ABOUT US

Our work began as a professional placement with Martha Jabour OAM and the Homicide Victims' Support Group (Aust) Inc. whilst we were studying at Macquarie University. The initial objective of our work was to write a report on unsolved homicide and to suggest ways in which we could improve current strategies to increase the solvability of unsolved homicide cases in New South Wales (NSW).

We have since created a group called ‘Operation for Veritas.’ The name 'Veritas'

means 'Truth' in roman mythology. Furthermore, 'Veritas Aequitas' is a motto that stands for personal honour and truth in actions and justice. This is a motto that truly encapsulates our purpose; to strive for both truth and justice for all unsolved homicide cases in NSW. Thus, we seek truth and justice for victims, their families and also the greater public. ‘Operation Veritas’ have been advocating for the implementation of ‘Unsolved Homicide Playing Cards’ in prisons and correctional centers across New South Wales. Looking at the success of the strategy in South Australian prisons as part of ‘Operation Persist’, we can anticipate that New South Wales will most likely see similar success considering our larger general and prison population, and our larger scope of unsolved homicide cases within our state.

Internationally, this strategy has been successful with a number of successful convictions in unsolved homicide cases in the United States’, and success was also seen in the context of the Iraq War. As demonstrated by the success of the playing cards in the United States and South Australia, cold-case murders are most likely to be solved by information provided from someone on the criminal fringe, or within the criminal justice system. Thus, the anticipated success of the Unsolved Homicide Playing Cards is based on the premise that those on the criminal fringe or inmates within correctional facilities across NSW may hold vital information that could lead to a conviction in unsolved homicide cases. If the Unsolved Homicide Playing Cards have the ability to solve even just one unsolved homicide case in NSW, it would significantly change the lives of those impacted by that case and would give hope to those families yet to find answers. We believe that achieving any number of convictions would be a great success, not matter how big or small.

This project now has the support from New South Wales Police, New South Wales Corrective Services, Crime Stoppers New South Wales and Homicide Victims’ Support Group New South Wales.