Community Justice Group Program
Stronger Community Justice Group (CJG) Final Evaluation Report
Released September 2024
The final report of the independent evaluation of the Queensland Community Justice Group Program is now available. The evaluation was conducted by Myuma, a social enterprise owned and managed by the Indjalandji-Dhidhanu people of north-west Queensland. The final report represents the third phase of the CJG evaluation, focusing on assessing the outcomes and impacts from CJGs’ activities. The three-year evaluation provides an analysis of how CJGs support and empower their communities to reduce contact with the criminal justice system and support community members to navigate justice processes. It documents the breadth of work being undertaken by CJGs across the state, and shares recommendations for strengthening the overall program moving forward.
Read the final report of the evaluation of the Community Justice Group Program: Phase 3 Report Evaluation of Community Justice Groups, November 2023
Read the second report of the evaluation of the Community Justice Group Program: Phase 2 Report Evaluation of Community Justice Groups
Read the first report of the evaluation of the Community Justice Group Program: Phase 1 Report Evaluation of Community Justice Groups, November 2021
About the program
Community Justice Groups (CJGs) currently operate in over 52 communities throughout Queensland and the Torres Strait. CJGs are non-government organisations. In some communities these CJGs have been operating for over a decade, providing practical support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people coming into contact with Queensland’s justice system. In some communities, CJGs also play an advisory role in Alcohol Management Plans.
CJGs were first introduced in Queensland in 1993 under a pilot program designed to address key recommendations following the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The pilot program was later expanded to a state-wide program underpinned by the goal of reducing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system.
The program provides grant funding to CJGs. The grant includes funding to employ a CJG Coordinator who assists the CJG members (local Elders and Respected Persons) to deliver the justice-related services within their community.
Role of a CJG
CJGs are run by members of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and provide a community-based response to local issues, working cooperatively with magistrates, police, corrective services personnel and staff from other government agencies and community organisations. CJGs adopt a person-centred approach to addressing crime and justice-related issues in their community utilising cultural leadership and capability to contribute to whole of system outcomes.
CJG service delivery
CJGs deliver a number of core, court related activities including:
- preparation of bail and sentence submissions to the court
- attending court sittings
- supporting victims and offenders through the court process
- referring victims and offenders to support and legal services
- providing cultural advice and community input on justice related issues
- supporting the operation of Murri Courts
CJGs also deliver a range of other services within their communities aimed at reducing crime, addressing recidivism and promoting community wellbeing and healing. Examples of these services are crisis support, home visits, transportation, parenting programs, after-school and holiday programs, custody visits, men’s and women’s groups, yarning circles, on-country healing programs and other supports for clients transitioning from custody to back into community.
CJGs deliver or contribute to the following programs:
- Murri Courts
- Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Courts in Townsville, Mount Isa, Palm Island, Cairns, and Beenleigh
- the CJG Domestic and Family Violence Enhancement Program in discrete communities
- the Aurukun Restorative Justice Program (Thaa’ Pant Services)
- Remote Justices of the Peace Program
- Youth Court (Townsville)
Statutory CJGs
CJGs established in discrete Aboriginal communities under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (Justice, Land and Other Matters) Act 1984 are referred to as ‘statutory’ CJGs. Statutory CJGs perform the same important functions as other CJGs and have an additional role providing advice regarding alcohol management. Membership appointments to statutory CJGs are made under section 20(2) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (Justice, Land and Other Matters) Act 1984 and are published on the Queensland Courts website.
Locations of CJGs
CJGs currently operate in 41 communities throughout Queensland:
| Aurukun | Kowanyama | Palm Island |
| Bayside (Cleveland and Wynnum) | Kuranda | Pine Rivers |
| Brisbane | Lockhart River | Pormpuraaw |
| Caboolture | Logan | Richlands |
| Cairns | Mackay | Rockhampton |
| Cherbourg | Mapoon | St George |
| Cloncurry | Maroochydore | Tablelands |
| Coen | Maryborough | Thursday Island |
| Cunnamulla | Mornington Island | Toowoomba |
| Doomadgee | Mossman | Townsville |
| Goondiwindi | Mount Isa | Woorabinda |
| Hervey Bay | Napranum | Wujal Wujal |
| Hope Vale | Normanton | Yarrabah |
| Ipswich | NPA (Northern Peninsula Area) | |
CJGs also operate in 11 communities on 10 of the outer islands of the Torres Strait to support the circuiting Magistrates Court:
Badu (Mulgrave Island) | Mabuiag Island | Saibai (Sabai Island) |
Boigu (Talbot Island) | Masig (Yorke Island) | Warraber (Sue Island) |
Erub (Darnley Island) | Mer (Murray Island) | |
Iama (Yam Island) | Mua (Moa Island - incorporating Kubin & St Pauls) | |
A Framework for Stronger CJGs
The Framework for Stronger Community Justice Groups (the framework) outlines the role of CJGs within their communities and the common challenges faced by CJGs. It also presents a refocused model for the CJG program recognising the breadth of their service delivery.
The framework outlines how government agencies will enable CJGs to deliver justice-related outcomes in their communities. The framework aims to help government agencies to identify ways of working together to acknowledge, remunerate and support the work of CJGs.
Community Justice Group Program Evaluation
The independent evaluation of the CJG program, led by Myuma Pty Ltd, commenced in 2021 and was concluded in 2023.
‘Myuma’ means ‘do good’ in the Indjalandji-Dhidhanu language.
Myuma’s vision is for evaluations of programs delivered in Indigenous communities to be more embedded in local community practice, informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural perspectives, and led by skilled Indigenous evaluators and community development practitioners.
The Community Justice Group Program evaluation was conducted in three phases to assess implementation, quality of services, and impact and outcomes.
Stronger Community Justice Group (CJG) Evaluation Annual Report 1
Released September 2022
The first report of the independent evaluation of the Queensland Community Justice Group Program represents the first phase of the CJG evaluation, which commenced in 2021 and focusses on implementation of the CJG program. The report incorporates findings from five local CJG evaluations at Mackay, Rockhampton, Normanton, Doomadgee and Goondiwindi.
Read the first report of the evaluation of the Community Justice Group Program: Phase 1 Report Evaluation of Community Justice Groups, November 2021 .
Stronger Community Justice Group (CJG) Evaluation Annual Report 2
Released August 2023
The second report of the independent evaluation of the Queensland Community Justice Group Program represents the second phase of the CJG evaluation, providing a detailed picture of the scope and quality of outputs being delivered by the Community Justice Group program. It documents the breadth of work being undertaken by CJGs across the state, and shares recommendations for strengthening the overall program moving forward.
Read the second report of the evaluation of the Community Justice Group Program: Phase 2 Report Evaluation of Community Justice Groups .
Previous evaluations
An earlier evaluation of the CJG program was conducted by KPMG, their findings were delivered in 2010.
Read the final evaluation report of the Community Justice Group Program conducted by KPMG: Final Report CJG evaluation (2010) .