Transcript Catholic Prison Ministry

Catholic Prison Ministry
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for
Treatment
of
Prisoners
1955,
Rule
82(1)…”persons who are found to be insane shall
not be detained in prisons and arrangements shall
be made to remove them to mental institutions as
soon as possible” Greenberg et all (2003)
Catholic Prison Ministry evolved
in 1985 to respond to the inhumane and unjust
treatment of men and women in prison.
It began from a reform movement which
emerged to combat these injustices from St
Mary’s Church in South Brisbane.
CPM’s Mission
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To respond to the issues faced by people
affected by the criminal justice system: in
court, in prison, in community corrections, in
families and in the wider community, and;
To do this by encouraging personal and social
change which promotes and maintains human
dignity and peace in the community
CPM promotes a restorative justice
system.
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prison must be an option of absolute last resort, used only when a
person poses a threat to the safety and peace of the community.
the aim of the criminal justice system must be to bring about
reconciliation and restoration, rather than incrimination and
retribution.
justice must be regarded as a community responsibility. Crime is
not an individual problem. Social inequalities and injustices
influence and give rise to crime.
justice must be founded on the restoration of peace and right
relationships in the community, not on the judgment and punishment
of others.
we believe people will usually make the choice to live a lawful
lifestyle when they are supported in an environment affirming their
self worth and providing for their basic needs.
CPM Services Are:
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‘Getting out Support Program’ – providing pre and
post release support to men at Borallon, Wolston and
the former SDL prisons. Prisoners from other
facilities including farms and work release are also
welcome to contact our service via mail or phone.
Once released any former prisoner may access our
services. CPM works with over 500 prisoners a year
through this program. CPM is the only service to go
into male prisons for pre and post release support.
CPM Pre and Post Release Service
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Support provided includes:
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Organising accommodation for their release and providing on-going
assistance to maintain accommodation;
Assisting prisoners to apply for and get identification before their
release, when necessary;
Assisting, where appropriate, the delivery of transitions programs
operated by the correctional centres preparing men for their release;
Providing on-going support and counselling once released;
Linking to appropriate community mental health services, disability
services, indigenous services or other support services as necessary.
This includes shared case management.
Linking into employment services (up-coming co-location with
Centacare Employment PSP worker)
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Other CPM Services
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Family Support Program - supports family
members and significant others who have a loved one
affected by the criminal justice system;
Court Support Program – this program provides
support at 7 court across South-East Qld supporting
families, defendants and victims through the court
process;
Liferaft – support group for family members or
significant others affected by the prison system;
Advocacy – CPM advocates for prisoner and their
families for systemic and individual issues affecting
them in the prison system.
Diversity of Clients
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Mental health and disability issues
Acquired brain injury
Intellectual disability
Profound deafness
Spinal Injury
Paraplegia
Dementia
Schizophrenia
Bi-polar
Blindness
And the list goes on
Complicated by existing diseases and other issues such as
AIDS
Hep C
Drug and alcohol issues
Sexual abuse
Social isolation
and more
View of ‘Offenders’
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Outside the system – individual seen firstly
with disability or mental health issue then as a
person
Within the system – seen first as an offender,
then Steve Smith, then with a
conditional/illness troublesome to their
‘management’
Diversionary Recommendations
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Recent Special Circumstances Court – works with people who
have been charged with minor offences who have impaired
capacity. A welcome addition requires additional resourcing of
community sector;
(Intellectual) Disability Diversionary Court – such as been
established in WA;
In NSW, magistrates have a discretion to dismiss a charge
against a person with a developmental disability or psychiatric
disorder, they must also stipulate that this is on the priviso that
the individual cooperates with assessment and treatment;
Mainstream sentencing alternatives currently not options used
by courts due to under-resourced community corrections and
appropriate community services necessary for the support of
the individuals being diverted.
Diversionary Programs
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Alternative and diversionary programs are
often deemed not suitable for particular groups
with potentially high needs. This is usually
framed with regard to their inability to
properly comply with the process.
Need for the program to be more flexible and
offer people with cognitive disabilities or
mental health issues with a greater level of
support
Within Correctional Facilities
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Current programs – accessible only with
necessary literacy levels and comprehension.
No alternatives offered.
Individual presenting in the prison system with
a disability can ‘disguise’ their disability quite
well.
Little or no records of past assessment for
disability
Within Correctional Facilities
Recommendations
 Common place assessment for all inmates coming into the
system so that mental health issues including dual diagnosis
and intellectual disability are identified. To inform their
support and programs offered to these individuals. This must
include in some cases the availability of individual counseling.
 Rehabilitation for all prisoners should be central focus of
incarceration and therefore inmates (clients) need to be central
to their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.
Key elements of therapeutic support in any other capacity.
 Individuals with diagnosed psychiatric conditions and
disability should be appropriately managed outside the prison
system
Post Release Support
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Individual specialised case management with flexible service
delivery is essential to meet needs of this group, particularly
around transitional support.
Family and social relationships are significantly tested by
offending behaviour and subsequent imprisonment. This
requires significant resources to assist in the re-establishment
of these relationships, where possible.
Flexibility of disability funding including the re-negotiation of
packages well before individuals are released from prison
Services difficult to access where there has been crimes of a
violent nature in the past