A team of dedicated professionals
See the clinicians, researchers and staff who make up Griffith Youth Forensic Service.
Director
Professor Benoit Leclerc
Building on 20 years of research on how offenders operate, Dr Benoit Leclerc is an internationally recognised leader on crime script analysis. He is leading the theoretical advancements of crime scripts and its translation to end users worldwide. He has led several funded research projects using crime script analysis in Australia and Canada and currently leads this field on the significance of publications. Most recently, in collaboration with the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) and other Australian police agencies, he was the lead chief investigator of a project funded by the Australian Institute of Criminology on child sexual exploitation online.
Dr Leclerc serves on the editorial board of many journals including, Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment.
Leadership team
Deputy Director
Associate Professor Jesse Cale
Associate Professor Cale completed his PhD in Criminology in 2010 from Simon Fraser University in Canada. His doctoral research focused on the development of sexual aggression over the life-course. Currently, his main areas of research are understanding the causes, nature, and extent of sexual offending, and more broadly, crime prevention and criminal justice policy. He is a co-author of the book: Understanding Sexual Offending: An Evidence-Based Response to myths and misconceptions and has published extensively in academic journals on the topic. He has been awarded various research grants from funding agencies including the Australian Research Council, the Australian Institute of Criminology, and other government and non-government organisations.
Dr Cale has also been appointed to the editorial boards of several journals in criminology including: Sexual Abuse; Journal of Criminal Justice; Journal of Developmental and Life-course Criminology, Canadian Journal of Criminology; and, Victims and Offenders.
Dr Danielle Shumack
Senior Clinician
Danielle has completed a Professional Doctorate in Forensic Psychology and is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society Forensic and Clinical Colleges. Danielle has experience in corrections and forensic mental health settings and has been working with adolescent sexual offenders for the past 15 years. Her primary focus has been the provision of assessment and treatment for high-risk and clinically complex cases. Danielle is published in the area of collaborative partnerships in the provision of services for adolescent sexual offenders and has research interests in the management of youth assessed as a high risk of sexual offence recidivism.
Clinicians
Christine Handy
Christine joined the Griffith Youth Forensic Service in 2022. She is a Social Worker who provides clinical assessment and treatment services in South East Queensland. Christine has over 25 years experience in working with young people with harmful sexual behaviours and their families. Christine has prior experience working with victim/survivors in a restorative justice framework. Christine has a keen interest and passion for working with youth who sexually offend and enjoys the challenge and fulfilment of working with young people from a trauma informed perspective. Christine is presently completing postgraduate studies in Criminology.
Emily Maple
Emily Maple is a provisional Psychologist and Clinician with the Griffith Youth Forensic Service. Emily is currently undertaking a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Griffith University. Emily has participated in research (Research Assistant) evaluating improvements to the Child Protection Offender Register. Emily's interest in Forensic Psychology was pronounced during her research collaboration with the Queensland Police Service. Emily identified a need for more clinicians with the ability to conduct risk assessments and provide evidence-based treatments to individuals who engage in sexually harmful behaviors. Emily has worked as a clinician in private practice with a focus on children and adolescents and has experience in a criminal justice environment. She is passionate about helping young people build confidence and navigate difficult life experiences.
Shannon Conley
Shannon Conley is clinical psychology registrar and clinician at Griffith Youth Forensic Service. She has completed her Master of Clinical Psychology and provides assessment and treatment services to the North Queensland region. Shannon has experience providing evidence-based treatment to young people with complex and high-risk mental health needs in community settings, including a specialised combined mental health/education program. She also has experience working with young people with complex needs in a family-based intervention program for families at risk of child safety intervention. Shannon has a passionate interest in supporting vulnerable young people to build skills to better navigate life experiences and adversity and to develop more positive life trajectories. Particular interests for Shannon include the role of trauma, attachment, and neurodevelopmental disorders in adolescent development.
Joshua Teoh
Administration
Janene Bosa
Janene has many years of professional experience in business administration, reception, and customer service. Janene joined Griffith Youth Forensic Service in 2010 after having worked with the Griffith Institute for Educational Research. In addition to supporting GYFS clinicians and management Janene also provides administrative and financial advice, support, and assistance to the GYFS Neighbourhoods Project
Janene is the recipient of the Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s award for Excellence in General Staff Services (2013), Highly Commended, Outstanding Individual Client Service to Staff - HEW Level 1-5.
Taylor Legdin
Taylor joined the Griffith Youth Forensic Service as a Research Assistant after completing her Honours degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice in 2021. Taylor’s thesis utilised GYFS case file data and applied a qualitative lens in order to examine the offence trajectories of high risk young people who engaged in sexually abusive behaviour. Taylor has participated and assisted in several research projects with the GYFS team in relation to adverse childhood experiences; desistance from sexual offending and youth who engage in child exploitation material offences. Taylor also provides support to clinicians and management through her part time Administration Assistant role.
Contact Griffith Youth Forensic Service
Location
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Address - Level 4 Social Sciences Building (M10)
- Griffith University
- 176 Messines Ridge Road
- Mt Gravatt QLD 4122