First Nations women and girls’ experiences with the justice system

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General commissioned Outpost Consulting, as a First Nations owned and led business, to gather the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to inform a whole-of-government strategy for women and girls in the criminal justice system.

We held 56 consultation conversations across Queensland, combining place-based, face-to-face engagement in eight communities with statewide consultations. Participants included 28 First Nations women and girls with lived experience of the justice system, Elders groups, Community Justice Groups, specialist legal services, and health and community services. Guided by a comprehensive ethics plan, we developed tailored, culturally safe consultation tools for each group, and all conversations with women and girls were led by a First Nations team member. Our report gave First Nations women and girls a direct voice in shaping the strategy, documenting what drives contact with the system, what is working, and their priorities for change.