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Associate Professor Ruth McCausland

Associate Professor Ruth McCausland

Director
Societal Impact Equity Engage
Yuwaya Ngarra-li

Dr Ruth McCausland is Associate Professor in the Division of Societal Impact, Equity & Engagement, Academic Lead of the Social Determinants of Justice Research Hub, and 91É«ÇéƬ Director of Yuwaya Ngarra-li, a long-term community-led partnership with the Dharriwaa Elders Group in Walgett. Ruth has worked over the past 30 years in the fields of criminology, evaluation, human rights and community development. Her research focuses on enabling systemic and community-led solutions to incarceration and disadvantage. Ruth's PhD was in criminology and evaluation, and she also holds a Masters in International Social Development. Ruth is a member of the Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship, an Associate of the Australian Human Rights Institute and Disability Innovation Institute, and on the Editorial Advisory Board for the Evaluation Journal of Australasia.
E-mail
ruth.mccausland@unsw.edu.au
  • Book Chapters | 2025
    MacGillivray P; Robinson V; McCausland R, 2025, 'An elders-led response to the criminalisation of aboriginal young people in a remote community', in Routledge International Handbook of Critical Policing Studies, pp. 391 - 403,
    Book Chapters | 2018
    Baldry E; McCausland R; McEntyre E, 2018, 'Institutions of Default and Management: Aboriginal women with mental and cognitive disability in prison', in Mills A; Kendall K (ed.), Mental Health in Prisons, Plagrave Macmillan, pp. 185 - 210,
    Book Chapters | 2018
    McCausland R; McEntyre E; Baldry E, 2018, 'Institutions of Default and Management: Aboriginal Women with Mental and Cognitive Disability in Prison', in Palgrave Studies in Prisons and Penology, pp. 185 - 210,
    Book Chapters | 2017
    McCausland R; Baldry E, 2017, 'Understanding women offenders in prison', in The Routledge International Handbook of Forensic Psychology in Secure Settings, pp. 25 - 39,
    Book Chapters | 2017
    McCausland R; Baldry E, 2017, 'Understanding women offenders in prison', in The Routledge International Handbook of Forensic Psychology in Secure Settings, Routledge, pp. 25 - 39,
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Baldry E; Mccausland R, 2013, 'Incarcerated Indigenous Australian Mothers: Maintaining Patriarchal Colonization', in Eljdupovic G; Bromwich RJ (ed.), Incarcerated Mothers: Oppression and Resistance, Demeter Press, Bradford UK, pp. 121 - 136,
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Crowther J; Palu A; Dunning A; Weatherall L; Spencer W; Gala D; Maganja D; Kissock K; Trieu K; Young SL; McCausland R; Leslie G; Webster J, 2025, 'Global Drinking Water Standards Lack Clear Health-Based Limits for Sodium', Nutrients, 17, pp. 2190,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Ewenson L; Corby C; Hickey V; Spencer W; MacGillivray P; McCausland R, 2025, 'Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations and disaster response.', Alternative Law Journal, 50, pp. 145 - 149,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Jamieson SK; Spencer W; Robinson V; McCausland R; Andersen M; Macniven R; Hickey V; MacGillivray P, 2025, 'A Community-Led Approach to Understanding How Service Providers Can Support ‘Ageing well’ for Older Aboriginal People in Australia', Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 68, pp. 509 - 536,
    Journal articles | 2025
    McCausland R; Reeve R; Sotiri M; Phelan L; Belackova V; Russell S, 2025, 'Outcomes of a community sector model of reintegration for people with complex needs: a mixed-methods study', Health and Justice, 13, pp. 49,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Pollard-Wharton N; Townsend A; Newton BJ; Andersen M; MacNiven R; Corby C; McCausland R; MacGillivray P; Spencer W; Hunter K; Clapham K; Erskine C; Powell M; Ivers RQ, 2025, ''Better together': Codesign of Aboriginal unintentional child injury prevention programme', Injury Prevention, pp. ip-2024-045355,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Reeve R; Martin C; McCausland R; Pawson H; Baldry E, 2025, 'Evaluating the impact of public housing after prison for a sex offence', Housing Studies, 40, pp. 487 - 510,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Rosewarne E; Tonkin T; Trindall A; Santos JA; Patay D; McCausland R; Spencer W; Corby C; Coombes J; Mackean T; Leslie G; Earle N; Baldry E; Shanthosh J; Madden T; Deane AM; Weatherall L; Moore B; Bennett-Brook K; Webster J; Santos JA, 2025, 'Food intake in an Australian Aboriginal rural community facing food and water security challenges: A cross-sectional survey', Nutrition and Dietetics, 82, pp. 86 - 96,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Townsend A; Macniven R; Pollard-Wharton N; Andersen M; Powell M; Cairnduff S; McCausland R; Corby C; Clapham K; Ivers RQ, 2025, '‘They have a really good way of getting it to the kids’: evaluation of a child injury prevention programme in Walgett, New South Wales', Injury Prevention, pp. ip-2025-045630,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Weatherall L; Trindall A; Tonkin T; Santos JA; Patay D; McCausland R; Spencer W; Leslie G; Baldry E; Bennett-Brook K; Coombes J; Mackean T; Shanthosh J; Madden T; Moore B; Deane AM; Earle N; GDip CC; Nathan M; Young SL; Rosewarne E; Webster J, 2025, 'Measuring Food and Water Security in an Aboriginal Community in Regional Australia', Australian Journal of Rural Health, 33, pp. e13214,
    Journal articles | 2024
    Reeve R; McCausland R; MacGillivray (Kalkutungu) P; Robinson (Gamilaraay) V; MacGillivray P, 2024, 'Community-led diversion of Indigenous young people from the justice system: The role of government administrative data', International Journal of Law Crime and Justice, 76, pp. 100650,
    Journal articles | 2023
    McCausland R; Baldry E, 2023, 'Who does Australia Lock Up? The Social Determinants of Justice', International Journal for Crime Justice and Social Democracy, 12, pp. 37 - 53,
    Journal articles | 2023
    McCausland R; Jamieson SK; Robinson V; Spencer W; MacGillivray P; Andersen M, 2023, 'Elders' perspectives and priorities for ageing well in a remote Aboriginal community', Ageing and Society, 58, pp. 31 - 54,
    Journal articles | 2022
    McCausland R; Dowse L, 2022, 'From ‘at risk’ to ‘a risk’: The criminalisation of young people with cognitive disability in residential care', Incarceration, 3, pp. 26326663211021687,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Yashadhana A; Howie A; Veber M; Cullen P; Withall A; Lewis E; McCausland R; Macniven R; Andersen M, 2022, 'Experiences and perceptions of ageing among older First Nations Australians: A rapid review', Australasian Journal on Ageing, 41, pp. 8 - 19,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Hart AC; Rosewarne E; Spencer W; McCausland R; Leslie G; Shanthosh J; Corby C; Bennett-Brook K; Webster J, 2021, 'Indigenous community-led programs to address food and water security: Protocol for a systematic review', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, pp. 6366,
    Journal articles | 2021
    McCausland R; Spencer W; MacGillivray P; Robinson V; Hickey V; Baldry E; McEntyre E, 2021, 'CommUNIty-Led development: A partnership to realize Aboriginal Elders’ vision for change', Community Development, 52, pp. 573 - 591,
    Journal articles | 2020
    McCausland R; Dowse L, 2020, 'The need for a community-led, holistic service response to Aboriginal young people with cognitive disability in remote areas: A case study', Children Australia, 45, pp. 326 - 334,
    Journal articles | 2019
    McCausland R; Reeve R; Gooding P, 2019, 'The economic case for improving legal outcomes for accused persons with cognitive disability: An Australian study', International Journal of Law in Context, 15, pp. 367 - 389,
    Journal articles | 2019
    McCausland R, 2019, '‘I’m sorry but I can’t take a photo of someone’s capacity being built’: Reflections on evaluation of Indigenous policy and programmes', Evaluation Journal of Australasia, 19, pp. 64 - 78,
    Journal articles | 2017
    McCausland R; Baldry E, 2017, '‘I feel like I failed him by ringing the police’: Criminalising disability in Australia', Punishment and Society, 19, pp. 290 - 309,
    Journal articles | 2016
    Baldry E; McCausland R; Dowse L; McEntyre E; MacGillivray P, 2016, '‘It’s just a big vicious cycle that swallows them up': Indigenous people with mental and cognitive disabilities in the criminal justice system', Indigenous Law Bulletin, 8, pp. 10 - 16
    Journal articles | 2010
    Mccausland R; Vivian A, 2010, 'Why Do Some Aboriginal Communities Have Lower Crime Rates Than Others?: A Pilot Study', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 43, pp. 301 - 332,
    Journal articles | 2009
    Baldry E; Mccausland R, 2009, 'Mother: seeking safe home. Aboriginal women post-release', Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 21, pp. 288 - 301
    Journal articles | 2009
    McCausland R; Vivian A, 2009, '‘A Tale of Two Towns: A Comparative Study of Wilcannia and Menindee’', Indigenous Law Bulletin, 7, pp. 7 - 11,
    Journal articles | 2007
    Williams G; Behrendt L; McCausland R; Reilly A; McMillan M, 2007, 'The Promise of Regional Governance for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Communities', Ngiya: Talk the Law, 1, pp. 126 - 166
    Journal articles | 2006
    McCausland R; Levy M, 2006, 'Indigenous Policy and Mutual Obligation: Shared or Shifting Responsibility Agreements?', Australian Journal of Social Issues, 41, pp. 277 - 294,
    Journal articles | 2006
    McCausland R, 2006, ''Agreement-Making under the New Arrangements in Indigenous Policy'', Australian Indigenous Law Review, 10, pp. 3 - 13,
    Journal articles | 2006
    McCausland R, 2006, ''Trickle Down or Rights Way Up? Development, Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples'', Balayi: Culture, Law and Colonialism, 9, pp. 26 - 57,
    Journal articles | 2005
    McCausland R, 2005, ''Shared Responsibility Agreeements: practical reconciliation or paternalistic rhetoric?'', Indigenous Law Bulletin, 6, pp. 9 - 11,
    Journal articles | 2004
    McCausland R, 2004, 'Special treatment: the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the media', Journal of Indigenous Policy, 16, pp. 84 - 98,
  • Working Papers | 2022
    Reeve R; McCausland R; MacGillivray P, 2022, Has criminal justice contact for young people in Walgett changed over time? Analysis of diversions, charges, court and custody outcomes 2016-2021, , /content/dam/pdfs/unsw-adobe-websites/yuwaya-ngarra-li/2023-06-news/2023-06-YN-Research-Report-Has-criminal-justice-contact-for-young-people-in-Walgett-changed-over-time.pdf
    Working Papers | 2021
    Martin C; Reeve R; McCausland R; Baldry E; Burton P; White R; Thomas S, 2021, Exiting prison with complex support needs: the role of housing assistance, ,
  • Reports | 2023

    Earle N; Spencer W; McCausland R; Futeran P; Webster J; Leslie G, 2023, Walgett's Drinking Water: Yuwaya Ngarra-li Briefing Paper, , /content/dam/pdfs/unsw-adobe-websites/yuwaya-ngarra-li/2023-06-news/2023-06-YN-Briefing-Paper-Walgett-Drinking-Water-Feb23.pdf

    Reports | 2023
    Tonkin T; Deane A; Trindall A; Weatherall L; Madden T; Moore B; Earle N; Nathan M; Young S; McCausland R; Leslie G; Bennett-Brook K; Corby C; Webster J; Rosewarne E, 2023, Yuwaya Ngarra-li Community Briefing Report: Key Findings from the Food and Water Security Surveys in Walgett,
    Conference Presentations | 2023
    Vickers C; Drysdale K; McCausland R, 2023, 'Biodegradable Leadership: A Manifesto for (Re)Visioning Societal Impact at Universities', presented at De-centring academic expertise: The politics of knowledge production and social transformation, Melbourne, 04 December 2023
    Reports | 2022
    Flanagan M; Miller-Dawkins M; Spencer W; McCausland R, 2022, Creating better futures with contracts: How to progress genuine community partnerships and to improve access to information and participation in government procurement and grants, ,
    Creative Written Works | 2022
    Martin C; Baldry E; Reeve R; McCausland R; Burton P; White R; Thomas S, 2022, Giving ex-prisoners public housing cuts crime and re-incarceration – and saves money, The Conversation,
    Reports | 2022
    Martin C; Hulse K; Ghasri M; Ralston L; Crommelin L; Goodall Z; Parkinson S; O'Brien Webb E; Ghasrikhouzani M; Baldry E; McCausland R, 2022, Regulation of residential tenancies and impacts on investment, AHURI Ltd, Melbourne, 391, ,
    Reports | 2021
    Martin C; Reeve R; McCausland R; Baldry E; Burton P; White R; Thomas S; Ghasrikhouzani M, 2021, Exiting prison with complex support needs: the role of housing assistance, AHURI Ltd, Melbourne, 361,
    Preprints | 2021
    Martin C; Reeve R; McCausland R; Baldry E; Burton P; White R; Thomas S, 2021, Exiting prison with complex support needs: the role of housing assistance,
    Reports | 2021
    Rosewarne E; Hunnisett C; Bennett-Brook K; Coombes J; Corby C; Feeny E; Leslie G; McCausland R; McKenzie B; Webster J; Spencer W, 2021, A community in action: How Walgett is redefining food systems, ,
    Reports | 2021
    Rosewarne E; Hunnisett C; Bennett-Brook K; Coombes J; Corby C; Leslie G; McCausland R; McKenzie B; Spencer W; Feeny E; Webster J, 2021, Whose paradigm counts? An Australia-Pacific perspective on unheard voices in food and water systems, ,
    Reports | 2021
    The Healing Foundation ; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ; McCausland R; Nettheim A; Kang C, 2021, Make Healing Happen, The Healing Foundation, Canberra, ,
    Reports | 2021
    2021, Exiting prison with complex support needs: the role of housing assistance, ,
    Reports | 2020
    McCausland R, 2020, Supporting Aboriginal People to Age Well: Community Report
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    McCausland R, 2019, 'A Community-Led Partnership to Improve Wellbeing and Pathways out of the Criminal Justice System for Aboriginal People', presented at Reintegration Puzzle Conference, Darwin, Northern Territory, 26 June 2019 - 28 June 2019,
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    McCausland R, 2019, 'Yuwaya Ngarra-li: Evaluating an Aboriginal community-led partnership working towards systemic change in Walgett', presented at Australasian Evaluation Society Conference, Sydney, 01 September 2019 - 03 September 2019,
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    McCausland R, 2019, 'Yuwaya Ngarra-li: a community-led partnership responding to the criminalisation of Aboriginal peoples', presented at Australian Social Policy Conference, 09 September 2019 - 11 September 2019,
    Reports | 2019
    McCausland R, 2019, Yuwaya Ngarra-li Food Forum Report, Dharriwaa Elders Group and 91É«ÇéƬ, 91É«ÇéƬ, ,
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    McCausland R, 2018, 'Conceptualising and responding to the systemic criminalisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with mental and cognitive disability', presented at Critical Criminology and Social Justice Conference, 91É«ÇéƬ, 26 September 2018 - 28 September 2018,
    Conference Presentations | 2018
    McCausland R, 2018, 'Economic Evaluation of the Intellectual Disability Rights Service Criminal Justice Support Network', presented at Australasian Evaluation Society, 18 September 2018 - 20 September 2018,
    Reports | 2018
    McCausland R, 2018, Yuwaya Ngarra-li Walgett Youth Justice Forum Report, Dharriwaa Elders Group and 91É«ÇéƬ, 91É«ÇéƬ, ,
    Reports | 2017
    McCausland R; Baldry E; McEntyre E, 2017, Indigenous People, Mental Health, Cognitive Disability and the Criminal Justice System, Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse, 22, ,
    Reports | 2017
    McCausland R; McSherry B; Baldry E; Arstein-Kerslake A; Gooding P; Arabena K, 2017, Unfitness to Plead and Indefinite Detention of Persons with Cognitive Disabilities:Addressing the Legal Barriers and Creating Appropriate Alternative Supports in the Community,
    Reports | 2017
    McCausland R; Reeve R; Gooding P; Baldry E, 2017, Cost Benefit Analysis of Support Workers in Legal Services For People with Cognitive Disability,
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    McCausland R, 2017, 'Community-Led Pathways out of the Criminal Justice System for People with Complex Needs', presented at University of Liverpool School of Law and Social Justice International Criminological Research Seminar, Liverpool, UK, 25 October 2017,
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    McCausland R, 2017, 'Conceptualising the social determinants of justice', presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology conference, Canberra, 06 December 2017 - 08 December 2017,
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    McCausland R, 2017, 'From ‘at risk’ to ‘a risk’: the costs of unsupported transitions for disadvantaged young people with complex needs', presented at Australian Social Policy Conference, Sydney, 25 September 2017 - 27 September 2017,
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    McCausland R, 2017, '‘I’m sorry, but I can’t take a photo of someone’s capacity being built’: the need for better evaluation metrics', presented at Australasian Evaluation Society conference, Sydney, 25 September 2017 - 27 September 2017,
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    McCausland R, 2017, '‘What are the benefits to costing alternatives to unfitness to plead?’ People with Cognitive Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System: Addressing the Legal Barriers and Creating Appropriate Alternative Supports in the Community Panel', presented at Reintegration Puzzle Conference, Sydney, 20 June 2017
    Reports | 2017
    Reeve R; McCausland R; Dowse L; Trofimovs J, 2017, Economic Evaluation of the Intellectual Disability Rights Service Criminal Justice Support Network, Intellectual Disability Behaviour Support Program, 91É«ÇéƬ Sydney, ,
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    McCausland R, 2016, 'A predictable and preventable path: Aboriginal people with mental and cognitive disabilities in the criminal justice system', presented at Reintegration Puzzle Conference, Geelong, Victoria, 20 June 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    McCausland R, 2016, 'A predictable and preventable path: Aboriginal people with mental and cognitive disabilities in the criminal justice system', presented at Reintegration Puzzle conference, Geelong, 26 June 2016,
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    McCausland R, 2016, 'The need for a new approach to people with mental and cognitive disability in custody', presented at Corrective Services NSW Psychology Conference, 16 September 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    McCausland R, 2016, '‘What gets measured gets managed’: The problem with evaluation of post-release diversionary program', presented at ANZSOC, Hobart, 13 August 2016 - 15 August 2016,
    Reports | 2015
    Baldry E; McCausland R; Dowse L; McEntyre E, 2015, A Predictable and Preventable path: Aboriginal People with mental and cognitive disability in the criminal justice system, 91É«ÇéƬ, Sydney, ,
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    McCausland R, 2015, 'Aboriginal women’s access to diversionary programs', presented at NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research Applied Research in Crime and Justice Conference, Sydney, 16 February 2015,
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    McCausland R, 2015, 'The economic costs of the over-representation of people with disability in the criminal justice system', presented at Australian Social Policy Conference, Sydney, 28 September 2015,
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    McCausland R, 2015, 'The role of evaluation in reducing the over-representation of Indigenous Australian women in prison', presented at Australasian Evaluation Conference, 18 September 2015,
    Theses / Dissertations | 2015
    McCausland R, 2015, Measurement, Management and Marginalisation: Evaluation and the Diversion of Indigenous Women from Prison, 91É«ÇéƬ,
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    McCausland R, 2014, '‘Using evaluation to reduce the numbers of Indigenous Australian women in prison’', presented at 11th EES Biennial Conference: Evaluation for an Equitable Society: Independence, Partnership, Participation, Dublin, Ireland, 01 October 2014,
    Reports | 2014
    McCausland R, 2014, Aboriginal Women’s Access to Diversionary Programs in NSW
    Reports | 2013
    Baldry E; McCausland R; Cohen A; Johnson S, 2013, People with mental health disorders and cognitive impairment in the criminal justice system Cost-benefit analysis of early support and diversion, AHRC, Sydney,
    Reports | 2012
    Baldry E; Dowse LM; Mccausland R; Clarence M, 2012, Lifecourse institutional costs of homelessness for vulnerable groups, FaHCSIA, 91É«ÇéƬ,
    Conference Presentations | 2005
    McCausland R, 2005, '‘Petrol bowsers for washing kids’ faces: a ‘new conversation’ in Indigenous policy’', presented at Australian Social Policy Conference, Sydney, 30 September 2005,