new south wales
The NSW Department of Corrective Services has improved the participation and treatment outcomes for Indigenous sex offenders through modifications to its sexual offending programs. These have included creating a new program for offenders who deny the reality or detail of their offence, and making use of open groups where offenders leave or join depending on their individual therapy needs. These changes have overcome some of the difficulties Indigenous offenders often face with the level of disclosure typically required by offending programs.
Yetta Dhinnakkal Centre is a minimum security institution for Indigenous males, located in north-western New South Wales. The facility was designed specifically to meet the needs of Indigenous offenders. It has a resident cultural elder. As a working farm property it offers opportunities for vocational development. The Centre also offers a range of education courses from the Aboriginal Education and Vocational Training Institute and NSW Technical and Further Education (TAFE).
The Centre also offers a range of offence-targeted behavioural change programs, including family violence programs, and targets first-time young Indigenous offenders through culturally relevant intensive case management. The Centre also has a mobile outreach facility used for community and emergency projects, deploying up to 10 inmates in a self-contained camping vehicle.
new Zealand
New Zealand Department of Corrections’ Maori strategic plan 1 July 2003 – 30 June 2008 (2003b) recognises as a priority the integration of Maori world views, cultural values, philosophies and practices in developing effective programs and services for Maori offenders. This includes the delivery of tikanga Maori programs by Maori providers to offenders in prisons and the community, using Maori identity and values to motivate changes in offending behaviour.
The quality of programs, policy and services that have implications for Maori is ensured through application of the Framework for Reducing Maori Offending (FReMO). FReMO enables initiatives to be developed using a rationale, methodology, implementation plan and evaluation from a knowledge pool drawn from mainstream Western literature, Maori perspectives and the Maori belief system (tikanga Maori). A key element of FReMO is the documentation of material to capture previously undocumented elements of tikanga Maori and Maori perspectives to ensure transparency, replicability and modification while enhancing the literature base.
Te Piriti is a treatment unit for male sex offenders who have violated children. The unit combines Maori customs and traditions with cognitive-behavioural principles. Evaluation suggested that melding Western and traditional approaches to treatment appears to contribute to a reduction in sexual reconvictions among Maori offenders.
noRtheRn teRRitoRy and westeRn austRalia
The Northern Territory Correctional Services and Western Australian Department of Corrective Services are exploring the benefits of sharing program resources between their jurisdictions. The Northern Territory has been piloting a sex offender program developed in Western Australia. The Northern Territory, in return, has provided a family violence program that is being trialled in Western Australia. The exchange of best practice developments between jurisdictions, particularly where programs have been developed or modified for specific needs or groups, provides a strong potential for jurisdictions to maximise limited programming resources. Saving on program development may then allow scope for resources to be used in modifying programs to local needs.
Queensland
Queensland Corrective Services has recently opened new Probation and Parole offices in the remote communities of Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Normanton and Thursday Island. These offices will provide more options for non-custodial program provision and improve sentencing support to judges and magistrates.
south austRalia
The Department for Correctional Services has established a programs branch whose role includes developing culturally responsive program content and delivery for Indigenous offenders. An Aboriginal Rehabilitation Team (established during 2005–06) delivers programs to Indigenous offenders and provides advice on program development and adaptation.
victoRia
Wulgunggo Ngalu Learning Place will be a culturally appropriate live-in program for up to 20 male Koori offenders on community-based orders. Residents will be assisted to complete their community-based orders while receiving rehabilitative support, working, training and learning life skills designed to reduce the likelihood of them reoffending in the future. The Wulgunggo Ngalu Learning Place will open in early 2008 and will be run from a purpose-built facility, which is being developed on the site of the former Won Wron prison.
The Djarmi-Tiddas mentoring program is based on the successful Aboriginal Women’s Mentoring program delivered by the Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd in Shepparton in partnership with the Shepparton Community Correctional Services. The program will provide an outreach service utilising Koori community members to assist male and female offenders to meet the conditions of their sentence.
The principal objectives of the Koori Transitional Support Program are to reduce
reoffending rates among Indigenous offenders; meet the transitional needs of Indigenous offenders; and reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system. The program aims to provide intensive pre and post-release support and case management to Indigenous prisoners – both men and women – exiting prison and will include a transitional housing component.
westeRn austRalia
The Community Programs Branch of the Western Australian Department of Corrective Services is developing an Indigenous-specific Family and Domestic Violence Program that seeks to maintain a focus on offending behaviour while encompassing both historical and contemporary social contexts. Other culturally appropriate programs suitable for regional areas are also being trialled. These focus on areas such as substance abuse, child sexual assault and exploring the relationships between gossip, jealousy and violence. Manuals and workbooks developed for the programs use language and cultural references relevant to Indigenous participants, placing offending behaviour in both historical and contemporary social contexts. The programs address the effects of colonisation and discrimination, and locate the origin and consequences of offending behaviour within Indigenous social construction and personal relationships. They incorporate spiritual and healing perspectives together with reflection on personal, family and community impacts.
Sources: NSW DCS (2005); NZ DOC (2003b); McFarlane-Nathan (1999); SA DCS (2006); WA DCS (2006); AIC Reintegration of Indigenous Prisoners [computer data file]