The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) is Australia’s national research and knowledge centre on crime and justice, compiling trend data and disseminating research and policy advice. The AIC informs crime and justice policy and practice in Australia by undertaking, funding and disseminating policy-relevant research of national significance, by generating a crime and justice evidence base, and by establishing a national knowledge centre.
The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) is part of the Attorney-General's Portfolio and accountable to the Attorney-General.
A Criminology Research Advisory Council comprised of representatives from each jurisdiction, advises the AIC on strategic research priorities and on the Criminology Research Grants program.
The AIC works with stakeholders both nationally and internationally to bring together a research knowledge base that is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. The AIC relies upon data provided by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments in order to undertake a large range of its research activities. Stakeholders include:
- the Australian Government—national law enforcement agencies, regulatory agencies, and justice agencies
- states and territories—state and territory law enforcement agencies, regulatory agencies, and justice and corrections agencies
- international agencies—the AIC is a member of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network of Institutes
- others—academia, non-government organisations, general public.
The AIC works closely with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC). The Chief Executive Officer of the ACIC is also the Director of the AIC, and although an independent entity, AIC staff were transferred to the ACIC under a Machinery of Government process in 2015.