Transcript Introduction The Global Centre for Evidence-based Corrections and Sentencing James Byrne, Professor, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Director, Global Centre for Evidence-based Corrections and Sentencing.

Introduction
The Global Centre for Evidence-based
Corrections and Sentencing
James Byrne, Professor,
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Director, Global Centre for Evidence-based Corrections
and Sentencing (GCECS) at Griffith University
 Griffith University’s New Global Centre for
Evidence-based Corrections and Sentencing
 (1) High Quality Corrections and Sentencing Research Agenda – the
Centre will develop research projects focusing on evaluating the
impact of current corrections and sentencing strategies
(adult/juvenile) in Queensland, throughout Australia, and
internationally.
 (2) Knowledge Exchange Seminars and Systematic, Evidence-based
Policy Reviews – to translate research into practice, the Centre will
develop a series of executive session seminars and workshops
highlighting corrections and sentencing issues in each global region.
 (3) Global Evidence-based Corrections and Sentencing Network
Development – through the Centre’s state of art website – will
become a global clearinghouse for high quality, evidence-based
corrections research, and a primary source of information on global
corrections/sentencing performance, and innovative corrections and
sentencing policies and practices.
An Expanded Definition of Evidence
 Evidence-based reviews traditionally focus on
evaluation research studies, focusing either on
gold standard( RCT only) or bronze standard
reviews--experimental and quasi-exp. Studies
(level 3 up, with support from level 1,2)
 The GCECS model for conducting evidence-based
reviews broadens the scope of inquiry to include
personal narratives, life-course and desistance
research, and research on the community context
of change.
New Focus on the Community
Context of Desistance
 Key Dimensions of Community:
 Community Attitudes: toward crime , police, courts,
corrections, and offenders; Neighbourhood-level
 Community Tolerance: community values, collective efficacy
 Community Structure: age composition, employment, housing
stock, residential/commercial mix, crime rate
 Community Support/ Resources: availability/quality of
treatment for drug and alcohol problems, skills training,
housing support, education, jobs
Redefining the Target for Change
 The client in corrections is not just the offender under
correctional control; it is also the public
 However, the public is not the general public.
 It is the residents of high risk communities where
most offenders reside before and after they become
involved in the corrections system.
 We need to measure the success of corrections both
in terms of individual offender change and in targeted
community change.
Emerging Trends and New Directions
 Offender change is possible, but not probable, without
community change.
 Recognition of the limitations of individual level change
strategies. We can not expect to change offenders unless we also
change the communities where offenders reside.
 Research Need
 What would a treatment-oriented prison and community
corrections system look like?
 What is the optimal skill set for workers involved at both
individual and community level?
 What new classification and treatment technology will be
needed?
Resistance to Lifestyle Change by Individual
Offenders may be affected by Community Level
Influences operating in High Risk Communities
Moral Cynicism among residents
Increased Opportunities for crime
and deviance
Increased Motivation to deviate
Diminished Social Control
Targeting and Changing High Risk
Locations
 Recent research highlights the impact of
community risk level on individual offender
recidivism.
 Based on this research, new strategies are being
developed targeting not only high risk offenders
but also high risk communities.
 Unfortunately, we currently appear to know little
about the impact of various community change
strategies.
The Challenge for GCECS
 Conduct research that examines the community
context of adult and juvenile corrections and
sentencing
 Develop evidence-based policy and practice
initiatives that emphasize the need for both
individual and community change
 Move from individual level to community level
engagement strategies