PhD graduate Saskia Penn: an investigation into Australia’s justice system

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PhD graduate Saskia Penn: an investigation into Australia’s justice system

In her PhD, Saskia Penn examined how police culture has contributed to ongoing instances of misconduct and injustice in the Australian criminal justice system.

Her interest in the topic developed in her time with the Bridge of Hope Innocence initiative (BoHII) at RMIT, which investigates claims of wrongful conviction.

Saskia said that her research combined her passion for history with addressing contemporary justice issues.

Saskia hoped that her research can initiate a discussion about what historical perspectives can offer when addressing contemporary criminological questions.

“I hope to spark a discussion about cultural change and accountability in policing and the role we all play in advocating for more robust police accountability.”

Saskia collected mountains of data during her PhD, which took months to code and analyse.

While the workload was a challenge, she found it an invaluable process to enrich her own knowledge.

“I learned so much about historical cases of misconduct and many of those cases are remarkably similar to issues we’re still seeing today,” Saskia said.

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Aside from passion and hard work, Saskia also attributes her success in completing her PhD and managing stress to maintaining hobbies and interests outside of study and work.

“I am a big advocate for setting incremental goals and logging off at the end of the day having achieved those goals.”

“Nurturing interests and friendships outside of your academic pursuits is so important to overall wellbeing.”

Saskia is currently working as an academic at RMIT, tutoring for various subjects in Justice and Criminology, including for the BoHII work integrated learning program.

She is also working on a research project for the Australian Academy of Forensic Science, looking at inquiries into forensic errors that have led to wrongful conviction in Australia.

She hopes her PhD thesis will be published after graduation.

01 May 2025

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

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