The Department of Justice and Community Safety ('DJCSVV') is responsible for delivering justice and community safety services across Victoria. It oversees key areas such as emergency services, youth justice, justice health, victims of crime support, gambling and liquor regulation, and the Koori justice system.
What types of complaints can you make?
You can complain about:
Personal Information and Privacy:
- Privacy complaint: When DJCSV mishandles your personal information.
- Freedom of Information (FOI): When your FOI request is delayed, refused without good reason, or the agency does not properly search for your records.
- Victims of Crime Victims’ Charter rights: When police, prosecutors, or victim services fail to treat you fairly.
Adult Corrections:
- Prison complaints: Concerns about unsafe conditions, lack of medical care, cultural or religious needs not being met, or mistreatment by staff.
- Community corrections and parole: Problems with supervision in the community, such as unsafe work placements or unreasonable reporting times.
Youth Justice:
- Young people in custody or programs: Complaints about safety, wellbeing, education, or staff behaviour in youth justice centres or programs.
Conduct of Officials:
- Justices of the Peace or Bail Justices: When they act inappropriately, unprofessionally, or outside their authority.
Child Safety:
- Concerns about children in DJCSV programs: When a child is at risk of abuse, neglect, or unsafe treatment in a DJCSV-funded or run service.
Other Complaints and Reviews:
- Fines and infringements: Concerns about fines that were wrongly issued or enforced.
- Working with Children Checks: If you believe a Negative Notice (not allowed to work with children) was unfair or issued in error.
- Procurement: Complaints about unfair or improper processes when DJCSV buys goods or services through contracts.
- General service issues: Problems with poor customer service, delays, errors, or unfair treatment in any DJCSV service.
- Disability Worker Exclusion Scheme: If someone was unfairly placed on the exclusion list, not allowing them to work in disability services.
- Adoption services: Concerns about access to records, counselling, or how adoption services are delivered.
Jurisdiction:
DJCSV only deals with issues that happened in Victoria, or that involve Victorian services or programs funded, delivered, or overseen by DJCSV.
Time Limits:
There is no strict legal time limit for making a complaint, but complaints should be made as soon as possible.
DJCSV will not deal with complaints about:
- Incidents or services outside Victoria, or programs run under Commonwealth law (e.g. immigration detention, Centrelink, Medicare).
- Court or tribunal decisions (e.g. sentencing, bail, VCAT rulings).
- Complaints that are about government policy, law reform, or Ministerial priorities.
- Matters already investigated or resolved by another oversight body.
- Privacy breaches by private or non-government organisations.
- FOI or privacy complaints about other departments.
- Access to health information under the Health Records Act.
- Allegations of criminal behaviour by staff.
- Employment or workplace disputes involving DJCSV staff.
- General dissatisfaction without a clear service issue.
- Claims for financial compensation.
- Complaints about exclusion schemes or Working with Children Checks outside Victoria.
Who can you make a complaint against?
You can make a complaint about:
- DJCSV staff and contractors.
- Prison, Community Corrections, Parole and Youth Justice staff.
- Funded service providers delivering DJCSV programs such as adoption services.
- Justices of the Peace and Bail Justices (conduct while performing duties).
- Business areas such as Fines Victoria, Sheriff’s Office, Working with Children Check unit, procurement teams, Adoption services.
Are you eligible to make a complaint?
Who can make a complaint?
Anyone can make a complaint to DJCSV:
- You can complain for yourself.
- A representative can complain with your consent (e.g., parent/guardian, carer, lawyer, advocate).
- Anonymous complaints may be accepted, but DJCSV might be limited if they can’t contact you.
Before you lodge a complaint:
If safe and appropriate, try raising the issue directly with the service or person. If you are still not able to resolve the issue, you can make a complaint to DJCSV.
Can you complain to DJCSV on behalf of someone?
Yes, their consent may be needed depending on the type of complaint.
Additional Information:
The complaints process is free, you don’t need a lawyer, but you can seek legal advice.
What can this body do to help?
DJCSV may:
- Refer your complaint to a more suitable body if it falls outside its role, or if another agency is better placed to act.
- Arrange or prompt internal reviews where available.
- Explain processes and your options.
- Look into service problems and staff conduct.
- Fix errors in processes where possible.
- Ask services to improve practice, provide training, or change procedures.
- Refer matters to police/IBAC/other regulators when required.
Important to note: DJCSV cannot change court decisions or pay compensation.
How to prepare your complaint:
Format:
Complaints can be lodged by phone or mail.
Personal Details:
Provide your name, email and phone number. Note that contact details only need to be given if you want a response from DJCSV.
Respondent’s Details:
Provide the name of the service/business you’re complaining about and names/roles of staff involved, if known.
Relevant Facts:
Provide details about what happened, with supporting documents if you have any, and what result you would like to achieve.
Lodging your complaint and next steps:
Where to Lodge a Complaint:
- By Phone: Call 03 8684 0000 or 1300 365 111 for regional callers.
- By Post: Department of Justice and Community Safety, GPO Box 4356, Melbourne VIC 3001.
You can ask for an interpreter and DJCSV can arrange for free.
Receipt and Acknowledgement:
- DJCSV will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days.
- If you require a written response, DJCSV will call or write to you within 20 working days.
Assessment & Investigation:
- DJCSV checks if it is the right body to handle it, may refer or share with another agency where appropriate.
- They may seek information from you and from the service involved.
- Possible outcomes: explanation, apology, service improvement, internal review, referral to oversight bodies, or no further action (with reasons).
More information:
Refer to the factsheet provided below for more information.
