Associate Professor Amber McKinley is a Clinical and Forensic Victimologist and lecturer at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security, based in Barton. ACT. She is the Higher Degree Research Coordinator and currently lecturers in Theoretical, Applied and Forensic Victimology (JST345), Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective (CUS532), Professionalism and Resilience in Public Safety and Security (JST352), Independent Knowledge Integration: Theory and Professional Practice (JST540) and Terrorism Awareness (JST344).

She holds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies from the University of Western Sydney, a Master of Criminal Justice from Monash University and, a Doctor of Philosophy from Bond University. Her doctoral thesis was completed with the NSW Police Force and entitled, “Homicide Solvability and Applied Victimology in New South Wales, 1994-2013. More recently she has completed a certificate in the Foundations of Human nutrition (the Australian Nutrition Institute) as well as a professional cetificate in Adverse Childhood Trauma Experiences (University South Australia).

Her current research includes: Explaining the decline in serial homicide events in Australia; From John Curry to Kumarn Rubuntja: Tracing gender patterns in victims of serial homicide over two centuries; Death by fatal police shooting in Australian subject precipitated homicides (1974-2025): a scoping review protocol; victim vulnerabilities of serial homicide 1807-2023; victim precipitated homicide in fatal police shootings; a cross sectional examination of Australian domestic homicide motive and cause of death (1816 – 2022).

Amber works with the Australian Defence Force, Australian Federal Police, state and territory coroners and state police forces.