Enabling Justice Project

Jesuit Social Services & Centre for Innovative Justice

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Presentation Overview •  Jesuit Social Services •  Our programs •  Our experience of ABI •  Justice User Group

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Our Vision

Building a Just Society

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Our Mission

Standing in solidarity with those in need

Expressing a faith that promotes justice

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Our Values

Welcoming – Forming strong, faithful relationships

Discerning - Being strategic about where we can have the greatest impact

Courageous -Standing up boldly to effect change

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Focus Areas – Services & Advocacy

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People  who  are  disadvantaged,  have  complex  needs  and  who  are  excluded  

Educa8on,  Training  &  Employment  

Jus8ce  &  Crime  Preven8on  

Se?lement  &  Community  Building  

Mental  Health  &  Wellbeing  

The Brosnan Centre Since 1977 the Brosnan Centre has been advocating for effective, humane services that assist people to make a successful transition from custody to the community.

“Three things are needed by people upon their release from prison; a place to live that is decent, a job that they can handle and friendship, and the hardest to provide is friendship.

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Adult Justice Programs WISP - Women's Integrated Support Programs

Linkout – Men’s Support Program

Konnect - Supporting Aboriginal Men and Women

AVAMP - African Visitation and Mentoring Program supporting African Men and Women

Barreng Moorop Youth Diversionary Project

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Continued

CVRP - Corrections Victoria Reintegration Program

Supporting people post release in the North West Region - beginning January 2015

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Victorian Prisons An alarming proportion of prisoners have issues with mental health illness, alcohol and drug issues, homelessness, unemployment, family breakdown, physical health issues and cognitive impairment including acquired brain injury.

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Continued A snapshot of people in Jesuit Social Services programs found that 16% (21 of 127 active participants) had an ABI or suspected ABI

Over the past decade, Victoria’s prison population has grown by over two thirds, from 3624 to 6100 (ABS, 2014)

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Continued The rate of head injury resulting in unconsciousness is much higher among ATSI people compared to other Australians and ATSI people are 1.7 times more likely to have a disability (Ogloff, 2013)

Women in prison often have experiences of physical trauma – 87% of women prisoners in Victoria are the victims of sexual, emotional or physical abuse (Johnson, 2014)

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Acquired Brain Injuries are often referred to as the “hidden disability”

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April  2009  –  Arrested    -­‐  Armed  Robbery  -­‐  $200  and  packet  of  cigare?es  

December  2010  –  Released  –  Parole  un8l  April  2013  

September  2012  –  Arrested    

December  2012  –  Released    

May  2013  –  Arrested    

Case Study – “Steve”

November  2014  –  In  custody  –  New  release  date  May  2015    

Issues arising from “Steve’s Story •  Difficulty exiting Criminal Justice System •  Continuing alcohol and drug use •  Lack of information/resources/support •  Complexity and parole

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Enabling Justice Project

•  System-level change •  Justice User Group

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Voices  of  marginalised      

Enhanced  individual  advocacy        

Justice User Group - Goals

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Justice User Group – A Self Advocacy Group •  Experiences of Criminal Justice System •  Ideas and changes to the Criminal Justice System •  Review materials about Criminal Justice System for people with ABI

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Membership Membership – people with an ABI who have experienced the Criminal Justice System and/or their families and carers.

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Jus8ce  User  Group      

• Recruitment  –  begun  • JSS  Adult  JusFce  Programs    

• MeeFng  structure  (8  x  bi-­‐monthly)  

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Proposed  Mee8ng  Topics    • InteracFon  with  the  police  • Legal  Assistance  • Court  processes  •   Sentencing  processes  • Remand  and  bail  • The  prison  System  • Parole,  Community  CorrecFons  • Families  and  other  people  involved  

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•   Co-­‐facilitated  (CIJ  and  Jesuit  Social  Services)  •   Adopt  Jesuit  Social  Services  way  of  working:    

•   NarraFve-­‐therapy  –  story-­‐telling  •   Trauma  informed    •   Strengths-­‐based  •   ParFcipant  centred/focused  

Group Facilitation - Principles

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Group  Facilita8on  –  Strategies    Informed  by  knowledge  of  impacts  of  ABI  on  execuFve  funcFoning  and  behaviour:    

-­‐  Informal,  structured,  flexible      -­‐  Group  rules  and  group  cohesion        -­‐  Regular  breaks/food      -­‐  Consistent  meeFng  Fme/place      -­‐  Limit  distracFons      -­‐  Repeat,  re-­‐cap  

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• Support  outside  Group  •   JusFce  User  Group  Project  Worker  •   Referral  to  other  JSS  services  as  required  •   Links  to  ABI  service  sector  

• Reten8on  •   Regular  catch-­‐ups    •   Payment  

Issues and Challenges

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