Julie-Anne Toohey

Julie-Anne Toohey

School of Social Sciences

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics


Dr. Julie-Anne Toohey completed her PhD in Criminology through the University of Adelaide and is a teacher and researcher at the University of Adelaide, South Australia. Key areas of research include the importance of maintaining connections between incarcerated parents and their children, and the lived experiences of incarcerated women with cognitive disabilities. Her research has taken place in a number of prisons throughout Australia, and privileges the voices of incarcerated people. Julie-Anne has taught Criminology at the University of Tasmania, the University of South Australia, and Flinders University, and has been part of research teams associated with the Criminology Research Unit at the University of Tasmania and the Crime and Policy Research Unit at Flinders University.

Julie-Anne's doctoral research focused on incarcerated women with cognitive disabilities in Australian prisons. The research findings provide key evidence for stakeholders within corrective services, tasked with identifying the presence of cognitive disabilities and addressing the needs of an often overlooked prison population.

Julie-Anne's Masters Degree (Criminology and Corrections), completed at the University  of Tasmania, explored the issue of maintaining connections between incarcerated parents and their children. Using Kids' Days at Tasmania's Risdon Prison as an example of an initiative premised on the importance of these crucial connections, the research involved incarcerated parents, prison personnel, and relevant government ministers, whose contributions highlighted the significance of child/parent relationships during parental custodial episodes.

Julie-Anne has worked as a Research Assistant for Dr. Russell Brewer (University  of Adelaide) and Professor Andrew Goldsmith (Flinders University) as part of the ongoing ARC Digital Youth Research five-year longitudinal study. This involved both data collection and data coding of survey material from young people in South Australian high schools.  

Julie-Anne has been involved in two research endeavours for Distinguished Professor Rob White, from the University of Tasmania. The first pertained to the illegal dumping of hazardous waste in Australia, where Julie-Anne's key responsibility was the investigation of jurisdictional penalties and prosecutions, used to inform a series of Briefing Papers produced by the University of Tasmania's Criminology Research Unit. A subsequent research project, conducted as part of an ARC grant entitled 'Toxic Towns', investigated pollution levels associated with mining activities in  six Tasmanian sites. Julie-Anne's role was that of ascertaining levels of water and soil pollution in each  of those sites.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2018 - 2018 Associate Lecturer 'Punishment and Society' Flinders University
    2017 - 2017 Research Assistant (Criminology) Flinders University
    2017 - 2017 Text Editor 'Criminologies of the Military' Flinders University
    2017 - 2018 Academic Online Developer - Criminology Flinders University
    2015 - 2017 Sessional Tutor Criminology Flinders University
    2015 - 2015 Online Course Coordinator 'Restorative Justice' University of South Australia
    2013 - 2015 Lecturer in Criminology University of South Australia
    2012 - 2012 Reference Editor 'Youth and Society' University of Tasmania
    2011 - 2012 Sessional Tutor Criminology University of Tasmania
    2011 - 2012 Research Assistant Criminology Research Unit University of Tasmania
    1983 - 1994 Teacher Hills Christian Community School
    1980 - 1982 Teacher Government of South Australia
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2016 Scholarship Australian Post-Graduate Award University of Adelaide Australia -
    2010 Achievement Dean's Roll of Excellence Faculty of Arts University of Tasmania Australia -
    2010 Achievement Dean's Roll of Excellence with Honours University of Tasmania Australia -
    2010 Award Tasmanian Historical Research Association M.D. McRae Memorial Prize for greatest proficiency in Australian History University of Tasmania Bahamas -
    2010 Award Richard P. Davis Prize in Irish History for the best essay in a History unit on a topic relating to Irish History University of Tasmania Australia -
    2010 Award The University of Tasmania Vice-Chancellor’s Leadership Award University of Tasmania Australia -
    2009 Achievement Dean's Roll of Excellence Faculty of Arts University of Tasmania Australia -
    2008 Achievement Dean's Roll of Excellence Faculty of Arts University of Tasmania Australia -
    2008 Award The Kay Daniel’s Prize in Social History for the best essay in the field of Social History University of Tasmania Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2010 - 2012 University of Tasmania Australia Masters Degree Criminology and Corrections
    2008 - 2010 University of Tasmania Australia Bachelor of Arts
    1976 - 1979 University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Teaching
  • Postgraduate Training

    Date Title Institution Country
    2016 - 2019 Doctor of Philosophy University of Adelaide Australia
  • Research Interests

  • Journals

    Year Citation
    2015 White, R., Toohey, J. -A., & Asquith, N. (2015). Seniors in shopping centres. Journal of Sociology, 51(3), 582-595.
    DOI
    2013 Toohey, J. (2013). Children and Their Incarcerated Parents: Maintaining Connections – How Kids’ Days at Tasmania’s Risdon prison Contribute to Imprisoned Parent – Child Relationships. Australasian Critical Criminology Proceedings 2012, 29-40.
  • Books

    Year Citation
    2021 Toohey, J. -A. (2021). The Social Exclusion of Incarcerated Women with Cognitive Disabilities Shut Out, Shut In. Online: Routledge.
  • Internet Publications

    Year Citation
    - Toohey, J. -A. (n.d.). 'Sobering Thoughts': An Examination of Tasmania's Sober Driver Program. Elsevier BV.
    DOI
    - Toohey, J. -A. (n.d.). Prisons, Families, and the 'Ripple Effect'. Elsevier BV.
    DOI

2019-2020 CRIM1002 and 3002 Course Developer Criminology University of Adelaide

2020 CRIM3002 Teacher Criminology (Social Research) University of Adelaide

2018-2019 Academic Online Developer (Criminology)  College of Business, Government and Law Flinders University, South Australia

2018 Associate Lecturer CRIM 2201 ‘Punishment and Society’ College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University, South Australia

2013 - 2015 Course Coordinator and Lecturer Criminology, School of Law, University of South Australia, Adelaide

2015 Course Co-ordinator Criminology Online topic ‘Restorative Justice’ School of Law, University of South Australia, Adelaide

2010-2012 Teacher Criminology (Sociology of Deviance, Crime and Criminal Justice) University of Tasmania

  • Board Memberships

    Date Role Board name Institution name Country
    2014 - 2015 Board Member Seeds of Affinity Seeds of Affinity Pathways for Women Inc. Australia
    2013 - 2015 Board Member Offenders Aid and Rehabilitation Services of South Australia OARS and Community Transitions Australia
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2015 - ongoing Member Restorative Practices International Australia
    2012 - ongoing Member Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Inc. Australia
    2010 - ongoing Member Golden Key International Honour Society Australia

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