2016-09-01
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Corrections. At the recent Smart Justice symposium, 'Remaking Justice', held on 25 August 2016, keynote speakers including the Victorian Ombudsman, various panel experts and former prisoners provided insight into measures that should be implemented to assist with crime prevention and reducing recidivism. While the government has implemented four of the recommendations of the Victorian Ombudsman's 2015 report on her investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners and the remaining 21 recommendations are in progress or under consideration, there is still much for the government to do. It is important that it utilises a whole-of-government approach.
Important practical measures that were outlined during the symposium for government action included rolling out the successful Judy Lazarus Transition Centre program, which provides a supervised pathway for reintegrating prisoners back into society so that all prisoners can benefit from it rather than only a select few. It would also be extremely beneficial for the government to invest in intensive programs to equip prisoners with effective techniques to deal with stress and anxiety and to assist them with coping strategies and life skills to deal with the outside world upon release. Greater investment in rehabilitation and education and training programs is also required for all prisoners to be able to access as soon as they enter prison as well as more consultation and engagement with prisoners. Supervised day release, where appropriate, close to a prisoner's release date to assist with reintegration back into the community is also essential.
The benefits of involving reformed prisoners as mentors to discourage others from reoffending and returning to prison were also highlighted, and I note that such programs in the US, the UK and Sweden have proven to be very successful. Secure, stable, affordable accommodation for all prisoners is also needed upon release, post sentence and on parole, which unfortunately is currently not the case.
My request is that the minister and the government as a whole give serious consideration to implementing the recommendations from the Smart Justice symposium, 'Remaking Justice', which I have highlighted in raising this adjournment matter.
Response on 11 October 2016:
The safe reintegration of prisoners into the community is a key priority for the Victorian Government. Corrections Victoria provides a range of programs and services to prisoners throughout their sentence to support their wellbeing during their time in custody through to post release.
In January 2015, Corrections Victoria commenced the new Corrections Victoria Reintegration Pathway (CVRP) which provides three stages of support for prisoners commencing on entry into prison. On entry to prison, prisoners are provided with:
– Immediate crisis supports regarding tenancy and debt management.
– Adjustment programs to support prisoners on entry and aid in settling them in a prison environment.
– Skills based programs to support the skill development in areas of building relationships, communication skills and problem solving among others.
Throughout their sentence prisoners also have access to a range of interventions aimed at supporting their rehabilitation across several areas:
– Education and training
– Employment
– Offending Behaviour Programs
– Drug and Alcohol Treatment
– Health and mental health services
– Release and reintegration planning. Release and reintegration planning commences 18 months from their prisoner's discharge date and services are provided in accordance with the prisoner's level of transitional needs. As such prisoners with more complex transitional needs are afforded more intensive pre release support. Corrections Victoria offers a range of permit programs to support purposeful engagement in the community pre-release.
Post release, prisoners with complex needs are supported through the ReConnect program which provides support through assertive outreach in seven key domains of housing, employment, education and training, mental health, drug and alcohol, family and community connectedness and living skills. Housing supports in particular include supporting participants to move from transitional housing to more stable long term accommodation.
These services are facilitated by a combination of internal staff and community based providers. In many cases, community based providers employ staff with lived experience of being in prison to inform their service delivery and expertise in working with prisoners.
The CVRP and broader supports within the system represent a significant new and innovative approach supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners. The CVRP will be informed by an independent evaluation. The outcome of this evaluation will inform the further enhancement of reintegration supports.