The National Survey of Australian Judges: An Overview of Findings

Journal of Judicial Administration, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2008

17 Pages Posted: 27 Jun 2015

See all articles by Kathy Mack

Kathy Mack

Flinders University - School of Law

Sharyn Roach Anleu

Flinders University - Department of Sociology

Date Written: 2008

Abstract

The Magistrates Research Project and the Judicial Research Project of Flinders University have conducted extensive empirical research into the background, careers, attitudes and everyday work of the Australian judiciary. This article describes the development of the National Survey of Australian Judges 2007 and provides an overview of findings on several topics: personal and social characteristics of judges, such as age, gender, family and the professional background which judges bring to their work; factors which affected the decision to become a judge; the skills needed for their work; and attitudes towards work, including areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction and stress. The findings from this survey have significant value to the judiciary, to the community and for government in developing appropriate policies in areas such as recruitment, selection, appointment, training, education and court management, including issues of work allocation, hours, out of court work, working conditions and expectations.

Keywords: Judiciary, judges, courts, Australia, empirical research, survey research, gender, family, professional background, skills, attitudes to work, judicial attitudes, judges’ backgrounds

Suggested Citation

Mack, Kathy and Roach Anleu, Sharyn, The National Survey of Australian Judges: An Overview of Findings (2008). Journal of Judicial Administration, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2008, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2623437

Kathy Mack (Contact Author)

Flinders University - School of Law ( email )

Adelaide S.A. 5001
Australia
+08 8201 3627 (Phone)

Sharyn Roach Anleu

Flinders University - Department of Sociology ( email )

Adelaide, S.A, 5001
Australia
+61 8 8201 2122 (Phone)
+61 8 8201 3521 (Fax)

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
446
Abstract Views
1,203
Rank
119,180
PlumX Metrics