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Associate Professor Melanie Schwartz

Associate Professor Melanie Schwartz

Deputy Dean
Law & Justice
School of Law, Society & Criminology

Melanie is Deputy Dean (Education) in the Faculty of Law and Justice. She teaches and convenes Criminal Laws, Advanced Criminal Law and teaches into the Indigenous programs in the Faculty, including the pre-law program and the winter school. She convenes the criminal justice stream in the Humanities Pathway Program.

Melanie is currently a Chief Investigator on threeARC Discovery grants: the Rethinking Community Sanctions Project, which explores alternative punishments to imprisonment;research into access to justice for Indigenous people in civi and family law; and an ARC Linkage grant exploring the role of the judge in facilitating access to justice wheninterpreters are used in the criminal courtroom.She has recently completed threefurther ARC grants: aLinkage grant exploring the civil and family law needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia (), the Australian Justice Reinvestment Project () investigating the potential for a justice reinvestment approach to reducing incarcerating levels in the Australian context, andthe Youth Punishment Project (), exploring our attitudes to the punishment of young people.

In 2009 Melanie was awarded the UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence and in 2010, was highly commended in the LexisNexis-ALTA Awards for Innovation in the Teaching of Law (Australasia). In 2018 she was awarded the UNSW Presidents Award for Embraces Diversity, and in 2017 was runner up in the Respect category.

She wasan Editor in Chief of the Australian Journal of Human Rights until the end of 2019and is a member of the editorial board of the Indigenous Law Bulletin.

Between 2015-2018 Melanie chaired the Law Faculty's Equity, Diversityand Inclusion Committee. She is was Deputy Academic Lead for the UNSW Athena SWAN gender equity Self Assessment Team until mid 2020.
E-mail
m.schwartz@unsw.edu.au
Location
Level 2 Law Building UNSW Kensington Campus
  • Books | 2023
    Stubbs J; Russell S; Baldry E; Brown D; Cunneen C; Schwartz M, 2023, Rethinking Community Sanctions Social Justice and Penal Control, Emerald Publishing Limited
    Books | 2020
    Brown D; Farrier D; McNamara L; Steel A; Grewcock M; Quilter J; Schwartz M; Anthony T; Loughnan A, 2020, Criminal Laws: Materials and Commentary on Criminal Law and Process of New South Wales, Federation Press, Sydney,
    Books | 2020
    Goldson B; Cunneen C; Russell S; Brown D; Baldry E; Schwartz M; Briggs D, 2020, Youth justice and penality in comparative context, Taylor & Francis,
    Books | 2016
    Cunneen C; Brown D; Schwartz M; Stubbs J; Young C, 2016, Justice Reinvestment Winding Back Imprisonment, Palgrave Macmillan,
    Books | 2015
    Brown D; Farrier D; McNamara L; Grewcock M; Quilter J; Steel A; Schwartz M, 2015, Criminal Laws: Materials and Commentary on Criminal Law and Process of NSW, Federation Press
    Books | 2013
    Brown D; Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown M; Steel A; Schwartz M, 2013, Penal Culture and hyperincarceration: The revival of the prison, Ashgate, London
    Books | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown M; Brown M; Schwartz M; Steel A, 2013, Penal Culture and Hyperincarceration, Ashgate, Farnham
  • Book Chapters | 2017
    Schwartz M; Allison F; Cunneen C, 2017, 'The Civil and Family Law Needs of Indigenous People Forty Years After Sackville: The findings of the Indigenous Legal Needs Project', in Law and Poverty: 40 Years after the Commission of Inquiry into Poverty, Federation Press, Sydney
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Brown D; Cunneen C; Schwartz M; Stubbs J; Young C, 2016, 'Justice Reinvestment as Social Justice', in The Routledge International Handbook of Criminology and Human Rights, Routledge, pp. 309 - 318
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Schwartz M; Olijnyk A, 2016, 'A Restorative Justice Approach', in Constitutional Critical Thinking: Re-reading Monis v The Queen
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Schwartz M, 2016, 'Indigenous People and Access to Justice in Civil and Family Law', in Flynn A; Hodgson J (ed.), Access to Justice and Legal Aid Comparative Perspectives on Unmet Legal Need, Hart Publishing, pp. 269 - 285,
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Schwartz M, 2015, 'Criminalisation and Drugs: What Should We Do About Cannabis?', in Crofts T; Loughnan A (ed.), Criminalisation and Criminal Responsibility in Australia, Oxford University Press, USA
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Steel AD; schwartz M, 2014, 'Broader Social Context as a Lens for Learning: Teaching Criminal Law', in Disciplines: The Lenses of Learning, Common Ground, USA, pp. 9 - 24
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Global Convictism and the Postcolonial', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, edn. Advances in Criminology, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 19 - 37,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Manifestations of Contemporary Penal Culture', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, edn. Advances in Criminology, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 185 - 195,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Parliaments, Courts and Imprisonment Rates', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, edn. Advances in Criminology, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 39 - 66,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Penal Culture: The Meaning of Imprisonment', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 1 - +,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Penal Culture: Transmission, Normalisation and Reproduction', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, edn. Advances in Criminology, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 139 - 165,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Reinvigorating the Prison: New Perspectives on Containment', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, edn. Advances in Criminology, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 113 - 137,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Suitable Enemies: Penal Subjects', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, edn. Advances in Criminology, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 91 - 112,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Cunneen C; Baldry E; Brown D; Schwartz M; Steel A; Brown M, 2013, 'Winding Back Mass Imprisonment?', in PENAL CULTURE AND HYPERINCARCERATION: THE REVIVAL OF THE PRISON, edn. Advances in Criminology, ASHGATE PUBLISHING LTD, pp. 167 - 183,
  • Journal articles | 2022
    Beetson J; Anderson P; Lin S; Williamson F; Amazan R; Boughton B; Morrell S; Taylor R; Schwartz M, 2022, 'Impact of a Community-Controlled Adult Literacy Campaign on Crime and Justice Outcomes in Remote Australian Aboriginal Communities', International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 11, pp. 56 - 68,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Cunneen C; Russell S; Schwartz M, 2021, 'Principles in diversion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people from the criminal jurisdiction', Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 33, pp. 170 - 190,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Schwartz M; Goldson B; Cunneen C; Baldry E; Russell S; Briggs D; Brown D, 2020, 'YOUTH ‘JUSTICE’ IN AUSTRALIA: HISTORIES OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION, RACIALISED INJUSTICE AND PROSPECTS OF REDRESS', Court of Conscience, 2020, pp. 17 - 22,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Schwartz M, 2018, 'Retaining our best: imposter syndrome, cultural safety, complex lives and Indigenous student experiences of law school', Legal Education Review, 28,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Schwartz M, 2017, 'Low-end penalty, big-time impact: The effect of fines on indigenous people', Indigenous Law Bulletin, Volume 8, pp. 14 - 17
    Journal articles | 2014
    Cunneen C; Allison F; Schwartz M, 2014, 'Access to justice for Aboriginal People in the Northern Territory', Australian Journal of Social Issues, 49, pp. 219 - 240,
    Journal articles | 2013
    Allison F; Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2013, 'Thats Discrimination! Indigenous Peoples Experiences of Discrimination in the Northern Territory', Indigenous Law Bulletin, 8, pp. 8 - 12
    Journal articles | 2013
    Schwartz M, 2013, 'Invoking Cultural Awareness through teaching Indigenous Issues in criminal law and procedure', Legal Education Review, 23, pp. 31 - 56,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Brown D; Schwartz M; Boseley L, 2012, 'The promise of justice reinvestment', Alternative Law Journal, 37, pp. 96 - 102,
    Journal articles | 2010
    Schwartz M, 2010, 'Building Communities, Not Prisons: Justice Reinvestment and Indigenous Over-representation', Australian Indigenous Law Review, 14, pp. 2 - 2
    Journal articles | 2009
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2009, 'Civil and Family Law Needs of Indigenous people in New South Wales: the Priority Areas', University of New South Wales Law Journal, 32
    Journal articles | 2009
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2009, 'From Crisis to Crime: the escalation of civil and family law issues to criminal matters in Aboriginal communities in NSW', Indigenous Law Bulletin, 7
    Journal articles | 2009
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2009, 'Working Cheaper, Working Harder: Inequity in Funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services', Indigenous Law Bulletin, 7, pp. 19
    Journal articles | 2008
    Cunneen C; Schwartz M, 2008, 'Funding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services: Issues of Equity and Access', Criminal Law Journal, 32, pp. 38 - 53
    Journal articles | 2007
    Schwartz M, 2007, 'Policing the Territory: A Comment on the Emergency Response to Little Children are Sacred', Indigenous Law Bulletin, 6, pp. 9
    Journal articles |
    Allison F; Cunneen C; Schwartz M; Behrendt L, 'Indigenous Legal Needs Project: Northern Territory Report', SSRN Electronic Journal,
  • Other | 2021
    Schwartz M; Bryson S; Mitchell R, 2021, Submission to Parliament of NSW: Joint Select Committee on Coercive Control, ,
    Reports | 2020
    Schwartz M; Allison F; Cunneen C, 2020, Submission to the Select Committee on the High Level of First Nations People in Custody and Oversight and Review of Deaths in Custody
    Reports | 2020
    Schwartz M; Russell S; Baldry E; Brown D; Cunneen C; Stubbs J, 2020, Obstacles to Effective Support of People Released from Prison: Wisdom from the Field,
    Reports | 2020
    Schwartz M; Terare M, 2020, Creating Futures: Weave's intensive support service for young people leaving custody or involved in the criminal justice system, Evaluation Report, Sydney,
    Reports | 2019
    McNamara L; Stubbs J; Gibbon H; Schwartz M; Steel A; Fileborn B, 2019, Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission inquiry into consent in relation to sexual offences,
    Reports | 2019
    McNamara L; Stubbs J; Gibbon H; Schwartz M; Steel A, 2019, Submission in response to the NSW Law Reform Commission’s Consent in Relation to Sexual Assault
    Reports | 2018
    Schwartz M; Brown DB; Cunneen C, 2018, Justice Reinvestment, Indigenous Justice Clearing House, Australian Government Canberra, Indigenous Justice Clearing House
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    Schwartz M; Stubbs J; Brown D, 2018, 'Rethinking Community Sanctions in the C21st: The Challenge of Imaginary Penalities for Community Sector Organisations', presented at Critical Criminology and Social Justice Conference, 26 September 2018 - 26 September 2018
    Other | 2018
    Schwartz M, 2018, Retaining our Best: Reflections on the experiences of Indigenous students at UNSW Sydney Law, UNSW Sydney,
    Reports | 2017
    Schwartz M; Van Gent A; Russell S, 2017, Submission to the NSW Legislative Assembly Law and Safety Committee Inquiry into the adequacy of youth diversionary programs in NSW
    Reports | 2017
    Schwartz M; cunneen ; Allison F; Guthrie J, 2017, Submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission Inquiry into the incarceration rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
    Conference Papers | 2017
    Schwartz M, 2017, 'Retaining our Best: Reflections on the experiences of Indigenous students at UNSW Sydney Law', UNSW Sydney, presented at Research in Legal Education Conference, UNSW Sydney, 04 December 2017 - 04 December 2017
    Other | 2016
    Schwartz M; Shockman B; cunneen C, 2016, Workshop on Practical Implementation of Justice Reinvestment Projects in Indigenous Communities (13 and 14 October 2015): final report., ,
    Conference Papers | 2016
    Schwartz M, 2016, 'Contemporary juvenile justice policy and practice: Australia and England and Wales’', New Orleans, presented at American Society of Criminology Conference, New Orleans, 16 November 2016 - 19 November 2016
    Other | 2016
    schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2016, Is a royal commission the best response to the NT juvenile justice crisis?, ABC, ABC Opinion, ,
    Reports | 2015
    Allison F; Cunneen C; Schwartz M, 2015, Submission to the Senate Inquiry into Access to Legal Assistance Services
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Schwartz M, 2015, 'The Civil and Family Law Needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Australia: The Indigenous Legal Needs Project', presented at ACCC Consumer Conference, 20 March 2015 - 20 March 2015
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Schwartz M, 2015, 'The value of justice targets and a justice reinvestment approach', presented at UNSW Criminologists in Conversation, 12 October 2015 - 12 October 2015
    Reports | 2015
    Stubbs J; Schwartz M; Brown DB; Cunneen C; Young C, 2015, Submission to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Inquiry into Access to Legal Assistance Services
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Brown D; Schwartz M; Stubbs J; Young C, 2014, 'Justice Reinvestment: Winding back imprisonment?', presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Conference, Sydney University Law School, 02 October 2014 - 02 October 2014
    Reports | 2014
    Schwartz M; Allison F; Cunneen C, 2014, The Civil and Family Law Needs of Indigenous People in Western Australia, Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
    Reports | 2014
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C; Allison F, 2014, Indigenous Legal Needs Project - Submission to Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Access to Justice Arrangements, Australia
    Reports | 2014
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C; Allison F, 2014, The Civil and Family Law Needs of Indigenous people in Queensland, Australia
    Reports | 2014
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2014, Review of the Legal Aid NSW Aboriginal Field Officer pilot program in civil and family law, Australia
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Schwartz M, 2014, 'Oral submission to Productivity Commission inquiry into Access to Justice Arrangements', presented at Productivity Commission inquiry into Access to Justice Arrangements, -
    Conference Presentations | 2013
    Cunneen C; Schwartz M, 2013, 'A cautious approach to Justice Reinvestment', presented at Growing the NT Fairly Changes and Challenges Conference, 29 May 2013 - 29 May 2013
    Conference Papers | 2013
    Cunneen C; Schwartz M, 2013, 'A cautious approach to Justice Reinvestment', presented at Criminal Lawyers Association of the Northern Territory, -
    Reports | 2013
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C; Allison F, 2013, The Civil and Family Law Needs of Indigenous people in Victoria, Australia
    Reports | 2013
    Stubbs J; Brown D; Cunneen C; Schwartz M; Young C, 2013, Submission No 114 to Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Parliament of Australia, Value of a justice reinvestment approach to criminal justice in Australia, 20 June 2013., Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
    Reports | 2013
    Stubbs J; Young C; Brown D; Cunneen C; Schwartz M, 2013, Submission No PA24 to NSW Law Reform Commission, Parole, Australia, Submission No PA24
    Other | 2013
    Mann T (ed.), 2013, Aboriginal deaths in custody”; “aggravation”; “circle sentencing”; “automatism”; and “Koori courts", Oxford University Press, Sydney,
    Reports | 2011
    Schwartz M; Baldry E; Cunneen C; Brown D; Brown M; Steel A, 2011, Submission to the NSW Law Reform Commission review of the Bail Act NSW (1978), Australia
    Reports | 2011
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C; Allison F, 2011, The Indigenous Legal Needs Project: NT Report, Australia
    Conference Papers | 2011
    Schwartz M, 2011, 'Old Wine in a new bottle? The potential for Justice Reinvestment in reducing offending in Australian Indigenous communities', in Old Wine in a new bottle? The potential for Justice Reinvestment in reducing offending in Australian Indigenous communities, Extremes in Justice, Bali, presented at Extremes in Justice, Bali, 30 June 2011 - 30 June 2011
    Conference Papers | 2010
    Schwartz M, 2010, 'The Australian Prisons Project', Belfast, presented at ICOPA 13: Abolition, Reform and the Politics of Global Incarceration, Belfast, 23 June 2010 - 25 June 2010
    Reports | 2009
    Cunneen C; Schwartz M, 2009, Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into Access to Justice
    Conference Papers | 2009
    Schwartz M, 2009, 'From Crisis to Crime: the escalation of civil and family law issues to criminal matters in Aboriginal communities in NSW', Bali, presented at Criminal Justice: Diagnosis Terminal?, Bali, 28 June 2009 - 28 June 2009
    Reports | 2009
    Schwartz M, 2009, Evaluation of Prison Fellowship Australia’s Breaking the Cycle of Crime Program (for Children of Prisoners), Australia
    Reports | 2008
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2008, The Family and Civil Law Needs of Aboriginal People In New South Wales: Final Report, Australia
  • Media | 2016
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2016, In focus: Is a Royal commission the best response to the juvenile justice crisis?,
    Media | 2016
    Schwartz M; Cunneen C, 2016, Is a royal commission the best response to the NT juvenile justice crisis?,
    Media | 2014
    Schwartz M, 2014, Redressing over-incarceration, addressing human rights: what can justice reinvestment do in Australia?,
    Media | 2013
    Schwartz M, 2013, Redressing Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system with Justice Reinvestment,
    Media | 2009
    Schwartz M, 2009, More in jail as Australia tinkers with justice system, ,
    Media | 2007
    Schwartz M, 2007, Indigenous Justice Agreements: the current policy framework,

Title:

Access to Justice in Interpreted Proceedings: The Role of Judicial Officers

Chief investigators:

Ludmila Stern, Sandra Hale, Melanie Schwartz, Stephen Doherty and George Bisas

Role in Project:

Chief Investigator

Source and Scheme:

ARC Linkage (competitive)

Commencement date:

2019

Duration:

3 years

Total Amount AUD$:

$252,000 (ARC) + $120,000 partner funds = $372,000

Title:

Reconceptualising Indigenous Access to Justice in Civil Law

Chief investigators:

Chris Cunneen, Melanie Schwartz and Larissa Behrendt

Role in Project:

Chief Investigator

Source and Scheme:

ARC Discovery (competitive)

Commencement date:

2018

Duration:

3 years

Total Amount AUD$:

$373,000

Title:

Addressing the Australian Penal Crisis: Rethinking Community Sanctions

Chief investigators:

Julie Stubbs, Chris Cunneen, Melanie Schwartz, David Brown and Eileen Baldry

Role in Project:

Chief Investigator

Source and Scheme:

ARC Discovery Project (competitive)

Commencement date:

2017

Duration:

3 years

Total Amount AUD$:

$230,000

Title:

The Comparative Youth Penality Project

Chief investigators:

Chris Cunneen, Eileen Baldry, Melanie Schwartz and David Brown

Role in Project:

Chief Investigator

Source and Scheme:

ARC Discovery Project (competitive)

Commencement date:

2013

Duration:

3 years

Total Amount AUD$:

$429,000

Title:

The Australian Justice Reinvestment Project

Chief investigators:

Julie Stubbs, Melanie Schwartz, Chris Cunneen and David Brown

Role in Project:

Chief Investigator

Source and Scheme:

ARC Discovery Project (competitive)

Commencement date:

2013

Duration:

2 years

Total Amount AUD$:

$235,000

UNSW President’s Award for Diversity

2018

Runner-Up, UNSW President’s Award for Respect

2017