Brush Farm Corrective Services Academy
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Professional portfolios for the correctional officers
No full textThe use of Professional Portfolios in professions is increasing and their use by Correctional Officers should not be disgarded. These documents provide the holder with a definitive history of their achievements, track record, failures, and professional development. The writer believes that with increased use of such documents in the field of nursing and allied medical sciences, such a transfer of the theory of portfolios could be made to the corrections industry. Such a document can demonstrate not only the ability of the staff member for promotion and development opportunities, but also additionally, the writer believes that it can be translated to the development of RPL and RCC for awards under the AQTF
Indigenous representations in corrections: why the revolving door?
No full textThe following paper considers the overrepresentation of Indigenous offenders within the Australian correctional system; particularly the factors linked to a cycle of contact (the ‘revolving door’). It explores the process of colonisation and the steps towards reconciliation. Demographic details and practices are compared with those occurring in New Zealand and Canada, and the criminogenic, non-criminogenic and cultural issues are noted. Two noteworthy programs occurring in New South Wales and Victoria are discussed before a number of strategic recommendations are made to prevent the ‘revolving door’
Port Arthur: the beginning of education and training in modern Australian correctional systems
No full textPort Arthur was established in 1830 as a secondary prison for punishing male convicts who had been transported to Australia but had re-offended since their arrival. It was located in a remote part of south-eastern Tasmania and virtually escape proof. It was notorious for the brutal treatment of convicts and was commonly referred to as “hell on Earth”. Convicts were employed in harvesting timber, shipbuilding, agriculture, construction and supplying the colony with various commodities. Port Arthur was founded on Governor George Arthur’s belief that convicts could be reformed while being punished. He implemented a system of separation and classification, strict punishment and discipline, hard work, rewards for good behaviour, religious instruction, education and trade training. This was intended to provide convicts with the opportunity to become useful law-abiding citizens once their sentences were complete through the skills they gained in prison. However, convicts who refused to reform had a very difficult life indeed. Port Arthur also had the first juvenile prison established in the British Empire, an innovation subsequently adopted throughout the Empire. Port Arthur was also the beginning of a modern welfare system and pioneered scientific and compassionate treatment of mental illness. We have come a long way in the humane treatment of inmates since Governor Arthur’s experiments in the early 1800’s, yet many of his principles can be traced though to today’s correctional practices. It is particularly significant that education and training were seen by Arthur as having a critical role in preparing convicts for life after prison and to reduce the likelihood of re-offending, a philosophy that is still valid today
The intensive learning centre:an innovative learning initiative for young adult offenders
No full textThis paper will present information relating to the implementation of a new and
innovative educational program for young adult offenders in the NSW correctional
system. This program commenced in July 2004 and is looking forward to its fifteenth
graduation ceremony. This paper will outline the development of this initiative and
various outcomes, which have occurred over the past four years
Quality of visiting scholar placement program at Brush Farm Corrective Services Academy : experience of Thai participants
No full textUpdating the hepatitis C infection risk reduction hierarchy in prison settings
No full textHepatitis C Virus (HCV) is blood borne pathogen that affects an estimated 125 million people; approximately 2% of the world’s population.1 Current major risk factors for infection include injecting drug use and other procedures requiring skin penetration, such as non-sterile injections, tattooing and other body art. The contribution of unprotected sex to hepatitis C transmission is difficult to quantify. However, given that hepatitis C RNA was found in the semen of hepatitis C RNA positive men, and that sexual partners of HCV infected individuals more often demonstrate HCV infection than spouses of non-HCV infected partners, this route of transmission might be at least as significant as transmission via tattooing.2 Over 80% of all newly acquired hepatitis C infections in Australia and most Western countries are associated with injecting (illicit) drug use. A modelling study inferred that the number of new hepatitis C infections in Australia decreased from a peak of 14,000 in 1999 to 9700 in 2005, mainly due to reductions in injecting drug use.3 In sub-Saharan Africa where unnecessary therapeutic injections and reuse of injecting equipment for immunization and other medical procedures are common, up to 10% of hepatitis C infections are thought to be iatrogenic. Globally, the poor are disproportionately affected by hepatitis C infections. It is a stigmatizing infection with major psychological and social consequences for sufferers
Parenting programs in NSW women’s correctional centres
No full textThis paper provides an overview of parenting services and programs for incarcerated women and their children in NSW. These programs are based on recognition of the importance of the parent/child relationship and the necessity to support and strengthen these relationships to withstand the negative impact of incarceration and the rigours of transition and resettlement in the community. In its Mothers and Children’s Policy the NSW Department of Corrective Services acknowledges that imprisonment is not evidence of a mother’s lack of desire or ability to perform her parental duties and recognises that addressing children’s separation issues will lessen negative long-term damage to their health and behaviour. Assisting the establishment or maintaining relationships between children and their incarcerated fathers is also recognised as important and the Department has established services and programs to support parent/child relationships
Mad, bad or sad” – is there a better way?
No full textThe axiom “mad, bad or sad” has historically served as an informal aide memoir in assisting those new to psychiatry to conceptualise mental disorders. “Mad” refers to psychosis (including schizophrenia) and serious mood disturbance (particularly mania). “Sad” refers to depressive disorders and, through inference, anxiety disorders. “Bad” inevitably refers to antisocial personality disorder in adults and the equally unenviable label of conduct disorder in children and adolescents.
Unfortunately, a rigid holding to the “mad, bad or sad” paradigm does a disservice to youth with mental health difficulties. We will look at significant shortfalls in this paradigm and how to move forward to a more evidence-based (and probably humane) way of practice
