Queensland Corrective Services

Transcription

1 An overview Queensland Corrective Services December 2007

2 Contents Introduction... Legislation... Probation and Parole... Custodial Operations... Correctional centres... Work camps... Intervention programs... Prison industries... Ethical Standards Branch... Intelligence and Investigations... Office of the Chief Inspector... Parole boards... Victims Register... Workforce strategy... Learning and development

3 Introduction (QCS), in partnership with other key criminal justice agencies, is committed to the critical role of community safety and crime prevention through the humane containment, supervision and rehabilitation of offenders. QCS subscribes to five key values: Integrity - we act ethically, honestly, impartially and in the best interest of the community Accountability - we are publicly accountable for our actions Working together - we work in collaboration with our colleagues, stakeholders and the community Learning - we value creativity, innovation, flexibility and continual improvement in the pursuit of excellence Diversity - we treat all people with respect and value differences While QCS operates correctional centres, district offices and reporting centres across the State, we also actively work on integrating offender management systems to ensure that all offenders are provided with appropriate classification and supervision as well as programs, education and vocational training that will maximise their chance to reintegrate successfully into society when they are released. Legislation QCS provides its services in accordance with the Corrective Services Act 2006, the Corrective Services Regulation 2006 and related legislation. The Corrective Services Act 2006 was passed in May 2006 and heralded major changes to the way prisoners are managed within the correctional environment and subsequently released into the community. The new Act is based on the principles of providing for the safe and humane containment, supervision and rehabilitation of prisoners and ensuring the safety of the community and the staff who work in the correctional system. Key features of the new legislation include: supervised parole became the only form of early release available to prisoners, replacing remission, conditional release, release to work and home detention three Parole Boards were established to consider applications for parole a new security classification system for determining the level of security and supervision that a prisoner requires was introduced

4 Probation and Parole Probation and Parole was officially launched in August 2006 as part of a five-year, $57.5 million reform of the community corrections system. It focuses on the tough supervision and surveillance of offenders, creating strong links with the courts and the judiciary, and delivering a suite of major rehabilitation and intervention programs. The role of Probation and Parole is to assist courts and Parole Boards to assess whether offenders are suitable for community-based orders; enforce the conditions of court and Parole Board orders; and protect the community by assisting offenders to successfully complete their orders Probation and Parole comprises four areas: induction and assessment specialist Induction and assessment staff conduct assessments and establish management plans for offenders based on their reoffending risk and individual needs. These plans may include a range of activities and conditions including program referral, compliance with drug testing regimes or employment preparation and assistance. offender management these officers focus on working with offenders to develop the skills required to meet the conditions of their order and prevent re-offending. High risk offenders will be individually case-managed by the most experienced Probation and Parole staff working closely with corrective services intelligence officers, local police and community organisations and agencies. offender intervention the central focus of offender intervention services is a network of program hubs delivering programs that address general offending, sexual offending, substance abuse and program maintenance. compliance and surveillance compliance officers ensure contraventions of orders are brought before the court quickly and efficiently, and that warrants are issued for those offenders who abscond from supervision. Surveillance officers are responsible for ensuring offenders are complying with the terms of their orders. They are involved in activities such as breath and urinalysis testing, ensuring high risk offenders adhere to curfews and verifying offenders personal details. As part of changes introduced under the Corrective Services Act 2006, parole is the only form of early release available to all prisoners. Under the new legislation, prisoners serve the entire sentence handed down by a court, either in custody or on parole in the community.

5 Prisoners sentenced to three years or less imprisonment (except sex offenders and serious violent offenders) are given a parole release date by the sentencing court. Prisoners who have been convicted of sex offences or serious violent offences or who are sentenced to more than three years in jail must apply to a Parole Board for release to parole. Prisoners on parole remain under the supervision of QCS until the end of their sentence. Parolees are subject to certain conditions, for example, they must report regularly to their Probation and Parole Officer, attend rehabilitation programs, undergo drug testing and abstain from alcohol. Specific conditions relating to employment, curfew or a place of residence may also be applied. Probation and Parole is structured into eight regions with a regional manager responsible for managing the district office in which they are based. Probation and parole services are delivered through 34 district offices and over 100 reporting centres. Reporting centres enable offenders to be supervised by Probation and Parole officers in the community in which they live. Custodial Operations Custodial Operations is responsible for managing the State s 11 publicly-run and two contract managed correctional centres, which incorporate a variety of high and low security facilities. Prisoners in Queensland s correctional system undergo constant safety and risk evaluation, and are given a high or low security classification. This classification determines if the prisoner will serve time in a high or low security centre. Many factors are used to determine each prisoner s security classification, including risk of escape and risk of harming others. Through this constant evaluation of each prisoner, QCS can provide the prisoner with their own individual rehabilitation program. High security centres have a secure perimeter to ensure containment. Approximately 86 per cent of the State s incarcerated prisoners are held in these centres. Prisoners are managed according to their assessed security classification and particular needs with the provision of opportunities for rehabilitation through participation in education, work, vocational training, and programs designed to address offending behaviour. Low security centres differ from high security in that there is less reliance on physical containment. To be placed in low security, prisoners require a low security classification and an assessment as part of their sentence management as to their suitability.

6 Correctional centres Correctional centre High security Capacity Low security Capacity Work Camp Location Arthur Gorrie 710 male Borallon 492 male Brisbane 540 male Brisbane Women s 258 female 25 female (Helena Jones) Warwick Capricornia 402 male 86 male Darling Downs 140 male Clermont Blackall Springsure Mitchell Dirranbandi St George Charleville Lotus Glen 396 male 100 male Innisfail Maryborough 500 male Numinbah (male annexed to Darling Downs) 104 male 25 female (annexed to Brisbane Women s) Palen Creek (annexed to Wolston) 170 male Townsville 311 male and 40 female 60 male and 35 female Boulia Julia Creek Winton Bowen (women s) Wolston 600 male Woodford 988 male

7 Work camps The QCS Work camps are one of the most successful prisoner rehabilitation schemes in Queensland, injecting around $1.5 million a year into regional Queensland through community service. The program began 18 years ago in the aftermath of a devastating flood at Charleville. Offenders joined a massive volunteer relief effort cleaning up and replacing damaged infrastructure. The project was so successful that a series of Work camps were set up in remote communities. The Work Program is a positive correctional experience that not only puts prisoner labour to work providing prisoners with important opportunities to make reparation to the community and develop skills and work ethic but also provides considerable benefits to the people of regional Queensland. It also provides employment opportunities to community members to assist in supervising project work. Remote communities benefit by having a source of labour to undertake projects or community work that would otherwise not be completed. Prisoners perform a multitude of tasks, including maintenance of fences, cemeteries, playgrounds and showgrounds, and participate in many restoration and general maintenance projects. The 13 Work camps are aligned to local correctional centres. Brisbane Women s Correctional Centre manages the women s Work camp at: Warwick Capricornia Correctional Centre manages the Work camps at: Clermont Blackall Springsure Darling Downs Correctional Centre manages the Work camps at: Mitchell Dirranbandi St George Charleville Lotus Glen Correctional Centre managers the Work camp at: Innisfail Townsville Correctional Centre manages the Work camps at: Boulia Julia Creek Winton Bowen (women s)

8 Intervention programs QCS offers a range of programs and interventions to prisoners in custodial centres and offenders on probation or parole to lower the risk of their re-offending. Programs assist offenders to confront their criminal behaviour, and develop pro-social skills and techniques to control their behaviour and avoid situations that may lead to further offending. The Turning Point: Prepatory program helps offenders prepare to change their offending behaviour. The program helps offenders to objectively problem-solve, to weigh up the pros and cons of changing their behaviour, and to help them to become more confident about their ability to make positive changes in their lives. The program is available to prisoners in correctional centres and offenders on probation or parole. Getting SMART: Moderate intensity substance abuse program is a substance abuse program that teaches offenders to use cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles, theories, tools and techniques to abstain from any type of addictive behaviour. The program is available to prisoners in correctional centres and offenders on probation or parole. Making Choices: Moderate intensity men s and women s programs for general offending is an intervention program that addresses general offending behaviour. There are different versions of this program developed for male and female offenders. The program helps participants to look at how they came to offend, while also helping them to recognise points where different choices could be made. Pathways: High intensity substance abuse program is an intensive treatment program for adults in correctional centres with a history of offending related to alcohol and other drug use problems. The program aims to prevent reoffending and substance abuse by changing thinking and behaviour related to offending, and to promote more positive and constructive ways of thinking and behaving. Transitions: Release preparation program is a release preparation program offered to prisoners in correctional centres. It aims to help prisoners to start realistically planning for their release and re-settlement in the community. The program teaches prisoners about planning, setting goals and identifying resources and services available to them in the community. The Ending Family Violence program tackles violence within Indigenous families and aims to develop culturally-appropriate solutions to protect adults and children from the effects of domestic violence. The program assists Indigenous offenders to understand what triggers their violent behaviour, and then helps them to identify and practise better behaviours with guidance from trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program facilitators. The program is available to prisoners in correctional centres and offenders on probation or parole.

9 The Cognitive Self-Change: High intensity violent offending program is a high intensity cognitive-behavioural intervention specifically for high risk adult prisoners for whom repeated use of violence is part of a general pattern of antisocial behaviour and criminality. The program teaches participants to control their behaviour through better management of their thoughts, feelings and beliefs. It is delivered in a flexible, rolling format that allows sessions to be adapted to individual participant s requirements. The Cognitive Self-Change program has been designed to work in sequence with the Making Choices program, and should be completed prior to that program. Ending Offending is a cognitive behavioural program designed to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders in a culturally appropriate manner. The overall aim of this program is to modify the drinking and offending behaviour of indigenous offenders in the correctional system. The program is available to prisoners in correctional centres and offenders on probation or parole. QCS current suite of sexual offending programs include: Crossroads: High intensity sexual offending program and New Directions: Medium intensity sexual offending program, which target the psychological, social and lifestyle factors associated with sexual offending Getting Started: Preparatory program for sexual offenders, which is a pre cursor to therapeutic treatment programs and introduces offenders to treatment and group processes. Staying on Track: Sexual offending maintenance program, which assumes that offenders have already completed a sexual offending treatment program. It aims to target any remaining deficits in offenders self-management, relapse prevention and release plans. New Horizons: Indigenous high intensity sexual offending program and Back on Track: Indigenous medium intensity sexual offending program have the same elements as the Crossroads and New Directions programs, but are specifically designed to accommodate cultural, custom or language considerations relevant to Indigenous offenders. The Inclusion: Behavioural sexual offending program is specifically designed to meet the needs of sexual offenders who have been assessed as intellectually and socially low functioning. The program uses cognitive behavioural therapy with the focus on behavioural methods and repetition to support change.

10 Prison industries Prison industries are a key element of QCS goal of rehabilitating offenders. Farming or industry activities are located within all 13 of Queensland s correctional centres, including the State s two privately-run facilities. Industry activities include laundry, timber products, bakery, metal products, textile products, assembly and packing, painting and powder coating, dairy, beef and crop production. The industry activities at each centre, and the markets they operate in, are selected to ensure there is minimal impact on local business. Many of these activities provide goods for use in the prisons and help reduce the cost of running facilities. All industry activities available to offenders are designed to help them break the cycle of re-offending and become responsible, contributing members of society after their release. Ethical Standards Branch The Ethical Standards Branch (ESB) is an integrity and professional standards unit that has a direct reporting relationship with the Office of the Director-General. The key roles of the ESB are to: conduct and manage investigations into alleged or suspected serious/official misconduct by QCS staff coordinate QCS complaints management system identify and analyse systemic trends in relation to complaints and staff misconduct facilitate integrity-related training workshops and programs, aimed to encourage a culture of ethical conduct and decision making across QCS. assess criminal history information in relation to staff maintain QCS s Gifts Register manage public interest disclosures, also know as whistleblower cases, relating to QCS 10

11 Intelligence and Investigations Branch The QCS Intelligence and Investigations Branch consists of the Queensland Corrective Services Intelligence Group (QCSIG) and the Corrective Services Investigations Unit (CSIU). The branch, headed by the Executive Director, provides timely, accurate and relevant intelligence for risk management and informed decision making and provides professional investigative services to the correctional system. QCSIG and CSIU work within the Agency and closely with various external agencies towards protecting the community. The Intelligence and Investigations Branch has a strategic focus and supports longterm planning and performance in such areas as security, drug strategy and offender progression. Corrective Services Investigations Unit is a specialised branch of the Queensland Police Service that is attached to QCS for the purposes of managing and conducting criminal investigations in relation to offences committed by prisoners and other criminal matters relating to the good order and security of correctional facilities. Where appropriate, the unit also manages the prosecution of criminal matters in corrective services facilities, and matters relating to prisoners and offenders who may be unlawfully at large from the correctional system. Intelligence Group is recognised throughout Australia as a leader in corrections in intelligence operations and intelligence training. QCSIG is also responsible for the coordination of intelligence staff within QCS secure correctional centres and Probation and Parole and the delivery of relevant strategic, tactical and operational intelligence products. QCSIG supports QCS by reducing risk within the correctional system and preventing crime in the wider community by: identifying indicators of crime providing early warning of criminal activities allowing for management and informed control of issues enabling minor issues which may have major outcomes to be managed or prevented QCSIG also monitors new and emerging trends that may impact on the security and good order of a correctional centre. Intelligence Bulletins are regularly published to QCS Intranet site to keep staff informed on issues that may impact on the security of a correctional centre or that may impact of the safety and well-being of officers and prisoners. 11

12 Office of the Chief Inspector The Chief Inspector together with the Ethical Standards Branch and Internal Audit forms part of the Agency s accountability component. The Chief Inspector reports directly to the Director-General and plays no part in the management of QCS. The Chief Inspector is empowered by the Corrective Services Act 2006 to investigate incidents and to undertake inspections and reviews of corrective services facilities and probation and parole offices. The main purpose of the Office is to provide expert, independent, external scrutiny regarding the treatment of offenders and to identify and remedy weaknesses in operational performance through its program of inspections and reviews. In applying its regime of inspections, the Office employs the Healthy Prison Test. The World Health Organisation first defined the healthy prison concept and is widely accepted as a standard for custodial environments. It rests upon four key tests: Safety: prisoners, even the most vulnerable, are held safely Respect: prisoners are treated with respect for their human dignity Purposeful activity: prisoners are able and expected to engage in activity that is likely to benefit them Resettlement: prisoners are prepared for release into the community and helped, to reduce the likelihood of re-offending A healthy prison requires a safe and predictable environment where prisoners are treated with respect as individuals, purposefully occupied and expected to improve themselves and are able to strengthen links with their families and prepare for release. The Chief Inspector is also responsible for coordinating and overseeing the official visitor (OV) scheme. OVs are appointed by the Director-General to ensure offenders and prisoners have access to appropriate advice and advocacy. They have a diverse range of community experience and professional and cultural backgrounds. Their prime role is to investigate and resolve offender problems and grievances and make regular visits to correctional centres to hear prisoner complaints. OVs also undertake mandatory reviews of maximum security orders and safety orders and make recommendations to the Chief Executive as to whether these orders should be confirmed, amended or cancelled. 12

13 Parole boards Parole Boards are independent statutory bodies appointed by the Governor in Council to make decisions on prisoners applying for parole and Resettlement Leave. Boards also monitor the progress of prisoners granted parole and make decisions regarding the amendment, suspension or cancellation of these orders. Previously named Community Corrections Boards, Queensland has three Parole Boards: the Queensland Parole Board the Southern Queensland Regional Parole Board the Central and Northern Queensland Regional Parole Board The Queensland Parole Board makes decisions on parole and resettlement leave programs for offenders serving sentences of eight years or more. The two regional Parole Boards make decisions regarding parole for prisoners serving sentences between three and eight years. They also make decisions on sex offenders serving less than eight years and on prisoners who have seriously breached their Court Ordered Parole orders. The President of the Queensland Parole Board is also the President of the Central and Northern Queensland Regional Parole Board and the Southern Queensland Regional Parole Board. The Corrective Services Act 2006 introduced the new system of court-ordered parole that ensures all prisoners serve their entire sentence either in custody or on parole. The Parole Boards role is to determine whether offenders are ready for supervised released into the community. Parole orders have standard conditions, but may include other conditions that ensure good conduct or stop reoffending. These could relate to employment, accomodation, programs to be undertaken, drug testing and curfews. Membership of parole boards is regulated by the Corrective Services Act 2006 and must include a president and deputy president, each of whom is either a retired judge or a lawyer who has practiced for at least five years. Of the other appointed members, at least one must be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, one must be a doctor or psychologist and at least two must be women. One member is a nominated representative of QCS and serves on all three parole boards. Parole Board members are appointed by the Governor in Council for a term of up to three years, and are eligible for reappointment. 13

14 Victims Register The Victims Register is an information service established by QCS to provide certain information to victims of violent and sexual crimes about the person who offended against them. Registration is available only to people who are: the actual victim of an offence of violence or sexual offence; an immediate family member of a deceased victim (meaning a victim s spouse, child, step-child, parent, step-parent, sibling, grandparent or legal guardian); a parent or guardian of a victim who has a legal incapacity or who is under 18 years. A person who does not meet these criteria may also apply for registration if: there is a documented history of violence being committed against them by an offender; or that their life or physical safety may be endangered due to a connection to the offence for which an offender has been imprisoned. The register supplies people with information about an offender who is currently imprisoned for an offence committed against them or against the person for whom they are registered. Information that may be provided to a registered person includes an offender s eligibility dates for release, the correctional centre in which an offender is accommodated, the results of applications for parole and any exceptional events relating to an offender, such as escape or death. If an offender has been sentenced to more than three years imprisonment and lodges an application for parole, registered victims will be notified that they may make a written submission to the Parole Board about the offender s potential release to parole. 14

15 Workforce strategy QCS has developed a number of employee-related strategies and opportunities that aim to develop staff, build professionalism and create an innovative, flexible workforce. The workforce strategy provides a blueprint for workplace sustainability, capability and optimisation. The strategy focuses on attracting and retaining staff, maximising permanency, providing career options and staff mobility, shaping workplace culture and improving rewards and recognition. Learning and development QCS developed a comprehensive Learning and Development Plan to ensure their workforce has the capability to achieve its purpose of community safety and crime prevention through the humane containment, supervision and rehabilitation of offender. The Strategic Learning and Development Plan focuses on three key areas entry level training, professional training and management and leadership training. This strategic approach provides QCS with a skilled workforce better equipped to carry out corrective services in the years to come. QCS is also ensuring that suitable skilled individuals are available to undertake management and leadership roles; that induction and entry level training (completed by new QCS staff) is vocationally appropriate; and that training and professional development is both available and encouraged. QCS is implementing a Leadership Development Framework to support officers pursue a career in the Agency. The framework prvides opportunities for officers to access leadership programs relevant to their current and potential future roles. The QCS Academy located at Wacol provides expertise in correctional education, training and professional development. 15

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