Housing harms and the promise of preventive maintenance
Abstract
Despite community expectations that housing provides shelter and safety to its inhabitants, inadequate housing is also a significant social determinant of death. This article examines reports by the Northern Territory Coroner in terms of the systemic and individual factors contributing to deaths caused by housing. These reports highlight the maintenance work instigated by preventable deaths and the need for greater investment in preventive housing maintenance. The article concludes by reflecting on the coronial archive as an object for further examination of housing harms.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Crime
Deviance
and Social Control
Homelessness and Social Issues
Homicide
Infanticide
and Child Abuse
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Alternative Law Journal
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 144–150
- Publication date
- 3 May 2026
- Language
- EN