD focus will be co-developed with the successful candidate, and will be undertaken in partnership with the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM), an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation. The candidate will be supervised primarily by Dr Melissa de Vel-Palumbo, with an Aboriginal supervisor from ALRM.

Opportunities within this PhD may include: 

• Exploring how assisted desistance approaches can be adapted to better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on community-based sentences
• Quantitative and/or qualitative research examining Aboriginal clients’ experiences of supervision and rehabilitative outcomes
• Co-designing research instruments and culturally responsive recruitment strategies
• Contributing to the development of culturally informed correctional practice and policy

Through its Indigenous Research Strategy, Flinders University offers a supportive environment to the next generation of Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander scholars, educators, critical thinkers, and researchers. The student will be able to join the First Nations Research Collective, a network of emerging and established Aboriginal researchers and HDR students. The student will also have the opportunity to develop their understanding of Indigenous research methodologies through a dedicated topic that they can undertake alongside their thesis.

Benefits

Eligible students will receive the Professor Lowitja O’Donoghue Indigenous Student Postgraduate Research Scholarship rate, currently $53,045 per annum (2026 rate) tax free. Flinders University will provide laptop, tuition fees and project costs. The scholarship is available for 3.5-4 years.

Eligibility

Applicants must: 

• be of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; and
• identify as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; and
• be accepted as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander by the community in which they lived; and
• meet Flinders University PhD admission requirements – an Australian Honours degree Class 1 or 2A or equivalent qualification (at least AQF Level 8), OR evidence of equivalent research experience, such as refereed publications or significant experience as a lead researcher; and
• be available to commence as a full-time PhD student at Flinders University ideally in semester 2, 2026.

A background in criminology, psychology, social work or similar is desirable but not essential.