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Caring for data : law, professional codes and the negotiation of confidentiality in Australian criminological research : final report

Abstract

This is the final report of a project funded by the Criminology Research Council. The report offers guidance to criminologists attempting to navigate, and manage the impact of, laws that relate to the protection and disclosure of confidential and personal information that they gather in the course of their research. The report provides examples of the impact of relevant laws on the practice of criminologists, and presents a general overview of laws relating to issues such as privacy, confidentiality and compelled disclosure. It then provides brief responses to Frequently Asked Questions covering the ways researchers gather, store, use, disclose and reuse information, and concludes by examining possible future developments. The overall aim of the report is to help criminologists and their institutions reach better informed decisions about management of legal risks.