Today, Arthur Law attended the Aboriginal Justice Service Hub at Newcastle Town Hall. The event is an innovative First Nations justice project, aimed at encouraging the legal profession to seek out Aboriginal Community Controlled Services in the pre-sentence phase of the criminal justice system.
With Aboriginal people making up almost one third of people in custody in NSW, the sessions focused on Closing the Gap, Community and Connecting.
The event was hosted by Legal Aid NSW and the DCJ Aboriginal Services Unit, and included guest speakers Her Honour Judge Skinner, Public Defender Elizabeth McLaughlin and Jeff Amatto.
The Aboriginal Justice Service Hub explored the intersection between the legal profession, rates of recidivism in Aboriginal Communities, and the important role of Aboriginal community-controlled organisations within the criminal justice system. The speakers also highlighted the importance of lived-experience storytelling to inform how services are delivered to First Nations people.
