John Croker

I am a human rights lawyer focused on advocating for stronger human rights protections in government decision making. My research at Oxford explores the role of human rights law in regulating the use of AI by police, law enforcement agencies and governments. My supervisor is Professor Martin Scheinin, and my research contributes to Professor Scheinin's research supported by the British Research Council on Addressing the Digital Realm through the Grammar of Human Rights Law.

My research stems from the increasing use of AI by my clients, and the emerging need to establish legal standards that ensure AI is used ethically and in a manner that protects, promotes and fulfils human rights where it is used by governments.

My research and work experience focuses on embedding human rights within decision making across government, with a particular focus on the justice sector. My work experience has included establishing the first in house legal advisory function specialising in human rights within Victoria Police (my current role), working in a senior policy role within the first ‘human rights designed’ prison within Australia (the Alexander Machnochie Centre) and working to embed human rights and ethical decision making across the entire Victorian Government in leading the ‘Charter [of Human Rights] Education Project’ whilst at the Department of Justice.

I have maintained a strong connection to academic research during my work in government, including by presenting on my work to the Australian Human Rights Tertiary Teachers’ Workshop 2017 at Monash University, and on strengthening human rights considerations in government decision making to the Australian Institute of Administrative Law National Conference 2018 (the theme was Administrative Law in the 21st Century and Beyond, and I presented on the growing importance that human rights laws play in administrative law in Australian jurisdictions that have introduced human rights laws).

I have qualifications from the University of Melbourne (LLM) and the Australian National University (GDLP, LLB, Bachelor of Asia Pacific Studies (Arabic)).

Please get in touch with me if your interests align with any of the above.