Field Operations and Client Services:

Transcription

1 ALRM Field Officers Field Operations and Client Services: Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement Field Officers are available to assist you if needing legal support. They are normally the first point of contact with ALRM s criminal section. If you charged with committing an offence by the police, you are within your rights to request a phone call to ALRM before any interview is conducted you can contact a Field Officer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at our toll free number A Field Officer will usually give the information over the phone or if the matter is more complicated, then an appointment is made to see a solicitor. Part of their job is to explain to you your rights and the legal justice system which can be difficult to understand. They will also assist you with by taking your instructions for a solicitor to represent you if required in court. Field Officers can also help you in person with police interviews and will inform you of your rights within the law. They are also able to assist you over the phone if you can t get to see them. Field Officers will take information regarding the charges and follow up any queries that you may have as well as source any assistance a client may require. We have solicitors at offices situated at the following courts: Adelaide Youth Court (08) , Adelaide Magistrates Court - (08) , Elizabeth Magistrates Court - (08) , Holden Hill Magistrates Court (08) Port Adelaide Magistrates Court - (08) Juvenile Justice Support In the event of a youth being charged by the police with an offence and required to attend the Youth Court, the individual has Legal Rights to combat the situation. 1

2 A Parent, Guardian, or Field Officer from the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement should be present whenever the suspected offender has to make a statement. The only information the offender has to give to the Police is their Name, Address and Date of Birth. In Road Traffic matters, one is also obliged to identify the person driving any car. ALRM s Court Offices We have offices situated at the following courts: Adelaide Magistrates Court - (08) , Elizabeth Magistrates Court - (08) Port Adelaide Magistrates Court - (08) If you need the help from a Field Officer call ALRM Adelaide office on (08) or the above offices if you reside in those areas by ringing one of the numbers on the right. After hours services while in custody Aboriginal Visitor Scheme (AVS): AVS has been under the umbrella of ALRM since The aim of the program is to assist the police in their duty of care provide by helping and to support Aboriginal people who are arrested and detained in police custody. The assistance is provided by volunteer Aboriginal Visitors located in most areas of South Australia. If you do not require legal assistance and you are feeling stressed while in custody and/or feel the need to speak to someone please ask the Police to notify the AVS worker and they shall attend. Aboriginal Visitors Scheme (AVS) If the matter is not legal in requiring a Field Officer to help you with, and/or your feeling stressed while in custody you can request to speak to an Aboriginal Visitor Scheme Worker by asking the Police to notify the Aboriginal Visitors Scheme (AVS) to attend. AVS Normal Roster Hours Weekends 24hrs and 5pm-9am Weekdays. 2

3 For all Metropolitan areas please call ALRM Adelaide on with requests for Aboriginals Visitor Scheme Attendance, Answer Adelaide will then contact the relevant Officer. A Lawyer and a Field Officer cover criminal courts on the APY Lands and Coober Pedy. Other Courts are generally covered by a solicitor and where possible, a Field Officer. The Adelaide Civil Field Officer is based in the Adelaide office. Regional Field Officers deal with both criminal and civil matters. ALRM continues to provide a 24-hour service for all of the regions from Adelaide, Murray Bridge, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln and Ceduna. We have only one Field Officer on call after hours at any one time in the city or in any country region. The Field Officer s after hours on call schedule is as follows: In Adelaide 5pm and 9am weekdays, and 5pm Friday to 9am the following Monday. They provide service to the city and all metropolitan police cells along with general Para legal advice. ALRM s Country Offices The Field Officer is on call 24/7 and then works after hours between 5pm to 9am and then attends for work at 9am the following day. Prison Visits Requests from Aboriginal Liaison Officers for Field Officers to visit inmates are arranged by phone or s to Field Officers. Calls also come from inmates through to the Field Section to speak to field staff. Our Field Officers visit clients at Yatala Labour Prison, Northfield Women s Rehabilitation Centre, the Adelaide Remand Centre, and Magill Training Centre. Regional prisons are serviced by the local ALRM field staff. The Regional Offices are open normal business hours and offer a full range of services from criminal trials, guilty pleas and quick advice. 3

4 The includes, dealing with Criminal matter, including Family Violence, Drugs & Alcohol, Youth offending and over representation of Aboriginal People in the Justice system. Murray Bridge Office Hours 9 am 5 pm Field Officer is on call 24hrs 7 days a week. Legal services provided covering Murray Bridge, Murraylands and the Riverland. Port Augusta Office Hours 9 am 5 pm Field Officer is on call 24hrs 7 days a week. Legal assistance through court circuits - Whyalla, Coober Pedy and the Port Pirie. The office also delivers services to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunjatjara Lands (APY Lands), and north-west Aboriginal communities of South Australia. A Field Officer and a Solicitor travel to Coober Pedy on a Sunday returning the following week for the northern circuit. Financial Counselling at Port Augusta is available (click on the link that leads to the LISP page) Ceduna Office Hours 9 am 5 pm Field Officer is on call 24hrs 7 days a week. Civil Matters - Assistance on civil matters such as advice on debt matters, child custody and some family law matters are provided in consultation with Adelaide office Ceduna field Officers take care of the Yalata/Oak Valley Communities whilst servicing an outreach program to the APY Lands. There is a 24 hour Field Officer Service shared between the three field officers and when required the Field Officers will attend Police interviews during the early hours of the morning and on weekends. Port Lincoln The office has one P/T Field Officer covering this region. 4

5 Legal assistance is provided by a Solicitor from Ceduna office, who travels from Ceduna to Port Lincoln for court week. Prison Visits Prison visits by field staff are arranged regularly on a day to day basis. ALRM has an excellent Working relationship with the Aboriginal Liaison Officers [ALOs] that work for Correctional Services and based at respective prisons. There are two ALOs at Yatala, Northfield Women s Prison, the Adelaide Remand Centre, and Mobilong, three at Port Augusta and one in Port Lincoln Prison. Mount Gambier and Cadell Prisons have no ALOs employed at these prisons instead they have social workers that contact ALRM staff if requested by their clients. Requests are ed or phoned through to the Operations and Client Services Section; inmates can also call our office direct on the ALRM free call number to speak to field staff or solicitors about any issues or concerns they may have. The Adelaide Field Officers upon requests visit clients at the Yatala Labour Prison, Northfield Women s Rehabilitation Centre and Adelaide Remand Centre either at the request of solicitors, Aboriginal Liaison Officers or inmates, Youth centres e.g. Magill Training Centre each Tuesday and the Cavan Training Centre as requested. Regional prisons in country location are serviced by the local ALRM field staff on request. Inner City service delivery - Hospitals Royal Adelaide Hospital Field staff has general contact with Royal Adelaide Hospital. Requests for ALRM to visit patients are phoned through from the Liaison and Medical staff for either criminal or Civil Field Officers to assist by supporting clients that need legal assistance with advice and representation. ALRM was able to advise the provision of the service delivery and support from our organisation to the Aboriginal Liaison and Medical staff from Flinders Medical Centre. Noarlunga Hospital Noarlunga Hospital is now aware that they can utilise our service for Aboriginal patients under their care. 5

6 Magistrates Court Diversion Program Mental illnesses within our communities are a growing problem. This special court is in place for people with a mental or intellectual disability, brain injuries, neurological disorders or personality disorders facing minor charges in the Magistrate Court. To divert to this program, and if accepted, a Clinical Liaison Officer will work with them on programs that are set up where the client has support through appropriate services within the community to improve their health and wellbeing. The client must also comply with the bail conditions set by the courts. The client has to come back to court about three times over a six-month period so the Magistrate can see how the client is progressing. To get detailed information, please contact ALRM Field Staff or a Solicitor. We continue to work with other service providers including Centacare, Uniting Wesley Care, Southern Health Services and Nunkuwarrin Yunti promoting the interests of Aboriginal & Torrens Strait Islander people and ensuring accessibility to legal/social services. For all regional areas please call ALRM s Adelaide office on We will then contact the relevant Field Officer for the respective Regions. 6