Speaker Highlights
Neighbourhood Watch Australasia is pleased to announce the following Speakers for 2021.
Keep an eye out for further speaker additions.
Professor Lorraine Mazerolle
BA (Hons), MA, PhD
School of Social Science, The University of Queensland
Lorraine Mazerolle is an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow (2010–2015), a Professor of Criminology in the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland, and a Chief Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (LCC).
Her research interests are in experimental criminology, policing, drug law enforcement, regulatory crime control, and crime prevention. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Experimental Criminology, past Chair of the American Society of Criminology’s (ASC) Division of Experimental Criminology (2014–2015), an elected Fellow and past president of the Academy of Experimental Criminology (AEC), and an elected fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences, Australia and the American Society of Criminology (ASC). Professor Mazerolle is the recipient of the 2018 ASC Thorsten Sellin & Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck Award, the 2016 ASC Division of Policing Distinguished Scholar Award, the 2013 AEC Joan McCord Award, and the 2010 ASC Division of International Criminology Freda Adler Distinguished Scholar Award.
She has won numerous US and Australian national competitive research grants on topics such as third-party policing, police engagement with high-risk people and disadvantaged communities, community regulation, problem-oriented policing, police technologies, civil remedies, street-level drug enforcement and policing public housing sites.
Dr Renee Zahnow
BA (Hons), PhD Criminology
Lecturer in Criminology
School of Social Science, The University of Queensland
Dr Renee Zahnow is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Social Science at the University of Queensland (UQ). Renee has expertise in spatial and longitudinal analyses and she has applied these skills to examine a range of social problems including crime, disorder, community social processes, resilience, substance use and community regulation. Renee’s research focuses on place-based patterns of crime, deviance and victimisation; she is particularly interested in understanding the link between the regularities of daily human mobility, social and behavioural norms and the propensity for crime and deviance.
Dr Melissa Smith
Manager of Prevention Development
Community Partnerships and Prevention, New Zealand Police
Melissa Smith is the Manager of Prevention Development in the Community Partnerships and Prevention Team, New Zealand Police. Melissa has been in Police for over 8 years (as a non- sworn member), and prior to that spent over 10 years undertaking research, evaluation, and development and planning of crime prevention strategies across the justice sector (crime science, courts, policing, and corrections) in both New Zealand and the UK.
Melissa’s current role involves the development, implementation and assessment of national harm reduction and prevention strategies. This includes embedding Police’s Problem Solving approach (SARA) within New Zealand Police, implementation of specific national initiatives to address volumes crimes and providing tailored advice on a diverse range of initiatives – including such topics as retail crime, youth crime, to mental health.
John Goldsworthy
AdvDipMgt DipProjMgt
Director & Board Member
International CPTED Association
After a career of over 40 years in the Queensland Police Service (QPS), including over 10 years in the Crime Prevention Unit and 9 years as a detective, John has a passion for and extensive real-world experience in all aspects of crime prevention and community safety.
He has a close affinity with the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Program having served as the QPS State NHW Coordinator for a period in the early 1990’s.
His policing experience also includes first response, criminal investigation, internal investigation, close personal protection, counterterrorism, intelligence, major event security planning, air and maritime operations, project management and policy development.
With involvement spanning 25 years, he was one of the pioneers of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in Australia, introducing the concept to government, community and industry bodies.
John was the QPS CPTED, Personal Safety and Property Security subject matter expert for major infrastructure projects and a regular media spokesperson for the QPS on crime prevention issues.
John received a QPS Award for Excellence in Crime Prevention for introducing Tourist Oriented Policing (TOP) to the State in partnership with Tourism Queensland.
John now supports the professional development of government, urban design, planning and allied professionals in the Asia-Pacific region in the field of CPTED and works with local and state government agencies on policy development and review. He continues to contribute to his local community in a range of volunteer activities.
