Tony Vinson

Infobox Writer
name = Tony Vinson


imagesize = 160px
caption = Emeritus Professor Vinson (middle) being awarded the Meritorious Service to Public Education Award 2003 by NSW Governor Marie Bashir. [cite web
title = Vinson recognised for service to public education
publisher = UNSW
date = 2004
url = http://www.unsw.edu.au/news/pad/articles/2004/jan/Vinson_honoured.html
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ]
pseudonym =
birthdate = 11 November 1935
birthplace = Australia
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = academic and writer
nationality = Australian
period = 1962-present
genre =
subject = Disadvantage, Penal Systems, Education
notableworks = Vinson Inquiry into State Education In New South Wales

Tony Vinson AM (born 11 November 1935) is "one of Australia's leading social scientists and outspoken [cite web
title = Some effective ways to target and combat community disadvantage
publisher = On Line Opinion
date = 2004
url = http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=2083
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] public intellectuals", [cite web
title = Honorary Doctorate for Professor Tony Vinson
publisher = University of Sydney
date = 2005
url = http://www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=83
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] an honorary Doctor of Letters in Social Work (honoris causa) from the University of Sydney, as well as being an Honorary Professor in the School of Social Work and Policy Studies at the University of Sydney from which he graduated in 1956. He also received an order of Australia for his dedication to Social Welfare. His career spans the disciplines of social work, social policy, psychology, education, [cite web
title = Chair Of The Public Education Inquiry
publisher = Public Education Inquiry NSW
date = 2001
url = http://www.pub-ed-inquiry.org/background_vinson/
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] public administration and social research. He is also an Emeritus Professor of the University of New South Wales. [cite web
title = Emeritus Professor Tony Vinson staff profile
publisher = University of New South Wales
date = 2007
url = http://socialwork.arts.unsw.edu.au/Research/Staff%20Profiles/tonyvinson.htm
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ]

Career

Professor Vinson's long and diverse career in social research, education, [cite web
title = Selective Schools - Professor Tony Vinson
publisher = ABC Sydney
date = 2002
url = http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s615974.htm
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] government services, prison reform, [cite web
title = Photograph of Tony Vinson as Chairman of the Prison Reform Commission
publisher = State Library of New South Wales
date = 1979
url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-pa-http%253A%252F%252Flibapp.sl.nsw.gov.au%252Fcgi-bin%252Fspydus%252FENQ%252FPM%252FFULL1%253F337234,I
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] and community development, has included many projects on social disadvantage [cite web
title = COMMUNITY ADVERSITY AND RESILIENCE
publisher = The Ignatius Centre for Social Policy and Research
date = 2004
url = http://acl.arts.usyd.edu.au/jss/
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] and young people. Vinson has also studied the impact of cumulative medico-social problems and life opportunities generally. The determinative influence of education (or life prospects) has remained a theme in this strand of his research, culminating in the recent publication of an influential study on the distribution [cite web
title = Postcodes and Poverty
publisher = The National Interest - ABC Radio
date = 2005
url = http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/natint/stories/s1257321.htm
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] of social disadvantage in Victoria and New South Wales.

left|thumb| "Community Adversity and Resilience: the distribution of social disadvantage" [">cite web
title = Community Adversity and Resilience
publisher = Jesuit Social Services
date = 2004
url = http://www.jss.org.au/research/archive.html
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ]

His work as the Foundation Professor in Behavioural science within the University of Newcastle (NSW) in the Seventies followed research into connections between social factors, and pregnancy outcomes, including the health and progress of young children. At Newcastle, an important educational experience was his involvement in the development of the problem-based learning approach adopted for the new medical course. This approach incorporated many of the key elements of the educational approach considered as somewhat radical departures in the field of school education. Professor Vinson also instigated the broadly based admission procedures adopted by the Medical Faculty.

Following three years as Head of the NSW Department of Corrective Services (1979-81) during a period of intense penal reform, Tony Vinson took up an appointment as Professor of Social Work at the University of New South Wales. Over subsequent years he has served as Head of School and Dean. He has twice been a Visiting Professor at the University of Stockholm and has observed the operation of Swedish social services, including early schooling. There have also been Visiting Professor appointments in Holland and government consultancies in the South Pacific. In 1980 Professor Vinson chaired a Commonwealth Government Inquiry into health and social services in the ACT.

In recent years Tony Vinson has had an extensive involvement in assessing schemes to protect children exposed to the dangers of abuse. Some of these projects have included the evaluation of professional practices, including the co-operation of schools with government and non-government services. Others have dealt with the social contexts and environments in which abusive practices occur. This work has been published internationally in journals such as The British Journal of Social Work and Modern Medicine as well as within Australia by the Institute of Criminology and other authorities.

On Professor Vinson's initiative, the UNSW School of Social Work, in partnership with the NSW Department of Housing, residents, and local community bodies, formed a community development centre on the Waterloo Housing Estate. Tony Vinson has had the title Professor Emeritus conferred on him by the University of New South Wales.

"The Vinson Inquiry"

The Vinson Inquiry [cite web
title = The New South Wales Public Education Inquiry
publisher = The New South Wales Public Education Inquiry
date = 2003
url = http://www.pub-ed-inquiry.org/
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] provided a chance for parents, teachers and community members to challenge governments and the media about public education. The Vinson Inquiry was like a Royal Commission into public education. It is a parent/teacher venture into public policy making. The promotion of public education generated by the launch, submissions, public hearings and the findings will be invaluable.

"Dropping off the Edge"

[
right|thumb|The_cover_to_cite web
title = Foreword to 'Dropping off the Edge
publisher = Jesuit social services
date = 2006
url = http://www.jss.org.au/research/documents/Forewordinwordformat.pdf
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] ]

Dropping off the Edge: [cite web
title = Dropping off the edge
publisher = Jesuit & Catholic social services
date = 2007
url = http://www.australiandisadvantage.org.au/
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] the distribution of disadvantage in Australia was the most comprehensive national study of its kind. The report, which is a joint project with Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Services Australia was written by Professor Tony Vinson, from the University of Sydney, providing a picture of areas of entrenched disadvantage nationally. The report found that just 1.7 per cent of postcodes and communities across Australia accounted for more than seven times their share of top rank positions on the major factors that cause intergenerational poverty. "Our findings demand recognition of a common pattern associated with inadequate education and training–unemployment, low income, poor health and 'making ends meet' by criminal means, resulting in high rates of convictions and imprisonment. Where these characteristics are concentrated there, too,we find high levels of confirmed child maltreatment," said Professor Tony Vinson, author of the research.

Judicial accountability

In September 1986 Professor Tony Vinson released a report dealing with the sentencing of drug cases in the NSW District Court between 1980 and 1982, which purported to find that a particular judge had exercised leniency in dealing with clients of a particular solicitor. It was revealed later that Justice Foord was the judge in question. He was stood down from the District Court in September 1986 and resigned on medical grounds later that year. One consequence of these and other events was the passing of the Judicial Officers Act 1986, establishing a formalized system of judicial accountability. [cite web
title = Principles, Personalities, Politics: Parliamentary Privilege Cases in NSW
publisher = Parliament of NSW
date = 2004
url = http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/ABD1B841CB387720CA256ECF000CAADE
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ]

Order of Australia

Tony Vinson was appointed a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day honours list 2008 for his services to social welfare. [cite web
title = Lost in our own Bermuda Triangle
publisher = Sydney Morning Herald
date = 2008
url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/lost-in-our-own-bermuda-triangle/2008/01/25/1201157663385.html?page=2
accessdate = 2008-26-01 ] The citation reads:"For service to social welfare through academic, government and community roles, as a contributor to state and federal policy formulation, and as a champion of social justice."

Australian Social Inclusion Board

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the Australian Social Inclusion Board on 21 May 2008, attending the first meeting of the Board which brings together leaders from around the country to tackle disadvantage. Tony Vinson was announced as a founding member. [cite web
title = PM announces board
publisher = Australia.to
date = 2008
url = http://www.australia.to/story/0,25197,23040467-075,00,00.html
accessdate = 2008-26-01 ]

Other work

* 1962-69 Tutor, Lecturer, School of Sociology and Social Work, University of New South Wales.
* 1969-71 Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work, University of Sydney.
* 1971-76 Foundation Director, Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, NSW Department of Attorney General and Justice - undertaking wide-ranging social as well as criminological research.
* 1976-79 Foundation Professor of Behavioural Science in Medicine, University of Newcastle.
* 1979-81 Chairman, NSW Corrective Services Commission
* Oct 1981- Professor, School of Social Work, University of New South Wales.

Trivia

* Wrote a jazz single which was aired on ABC radio. [cite web
title = From Report Writer to Song Writer
publisher = ABC National Radio Australia The National Interest
date = 2004
url = http://www.abc.net.au/rn/nationalinterest/stories/2004/1192498.htm
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ]
* When a special guest on ABC Radio's Classic FM [cite web
title = Music Details for Tuesday 29 July 1997
publisher = ABC Radio Australia Classic FM
date = 1997
url = http://www.abc.net.au/classic/daily/stories/s630394.htm
accessdate = 2007-04-10 ] he chose:
** Vivaldi: "Largo" from Lute Concerto in D - John Williams, Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra
** Handel: "O Praise the Lord with One Consent" (Chandos Anthem No.9) - Choir of King's College, Cambridge; Sir David Willcocks.
** Bizet: "Au fond du temple saint" (In the depths of the temple) from THE PEARL FISHERS - Jussi Bjoerling, t; Robert Merrill, bar; R.C.A. Victor Symphony Orchestra / Emil Markow
** Nina Rota: "LA STRADA" - Czech Symphony Orchestra/ Derek Wadsworth.
** Vaughan Williams: conclusion of The Lark Ascending - Tasmin Little, v; BBC Symphony Orchestra / Andrew Davis.

Academic qualifications

B.A., Dip. Soc. Studies (Sydney) 1956; Dip. Sociology (N.S.W.) 1962;M.A. Hons. (N.S.W.) 1965; Ph.D. (N.S.W.) 1972: Thesis - Social FactorsAssociated with the Occurrence of Low Birth Weight
* Australian Social Welfare Commission Fellowship, April/June 1976(University of Newcastle).
* Visiting Professor, University of Stockholm January - March, 1985;March - July, 1988.
* Visiting Professor, Research Centre, Ministry of Justice, Netherlands,April - July, 1985, February, 1988.
* Editor Board, Scandinavian Journal of Social Welfare, 1991 -

Other literature

* Vinson, T., Homel, R., Indicators of Community Wellbeing. Canberra:Australian Government Publishing Service, 1977.
* Vinson, T., Homel, R., Crime and Disadvantage: The Coincidence ofMedical and Social Problems in an Australian City, British Journal ofCriminology, Vol. 15, No. 1, January, 1975.
* Vinson, T., Homel, R., Bonney, R., A Community Study: Newcastle,Community Services: Four Studies, Poverty Commission, AustralianGovernment Publishing Service: Canberra, 1976.
* Vinson, T., Stevens, L.A., Unequal at Birth: A Study of Social FactorsAssociated with Low Weight Births, Sydney: New South WalesGovernment Printer, 1977.
* Vinson, T., Walmsley, R. and Coul, V., Beyond the Image. Review ofHealth and Welfare Services and Policies in the ACT., (Canberra,Australian Government Printing Service, 1984)
* Vinson, T., and McArthur, M., Why Child Abuse Appears to haveIncreased, Modern Medicine, Sept. 1988, 62-73.
* Vinson, T., Baldry, E., Hargreaves, J., The Social Ecology of ChildAbuse, to be published in Br. J. of Social Work.
* Vinson, T., Preparing Human Service Professionals for work in thefields of gender related violence, to be published in Scandinavian Jr. ofSocial Welfare.

Tony Vinson has been published in a range of international, referredjournals including British Journal of Criminology, British Journal ofSocial Work, Anglo-American Law Review, Journal of APLET, ScandinavianJournal ofSocial Welfare, Australian and New Zealand Journal ofSociology.

References

Further reading

* [http://www.werple.net.au/~andy/works/vinson-review.htm Vinson on Social Cohesion]
* [http://www.jss.org.au/ Tony Vinson ‘Unequal in Life,’ 1999]
* [http://www.australiandisadvantage.org.au Tony Vinson 'Dropping off the Edge']

Persondata
NAME= Vinson, Tony
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Australian-born academic
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH= Australia
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=