School of Arts and Humanities

Dr Suz Rock

Suz is a Lecturer and Researcher in Criminology at the School of Arts and Humanities.

Current Teaching

• CRI1103 - Criminology
• CRI2202 - Youth Justice
• CRI3206 - Professional Ethics, Accountability and Integrity
• CRI6420 - Understanding Cybercrimes
• CRI6415 - Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power

Background

Suz obtained her Criminology undergraduate and Honours qualifications in Scotland before her career in Police Scotland as a custody officer. She commenced her academic career when immigrating to Perth, where she gained sessional teaching work, Project Management and a role as Site Coordinator for ECU's Forensic Interview Team who collect data in various criminal justice settings.

As a full time Lecturer/Researcher, Suz teaches a range of criminology units and has a particular interest in youth justice and courts. Suz is also an HDR supervisor (see previous and current topics below). Suz is passionate about HDR student experiences and runs CrimConnect Postgrad, an inter-university peer support group for postgraduate and early career researchers in Criminology.

Suz’ research reflects her strong sense of justice and she works closely with industry to inform and improve criminal justice processes. Her own research interests include young person and family experiences of youth justice, and therapeutic jurisprudence in youth justice systems. She has completed several projects for the Department of Justice, WA Police and the Commissioner for the Victims of Crime including youth burglary, a case study of the Children's Court Dug Court, public perceptions of criminal justice issues and an evaluation of the Justice Facility Dog Pilot Programs in the Children’s Court.

Professional associations

• 2017 - Present: Member ANZSOC (Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology).

Awards and recognition

• 2022 - Honour Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Media in 2022
• 2017 - ECU Higher Degree by Research Scholarship.

Research areas and interests

• Youth justice (families, young people and justice innovations)
• Drugs and crime
• Courts
• Therapeutic jurisprudence
• Public perceptions of crime and criminal justice
• Qualitative research methods

Technical reports

• Gately, N., Finney, J. & Ellis, S. (2021). Utilising online presentations to increase knowledge of the General Court Intervention Program (GCIP). A report prepared for the GCIP, Department of Justice.
• Gately, N., Ellis, S. & Finney, J. (2021). When is a child not a child? When they offend. The Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility in Western Australia: Insights from the public. A report prepared for Social Reinvestment WA; WA Council of Social Service; and Wungening Aboriginal Corporation.
• Gately, N., McCue., J., & Ellis, S. (2017). Voices of young people who offend, insight into modus operandi and lived experiences. Funded by WA Police and Industry Collaborative Grant) In collaboration with WA Police, The Children’s Court of Western Australia and Simon Fraser University, Vancouver (in progress).
• Gately, N., Ellis, S., & McCue., J. (2016). “Tough on Crime?” How information shapes public support for the Children’s Court Drug Court (In collaboration with Magistrate Horrigan, Judge Reynolds and the Children’s Court of Western Australia).
• Gately, N., Ferguson, C., Ellis, S. & Cock. R. (2016). The Prisoners Review Board of Western Australia: What do the public know about parole? A report prepared for the Prisoners Review Board of Western Australia.
• Gately, N., McCue, J. & Ellis, S. (2015).LINKS Program Utilisation Study. A report prepared for the Mental Health Commission of Western Australia.
• Gately, N. & Ellis, S. (2014). Offenders on Offending: An overview of detainee self- reported behaviours in Western Australia. A report prepared for the Western Australia Police.
• Gately, N. & Ellis, S. (2014). An overview of reports of motor vehicle theft in Western Australia. A report prepared for the Western Australia Police.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy, Edith Cowan University, 2022.
• Bachelor of Arts in Criminology with First Class Honours, Scotland, 2012.

Research Outputs

Research Projects

• RISE UP – Transforming Criminality to Contribution, Department of Justice WA, Criminal Property Confiscation Grant, 2024 ‑ 2026, $20,000.
• DUMA WA - Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (Western Australia), Department of Justice WA, Tender, 2022 ‑ 2026, $524,592.
• Dropouts and Refusers: Why some young sex offenders do not engage with treatment, Department of Justice WA, WACSAR Criminal Justice Research Grant Fund, 2022 ‑ 2023, $4,181.
• Kids, Courts and Canines: An evaluation of the justice facility dog pilot program in Perth s Children's Court, Department of Justice WA, WACSAR Criminal Justice Research Grant Fund, 2022 ‑ 2023, $9,496.
• What offenders do with 'the stuff they steal'. Comparing offender explanations of stolen goods disposal from 2005 to 2022. , Department of Justice WA, WACSAR Criminal Justice Research Grant Fund, 2022 ‑ 2023, $112,402.
• Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) data collection services in Western Australia, Australian Institute of Criminology, National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, 2017 ‑ 2021, $590,166.

Research Student Supervision