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  • Nikki Rajakaruna

    Nikki Rajakaruna

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Dr Nikki Rajakaruna

Senior Lecturer

Staff Member Details
Telephone: +61 8 6304 5497
Email: n.rajakaruna@ecu.edu.au
Campus: Joondalup  
Room: JO4.234b  
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0725-1617

*Please note - Nikki is on leave for 2025

Nikki is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology courses in the School of Arts and Humanities. Nikki is also a researcher and supervisor of HDR students in the School.

Current teaching

  • CRI1107- The Criminal Justice Process
  • CRI2116 - Critical Aspects of Policing
  • CRI3112 - Operational Policing

Background

Nikki is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology within the School of Arts and Humanities. In this role, Nikki is dedicated to the academic and professional development of future criminal justice practitioners. In all aspects of her teaching, Nikki strives to ensure that students are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary for successful and impactful careers.

Nikki’s specific area of interest is policing; evident from her teaching in policing focused units, and her research profile which evidences strong collaboration with industry partners such as the Western Australia Police Force. Nikki is passionate about conducting collaborative research that is of practical benefit to industry stakeholders. She has conducted various research projects about police use of force, issues related to police integrity and the use of intelligence in policing.

Nikki has supervised a number of Honours students on topics such as police perceptions of Internal Affairs units, perceptions of body-worn camera footage and public perceptions of vigilantism. Nikki’s current HDR students are examining the perceived effectiveness of oversight agencies, police officer responses to wrongdoing and the influence of cultural values on juror decision-making.

Professional associations

  • 2025 - Australian Psychological Society (Member)
  • 2022 - Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology (Member)
  • 2022 - Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law (Member)

Awards and recognition

University and National Teaching awards

  • 2018 - The School of Arts and Humanities, Psychology and Criminology Staff Award

Other

  • 2016-2018 - WA Police Certificate of Appreciation: Mental Health Co-Response Trial
  • 2018 - Mental Health Commissioner's Award: Mental Health Co-Response
  • 2019 - WA Police Certificate of Appreciation: Body Armour Project Team

Research areas and interests

  • Police use of force
  • The use of human source intelligence in policing
  • Police integrity
  • Contemporary issues in policing (e.g. police response to mental ill-health, police officer wellbeing)
  • Community crime prevention

Technical and industry reports

  • Rajakaruna, N. & Henry, P. (2021). Informing the development of the City of Cockburn Community Safety Strategy. Report 1:  Prevalence of crime and anti-social behaviour and perceptions of community safety in the City of Cockburn. Report submitted to City of Cockburn (80 pages).
  • Rajakaruna, N. & Henry, P. (2021). Informing the development of the City of Cockburn Community Safety Strategy. Report 2:  Evidence based strategies to address crime and anti-social behaviour and
  • perceptions of community safety in the City of Cockburn. Reported submitted to City of Cockburn (107 pages).
  • Henry, P. & Rajakaruna, N. (2019). Assessment of body armour: Officer perceptions and experiences. Report submitted to WA Police Force (170 pages).
  • Henry, P. & Rajakaruna, N. (2019). Officer perceptions of online training delivered by the WA Police Force. Report submitted to WA Police Force (70 pages).
  • Rajakaruna, N. & Henry, P. (2019). Mental health and well-being training preferences amongst a sample of WA Police Force employees. Report submitted to WA Police (21 pages).
  • Brooks-Crew, D., Rajakaruna, N. & Henry, P. (2019). Police perceptions of internal affairs: Influences on cooperation and compliance with internal oversight. Report submitted to WA Police Force. (81 pages).
  • Rajakaruna, N., & Henry, P.J. (2019). Police officer experiences of and preparedness for medical response. Report submitted to WA Police Force (18 pages).
  • Henry, P., & Rajakaruna, N. (2018). Evaluation of the WA Police Force Mental Health Co-Response Commissioning Trial. Prepared for WA Police (152 pages).
  • Henry, P., Scott, A., & Rajakaruna, N. (2016). WA Police misuse of information management systems. Report submitted to WA Police, July 2016 (92 pages).
  • Henry, P., & Rajakaruna, N. (2015). The validity of use of force training. Report submitted to WA Police, February 2015 (48 pages).

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts, Edith Cowan University.
  • Master of Psychology (Professional), Curtin University of Technology, 2025.
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Edith Cowan University, 2019.

Research Outputs

2025

Journal Articles

2023

Reports

  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. (2023). Prevalence of crime and anti-social behaviour and perceptions of community safety in the City of Bunbury. Joondalup, Western Australia. Edith Cowan University.

2022

Journal Articles

  • Brooks-Crew, D., Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. (2022). Predicting police officer reported compliance and willingness to cooperate with internal affairs units: Application of the Relational Model of Authority. Policing and Society: an international journal of research and policy, 32(1), 71-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2021.1879073.

2021

Book Chapters

  • Coleman, V., Scott, AJ., Gavin, J., Rajakaruna, N. (2021). Crossing a Line? Understandings of the Relative Seriousness of Online and Offline Intrusive Behaviours Among Young Adults. The Palgrave Handbook of Gendered Violence and Technology (229-257). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83734-1_12.

Journal Articles

  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P., Scott, A. (2021). Misuse of police information systems: Predicting perceived likelihood of misuse among unsworn police employees. Policing (Oxford): a journal of policy and practice, 15(2), 686–700. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paz034.

Reports

  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. (2021). Informing the development of the City of Cockburn Community Safety Strategy. Prevalence of crime and anti-social behaviour and perceptions of community safety in the City of Cockburn. Australia. City of Cockburn.
  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. (2021). Informing the development of the City of Cockburn Community Safety Strategy. Evidence based strategies to address crime and anti-social behaviour and perceptions of community safety in the City of Cockburn. Australia. City of Cockburn.

2020

Book Chapters

  • Scott, A., Rajakaruna, N., Handscomb, MA., Waterworth, GA. (2020). Public familiarity and understanding of stalking/harassment legislation in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Psycho-criminological approaches to stalking behavior: An international perspective (17). John Wiley & Sons. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworkspost2013/8314.

Journal Articles

  • Henry, P., Rajakaruna, N., Crous, C., Buckley, J. (2020). Key attributes of an effective human source handler: Implications for handler selection and training. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles, 93(4), 290-309. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X19862589.

2019

Journal Articles

  • Scott, AJ., Duff, SC., Sheridan, L., Rajakaruna, N. (2019). The influence of contextual information regarding the breakdown of relationships and perpetrator-target sex composition on perceptions of relational stalking. Psychology, Crime and Law, 25(4), 364-380. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316x.2018.1529231.

Reports

  • Henry, P., Rajakaruna, N. (2019). Officer Perceptions of Online Training Delivered by the WA Police Force. Australia. WA Police Force.
  • Henry, P., Rajakaruna, N. (2019). Assessment of Body Armour: Officer Perceptions and Experiences. Australia. WA Police Force.
  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. (2019). Police officer experiences of, and preparedness for, medical response. Australia. WA Police Force.
  • Brooks-Crew, D., Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. (2019). Police Perceptions of Internal Affairs: Influences on Cooperation and Compliance with Internal Oversight. Joondalup, Western Australia. Edith Cowan University.
  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. (2019). Mental health and well-being training preferences amongst a sample of WA Police Force employees. Joondalup, Western Australia. Edith Cowan University.

2018

Reports

  • Henry, P., Rajakaruna, N. (2018). WA Police Force Mental Health Co-Response Evaluation Report. Australia. WA Police Force.

2017

Journal Articles

  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P., Cutler, A., Fairman, G. (2017). Ensuring the validity of police use of force training. Police Practice and Research: an international journal, 18(5), 507-521. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2016.1268959.

2016

Reports

  • Henry, P., Rajakaruna, N. (2016). Misuse of the Information Management System by Police Staff Employed in WA Police. Joondalup, Western Australia. Edith Cowan University.

2015

Journal Articles

  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P., Scott, A. (2015). A necessary safety net: use of a confidential internal telephone line to report unethical behaviour. Police Practice and Research: an international journal, 16(5), 431-443. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2014.932695.
  • Scott, A., Rajakaruna, N., Sheridan, L., Gavin, J. (2015). International perceptions of relational stalking: The influence of prior relationship, perpetrator sex, target sex and participant sex. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 30(18), 3308-3323. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260514555012.

Reports

  • Henry, P., Rajakaruna, N., Cutler, A. (2015). The validity of use of force training.. Perth, Western Australia. Edith Cowan University.

2014

Journal Articles

  • Scott, A., Rajakaruna, N., Sheridan, L. (2014). Framing and perceptions of stalking: the influence of conduct severity and the perpetrator-target relationship. Psychology, Crime and Law, 20(3), 242-260. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2013.770856.
  • Scott, A., Rajakaruna, N., Sheridan, L., Sleath, E. (2014). International perceptions of stalking and responsibility: The influence of prior relationship and severity of behavior. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 41(2), 220-236. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854813500956.

2013

Journal Articles

  • Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P., Crous, C., Fordham, A. (2013). Community intelligence: Exploring human source as a new frontier. Australasian Policing: A Journal of Professional Practice and Research, 5(1), 25-30.

Research Projects

  • Development of the City of Bunbury Community Safety & Crime Prevention Plan , City of Bunbury, Grant, 2023, $19,612.
  • Validity of Use of Force Training, WA Police, Grant, 2016 ‑ 2022, $22,000.
  • Prevalence of crime and anti-social behaviour and perceptions of community safety in the City of Cockburn, City of Cockburn, Grant, 2020 ‑ 2021, $16,495.
  • One Life WA Suicide Prevention Strategy, Centrecare (Inc), Grant - WA Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2011 ‑ 2014, $1,000,000.
  • Misuse of the information management system by Public Servants employed within WA Police, WA Police, Grant, 2010 ‑ 2012, $9,091.
  • Problem Gambling in CALD Communities, Centrecare (Inc), Grant, 2010 ‑ 2011, $48,873.
  • Age of First Cannabis Use, WA Police, Grant, 2009, $11,685.
  • Blueline Evaluation, WA Police, Grant, 2009, $9,091.

Research Student Supervision

Current Supervisions

Co-principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Stress reactions and perceptual distortion: How this can have a potential impact on police investigations and evidence in criminal trials
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Multiculturalism in juries: A case for the consideration of cultural values in juror decision making
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Turning an eye both ways! Exploring whistleblowing, silence, and other responses to wrongdoing in a policy context

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Australian anti-corruption agencies: factors perceived to influence effectiveness

Completed Supervisions

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Transformative Career Theory: A Grounded Theory Study into the Long-term Careers of Australian Youth Workers
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