Community programs reap $1m from confiscated criminal assets

Established under criminal seizure laws introduced in 2003, the Confiscated Assets Trust Fund is valued at about $1.817 million.

The latest round of payments is taken from interest earned by the fund, which will have $1.371 million remaining after the latest commitments.

ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell announced payments totalling $446,000, including $80,000 for women’s sector projects related to the ACT's six-year strategy to prevent violence against woman and children.

A further $30,000 will be made available for funding to support Australia-wide efforts in the establishment of the National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety.

The project is part of the 2012-22 national plan to reduce violence against women and their children.

“This is an important development that demonstrates that the ACT government is committed to ending domestic and family violence in the territory and recognises the difficult but invaluable work done by non-government women’s sector organisations."

Mr Corbell will approach non-government organisations working in crime prevention about the development of the funding.

More than $330,000 from the trust will be used in the development of an ACT government justice reinvestment strategy that aims to reduce recidivism and diverting offenders – and those at risk of becoming offenders – away from the courts.

“This funding will help to ensure that the ACT’s criminal justice system remains innovative and effective and is just as directed to stopping crime as to responding to it,” Mr Corbell said.

The 2003 laws allow for recovery of proceeds of crime and assets where a conviction has been made, through penalty orders and for the restraint of assets through civil proceedings where no charges were laid.

Payments to the fund can come from the proceeds of any confiscation made by ACT Policing or the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.