This exploratory study investigates the various factors to be considered when developing and implementing consumer participation in community-based criminal justice settings. The study uses the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (VACRO), based in Melbourne, Australia, as its case study site as this organisation is in the process of formally introducing consumer participation. The study is informed by previous research in key areas related to criminal justice, focusing on the perspectives of various stakeholders: staff, volunteers, and consumers. A mixed method approach offered a range of opportunities for participants to engage with the research. Thematic analysis identified multi-layered issues need to be considered when implementing consumer participation. Poor individual understanding was noted as a barrier, alongside a limited shared vision of the concept. These were seen to be influenced by practical issues such as high staff turnover and conceptual challenges, notably the existing discourse around offenders. The implications of these findings for further research on consumer participation in the criminal justice setting are explored.

Research into the children and families affected by parental imprisonment has demonstrated a range of well-being concerns and proposed a comprehensive array of policy and practice responses, but little practical change has been achieved. With a focus on the Victorian justice system, we provide an overview of the literature and the current service provision, investigating why the policy inertia has persisted. Using feminist theory on the ethics and practices of care, we reexamine the findings of two significant Australian studies into the child and family-centeredness of professionals within the police, courts, prisons and child protection agencies. We demonstrate that, at best, care is fragile and rendered from the margins of roles that are designed to be care-less in relation to this cohort.At worst, justice system personnel and procedures can be resolutely uncaring. We suggest that reluctance among policymakers to displace attention from "core business" may explain the absence of policies to care for children and families of imprisoned parents, and highlight two further strategies: leadership to protect and extend the fragile care practice within the justice system; and new mandates to care for children and families of imprisoned parents extending from familyoriented human services outside the justice system.